PressBox: Is It Time to Cut Ties with Brian Matusz?

[CA-ORIOLE]

JMHO Nobody in that bull pen grooves more FB's and it's his lack of control on the FB that kills him.

None of his stuff is really impressive. He can execute good pitches at times, but you can say that for almost any ML pitcher. The FB's are probably more effective against LHB's. It's a minor miracle that Weeks did not plant one of those FB's over the wall yesterday imo. That flat slider he hit for the single might have been a blessing quite frankly.

[DrungoHazewood]

I think that is when DD and Buck will have a hard decision. Until Wright is healthy, Matusz stays. By the way, I think it is at best only a 50/50 proposition that Wright is a better reliever than Matusz. Last couple of years:

2013: Wright 3.69 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, Matusz 3.53 ERA, 1.16 WHIP

2014: Wright 3.12 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, Matusz 3.48 ERA, 1.32 WHIP

But Wright was never an Orioles first round pick and expected to be a savior of the franchise. So his mid-3.00s ERA as 5th or 6th best guy in the pen will be acceptable, while with Matusz it's a disappointment.

[El Gordo]

I forget whether we got Wright before or after we could have non tendered Matusz, but the current situation is one reason why they kept him. We don't have any other options while Wright is on the DL. Were there any better LOOGY options last winter who wouldn't cost as much or more?

[CA-ORIOLE]

But Wright was never an Orioles first round pick and expected to be a savior of the franchise. So his mid-3.00s ERA as 5th or 6th best guy in the pen will be acceptable, while with Matusz it's a disappointment.

That's nice rhetoric, but it was overall weak analysis imo. Wright has shown much more ability to pitch to both sides of the plate the past 2 years (mainly due to the development of his CH). Pitched to a higher percentage of RHB's, and almost certainly a higher quality of RHB's than has Matusz in that 2 year period.

[DrungoHazewood]

I forget whether we got Wright before or after we could have non tendered Matusz, but the current situation is one reason why they kept him. We don't have any other options while Wright is on the DL. Were there any better LOOGY options last winter who wouldn't cost as much or more?

$3.2M is towards the upper end of what a situational lefty is paid. Only a handful cost more. I'm not going to try some detailed study about who was available last offseason, but I think it's very likely they could have found someone to fill Matusz' role much more cheaply, including some internal options. But it's debatable if they were likely to perform as well or better.

[DrungoHazewood]

That's nice rhetoric, but it was overall weak analysis imo. Wright has shown much more ability to pitch to both sides of the plate the past 2 years (mainly due to the development of his CH). Pitched to a higher percentage of RHB's, and almost certainly a higher quality of RHB's than has Matusz in that 2 year period.

I'm just commenting on the fact that Matusz has been labeled a disappointment ever since 2011, if not earlier. I think that colors perceptions. Wesley Wright may be better and more suited to Matusz' role. I think Matusz is overpaid. But prior to your post I'm sure almost no one here knew any of the nuances about Wright's profile, just that their numbers were similar and they certainly preferred Wright.

[mdbdotcom]

I forget whether we got Wright before or after we could have non tendered Matusz, but the current situation is one reason why they kept him. We don't have any other options while Wright is on the DL. Were there any better LOOGY options last winter who wouldn't cost as much or more?

Wright was signed after the December 2 deadline to non-tender Matusz.

[El Gordo]

$3.2M is towards the upper end of what a situational lefty is paid. Only a handful cost more. I'm not going to try some detailed study about who was available last offseason, but I think it's very likely they could have found someone to fill Matusz' role much more cheaply, including some internal options. But it's debatable if they were likely to perform as well or better.

Clearly we don't have any internal options presently. I have to trust DD's judgment that had he found such an option on the market prior to non tender deadline, he would have taken it.

[DrungoHazewood]

Clearly we don't have any internal options presently. I have to trust DD's judgment that had he found such an option on the market prior to non tender deadline, he would have taken it.

I think DD's rule of thumb is that you don't release a guy who's doing a reasonable job unless you have a plan to fill the position with someone clearly better. The fan perspective is often that they'd release almost anyone who was underperforming for a bit and try someone new if there was any reasonable chance the new guy would be better. There were probably plenty of pitchers who fit the fan GM criteria, but few or no pitchers who fit DD's.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I think DD's rule of thumb is that you don't release a guy who's doing a reasonable job unless you have a plan to fill the position with someone clearly better. The fan perspective is often that they'd release almost anyone who was underperforming for a bit and try someone new if there was any reasonable chance the new guy would be better. There were probably plenty of pitchers who fit the fan GM criteria, but few or no pitchers who fit DD's.

I suspect the organization felt that Matusz could be salvaged into something close to his 2010 performance and potential as a starter and/or perhaps a long reliever and/or trade bait. ST gave them some false hope of that. You can't be right about everything. The early SP/BP performance and carrying Garcia hasn't helped much. Like many of the others have echoed, I'd like to see them change course with his usage. I'm not sure a DFA is necessary at this point. I think Matusz can be useful along with Wright.

[El Gordo]

I think DD's rule of thumb is that you don't release a guy who's doing a reasonable job unless you have a plan to fill the position with someone clearly better. The fan perspective is often that they'd release almost anyone who was underperforming for a bit and try someone new if there was any reasonable chance the new guy would be better. There were probably plenty of pitchers who fit the fan GM criteria, but few or no pitchers who fit DD's.

This is my point especially since it turns out Wright was signed after the NT deadline. Matsuz was not effective last night but he gave up two duck farts and an IF bleeder. It was the walk that tipped the balance. Too bad he didn't just SO the side. Oh wait he did that.