Matusz speaks

[wildcard]

I don't know... I am guessing this interview along with the other grumblings we have heard do not qualify you as a "nugget".

So let me see if I have this right? I guy who will not take the advice and the direction of his coaches and uses his father as his hitting coach is a good acquisition as a nugget, but a guy who actually tries to implement the coach's plan and gets hurt in the process and then talks about it is not a nugget?

[ledzepp8]

So let me see if I have this right? I guy who will not take the advice and the direction of his coaches and uses his father as his hitting coach is a good acquisition as a nugget, but a guy who actually tries to implement the coach's plan and gets hurt in the process and then talks about it is not a nugget?

To be fair (and this may be entirely untrue) Matusz comes off sounding like someone who never bought into the suggestions of the coaches, didn't put much effort into actually trying to make those suggestions work, got poor results/was demoted, and is now saying "See, I knew these were crummy suggestions".

[wildcard]

With 20/20 hindsight, I think this is right. Things were going in the right direction at the end of last year with all the pitchers, so it just wasn't the time to make a change. The decision to replace Kranitz and Dunn and bring in Connor and Adair is Buck's alone, and he is accountable for that decision. No, I do not expect or want Andy MacPhail to interfere with a new manager's selection of coaches, nor do I expect the GM to have any role whatsoever when a new coach tells a player to change something. And it is not the place of the AAA pitching coach (who, by the way, never coached Matusz in the minors before this season) to tell the new major league pitching coach that he thinks the changes the coach is making are a mistake. This is on Buck and Connor, entirely.

As to the concern that Matusz has conditioning issues, I find that extremely puzzling. As I posted elsewhere, Matusz spent 13 weeks at API this winter, following a conditioning and diet program. He also coordinated with the strength and conditioning coach. I just don't get it.

I think that you are mixing being physically prepared with being mentally prepared. Brian is clear that he was physically prepared but he did not come into ST mentally prepared to change how he had pitched probably because he had been successful with his mechanics all this life.

Here is Brian comment:

“It wasn’t necessarily that I wasn’t physically prepared, but I wasn’t mentally prepared."

[TiredofLosing20]

So let me see if I have this right? I guy who will not take the advice and the direction of his coaches and uses his father as his hitting coach is a good acquisition as a nugget, but a guy who actually tries to implement the coach's plan and gets hurt in the process and then talks about it is not a nugget?

Hmm, not sure what you are trying to say here. All I was trying to say is that I am pretty sure Buck isn't a big fan of Matusz's interview and some of the other grumblings we have heard. Not sure what that has to do with Rasmus.

[wildcard]

Matusz, however, said that he felt good coming into the spring, and his conditioning problems started when he suffered the lintercostal strain and was shut down from doing physical activities. After working out at Athletes Performance the past two offseasons, Matusz did say that he has decided to spend this coming offseason, training with former Oriole and noted fitness buff Brady Anderson. “My first outing in spring training, I was 90 to 92 [miles an hour]. My velocity was there,” said Matusz, whose playing weight is down about 10 pounds from where he pitched at last season. He admitted that he needs to do a better job of getting stronger and maintaining his weight.

He says he was physically prepared but at the same time, if you read between the lines, it sounds like he knows he needs to do better.

I see what you are saying. You might be right.

I think he feels he was in good physical shape coming into ST. However, the team is offering up Brady as a conditioning coach. Other Orioles praise Brady's method. Brian is digging out frim failure and is open to changing his conditioning.

[Frobby]

I think that you are mixing being physically prepared with being mentally prepared. Brian is clear that he was physically prepared but he did not come into ST mentally prepared to change how he had pitched probably because he had been successful with his mechanics all this life.

That is Matusz's opinion. I was referring to other people expressing concern. And the fact that he plans to work with Brady Anderson this winter suggests that Matusz now believes he wasn't physically prepared, no matter what he says.

I am pretty mystified by this whole situation. I can't tell if his problem is attitude, confidence, conditioning, injuries, coaching, mechanics, or too many people telling him too many diffferent things. All I know is, if Matusz doesn't turn out to be a key piece of the puzzle for us, that's an unmitigated disaster.

[Can_of_corn]

Hmm, not sure what you are trying to say here. All I was trying to say is that I am pretty sure Buck isn't a big fan of Matusz's interview and some of the other grumblings we have heard. Not sure what that has to do with Rasmus.

What he means is this interview is small potatoes compared to the war that Rasmus and his father have been waging against the Cardinals.

[TiredofLosing20]

What he means is this interview is small potatoes compared to the war that Rasmus and his father have been waging against the Cardinals.

I get that but not sure why it was directed towards my comment. I am pretty sure Rasmus isn't a Buck guy either.

[allstar1579]

That is Matusz's opinion. I was referring to other people expressing concern. And the fact that he plans to work with Brady Anderson this winter suggests that Matusz now believes he wasn't physically prepared, no matter what he says.

I am pretty mystified by this whole situation. I can't tell if his problem is attitude, confidence, conditioning, injuries, coaching, mechanics, or too many people telling him too many diffferent things. All I know is, if Matusz doesn't turn out to be a key piece of the puzzle for us, that's an unmitigated disaster.

Yeah seems like there is a lot more to the story no one wants to put out publicly. I can't say I blame him much for being unprepared for someone to totally overhaul his mechanics this spring, I just don't see a reason to do it. Ok, yeah he could have been much better at holding runners, but looking at the disaster this year has become, was it worth tinkering over?

[wildcard]

I get that but not sure why it was directed towards my comment. I am pretty sure Rasmus isn't a Buck guy either.

I probably stated it poorly. I should not have put it as a response to you. My bad.

[Orioles1954]

If I'm Dylan Bundy and reading this, does such knowledge affect my negotiations with the team?

[wildcard]

If I'm Dylan Bundy and reading this, does such knowledge affect my negotiations with the team?

Probably depends on what his brother is saying about the minor league instruction. He doesn't have to go by a newspaper article, he has a direct source.

[Orioles1954]

Probably depends on what his brother is saying about the minor league instruction. He doesn't have to go by a newspaper article, he has a direct source.

Good point. It would be very interesting to be a fly on the wall to hear what Bobby would say to Dylan.

[Stotle]

If I'm Dylan Bundy and reading this, does such knowledge affect my negotiations with the team?

I think as long as Dylan is permitted to keep "doing his thing" with regards to training and throwing, he won't care.

[NewMarketSean]

Have any of the major writers covering this team brought the Connor/mechanics change up to Showalter or anyone else associated with the team? I'd love to hear what Buck or Andy has to say about this.