Matusz start tonight...Game delayed?

[Big Mac]

Hope the O's shock you then. I don't know what Matusz has to prove at AA anymore. I think a month at AAA is in order. That should be his last start for Bowie.

I hope they shock me too, but I doubt AM has his top prospect pitch at 3 levels in one season.

[Who's On 1st]

I was at the Bowie game and it was never delayed!

Brian looked great as always!

[BaysoxFan39]

I wouldn't be shocked, I'd like to see him stay in Bowie, but that's more just to finish what he started so to speak. If they think he's really going to compete for a spot in the rotation next year they will move him up, if they think they will hold him down a few weeks at least, then it really doesn't matter if they move him or not.

I would bet on them moving him. San Diego has a program comparable to AA and possible AAA. Matusz is way ahead of the curve as we all can see. He is 7-0 and the Eastern League is barely able to hit him let alone score on him. His next start should be at Norfolk. No need wasting his arm any longer. Baltimore needs all the help they can get. Royals 5 Orioles 2.

[lovetoaster]

I would bet on them moving him. San Diego State has a program comparable to AA and possible AAA. Matusz is way ahead of the curve as we all can see. He is 7-0 and the Eastern League is barely able to hit him let alone score on him. His next start should be at Norfolk. No need wasting his arm any longer. Baltimore needs all the help they can get. Royals 5 Orioles 2.

Not to be a *****, but San Diego. The Toreros, not the Aztecs.

Edit: Hey, I found a new word that is censored.

[RVAbird]

His ERA is now down to 1.59. His k/bb rate is over 3. His WHIP (for those who take interest in that stat) is at .88, and he's only allowed 2 HRs in is his 45.1 innings spanning 7 starts (averaging about 6.2 innings per start).

We heard that Matusz might not be challenged at all in the low minors due to his excellent secondary pitches and pin-point control. He was very, very good in A+ despite some reports that he was intentionally not resorting to his offspeed stuff as much. He has now gotten even better in AA over the span of 7 great starts.

I understand the idea of letting him experience sustained success, but really Matusz has known nothing but success in his college and pro career. Let him try out his fastball command at AAA against older competition with more experience. Let's really see what we've got here.

[BaysoxFan39]

Not to be a *****, but San Diego. The Toreros, not the Aztecs.

Edit: Hey, I found a new word that is censored.

Thanks. I changed it.

[BaysoxFan39]

His ERA is now down to 1.59. His k/bb rate is over 3. His WHIP (for those who take interest in that stat) is at .88, and he's only allowed 2 HRs in is his 45.1 innings spanning 7 starts (averaging about 6.2 innings per start).

We heard that Matusz might not be challenged at all in the low minors due to his excellent secondary pitches and pin-point control. He was very, very good in A+ despite some reports that he was intentionally not resorting to his offspeed stuff as much. He has now gotten even better in AA over the span of 7 great starts.

I understand the idea of letting him experience sustained success, but really Matusz has known nothing but success in his college and pro career. Let him try out his fastball command at AAA against older competition with more experience. Let's really see what we've got here.

Your location reads Richmond, VA. I was wondering what you thought of the Conn. Defenders moving to the Diamond next season.

[BringBackMagic]

I wouldn't be shocked, I'd like to see him stay in Bowie, but that's more just to finish what he started so to speak. If they think he's really going to compete for a spot in the rotation next year they will move him up, if they think they will hold him down a few weeks at least, then it really doesn't matter if they move him or not.

I really don't see how this can even be questioned. After the year he is having, unless he implodes during the last few weeks, he HAS to be on the Opening Day roster. At this point, Bergesen is the OD Starter followed by any combo of Hernandez, Tillman, Guthrie and Matusz.

I don't see Matusz hitting the same wall as Arrietta. He's just so much more polished.

[gman2388]

I went to the game in Bowie tonight. Matusz was as good as advertised, as we can see from the box score.

His FB sat btwn 88-92 per the stadium gun, getting faster as the game went on (he was always at 90+ by the 3rd inning). He flashed at least two breaking balls and a change.

He sort of lost it in the fourth inning, where he had all 3 of his walks, but the ump seemed to be squeezing him a little (I was right behind home plate) and he got out of it fine.

His change-up was absolutely savage. Batters had no idea what to do with it. Always down and away, always 7-10 MPH slower than the FB with the same arm speed. Tons of swings and misses on it.

Overall, there were very few, if any, good swings against him. He gave up 3 hits, one of which was an infield hit the 3B played poorly and another one of which was just a grounder that found a hole.

