SB Nation - Brian Matusz

Down on the Farm: Part 2 of Interview with Adam Foster from Project Prospect

raygu — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:00:16 -0000

Here is the part 2 of the two part interview with Adam Foster from Project Prospect. Foster and the guys over at Project Prospect recently posted their top 15 catching prospects, so head on over to Project Prospect and check out their top 15 rankings.

Fake Teams: Aside from the AFL, what prospects that you have seen this year made the biggest leap forward? Step back?

Adam Foster: James Darnell is a guy who I went well out of my way to see this year. His swing really impressed me at Minor League Spring Training. He's very athletic with a good chance of sticking at third base. And his power potential is outstanding.

Some of my colleagues who are really into college statistics pointed Darnell out as a guy who may have fallen further than he should have in the draft - he wasn't healthy his junior season. Then I bumped into Darnell's Cape Cod League coach in Phoenix one night and he said he wanted Darnell over Justin Smoak on his Cape team.

I'm not saying that Darnell is a lock to become a superstar. But he's one of the best prospects in baseball. And people who aren't giving him that kind of recognition probably haven't done their homework.

As far as guys who took a step back, unfortunately Tim Alderson was a different pitcher this year than last. He lost some movement on his fastball. And his pinpoint accuracy left him. There are guys who chose to give up some velocity to gain movement. Alderson may have gone the opposite direction in 2009, I'm not sure. But even though his curveball is already a plus pitch, he wasn't giving High-A or Double-A hitters much trouble last season. He definitely has elite control. I just don't think he's a big league pitcher without outstanding command.

More after the jump:

Fake Teams: I read in your Rising Stars game chat that you and your colleagues are not as high on the Phillies outfield prospect Domonic Brown. What are your reasons?

Adam Foster: Guys who are outstanding fast-twitch athletes can become overrated in a hurry. People like to assume that they're athletic enough to do things that other players can't. In Brown's case, there's some false information floating around that he's an elite defender. He has a very good arm and he's fast, but he doesn't get good reads or take good routes. Those skills can't really be learned. So it's highly unlikely that he'll be more than an average defensive right fielder.

Additionally, he's really not very coordinated - compared to his peers. My first reaction when I saw him bat was that he looked awkward. He gets in a crouch to try to shrink down his big strike zone (Brown is 6-foot-5). And while he has a lot of bat speed, is patient, and recognizes pitches well, he's not going to be an above-average contact hitter. There's not much he can do about that. He doesn't have very good bat control.

Keep in mind that Brown is an elite prospect. He's in the 99^th percentile for his class. I'm just dissecting the heck out of him here. If you compare him to the other guys who are at the head of the class, I don't think he stands out as one who's going to become a star. He's very good and a likely bet to become an average big leaguer. But there are a dozen or so hitters out there who I see as better prospects than him.

Fake Teams: What players who underwhelmed in 2009 do you expect to jump back into the limelight in 2010?

Adam Foster: Reese Havens is a good one to start with. He moved to second base in the Arizona Fall League and looked solid at the position. He's a polished, well-rounded hitter who can play up-the-middle defense. He was a first rounder. And had a successful junior season in college - I'd be more confident in him if he was better his sophomore year, though. His baseball resume puts him in elite company. I'll be surprised if he doesn't break out in 2010.

Don't sleep on Jon Niese and Kevin Mulvey. They are solid bets to turn into useful big league starters. You could also end up looking like a genius if you snatch up Kellen Kulbacki cheap now that a lot of people have forgotten about him. Nick Noonan was one of the youngest players in High-A and has a lot of potential. Ivan De Jesus may not be a fantasy stud, but if you play in a deep dynasty or sim league, don't forget about him - and I'm sure you haven't ;).

Fake Teams: What prospects do you feel who should be getting more press based on their talent/performance?

Adam Foster: Josh Bell is just starting to get the attention he deserves. I guess you lose some street cred when you get traded for a reliever. But the Dodgers are clearly working under the win-now model, so I wouldn't hold it against him. He can play third base and has a lot of power. If Pedro Alvarez and Brett Wallace can't stick at third - and they probably won't - then Bell starts looking like a pretty good pick for the best "true" third base prospect in the minors. I'll have to compare my video of him and Darnell this offseason, though.

Brandon Snyder is another guy who has the resume to turn into a solid big leaguer. But you don't hear much talk about him. I'm a big Drew Cumberland believer. Matt Sweeney is a breakout guy. Lorenzo Cain has fallen out of the spotlight but I still see a lot of potential in him. Che-Hsuan Lin gets lost in the Red Sox depth of athletic hitters. Jaff Decker gets overlooked largely due to some old scouting biases.

Fake Teams: Who are your top 5 hitting prospects going into 2010? Who are your top 5 pitching prospects going into 2010?

