Orioles have ongoing trade discussions involving Brian Matusz and Ryan Webb (Webb Traded)

[Going Underground]

Maybe the Yankees (or some other money team) can afford to pay a LOOGY 3.2 Million. A lot of us didn't think it was the smartest financial move for us. It's basically the only move by Duquette that I openly criticized this offseason and I was hardly alone. Call us "haters" and take away your football all you want. I agree that Matusz wasn't responsible for tonight's loss but he looked like a deer in the headlights against TB's mediocre RHB's. If the plan is to expose Matusz to more RHB's this year we should all be concerned.

I doubt the Yankees want him. They have Andrew Miller. Who knows,change of team and he might get with the right people and turn his career around. Jake was not a Buck favorite and would never have made it here. He has turned his career around with the Cubs.

[mdbdotcom]

Will someone please, please tell me why DD tendered Matusz a contract this year?

Because they hadn't signed Wright yet and non-tendering Matusz would have:

1) Left the team without a LOOGY

2) Weakened their bargaining position for a LOOGY (see #1)

I wish he hadn't done it, but I see why he did.

[Aristotelian]

The one thing I will say in Matusz defense is that Lavarnway did not help him out with the pitch selection. He was missing with the curveball but that is what Lavarnway inexplicably called for at 3-2 on Guyer, and then both 2-2 and 3-2 on Forsythe. These guys aren't Longoria, so just challenge them with the FB like they did on Beckham.

[Can_of_corn]

Matusz has no confidence in his stuff against RH hitters. And I don't blame him. The problem is that no one else wants him at 3.2M. Heck, we don't even know if anyone wants him at 1M. There are people on here who actually think he could do well as a starter based on ST and 5 years ago. An 88-90 mph fastball, a decent slider, and absolutely no changeup to speak of. Not pretty against RH hitters.

To be fair if you are including spring training then he did have a useable changeup.

I agree that he can't be a successful starter in the majors at this point.

[bobmc]

To be fair if you are including spring training then he did have a useable changeup.

I agree that he can't be a successful starter in the majors at this point.

And I believe that his value may net us a bag of balls, and it is "folly", as Frobby is wont to say, to think he can return anything of value - IMHO.....

[Can_of_corn]

And I believe that his value may net us a bag of balls, and it is "folly", as Frobby is wont to say, to think he can return anything of value - IMHO.....

I'd be happy with maybe 1.5 million in salary relief.

[ShaneDawg85]

People are entitled to dislike Matusz for whatever the reason, be it money, performance, expectation, whatever. But to sit here and argue that Gonzalez got shafted last night because of Matusz, or to even try to say with a straight face that Gonzalez pitched well last night is at best putting blinders on, and at worst showing complete incompetence. Gonzalez was lucky to even get into the 6th with how he pitched most of the game, he was just as guilty of Matusz missing his spots and being incapable of showing control, and at one point he was pushing 20 pitches an inning. 30+ pitches in the 1st inning screams, this guy is pitching great? Matusz was just as bad as Gonzalez, but the inning started the way it did because of Gonzalez. Don't let the stat line and the one run allowed fool you, 5 walks and the inability to throw strikes is not excusable, and that was on Gonzalez.

[PA724_Oriole]

People are entitled to dislike Matusz for whatever the reason, be it money, performance, expectation, whatever. But to sit here and argue that Gonzalez got shafted last night because of Matusz, or to even try to say with a straight face that Gonzalez pitched well last night is at best putting blinders on, and at worst showing complete incompetence. Gonzalez was lucky to even get into the 6th with how he pitched most of the game, he was just as guilty of Matusz missing his spots and being incapable of showing control, and at one point he was pushing 20 pitches an inning. 30+ pitches in the 1st inning screams, this guy is pitching great? Matusz was just as bad as Gonzalez, but the inning started the way it did because of Gonzalez. Don't let the stat line and the one run allowed fool you, 5 walks and the inability to throw strikes is not excusable, and that was on Gonzalez.

I think Gonzo gets a bit of a pass being he pitched five innings and not one. He did only give up one run , right? Or was the second credited to him as well?

Either way, given what he meant to this team last year, and that he will be more impact than Matusz, its not fair to say he is to blame as much as Matusz.

