Matusz Tonight

[Frobby]

I missed a couple of innings, but that was the best I've seen Matusz pitch since 2010. He seemed to have everything working. His curve and slider were downright nasty.

One small beef, on a day when he allowed 2 hits and 1 walk, he still threw 101 pitches in 6.1 innings and had to be pulled. If you can't get through 7 IP on a day when you allow 3 baserunners, when are you ever going to do it? However, I suspect Buck might have stuck with Matusz longer if it hadn't been a one-run game, plus, he's trying to nurse Matusz's confidence along.

[Lucky Jim]

I missed a couple of innings, but that was the best I've seen Matusz pitch since 2010. He seemed to have everything working. His curve and slider were downright nasty.

One small beef, on a day when he allowed 2 hits and 1 walk, he still threw 101 pitches in 6.1 innings and had to be pulled. If you can't get through 7 IP on a day when you allow 3 baserunners, when are you ever going to do it? However, I suspect Buck might have stuck with Matusz longer if it hadn't been a one-run game, plus, he's trying to nurse Matusz's confidence along.

He still lost his release point, running up his pitch-count, even if he recovered it more quickly tonight. Still, very good outing - and we'll take that out of our No. 4 any night.

[tennOsfan]

I wont read too much into this, but I will make one general comment ive made since the start of the season. If Matusz

and Britton pitch well, this team could be alot better than people thought..and that means Tommy Hunter works long

relief, and I think he is well suited for that.Imagine Arrieta, Chen, Hammel, Matusz, Britton..and eventually Bundy..Whew!

Really, I think Matusz/Britton are the key to us staying near the top. We need quality depth in the starting rotation to stay in this thing.

[ccbird]

He showed you the stuff tonight that explains why some still believe he is the most talented SP we have on our 25 roster right now.

[MrOrange82]

Does it speak poorly of me that I watched the entire game and thought Matusz was brilliant, yet my big "take away" was the fact that the O's finally (finally!!!) hit Fat Albers hard?

Maybe it was just nostalgia...Albers giving up a bomb at Camden...felt so familiar...

[Grt 2BA FL Gator]

I think him finding his change up consistently will solve the efficiency issue and make him all the more nasty. I'd be interested to see how many of his balls were change ups. I believe it was quite a few.

I really like that Wieters kept having him throw it tonight. It was effective enough and I think he got better with it, but he has been pin point with it in the past and I think he will find it once again.

[Flash- bd]

I missed a couple of innings, but that was the best I've seen Matusz pitch since 2010. He seemed to have everything working. His curve and slider were downright nasty.

One small beef, on a day when he allowed 2 hits and 1 walk, he still threw 101 pitches in 6.1 innings and had to be pulled. If you can't get through 7 IP on a day when you allow 3 baserunners, when are you ever going to do it? However, I suspect Buck might have stuck with Matusz longer if it hadn't been a one-run game, plus, he's trying to nurse Matusz's confidence along.

Keep in mind he's going against a pretty decent hitting team which is known for its patience.

If he had the stuff he had tonight against KC I'm pretty sure he would've got through 7. That said, like Lucky Jim said, he did lose his control--albeit briefly--a few times tonight, though it doesn't necessarily show up on the stat sheet.

Still, you can't ask for much more from him than he gave tonight-- better control of his changeup and fastball would be nice, but then there would be little separating him from Cole Hamels. We all like Brian Matusz, but I don't think anyone expects him to be Cole Hamels. It's the first time he's used put to use all of his repertoire and controlled his stuff adequately throughout one outing this season, and the result was a lot of off-balanced hitters.

[Frobby]

Pitch f/x says Matusz threw his curve for a strike 9 times out of 10. He threw his slider for a strike 18 out of 26 and got 8 whiffs with it. He threw his change-up for strikes only 6 of 14, but at least he showed it a lot. He averaged about 91 with the fastball and maxed out at 93. Overall, a masterful outing.

[ccbird]

I missed a couple of innings, but that was the best I've seen Matusz pitch since 2010. He seemed to have everything working. His curve and slider were downright nasty.

One small beef, on a day when he allowed 2 hits and 1 walk, he still threw 101 pitches in 6.1 innings and had to be pulled. If you can't get through 7 IP on a day when you allow 3 baserunners, when are you ever going to do it? However, I suspect Buck might have stuck with Matusz longer if it hadn't been a one-run game, plus, he's trying to nurse Matusz's confidence along.

At least he's doing it in The Show against one of the elite hitting clubs in baseball. Your boy Tillman does it occasionally against AAA teams.

[Frobby]

At least he's doing it in The Show against one of the elite hitting clubs in baseball. Your boy Tillman does it occasionally against AAA teams.

Since when is Tillman my boy? I have always liked Matusz better than Tillman.

[Lucky Jim]

At least he's doing it in The Show against one of the elite hitting clubs in baseball. Your boy Tillman does it occasionally against AAA teams.

I'm not sure what tone you intended here, but that comes off as a bit douche-y. I'm pretty sure all Frobby has ever said about Tillman is that he's hopeful and patient.

As the biggest proponent of patience w/r/t Tillman (and, earlier, Matusz), I'll add this: you'd think we'd learn from Matusz that you can't tell everything from a stat-sheet. Matusz was clearly getting better even when the results weren't there. I'll continue to preach patience with Tillman - which isn't to say that I'd be averse to putting him the MLB bullpen.

[ccbird]

I'm not sure what tone you intended here, but that comes off as a bit douche-y. I'm pretty sure all Frobby has ever said about Tillman is that he's hopeful and patient.

True, it was. Just touched a nerve with me though I'm sure Frobby had no thoughts of TIllman when he made the post.

[MrOrange82]

I'm not sure what tone you intended here, but that comes off as a bit douche-y. I'm pretty sure all Frobby has ever said about Tillman is that he's hopeful and patient.

As the biggest proponent of patience w/r/t Tillman (and, earlier, Matusz), I'll add this: you'd think we'd learn from Matusz that you can't tell everything from a stat-sheet. Matusz was clearly getting better even when the results weren't there. I'll continue to preach patience with Tillman - which isn't to say that I'd be averse to putting him the MLB bullpen.

Yeah...I'm not sure I understand why Tillman is even worth knocking at this point. He's not being relied upon to do anything right now, and he doesn't even turn 25 until next April. The O's can afford to wait for him, and he's a long way from "lost cause" territory.

[The Rick]

I missed a couple of innings, but that was the best I've seen Matusz pitch since 2010. He seemed to have everything working. His curve and slider were downright nasty.

One small beef, on a day when he allowed 2 hits and 1 walk, he still threw 101 pitches in 6.1 innings and had to be pulled. If you can't get through 7 IP on a day when you allow 3 baserunners, when are you ever going to do it? However, I suspect Buck might have stuck with Matusz longer if it hadn't been a one-run game, plus, he's trying to nurse Matusz's confidence along.

Right. The whole game I was reminded of vintage Bedard if I'm being honest. Overall, 'twas a swell performance.

That's 3 out of the last 4 games now that Matusz has pitched well.

[mcinww0]

Brian Matusz last 6 starts (so just excluding his first 3): 35.1 IP

25 K's / 8 BB's

3.57 ERA

4-1

El Matador has returned.