Adam Foster: At the end of the 2009 season, we ranked Jason Heyward, Carlos Santana, Jesus Montero, and Buster Posey as the game's top five hitting prospects with Dustin Ackley, Desmond Jennings, Fernando Martinez and Mike Stanton on the bubble. Those guys will account for the bulk of - if not all - the spots among our top five hitting prospects entering 2010.

We didn't get to see many of baseball's top pitching prospects at the AFL. And I still want to get better reads on some guys. But Stephen Strasburg and Brian Matusz are clearly at the head of this class. Daniel Hudson and Jeremy Hellickson were two of the most impressive pitchers I saw in 2009 - Hudson for his FB and CH movement; Hellickson for his command. Then it's hard not to like Neftali Feliz' stuff. The five guys I've mentioned were our top five pitching prospects when we put together our October top 25 pitching prospect list. Most of them should also be top five on our 2010 list.

I want to thank Adam for taking the time for this interview.

Baltimore Orioles Top 20 Prospects for 2010

John Sickels — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:59:42 -0000

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

3 months ago: Baltimore Orioles starter Brian Matusz delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Top 20 Baltimore Orioles Prospects for 2010

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Don't get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get beyond the Top 10. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you want to emphasize. Complete reports on these and over 1,000 other players will be in the 2010 Baseball Prospect Book, now available for pre-order, shipping on February 2^nd!

1) Brian Matusz, LHP, Grade A: I don't see anything to complain about here. Could be something like a cross between Barry Zito and Mark Mulder when they were young.

2) Jake Arrieta, RHP, Grade B+: I like this guy a little more than most people, but I love the upside and I think the command will come around.

3) Zach Britton, LHP, Grade B+: Love the grounders, solid strikeout rate, I'm pro-Britton.

4) Josh Bell, 3B, Grade B: I like Bell too, but I see him more as a solid regular than a future star.

5) Brandon Erbe, RHP, Grade B: Borderline B-. Have always loved the upside, but durability and consistency remain concerns.

6) Brandon Snyder, 1B, Grade B-: I think he has a good bat, but not a GREAT one.

7) Matt Hobgood, RHP, Grade B-: Liked him a lot in high school, need more pro data before going higher.

8) Mychal Givens, SS, Grade B-: Great tools, grade is highly speculative at this point until we get some performance data. Can always try pitching if he doesn't hit.

9) Brandon Waring, 3B-1B, Grade C+: I like the power, but am unsure about the glove. Like Bell and Snyder, he seems more solid-ish than star-ish. Batting average and OBP may be issues.

10) Kam Mickolio, RHP, Grade C+: I am the Great Mickolio. I need control for my baseball. I have no changeup. Do you need fastball for your bullpen?

11) Luis Lebron, RHP, Grade C+: Another hard-throwing bullpen option if he throws strikes.

12) Steve Johnson, RHP, Grade C+: Might get overlooked because of his boring name. Possible fourth starter type if the command is there.

13) Brandon Cooney, RHP, Grade C+: Another hard-throwing bullpen option if he throws strikes.

14) Ryan Berry, RHP, Grade C+: A steal in the ninth round, IF his arm doesn't fall off due to the Rice injury curse.

15) Ashur Tolliver, LHP, Grade C+: Interesting southpaw arm with very good stuff, probably fits in the pen better than as a starter.

16) Caleb Joseph, C, Grade C: Might be a C+, could be convinced to raise this grade. Good power potential, defense is questionable.

17) Troy Patton, LHP, Grade C: Arm problems have cut his stock drastically, but I wouldn't count him out just yet. Command still a strength.

18) Michael Ohlman, C, Grade C: Power potential draws lots of praise, but no pro data yet and defense is questioned.

19) Xavier Avery, OF, Grade C: High-ceiling tools outfielder with questionable bat, young enough to improve greatly.

20) Cameron Coffey, LHP, Grade C: Tommy John survivor, could rank much higher once we see how he recovers from surgery. Clocked as high as 95 MPH before injury.

OTHERS (All Grade C): Matt Angle, OF; David Baker, RHP; Jesse Beal, RHP; Pedro Beato, RHP; Bobby Bundy, RHP; Jacob Cowan, RHP; Oliver Drake, RHP; Pat Egan, RHP; Pedro Florimon, SS; Eddie Gamboa, RHP; Randy Henry, RHP; Tyler Henson, 3B; L.J. Hoes, 2B; Rhyne Hughes, 1B; Jarret Martin, LHP; Cole McCurry, LHP; Bill Rowell, OF; Tyler Townsend, 1B; Justin Turner, 2B; Aaron Wirsch, LHP; Rick Zagone, LHP.

