Brian Matusz: Seeing is Beleiving

by sickuvitall on Jul 8, 2009 1:13 AM EDT Comment 31 comments

This evening (Tuesday, July 7) I was treated to the pitching performance of the year for the organization. In front of a somewhat sparse crowd in Bowie, MD, Brian Matusz made the Harrisburg Senators look like a junior league team. Granted, the Sens are the AA affiliate of the Washington Natinals and are not very talent-laden. But hey, eight innings of one-hit ball is nothing to sneeze at no matter who the foe.

The weather was wonderful and the Baysox were having their version of t-shirt Tuesday with a sparkling white Matt Wieters edition. Matusz was on his game from the start, recording strikeouts (many looking) early and often. Contact was few and far between, with many weak foul balls and pop-ups for easy put outs. Brian was toying with the Senators, featuring a low-mid 90's fastball that was spotted with ease and a sharp-breaking curve ball that found the zone with consistency. When he needed to, Matusz turned to a relatively effective change-up that left some hitters buckled.

Another thing that had many fans taking notice was the fact that Brian was waiting for his teammates after each inning on defense at the dugout to show his appreciation for their defensive efforts. He was also leading the cheer from the bench during the various offensive outbursts. Following the game Matusz greeted fans along the home-side stands, signing autographs and briefly chatting. I was able to congratulate him and obtain a few sigs before he continued into the clubhouse.

Great day in what will hopefully be a great career...Go O's!!

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He's great and...

He’s not even the best Orioles Pitching Prospect (Tillman) The orioles will have a great future rotation

Grab Some Pine Meat!

by Gobroks on Jul 8, 2009 1:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

.34 ERA

by Tetris on Jul 8, 2009 2:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ace

Personally I think he is the best pitching prospect for the O’s and from the report he seems like he will be the ace and a great teammate.

by No More Steroids Please on Jul 8, 2009 4:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bowie is really clinging onto Wieters in every way

They still have numerous promotions which center around Matt. I guess it makes sense, but still pretty funny.

Thanks for the input, though.

My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver

by Baltimo on Jul 8, 2009 4:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Taken from Caleb Joseph’s blog,

He [Matusz] could have gone out every outing and thrown his offspeed pitches to every hitter early in the count, early in the game, and really dominated. BUT that wasn’t the objective. That’s why you saw him not as dominant at the early parts of the season.

My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver

by Baltimo on Jul 8, 2009 5:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah...

remember when he started at frederick, they told him to not use his curve for a while and was limited to working on his FB and change.

"If they pitch to you, make them pay."

--Diamond Dave to the Phenom

by j.q. higgins on Jul 8, 2009 6:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

To one hit a team while holding back pitches....

wow, that’s really impressive.

"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail

by duck on Jul 9, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i would venture to say

that harrisburg prob has more talent than the natinals themselves. matusz can already dominate one MLB team :)

by twistedlogic on Jul 8, 2009 9:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Demetris Young is on rehab down there but did not play

"Losing teams find ways to beat themselves" Jim Palmer

by Baysox39 on Jul 8, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks for the report

I enjoy reading about our young talent in the minors. I have been excited about Matusz ever since we signed him.

by BaltoBen on Jul 8, 2009 9:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

So is he staying at Bowie the rest of the year?

Or could he get a Norfolk call-up as well? I don’t know if Andy has said anything about it yet.

"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle

by BirdFanInPhilly on Jul 8, 2009 9:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think he needs more time to develop in AA

"Take on Me" - a-ha

by exitfare on Jul 8, 2009 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

He needs to be challenged to develop, and AA hitters clearly aren’t challenging him.

by dkdc on Jul 8, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's what I'm thinking

Although, he really needs more than 4 starts before determining that. If he continues to dominate (not neccesarilly a sub 0.50 ERA) then he should be moved up at some point.

"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle

by BirdFanInPhilly on Jul 8, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He should move up when Tillman moves.

Then Zagone and Britton will move to Bowie. We have some awesome pitchers right now in the system.

