What was Matusz' velocity / stuff like today?

[UnashamedRiver]

Matusz pitched like a #2 last year for a couple months with the same velocity he had yesterday. Kershaw is an ace. That's what having overwhelming stuff gets you. No one's claiming Matusz will ever be as good or even close to Kershaw, but he can be a #2 with his stuff and better control.

I agree with your post, but what I'm trying to say is that where are the #2 pitchers who cannot throw 90? They don't exist. Where are they?

[Sports Guy]

Nobody who throws as soft as Bmat is a #2. Fact. Kershaw makes a living off of the fastball belt high in the middle of the plate. Fact. Can you honestly saw kershaw is successful because he's painting? No he just overwhelming hitters with just straight nastiness. Stuff is more important than command.

Glavine says hi.

[Sports Guy]

Matusz pitched like a #2 last year for a couple months with the same velocity he had yesterday. Kershaw is an ace. That's what having overwhelming stuff gets you. No one's claiming Matusz will ever be as good or even close to Kershaw, but he can be a #2 with his stuff and better control.

Sometimes even the most obvious points allude some people.

Good post.

[DrOrioles90210]

I agree with your post, but what I'm trying to say is that where are the #2 pitchers who cannot throw 90? They don't exist. Where are they?

They are rare, but guys like Matusz (when he has the control he had at the end of last year), Glavine, and Maddux have shown that they can be at least #2's or better.

[Sports Guy]

Buehrle throws 86 MPH.

[UnashamedRiver]

Glavine says hi.

Glavine is from another generation where players were smaller, slower and weaker. Matusz is pitching in 2011. 90 mph doesn't cut it today. The average fastball in the early 90s was 88. Today it is 91

[Dannyboy]

Glavine is from another generation where players were smaller, slower and weaker. Matusz is pitching in 2011. 90 mph doesn't cut it today. The average fastball in the early 90s was 88. Today it is 91

Glavine pitched during the steroid era, where players were juicing, hitting the balls farther and faster.

[Dannyboy]

So 90 mph doesn't cut it but 91 does?

[UnashamedRiver]

Glavine pitched during the steroid era, where players were juicing, hitting the balls farther and faster.

That still doesn't change the fact that 88 was the average fastball in the early 90's. Today it is 91. If Matusz was pitching in the Glavine era he would of had plenty of enough juice on the fastball.

[UnashamedRiver]

So 90 mph doesn't cut it but 91 does?

he doesn't even throw 90. Mr. smiley sarcasm.

[Dannyboy]

"Speed is fine. Accuracy is final"...Wyatt Earp.

[Dannyboy]

Even if he did throw 90mph, still wouldn't be good enough cause its not 91....lmao.

[Frobby]

Glavine is from another generation where players were smaller, slower and weaker. Matusz is pitching in 2011. 90 mph doesn't cut it today. The average fastball in the early 90s was 88. Today it is 91

I disagree that Glavine is far removed from this era. He pitched during the heyday of the steroids era. So did Moyer. Today you have Buehrle.

I am not worried at all about Matusz's velocity, so long as he is back in the range that he pitched at in 2010. But his command needs to be back where it was, and right now, he's not throwing the ball where he needs to throw it consistently enough.

Going back to the OP, I thought Matusz's velocity was just fine, but his offspeed stuff wasn't as crisp as it needs to be. Of course, the defense was pathetic -- not just the 3 errors that were recorded, but the play by Davis that was first ruled an error and later changed to a hit, the ball Pie lost in the sun, the ball Pie totally misread off the bat and never got near, and the ball where Pie played too shallow and couldn't catch. The ump also called a runner safe at 3B when he was probably out, and the play was only close because Davis misapplied the tag. So I count 8 lousy defensive plays in the 4 innings Matusz was on the mound. I'm not going to absolve Matusz of all responsibility, but it's tough to pitch when the defense is giving away outs all over the place.

[Sports Guy]

Glavine is from another generation where players were smaller, slower and weaker. Matusz is pitching in 2011. 90 mph doesn't cut it today. The average fastball in the early 90s was 88. Today it is 91

What era/generation is Buehrle in?

[UnashamedRiver]

What era/generation is Buehrle in?

That's a legit answer. Buehrle gets it done. He's more of an exception than the rule though.