I think the Orioles system is often underrated. There is a lot to like at the top, with Matusz entering the '10 rotation and Arrieta not far behind him. I probably like Arrieta and Britton a bit more than most analysts. Erbe has tremendous potential as well. There is the nucleus of a really good pitching staff here, with several potential major league starters as well as the raw material of a fine bullpen, with a mixture of excellent arms (Mickolio, Lebron, Cooney) as well as guys with command (Egan, Gamboa) who could be fine staff fillers.

Things are thinner on the position side. The best of the hitters is Bell, but I see him more as a very solid guy than a future superstar. Snyder and Waring have potential, but again they strike me more as guys who can be pretty good rather than lineup anchors. Athletes like Givens and Avery have great ceilings but who knows if they can learn how to actually play. Joseph and Ohlman provide some catching depth behind Wieters, but neither one are certain to stick there.

All in all, this system has some major strength in young pitching but they could stand to boost the hitting.

Orioles considering oft-injured Ben Sheets, others?

Eli Greenspan — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:03:51 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP

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MASN.com is reporting that the Orioles will consider adding a "high risk, high reward" pitcher like Ben Sheets. The Orioles have several young players that very well could make the Orioles a contender sooner than expected.

With Matt Wieters, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, and veteran Brian Roberts, the Orioles are poised to put up better offensive numbers than they did last season, which should benefit pitchers Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman, and Brad Bergeson.

The Orioles still have Nolan Reimold and Felix Pie, who both went on impressive streaks during the season. Still, inconsistency is a big issue.

Before adding a pitcher like Ben Sheets, who may only be able to give you 5-6 innings per start, improving the bullpen is important to making the investment worthwhile. The Orioles were 28th in the league in bullpen ERA (4.83), and could use an experienced closer to hold leads or to keep games close.

Guys like LaTroy Hawkins, Kevin Gregg, Scott Eye, or Juan Rincon would improve the inefficiencies in the bullpen.

Thanksgiving in Birdland - 2009

Stacey — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:00:14 -0000

There are a lot of things to be thankful for in Birdland this year. More than any year in recent history, I'd say. After years of futility, years of floundering, the Orioles are almost respectable again. They're not there yet, but it's close. I can feel it. To get there the Orioles need to show marked improvement from the teams over the past decade and they also need to prove they can compete with the rest of the teams in the AL East. Will it ever happen? I'm certain part one will. Part two is currently a mystery. But the pieces are starting to come together.

This team is getting younger, and it's getting better. Chris Tillman (21). Brian Matusz (22). Brad Bergesen (23). Adam Jones (23). Matt Wieters (23). Felix Pie (24). Nick Markakis (25). Nolan Reimold (25). That's a hell of a core, and that doesn't even take into account the young guys still in the minors. There could be injuries, there could be busts, but that is potentially the nucleus of a championship team. There are a lot of pieces that need to be added to it, of course, but it's there.

The Orioles used to be the worst kind of bad team, because not only were they bad, they were old and expensive too. That is no longer the case. Melvin Mora and his $8M/year are gone. So is Jamie Walker ($4.5M). Danys Baez (>$7M), gone. Ditto Aubrey Huff ($8M). After reaching a payroll of over $93M in 2007 that resulted in a paltry 69 wins, the 2010 Orioles currently have obligated less than half of that.

It's easy to look at where the Orioles are now and who is ahead of them in the division and feel discouraged. But another viewpoint is this: the Orioles have a young team that's full of talent and they have money to spend. They have a GM in Andy MacPhail who has proven that he's capable of showing patience, making big trades, identifying potential high-reward players, and sticking to his plan. How he'll handle Free Agents signings (impact FAs, not players like Mark Hendrickson) remains to be seen, but MacPhail has done so many things right so far that there is reason to believe in him.

Catch me any other day and I'll have a little more cynicism and a lot more doubt about the future of the Orioles. But it's the time of year to give thanks, so let's put that other stuff on the shelf for today and thank Wieters for the direction this team has taken.

The Changing of the O's - Pitching

Stacey — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:55:23 -0000

Every starter for the O's since 2007, with number of starts in parentheses. Only Guthrie has survived. 2010 is the list of starters currently in the O's system who could make the rotation at some point. I didn't include Koji or Hendo as they'll hopefully be in the bullpen the entire year. One thing I'll say for the O's in 2009 is they cut down on the slop (Adam Eaton excepted).

