I want Matusz in the rotation....

[stebs52]

August and September 2009 aren't going to be too shabby, either.

I know this year is going to exciting because of some of the talent that should be making its debut at OPACY, but it it just seems that 2010 is finally going to be the year when we can actually consider ourselves contenders. Barring injury (knock on wood) I just can't see any way that Tillman, Arrieta, & Matusz aren't in the rotation next April.

[jdouble777]

"No surprise to me so far was the fact that Brian Matusz has pitched so well this spring. With his three shutout innings today, he's now thrown four and a third shutout innings, striking out three, while allowing just two hits and a walk. It not a surprise because of the scout from another organization who told me after the Arizona Fall League that Matusz was major league ready and already the second best pitcher the Orioles have besides Guthrie. So far this spring, he's showing that scout might have been right. I've heard the plan all winter was to send Matusz to Frederick to start the year, but I wonder if his performance could get him a start in Bowie, or maybe....nah, I still can't imagine the Orioles having him go straight from college to the bigs, no matter what he does this spring."

Alright, we got two and counting, here we go, here we go! I want Albers in long relief as well as Hendrickson and I don't want Eaton anywhere near the rotation, not even the sheet that has it written on it. Both Albers and Hendrickson can come bail him out if he gets stuck in the fourth and carry it through the seventh, probably. I don't think they will need to often though, the guy seriously has four plus pitches. Furthermore, Hill looks like he is fighting to get out there and we all said that unless injuries started to pile up, well Parrish, Hendrickson, Hennessey, Baez is awful, I think enough has happened...

[TJ Wrangler]

"No surprise to me so far was the fact that Brian Matusz has pitched so well this spring. With his three shutout innings today, he's now thrown four and a third shutout innings, striking out three, while allowing just two hits and a walk. It not a surprise because of the scout from another organization who told me after the Arizona Fall League that Matusz was major league ready and already the second best pitcher the Orioles have besides Guthrie. So far this spring, he's showing that scout might have been right. I've heard the plan all winter was to send Matusz to Frederick to start the year, but I wonder if his performance could get him a start in Bowie, or maybe....nah, I still can't imagine the Orioles having him go straight from college to the bigs, no matter what he does this spring."

Alright, we got two and counting, here we go, here we go! I want Albers in long relief as well as Hendrickson and I don't want Eaton anywhere near the rotation, not even the sheet that has it written on it. Both Albers and Hendrickson can come bail him out if he gets stuck in the fourth and carry it through the seventh, probably. I don't think they will need to often though, the guy seriously has four plus pitches. Furthermore, Hill looks like he is fighting to get out there and we all said that unless injuries started to pile up, well Parrish, Hendrickson, Hennessey, Baez is awful, I think enough has happened...

So you don't think it is a good thing to give him a chance to straighten out his mechanics while adjusting to pro ball at a level that is likely to challenge him without putting him in over his head? The jump from College to the Majors is like jumping from A ball to the Majors. Bowie seems about right for someone as advanced as Matusz.

[jdouble777]

So you don't think it is a good thing to give him a chance to straighten out his mechanics while adjusting to pro ball at a level that is likely to challenge him without putting him in over his head? The jump from College to the Majors is like jumping from A ball to the Majors. Bowie seems about right for someone as advanced as Matusz.

I know, I agree, but it he is as good if not better than anyone who is going to fill our 5th and probably our 4th spot.

[TJ Wrangler]

I know, I agree, but it he is as good if not better than anyone who is going to fill our 5th and probably our 4th spot.

I know you're excited about all of our big 3 prospects (heck, who isnt! ), but patience is a virtue here. If you give them time to develop, they'll be better prepared and perform better. We'll also have them for a longer time while they are pitching better.

So unless Matusz is perfect for the rest of spring training, it is probably best for him and the Orioles if he pitches in the minors.

[NewMarketSean]

I think Matusz will be sent to MiL ST pretty soon. Since he doesnt have a chance to make the team, they need to make space for players who have a shot.

[TJ Wrangler]

I think Matusz will be sent to MiL ST pretty soon. Since he doesnt have a chance to make the team, they need to make space for players who have a shot.

Pretty soon we might have a Hitler video of Jdouble777's reaction to Matusz being sent down.