At times it seemed like he was trying to work on the FB. There were a few occasions where I figured that he could have thrown a change-up and finished off the batter, but he seemed to be intentionally trying to throw heat.

I'm not sure I saw him go inside effectively with the heater, which might be necessary as he moves up, but still...he's probably ready for AAA.

[Sport Foo]

I was right behind the plate as well, but just a little towards the first base dugout. I thought Matusz looked great. In the 4th he got squeezed a bit, but non of the pitches were really wild. I agree that I thought the change looked fithy. His pitches low in the zone were untouchable.

On top of that both Ray and Hoey looked good, I saw Ray touched 96 once or twice and his command was good, the walk really wasnt that bad, as it was pouring down rain at the time. Hoey had the best pitch of the night, he threw what looked like a change and the batter started to swing realized it was still not to the plate stopped his swing and it just floated in for a strike.

Their starter left losing 2-0 with a no hitter intact.

[gman2388]

I was right behind the plate as well, but just a little towards the first base dugout.

Yeah that's basically where I was too, thats cool.

I'll add that whenever Matusz missed, it seemed to be with the FB up and away to righties. Just another thought to add onto the fact that he didn't seem to go inside with the heat often.

All told, though, he was great.

[Frobby]

With all due respect to Tillman and Arrieta, last night's start reinforces my feeling that Matusz is in a class by himself. Just look at this guy's game log at Bowie:

6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER

5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER

7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER

8 IP, 1 H, 0 ER

5 IP, 11 H, 6 ER

7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER

7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER

Then add in his performance from May 26 until his promotion

7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER

7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER

6 IP, 5 H, 0 ER

(and 4 IP 0 ER in a rained out game)

I mean, that's just absurd. In the last 11 games he's pitched (including the rainout) he has only been scored upon in 3 of them, and he's only allowed more than one run one time. His one bad outing came after he he had only pitched one inning in 9 days due to the Futures Game and the Eastern League all star break. Also, in his last 10 starts (excluding the rainout) he has gone 7+ innings 7 times.

I don't really care much if he gets promoted to Norfolk now, but he certainly has nothing left to prove in the Eastern League.

[Tony-OH]

With all due respect to Tillman and Arrieta, last night's start reinforces my feeling that Matusz is in a class by himself. Just look at this guy's game log at Bowie:

6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER

5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER

7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER

8 IP, 1 H, 0 ER

5 IP, 11 H, 6 ER

7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER

7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER

Then add in his performance from May 26 until his promotion

7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER

7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER

6 IP, 5 H, 0 ER

(and 4 IP 0 ER in a rained out game)

I mean, that's just absurd. In the last 11 games he's pitched (including the rainout) he has only been scored upon in 3 of them, and he's only allowed more than one run one time. His one bad outing came after he he had only pitched one inning in 9 days due to the Futures Game and the Eastern League all star break. Also, in his last 10 starts (excluding the rainout) he has gone 7+ innings 7 times.

I don't really care much if he gets promoted to Norfolk now, but he certainly has nothing left to prove in the Eastern League.

Some people questioned me when I put Matusz ahead of Tillman and Arrieta on last year's top prospect list. Admittedly, that was based off my reports from the scouts who had seen him in college and in the AFL, but after seeing him this year, there's no doubt in my mind he's at a different level.

To me, he's a top of the rotation guy even though he doesn't have the blazing mid-90 fastball. BTW, that ground ball inducing machine Britton guy might be ahead of one of the other two of the Big-3. We'll have to see how this season plays out but he's in the mix.

[Can_of_corn]

I really don't see how this can even be questioned. After the year he is having, unless he implodes during the last few weeks, he HAS to be on the Opening Day roster. At this point, Bergesen is the OD Starter followed by any combo of Hernandez, Tillman, Guthrie and Matusz.

I don't see Matusz hitting the same wall as Arrietta. He's just so much more polished.

Considering that Matusz' agent was less then a joy to deal with last year I would be very suprised if the O's do not hold him back a few weeks to insure a seventh season under team control.

[crowmst3k!]

yeah, I agree with the sentiment that AAA is a must at this point.

It gives Matusz that bump up, and the potential to hit the rotation right out of ST in 2010. Man, he's polished, and very solid mechanically. It seems that his deliveries are effortless, and that he's not easily flustered (except that I've seen him leaving the mound POURING sweat, but I chalk that up to a summertime in Bowie when he's used to San Diego).