Matusz start, Bowie vs. Akron Game 1, 7/2/09

[Frobby]

He continues to toy with Eastern League hitters. Once he found his groove in May, there has been no stopping him.

[ThisIsOurHouse]

This is sweet. Matusz needs to show Tillman and Arrieta a thing or two. Promote him to Norfolk now!

Agreed, I cannot wait to see him in an 'O' uniform next year.

[Owen21]

I vote no on this for selfish reasons. I want to see him come to Reading at the end of August. I saw Arrieta in April and Matusz in August would be a great bookend.

4 game series in Harrisburg is coming up in a few weeks.......Go check out Matusz there(obviously there's a small chance he may not pitch in the series)......it's only about an hour away from Reading....I'm gonna do the road trip.....I'd like to see Lebron pitch. Maybe Britton could be promoted.

[Three Run Homer]

His Bowie ERA is now 0.49.

A few more starts like this and he'll get promoted for sure.

[Frobby]

His Bowie ERA is now 0.49.

A few more starts like this and he'll get promoted for sure.

I think he will get all of July in Bowie. That's about 5 more starts. If he's as dominant as he has been so far, they'll move him up then.

[Arthur_Bryant]

His Bowie ERA is now 0.49.

A few more starts like this and he'll get promoted for sure.

If you mean Norfolk, maybe... although it would be awfully quick.

[csgordos]

I think he will get all of July in Bowie. That's about 5 more starts. If he's as dominant as he has been so far, they'll move him up then.

If you mean Norfolk, maybe... although it would be awfully quick.

All kidding aside, has anybody under the current front office made two level leaps in the same year? Not that he is not ready, but it doesn't seem that is the FO's MO. I think that which ever team is in the playoff hunt is where he will be. The question will be if they are both in the playoff hunt?

[crowmst3k!]

Dandisford and I just got back from the game.

He looked good, his fastball was ok, his slider looked great. Someone needs to destroy the radar gun at PG stadium, that thing is terrible. It had Matusz throwing mid-70's on his fastball, and 120 on another . Any data you get on pitch speed at PG stadium is absolute bunk.

Matusz needs to cut down on the fly balls if he's going to translate to Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Good for him, a complete game shut-out (7 inning double header game).

On another note, I recommend that everyone should attend a game there once. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere is cozy.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Matusz needs to cut down on the fly balls if he's going to translate to Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Yeah it was lopsided tonight (4-11) but on the year it's not so bad--1.32/1.

[BowieMike]

Someone needs to destroy the radar gun at PG stadium, that thing is terrible. It had Matusz throwing mid-70's on his fastball, and 120 on another . Any data you get on pitch speed at PG stadium is absolute bunk.

Unfortunately, you're right. Tony spoke with John Mariotti, who was charting pitches behind the plate, and said that Matusz was routinely 91-93 MPH with his fastball.

As always, Matusz had a lot to say after the game. There will be more to come...

[allstar1579]

When he got out of that jam in the 1st, the first guy he struck out was Mills. When he got in trouble he really pulled out the good stuff, fed him 2 straight curveballs, a 94 mph fastball, and punched him out with the change. Mills just missed getting ahold of 2 pitches later in the game, he got under both and flew out.

Akron was sitting on his offspeed stuff, but his fastball was good tonight, a little extra pop and better command than he has had in a while. They were behind everything sitting offspeed so the few things they did get bats on were opposite field bloops for outs mostly.

He looked great.

[AgentOrange]

Yeah it was lopsided tonight (4-11) but on the year it's not so bad--1.32/1.

There MAY have been 1 of those fly balls that was hit with any type of authority.

Most of those fly balls were shallow OF or deep IF.

Don't worry about that. 1 dude hit him hard tonight, that was it. The rest didn't have a chance.

[QSII]

At least three batters either visibly flinched, or were in full bailout on called third strikes. Including righties. Lefty hitters, here's your participation certificate.

Bowie's program lists him at 6'5". That's the tallest I've ever seen him.

The enemy pitcher was nothing to sneeze at either. The game flew, and finished as the third raindrop fell.

I was the guy in the blue shirt. That's not funny if you saw the size of the "crowd". I kind of felt bad for the kid, pitching in front of a family reunion like that. I guess that's part of the motivation to make The Show.

[Three Run Homer]

If you mean Norfolk, maybe... although it would be awfully quick.

Yes, I meant Norfolk. I think Frobby has it about right--if he still has an ERA in the neighborhood of 1 by the end of July, he'll go to Norfolk. No chance we'll see him in Baltimore this year, but if he has a strong August in Norfolk then I think he'll go to Spring Training with a chance to make the rotation next year (or they'll do the Evan Longoria two-step with him at the start of the year).

[QBsILLEST1]

All kidding aside, has anybody under the current front office made two level leaps in the same year? Not that he is not ready, but it doesn't seem that is the FO's MO. I think that which ever team is in the playoff hunt is where he will be. The question will be if they are both in the playoff hunt?

I dont know if any prospects under the current FO has made more than 1 promotion in any season, but on the same token, we havent had a pitcher as good and advanced as Matusz in a very very long time. If he continues to be this dominant, he should be moved up with the rest of the top pitching prospects.

If Matusz was in Norfolk right now, IMO he'd be the next one up for a ML promotion. He is pitching so dominantly and advanced, its ridiculous.....