[Mackus]

I know, I agree, but it he is as good if not better than anyone who is going to fill our 5th and probably our 4th spot.

Thats absolutely irrelevant.

We want Matusz to be the best pitcher he can be. He'll get there by honing in on a few of his tiny weaknesses in the minors.

He could probably handle it as our 5th starter this year, but I think that would likely cause his upside to deflate. He wouldn't develop as well.

I want him to be a #1 or at least a #2. That is more likely to happen with him working and developing in the minors than with him being thrown to the wolves as our 5th starter this year, IMO.

[NCRaven]

I don't think we'll see Matusz in Baltimore at all during 2009. By the end of Bowie's season (assuming he starts in Frederick and is promoted during the season) he will have pitched, by far, the most innings of his life. There will be absolutely no reason to push him into the big leagues in September, putting him at greater risk of injury and starting his arbitration clock prematurely.

Irrational exuberance can screw up more than the financial markets. We (and by that I mean MacPhail and Trembley) shouldn't let our short term enthusiasm result in bad long-term decision making. Starting Matusz in Baltimore now, or pushing his innings pitched this year excessively beyond what he's done in the past makes no sense at all.

[Three Run Homer]

It's way too early, after just 4.2 spring training innings, to say that Matusz is ready to pitch in the majors.

But what if three weeks from now Matusz has thrown 25 innings, all in the major league camp, with a K/BB ratio of, say, 25/4, and an ERA of 1.50?

People are assuming that Matusz must have things to work on in the minors, on his mechanics, or learning how to set up hitters, or learning how to hold runners, or whatever.

But what if he doesn't?

[TyCobb]

Even if Matusz was our best starter right now, it would make sense to start him in the minors for the same reasons Wieters will start the year in the minors (to delay free agency and eligibility for arbitration). If he pitches great for 3 months, I'd be happy to see him in the majors in the 2nd half. Why not, he's already on the 40-man roster anyway.

Pitchers should be a lot more easier to sign. With Wieters we have Boras and that fact that he is a positional player against us. He isn't going to give up Free Agent years to sign a contract unless it is a great deal for him.

I think Matusz would be open to sign with us. He has a MLB contract for 4 years/ 3.5 million. If he is the real deal I don't think we will have any trouble giving him an extension after 2-3 years. And he isn't a Boras player.

[TJ Wrangler]

It's way too early, after just 4.2 spring training innings, to say that Matusz is ready to pitch in the majors.

But what if three weeks from now Matusz has thrown 25 innings, all in the major league camp, with a K/BB ratio of, say, 25/4, and an ERA of 1.50?

People are assuming that Matusz must have things to work on in the minors, on his mechanics, or learning how to set up hitters, or learning how to hold runners, or whatever.

But what if he doesn't?

Then we get him used to handling a higher workload and traveling at the professional level. College has given him a taste of this, but it isn't fair to Matusz to throw him to the wolves and have him take on the biggest workload of his life while playing at an exposure that he hasn't come close to facing, as well as against a talent level far beyond college ball.

[TyCobb]

Then we get him used to handling a higher workload and traveling at the professional level. College has given him a taste of this, but it isn't fair to Matusz to throw him to the wolves and have him take on the biggest workload of his life while playing at an exposure that he hasn't come close to facing, as well as against a talent level far beyond college ball.

Ask Matusz. You think he wants to start in the Minors? His college days with aluminum bats is probably the same as AA.

[TJ Wrangler]

Ask Matusz. You think he wants to start in the Minors? His college days with aluminum bats is probably the same as AA.

Who, in the big league camp, would want to start in the minors over the majors? I know I'd love to be pitching in the big leagues right now, but it is best for Matusz and the Orioles for him to play in the minors and not stunt his development in any way.

[TyCobb]

Who, in the big league camp, would want to start in the minors over the majors? I know I'd love to be pitching in the big leagues right now, but it is best for Matusz and the Orioles for him to play in the minors and not stunt his development in any way.

He is good enough to pitch in the Majors right now. I think it is better for his development to pitch in the Majors. He could be pitching at 70% and still succeed in the minors. At the majors, if he is doing something wrong the opposing hitters will tell him right away. Allow him to adjust right away instead of doing something for 2-3 months wrong and then call him in up in the Summer months when the ball is flying off the bats.