Matusz might be coming soon.

[Crazysilver03]

Wait, are we home on Tuesday night?

Bergesen's spot falls on away game, away game, home game, away game, away game, and home game to finish out August.

[Austin]

Wow, so Matusz is really coming. 2009 just got infinitely more interesting.

[BaysoxFan39]

Well, I'll certainly pay close attention until the end of the year if the rotation includes Tillman, Bergesen, Matusz, Hernandez and Guthrie.

Wow, that is friggin' awesome.

Guthrie is the only name I would leave off. He has not been good this season. Leads the majors in HRs allowed (26) and his ERA is close to 6.00. The others I agree on.

[Crazysilver03]

Getting to the point were you don't want to burn Berken's option over a few days. I don't really see Berken as a bullpen guy. I see more benefit in having him as that reserve starter while he works on his command at Norfolk.

Could easily see Berken on the Opening Day roster next year as the O's play the service time game with Tillman and/or Matusz.

Command along with the ability to pitch to contact is what separates a major leaguer from a minor leaguer with equivalent stuff.

First, trying to save an option on Berken is meaningless. He doesnt have a long term future except as a middle reliever.

Second, Bergesen is eligible to come back August 13th. If Berken was optioned, as long as he was recalled on September 1st, the option wouldnt count because a player has to be on the optional assignment for 20 days. Berken would only be down for 18 so the option would not be used.

The Orioles will not play the service time game with Tillman or Matusz, or they wouldnt be up now.

[Crazysilver03]

Guthrie is the only name I would leave off. He has not been good this season. Leads the majors in HRs allowed (26) and his ERA is close to 6.00. The others I agree on.

As a 5th starter, Guthrie isn't that bad.

He has very low trade value so he will have to rebuild that in the 5th starter spot in 2010.

[geschinger]

But maybe their respective agents play the Boras card. Scott definitely has an "in" here. It's just a matter of time till all agents play the legal game like Boras has...

I don't know, I think for many agents the best interests of the player is first and formost compared to Boras' interest being focused on trying to obtain gasp inducing contracts. Boras influence hasn't slowed down the number of extensions signed by young players represented by other agents. If I'm MacPhail I consider it possible/likely to sign either CT or BM to an extension when the time is right and impossible or highly unlikely that Wieters will ever agree to an extension and do my roster planning based on those probabilities.

[scOtt]

scOtt said:

I've been debating on OH for a while today, why Matusz should NOT be called up. Let's see which guys we already have up could step in being my main argument. Matusz WILL be called up, WILL make it. Let's see what else we have first.

That being said... what's your gut Roch? Does Matusz make the start Tuesday?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, I say he starts Tuesday. - Roch

August 1, 2009 6:03 PM

Matusz Tuesday.

[BaysoxFan39]

LOL, and that my friend is my point. What are you going to learn in two starts at AAA that you can't learn in two starts with the big team.

I agree on that level. Hope he does start next week in Baltimore

[24fps]

Presuming Matusz comes up, are all these guys (Bergesen, Wieters, Reimold, Hernandez, Berken, Matusz, Tillman) going to hit free agency at the same time? That is not something I'm looking forward to.

At the end of this season, all the legacy contracts are off the books and barring any major off-season FA signings, the 2010 payroll will be in the neighborhood of $50 million and declining over succeeding years. In other words there's potentially a lot of money available to address this situation.

I have to think that part of AM's overall strategy is to have some flexibility in keeping the core of the team together over an extended period of time. I can easily see contract extensions being offered on a staggered basis to those players who, like Markakis, genuinely establish themselves at the ML level.

[scOtt]

At the end of this season, all the legacy contracts are off the books and barring any major off-season FA signings, the 2010 payroll will be in the neighborhood of $50 million and declining over succeeding years. In other words there's potentially a lot of money available to address this situation.

I have to think that part of AM's overall strategy is to have some flexibility in keeping the core of the team together over an extended period of time. I can easily see contract extensions being offered on a staggered basis to those players who, like Markakis, genuinely establish themselves at the ML level.

I agree here. I think several of these guys get signed long-term. AM has shown with Brian and Nick, that he wants to lock down this team. AJ is #1 on the list IMHO, then any of the big three.

[Arthur_Bryant]

At the end of this season, all the legacy contracts are off the books and barring any major off-season FA signings, the 2010 payroll will be in the neighborhood of $50 million and declining over succeeding years. In other words there's potentially a lot of money available to address this situation.

I have to think that part of AM's overall strategy is to have some flexibility in keeping the core of the team together over an extended period of time. I can easily see contract extensions being offered on a staggered basis to those players who, like Markakis, genuinely establish themselves at the ML level.

I would be astonished if this weren't part of the long term plan.

My guess, Jones will be next up, probably in 2011.

[geschinger]

At the end of this season, all the legacy contracts are off the books and barring any major off-season FA signings, the 2010 payroll will be in the neighborhood of $50 million and declining over succeeding years. In other words there's potentially a lot of money available to address this situation.

I have to think that part of AM's overall strategy is to have some flexibility in keeping the core of the team together over an extended period of time. I can easily see contract extensions being offered on a staggered basis to those players who, like Markakis, genuinely establish themselves at the ML level.

Good point... I hope the strategy is to primarily focus on development from within, identify which players are worthy of extensions and spinning off other players who develop into more prospects to keep a steady pipeline of talent flowing. We don't need to be involved in free agency except to find the final piece to a contender if it is not already in the system.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Well, I'll certainly pay close attention until the end of the year if the rotation includes Tillman, Bergesen, Matusz, Hernandez and Guthrie.

Wow, that is friggin' awesome.

Yes it is, and I am shocked that we are seeing it in Aug 2009.

I would've expected AM to throw Pauley, Waters, anybody out there before he brought up Tillman and Matusz this year.

Wieters, Reimold, Hernandez, Bergesen, Tillman, Matusz...

...all in the space of about three months.

In all the previous 10 seasons total, we haven't had that many exciting young players to watch. I mean the kind that make you want to see every AB and every pitch.

[threedaysrest]

He's coming!!! He's coming!!! OMGOMGOMG!!! He's coming!!!

Warren Sapp once said, whoever I'm facing, I'm coming for them; they better knuckle up.

Hey DET, Matusz is coming for you! You better knuckle up! :laughlol:

[Enjoy Terror]

Interesting to see the opening day starter reduced to fifth starter.