Really tired of Matusz...

[backwardsk]

I feel that a LOOGY is a luxery for a team who's starters can't go deep. The bullpen I'd work with in the second half is Britton, ODay, Hunter, Webb, McFarland, Gonzalez, and Brach.

I like the idea of sending him to San Diego. I hope things work out for him back home.

[bpilktree]

Because Matusz has freakish splits that are approaching Rapada territory. It's the highest level of competition and there's a finite number of roster spots. LOOGY's exist that can at least have a chance against RHBers. Matusz is absolutely atrocious when facing righties. That's a career thing and not a bad few weeks.

That is my point as well. You can't even use him as a loogy much anymore because the other manager just pinch hits against him now unless it is a guy like Ortiz who you want to hit no mattter what. If it is a marginal lefty and Buck brings in him they just pinch hit a righty.

[SteveO]

Because Matusz has freakish splits that are approaching Rapada territory. It's the highest level of competition and there's a finite number of roster spots. LOOGY's exist that can at least have a chance against RHBers. Matusz is absolutely atrocious when facing righties. That's a career thing and not a bad few weeks.

I hear ya and I agree it would be nice to upgrade the spot but until we do....Matusz can fill that role.

Far as trading him, I kinda think people are exercising wishful thinking. If Matusz were a pitcher on another team, one look at his splits would convince me that if you give him to me for bag of balls or I can claim him then maybe but I am not going to give you anything of real value for him especially considering he not exactly the cheap for a guy who can only get lefties out.

More likely scenario is we acquire a LOOGY type who can actually get RHB out at an acceptable clip, he gets DFA'd like Reimold or traded for some no name A ball prospect

[Lester Freamon]

I hear ya and I agree it would be nice to upgrade the spot but until we do....Matusz can fill that role.

Far as trading him, I kinda think people are exercising wishful thinking. If Matusz were a pitcher on another team, one look at his splits would convince me that if you give him to me for bag of balls or I can claim him then maybe but I am not going to give you anything of real value for him especially considering he not exactly the cheap for a guy who can only get lefties out.

More likely scenario is we acquire a LOOGY type who can actually get RHB out at an acceptable clip, he gets DFA'd like Reimold or traded for some no name A ball prospect

Me personally, all I'm saying is I think it's possible that another team might could look at Matusz and say, "we can fix him". Again, I think a NL team, and more specifically, the Padres, could be a match. It might be possible to acquire a solid bullpen arm for Matusz and another prospect of some sort. We'll see. Obviously, first choice is for some sort of switch to go off and Matusz reverts to the bullpen arm of 2012. Or maybe just closer to it, can't get greedy.

[Art Wing]

I don't normally advocate trading within the division. Buuttttt......

we can offer to pay his entire salary but only if he's traded within the division.

[backwardsk]

He'll most likely have to pitch tomorrow so I hope he does well, but I don't think we see him much longer.

[Carroll County]

I can't quite tell if Matusz is just having a bad year, and will ultimately be one of our better relievers down the stretch, or if last year was an aberration. To the naked eye, his velocity looks down a bit, but it is not (at least materially).

I'm certainly hoping for the former, and agree that if he doesn't pitch better, he would likely be non-tendered.

[El Gordo]

Tomorrow we won't see O'Day, Brach, McF. Prepare to see some Matusz, Julio, Hunter. Hopefully not Britton.

[waroriole]

Why is that everytime a guy has a bad week or two people say he has to go.

Guy has a good run they should start, play more etc.....

Thank god this team is managed by Buck and not some of us lol. Being reactionary in baseball is one sure way to have a team that sucks

Matusz is still an effective LOOGY type guy....its sucks he never turned into what we wished (or even 10% of it) but for this year on this team he can fill a specific role (LOOGY) decently. Let him do it till they find someone better to

LOOGY's shouldn't make $3M a year. It's a waste of money for him to only be able to pitch to LH.

[InsideCoroner]

Tomorrow we won't see O'Day, Brach, McF. Prepare to see some Matusz, Julio, Hunter. Hopefully not Britton.

I would hope to see Britton, provided it's a save situation.

[weams]

My concern is simply command. Last year, he couldn't command his curveball or changeup with any consistency, but he was usually in control of his fastball and slider. That didn't help much with righties which was frustrating, but he was legitimately nasty against lefties (not just results, but swings and location). This year he hasn't commanded any of his four pitches at all IMHO. He just slings it and sometimes it goes to good spots and sometimes to awful spots. Again IMHO, he is so worried about hitting 90-91 that he no longer has a controlled motion or release on any pitch. I believe he needs to remake himself as an 87-88 two seamer guy who throws 20% sliders, 15% curves! and 15% changeups to have any chance of a long career.

His 91 mph 4 seamer isn't effective due to speed anyway. It is effective due to location and, since he doesn't have good location anymore, it isn't effective. I just don't understand his approach at all. It is like he doesn't understand what makes a pitcher effective. I'm sure it sucks for him that he came out of college throwing 93-94 and can now only throw 90-91 at max effort, but it is what it is. He has done the conditioning and strengthened the arm and this is all he has today. Adjust or perish. It isn't that hard to figure out. Maybe he isn't bright. I don't know, but I do know I'm tired of watching him pitch like a guy who has never been exposed to ML hitters.

Matusz still has better stuff than McFarland, but McF knows who and what he is and pitches to those strengths. Matusz is NOT a guy who should EVER throw a 91 mph 4 seamer in the strike zone, yet he has spent two seasons trying to develop as that exact pitcher. Silly and not going to work.

Nice summary. Thanks.

[backwardsk]

I would hope to see Britton, provided it's a save situation.

He's pitched a lot recently, 5 out of the last 7 days. It'd be nice to give him additional rest. We also have Webb who can go. He's only pitched twice since June 28th. I look for them to lean on him tonight. Hopefully Chen can go 7 like Tillman did.

[Frobby]

I've always rooted for Matusz, but I have to admit he simply hasn't been as good this year as he was last season, and he wasn't as good in relief last season as he was in that role in 2012. I don't feel that he "has to go," but if they could find a better LH reliever, I'd be OK with moving on.

[PaulFolk]

He'd have been gone long ago if he hadn't been a first round draft choice.

I'm not sure that's true. The reason Matusz is still here is because he's actually been pretty good in his role...until the last month or so. Gotta think the leash is running short, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's packaged in a trade.

[MurphDogg]

I'm not sure that's true. The reason Matusz is still here is because he's actually been pretty good in his role...until the last month or so. Gotta think the leash is running short, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's packaged in a trade.

Yep, he is a DFA candidate at the end of this season due to his limited role and rising arbitration cost but he has provided surplus value in four of the previous five seasons.