"Losing teams find ways to beat themselves" Jim Palmer

by Baysox39 on Jul 8, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he has pitched 4 games in AA

and has been there for about three weeks. GIve him some time and allow him to develop before rushing him through the system.

"Take on Me" - a-ha

by exitfare on Jul 8, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I used to go see Harrisburg games when I was a kid...

I remember seeing Vladimir Guerrero play there, back when they were still an Expos farm team….

by NewYorkOriole on Jul 8, 2009 11:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think we should

allow Matusz to get at least five more starts at AA. If the domination continues, we will have no choice but to bump him up to Norfolk for the remainder of the year. It sounds like Chris Tillman could be getting a post-ASB call-up, so Brian could take his spot at AAA.

I forgot to mention in my original post that the only hit against Matusz was a ground ball that was slightly too deep in the 5.5 for Izturis to make a play on. One infield hit…that was it!

by sickuvitall on Jul 9, 2009 9:36 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Agreed

"Take on Me" - a-ha

by exitfare on Jul 9, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

future

I am ecstatic to have this kid pitching so well. Can’t wait to see him in an O’s jersey – hopefully wearing one in the starting rotation at the beginning of next season (fingers crossed).

The same can be said for Tillman and Arrietta, although I believe Tillman will be called up by late July/early August, and Arrietta will get the September call-up.

The O's will contend in 2010

by O's n Natty Bohs on Jul 9, 2009 2:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i think thats mildly ridiculous

why call up two of your top 3 prospects to pitch garbage time? we aren’t going to the playoffs so i find it pretty much pointless to call them up just pitch a few starts when they could be working on their pitches and control down at AAA.

by twistedlogic on Jul 9, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The AAA season is over Sept 7th

So why not bring them up to the big club in September and let them get their rookie jitters out?

It would be nice to have these guys go into spring training next year with a couple major league starts under their belts.

by dkdc on Jul 9, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's a good thought

but you don’t want to burn them out. It’ll depend how many innings they’ve pitched.

I will lead these Peoples to the promised land, also known as "Slightly Ahead of the Blue Jays." ~WietersRunDry

by Stacey on Jul 9, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather be patient with pitching

especially this year.

"Take on Me" - a-ha

by exitfare on Jul 9, 2009 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

MLB season ends less than a month after that

they’d get three starts or so. i’m less concerned with the september call up as i am the july/august callup for tillman. we have absolutely no need to call him up because we arent going anywhere. id rather see him get his time in AAA and not burn them out pitching extra innings in the majors. plus that would take quality innings away from rich “cy young” hill

by twistedlogic on Jul 10, 2009 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

this.

it helps with acclimation.

then when they come up for real, they’re not as deer-in-the-headlights.

also, it says, “nice job” for all the work they’re putting in this year. when the rosters expand and you have room for them, , what kind of message does it send to let hendrickson start but not them?

June 30, 2009 — Birdland Day

by zknower on Jul 10, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There's a big difference between working on things in AAA and in MLB

The fact that the end of this year is garbage time doesn’t mean anything for these pitchers. They’d have the opportunity to take their lumps against big league hitters and start to make adjustments, rather than having to do so next April. That would also give us a little better idea of their preparedness for next year.

I’m not saying this is necessarily the right course to take, as there are other factors to consider—their IP load, arbitration concerns—but it’s hardly a one-sided argument.

by U2boy417 on Jul 10, 2009 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

2010 Orioles?

Tillman, Matusz, Arrietta, Patton, Bergeson & Hernandez. That’s a fabulous group of starters. A new Kiddie Corps like the ‘60 Orioles. Makes me wonder if Guthrie will have a spot and if Hernandez won’t be in the bullpen?

by fuddnelson on Jul 9, 2009 2:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hernandez

seems like he’d make a good set up man or possible closer candidate.

When you're born into the human race you're given a ticket to the freak show. When you're born in America, you're given a front row seat. And some of us have notepads.-George Carlin

by Afghanistan Steve on Jul 10, 2009 12:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs