Brian Matusz Today, 2013

[Ruzious]

Can anyone post a replay of the homerun pitch? I thought it was at least bordeline in the strike zone - pretty much a batting practice pitch.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm amazed at how people are STILL in denial about Matusz. And I've been saying this all along - not just after a bad game. He's simply not very good, and there is not much upside there. He - more than anyone else including Strop - cost the O's the game. He choked badly against Cespedes - throwing 2 straight fat pitches to their best hitter when he was ahead in the count. Either he has no command in the clutch, or he's really stupid. Pick 1 or the other.

I'll take option C: He's a decent reliever who made a bad pitch that happened to be in a high-leverage situation.

But then again I'm not one to make judgments on one's moral, mental, or intellectual fitness based on how precisely you can place a baseball. Others may disagree.

[DrungoHazewood]

Can anyone post a replay of the homerun pitch? I thought it was at least bordeline in the strike zone - pretty much a batting practice pitch.

Cespedes basically hit it while on one knee. The opinion of me and the two guys I was watching with was that it was definitely low.

[Ruzious]

I'll take option C: He's a decent reliever who made a bad pitch that happened to be in a high-leverage situation.

But then again I'm not one to make judgments on one's moral, mental, or intellectual fitness based on how precisely you can place a baseball. Others may disagree.

Please explain.

[Ruzious]

I'll take option C: He's a decent reliever who made a bad pitch that happened to be in a high-leverage situation.

It wasn't just one bad pitch. I mentioned 3. The first was the hanging slider to the leadoff batter. The second was the pitch before the homerun.

[RipkenWay]

Cespedes basically hit it while on one knee. The opinion of me and the two guys I was watching with was that it was definitely low.

Yep. He went down and got it. Not a bad pitch by any means. Maybe not exactly where Brian wanted it but certainly not a "fat" pitch.

[Tony-OH]

I'm amazed at how people are STILL in denial about Matusz. And I've been saying this all along - not just after a bad game. He's simply not very good, and there is not much upside there. He - more than anyone else including Strop - cost the O's the game. He choked badly against Cespedes - throwing 2 straight fat pitches to their best hitter when he was ahead in the count. Either he has no command in the clutch, or he's really stupid. Pick 1 or the other.

I'd say you're in denial or out of your mind. Throwing a pitch that hittable to their best hitter in that situation was a horrible mistake, and it followed another fat pitch that Cespedes just missed.

You really have some issues over Matusz, don't you? Why such the negativity towards Matusz and others? Did he not sign your autograph or something? So Brian has been basically dominant against righties this year, then throws a middle of the plate, low changeup to a power hitter who hits a home run and now he's stupid and anyone that disagrees with your assessment is in denial of out of his mind? Yeah, we're definitely the ones with the issues here.

[webbrick2010]

Basically Matusz has mediocre stuff that has to be located perfectly. He is fine against LH'ers but should never pitch against a RH'er when the game is on the line.

To think he was a #4 overall pick, simpley amazing the high draft pick misses the O's have piled up.

[Malike]

Basically Matusz has mediocre stuff that has to be located perfectly. He is fine against LH'ers but should never pitch against a RH'er when the game is on the line.

To think he was a #4 overall pick, simpley amazing the high draft pick misses the O's have piled up.

This is all pretty much terribly wrong.

[Ruzious]

You really have some issues over Matusz, don't you? Why such the negativity towards Matusz and others? Did he not sign your autograph or something? So Brian has been basically dominant against righties this year, then throws a middle of the plate, low changeup to a power hitter who hits a home run and now he's stupid and anyone that disagrees with your assessment is in denial of out of his mind? Yeah, we're definitely the ones with the issues here.

Fair enough, I shouldn't have gone that far. What I'm trying to get at - is he's overrated. Probably what started me on this was when people said I was nuts for suggesting we trade Matusz for Morse - and not one person agreeing with me.

And again, it was 3 terrible pitches last night - not 1.

[Ruzious]

Basically Matusz has mediocre stuff that has to be located perfectly. He is fine against LH'ers but should never pitch against a RH'er when the game is on the line.

To think he was a #4 overall pick, simpley amazing the high draft pick misses the O's have piled up.

I'm happy 1 person agrees with me.

[ShaneDawg85]

People aren't giving Cespedes enough credit. It's not like we're talking about some scrub with no power. The guy hit 23 home runs last year, and that was with the missed time. He swung at the pitch and hit the ball out, which not a lot of guys could do, but Cespedes can because he can hit for power. If that were Chris Davis doing that people would be saying the same thing: He's so big and powerful, what a machine. But, it happens against the Orioles and all of a sudden the pitcher grooved it.

[ShaneDawg85]

I'm happy 1 person agrees with me.

Given who it is that isn't saying much of anything.

[NewMarketSean]

Matusz has been a disappointment for a #4 overall pick and a player we were counting on to be the ace of the rotation.

However, I think he's solid in the BP.

[ShaneDawg85]

Basically Matusz has mediocre stuff that has to be located perfectly. He is fine against LH'ers but should never pitch against a RH'er when the game is on the line.

To think he was a #4 overall pick, simpley amazing the high draft pick misses the O's have piled up.

Funny how you only seem to pop up after the Orioles lose with a list of things to complain about.