Prediction: Matusz and Arrieta will be traded before July 31st.

[Icterus galbula]

So does this supersede your "Matusz will be our #1 starter by the end of the year" prediction?

[Il BuonO]

Matusz has made some improvements, but the bar was pretty low. His mechanics are inconsistent and if he is anything but a #4 for any ML team, let alone one in the toughest division in baseball, I'll be surprised.

[MrOrange82]

I agree totally on this. I think Jake is a major talent whose light hasnt come on just yet. I think we have seen his stuff and when he's right it's electric. I think trading him now would be a

massive mistake and I think Buck knows it.

Palmer had Weaver, Arrieta's had...well, evidently he needs someone else. I'd have more hope for Jake if his problems were mechanical, based in pitch selection, etc. Unfortunately, his problems (IMO) seem to exist entirely in his own head.

And whether/if problems like that can be fixed are questions that are extremely difficult to gauge.

[Roll Tide]

Palmer had Weaver, Arrieta's had...well, evidently he needs someone else. I'd have more hope for Jake if his problems were mechanical, based in pitch selection, etc. Unfortunately, his problems (IMO) seem to exist entirely in his own head.

And whether/if problems like that can be fixed are questions that are extremely difficult to gauge.

Not entirely true at minimum. Jake has had trouble keeping the ball down. It seems more so when he pitches from the stretch .... And YES I believe its mechanical.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I personally would not be looking to trade either of them right now, for different reasons.

[24fps]

If people are selling low on Arrieta because of his ERA and record they're making a huge mistake IMO.

Completely agree.

But you know it would be kinda nice if Jake got with the program at this point. I mean it would answer a lot of questions and we could all move on to the other perennial issues (neuroses) that constitute a day in the life of a dedicated, long-standing Orioles fan.

[wildcard]

I could see Matusz being the major piece in a Garza trade.

Why? Because the O's need another consistent start to go with Hammel and Chen to improve there playoff chances.

Its trading someone who might be good in the future for someone that is good now.

Matusz, Hoes and Flaherty for Garza.

[section18]

I hope DD is reading this today. I think Matusz and Arrieta suffered from being around Guthrie their first couple of years. None of them have what is known as a killer instinct on the mound. They never finish games and seem to think every 4-6 inning outing is a good day at work for them. We need pitchers with physical and mental toughness and these guys don't have it. I was hoping Brady would help them with this during the off season. If improving the team means dealing Arrieta or Matusz and maybe both DD should make the deals.

[Beach86]

Well I hope they both go, I'm done waiting for them. How many chances can they get to show they belong here. I think they're just another group of players from our horrible farm system. Now DD needs to clean it up and get some teams to give up actual good players for our young disappointments

[EagleOriole]

I hope DD is reading this today. I think Matusz and Arrieta suffered from being around Guthrie their first couple of years. None of them have what is known as a killer instinct on the mound. They never finish games and seem to think every 4-6 inning outing is a good day at work for them. We need pitchers with physical and mental toughness and these guys don't have it. I was hoping Brady would help them with this during the off season. If improving the team means dealing Arrieta or Matusz and maybe both DD should make the deals.

Now it's Guthrie's fault? That's not very nice...or at all true.

[weams]

I hope DD is reading this today. I think Matusz and Arrieta suffered from being around Guthrie their first couple of years. None of them have what is known as a killer instinct on the mound. They never finish games and seem to think every 4-6 inning outing is a good day at work for them. We need pitchers with physical and mental toughness and these guys don't have it. I was hoping Brady would help them with this during the off season. If improving the team means dealing Arrieta or Matusz and maybe both DD should make the deals.

Arrieta did not train with Brady. He spent the offseason rehabbing from elbow surgery.

[Can_of_corn]

Arrieta did not train with Brady. He spent the offseason rehabbing from elbow surgery.

Plus he is with team Boras and has his own training regimen. *

*If anyone knows of a Boras client that has trained with Brady I will retract the statement.

[Pickles]

If it's a choice, I'm keeping Arrieta over Matusz. I doubt they trade both. I could see Matusz being dealt.

I wouldn't be shocked if one of them, or Tillman perhaps, got dealt but I don't believe they'll move two of that group.

As far as Arrieta and Matusz, I think I'd rather keep Matusz, as I believe he is more likely to develop into a quality SP than Arrieta.

[Pickles]

I think there is a fairly even and reasonable split on the board about this. I've clearly been in the Arrieta over Matusz camp for some time now. I think he's (Arrieta) real close to getting consistent but we'll see.

Oh, I can see it both ways. For me, Matusz has more pitches, and better stuff (besides velocity), and has shown in the past to have superior command. But he's clearly still working through mechanical issues, and a puzzling degradation of what was his best pitch, his change.

There's a valid argument on both sides of this.

[Can_of_corn]

There's a clear disagreement here and part of that his Matusz's changeup. It is (and was IMO) the most overrated pitch here on OH. It clearly is worse than it was but I don't think it was ever as good (think Cole Hamels) as people think.

More overrated then Arrieta's fastball? Or Britton's sinker that he can't reliably throw for strikes against ML hitters?