Like someone stated earlier in another thread about no one would be upset had they won last night, had the offense managed to put up just the runs last night, Gonzos or Matusz' performance wouldnt be a issue.

[Beef Supreme]

The one thing I will say in Matusz defense is that Lavarnway did not help him out with the pitch selection. He was missing with the curveball but that is what Lavarnway inexplicably called for at 3-2 on Guyer, and then both 2-2 and 3-2 on Forsythe. These guys aren't Longoria, so just challenge them with the FB like they did on Beckham.

The pitch calls would be coming from the bench, right? Would the Orioles allow New-guy Lavarnway to call the game on his own. Not to diss Ryan, but he doesn't know the staff that well. Nor the Rays' batters,for that matter. He hasn't played that much in MLB, bottom line. Seems difficult to believe those pitches weren't being called from the dugout. Anyone know for sure, one way or the other?

[Redskins Rick]

The pitch calls were not coming from the bench. Orioles catchers call Orioles games. Period. Learn that fact and never forget it.

Roch mentioned one of the reasons that the Orioles were leaning with Lavarnway was that he called a better game and handled the pitchers better than Clevenger did.

[TouchemAll]

I won't mind seeing Matusz moved I admit it he is my whipping boy in the BP. I just have NO faith in him when he's on the mound unless it's against Ortiz. LOL

I have NO problem with Gonzo last night ruff 1st inning but the guy kept us within ONE run.

[Beef Supreme]

The pitch calls were not coming from the bench. Orioles catchers call Orioles games. Period. Learn that fact and never forget it.

Ok. Then I'll place the majority of the blame on Buck and the staff for not calling the pitches and relying on Lavarnway. Seems like a policy that puts too much responsibility in the hands of players who know less about the tendencies of Orioles' pitchers as well as batters from the opposing team rather than on the experts in the dugout.

[Il BuonO]

Roch mentioned one of the reasons that the Orioles were leaning with Lavarnway was that he called a better game and handled the pitchers better than Clevenger did.

The game he called for Tillman's last ST start was masterful.

[Frobby]

Whatever, man. Gonzo was fine after the 1st inning. At least 2 of the walks he was just pitching around Longoria. I blame the inept offense more than I do Gonzalez or Matusz, honestly. But Matusz came in and just flat out SUCKED. He couldn't throw a strike. Gonzo at least had a decent breaking pitch working and his fastball was around the plate. Matusz was like a limp fish out there, it was gross.

I think I am glad that I had a business dinner last night and couldn't watch this game. As to Matusz, all I can say is, hope he's better next time out. Like Chen, he pitched well this spring, but didn't have a good first outing. I know there are a lot of folks who are down on Matusz generally, and thus are seizing on his bad initial outing as "proof" that he's not going to help this team. I tend to feel that his track record the last two years indicates he's likely to be mediocre, but not awful, and that's what I'm going with unless he stinks for more than a month. Matusz had an ERA of 11.57 after four outings last year, and managed to put together a non-horrible season.

I don't mean to suggest I'm happy with how he has turned out. I'm not. I just get sick of people piling on every single game where he allows a run. It gets old.

[Can_of_corn]

I felt the need to defend Gonzo because I don't agree AT ALL that he pitched poorly last night. I think it's pretty funny that people are pointing to good defense as a way to prove that he pitched poorly. Come on, the guy tossed almost 6 scoreless innings. Pitching is not fielding-independent as much as we'd all like to believe it is. The rules of baseball state that you have to field defenders at each position.

Look, Matusz is going to be better - I know that. The only reason I'm jumping on him is because he's a frustrating pitcher and by all accounts he was not supposed to be have made the 25-man roster, but Duquette couldn't find a trade. So here he is, limp fishing that fastball to the outside corner. His presence out there just doesn't jive with what the Orioles are about right now. I wish he was better - he will be better. I just don't like him, and a lot of other fans don't like him either, so... I dunno, deal with it?

He didn't go six and he wasn't scoreless.

Are you trying to tell me Gonzo gets any credit at all for that rocket Machado snared turning a double into an out?

There is inducing weak contact then there is doing what Gonzo did last night.