2007 Baltimore Orioles	2008 Baltimore Orioles	2009 Baltimore Orioles	2010 Baltimore Orioles
Daniel Cabrera (34)	Daniel Cabrera (30)	Jeremy Guthrie (33)	Jeremy Guthrie
Erik Bedard (28)	Jeremy Guthrie (30)	Jason Berken (24)	Brian Matusz
Jeremy Guthrie (26)	Garrett Olson (26)	David Hernandez (19)	Brad Bergesen
Steve Traschel (25)	Brian Burres (22)	Brad Bergesen (19)	Chris Tillman
Brian Burres (17)	Radhames Liz (17)	Rich Hill (14)	Jake Arrieta
Garrett Olson (7)	Chris Waters (11)	Chris Tillman (12)	Troy Patton
Adam Loewen (6)	Steve Traschel (8)	Koji Uehara (12)	David Hernandez
Jon Leicester (5)	Brian Bass (4)	Mark Hendrickson (11)	Jason Berken
Radhames Liz (4)	Adam Loewen (4)	Adam Eaton (8)
Jaret Wright (3)	Dennis Sarfate (4)	Brian Matusz (8)
Victor Santos (3)	Matt Albers (3)	Alfredo Simon (2)
Victor Zambrano (2)	Alfredo Simon (1)	Chris Waters (1)
Kurt Birkins (2)	Lance Cormier (1)

Orioles' slump not helping Dave Trembley's chances

Eli Greenspan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:29:38 -0000

More photos » by Mark Avery - AP

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The Orioles are currently mired in a 12-game losing streak, winning two of their last sixteen games. Trembley has done his best to work with what with the roster given to him, adjusting to midseason trades of George Sherrill and Aubrey Huff. With the Orioles 41.5 games back, currently in line for the 3rd pick in next years draft, Trembley appears to be bracing for his release.

"You worry about it, but you try not to show it," Trembley said. "I can only imagine how difficult this has been for a whole lot of other people other than just myself. It's been difficult for the people that have loved the Baltimore Orioles for a long time. It's been difficult for the fans. I've been treated wonderfully by people here, gotten tremendous encouragement. But I also understand the other side of it. There's a lot of frustration."

Trembley and has staff did a pretty good job handling the teams younger talent this season. Matt Wieters turned a slow start into a very nice finish, hitting .308 in the second half with a total of 8 home runs in 91 games. Increased playing time for Felix Pie also appears to have had a positive impact on his career. Pie hit .290 since the All-Star break with a .346 on-base percentage, giving him a shot to win a spot in the outfield next season.

Orioles rookie Brian Matusz was not ready for the major leagues, but showed promise in eight appearances, posting a 5-2 record. Another rookie, Chris Tillman, did not have as much success and will likely head back to the minors for more seasoning.

The Orioles have some money to spend this offseason, making them potential players on the free agent market. Adding an infielder like Mark DeRosa or Akinori Iwamura could help their offense, while targeting a veteran pitcher to help anchor that rotation.

As for the manager spot, the Orioles would be smart to check the market, but they must realize that there are few, if any, managers that could have done much better than Trembley did with this Orioles squad.

Prospect Prelude: Jeremy Hellickson

Jeremy Kempter — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:58:39 -0000

The front office here at fake teams has given me the call-up.

I’m going to write about minor leaguers and prospects, pre- and post-hype, coming to a big league city soon.

From now until the end of the season, we’re going to run down some kids to consider stashing away as keepers for 2010, assuming you have the room. (And I’m assuming you’re in a keeper league; if you’re not, you’re missing out, big time.) Roster these guys now – let’s also they are available already in Yahoo or whichever site you use – and gauge their value when the hype starts kicking into high gear next spring.

I’m not going to waste your time waxing poetic about Stephen Strasberg or Neftali Feliz or even Brian Matusz. I’m addressing deeper mixed leagues where you need to do your homework to stay ahead of the pack. After all, it’s a lot less expensive to land a player before he becomes a star than after.

Our first installment is on Jeremy Hellickson, a 22-year-old right-hander in the Tampa Bay organization. He was drafted in the fourth round in 2005 out of his Iowa high school.

I actually drafted his teammate Wade Davis heading into this season and waited impatiently as the Rays did their usual foot-dragging to promote their talented youngsters. Needless to say, I dropped Davis, he was immediately scooped up and I’ve been kicking myself ever since.

But, it seems, Hellickson could be better.

Baseball people are split on Hellickson’s potential. His velocity (typically topping out at 93 mph) doesn’t dazzle like Davis’ (95 mph), and he’s not the protypical 6-foot-5 either. (He goes about 6-1, 185 pounds.) He's been compared to Roy Oswalt or Tim Hudson, for his size, and his delivery looks a little like Brad Penny's.

Hellickson can crank it up to 94-95, to be fair, but his 79 mph changeup is more effective when it is coupled with a free-and-easy low-90s fastball because his release looks identical. He works off his fastball, but his change is his out pitch. He also has an above-average curveball, and he is working on a sinker.

The digits that really do Hellickson justice are 2009’s 9-2 record, 2.45 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, .178 BAA, 132 strikeouts, in 114 innings across Double- and Triple-A.

And he’s been rollin’ lately, a regular Hellickson on wheels. Check out the strikeout totals from his last four starts: 10, 10, 12, 9. His walk total during that stretch? Five.

And this isn’t a one-year fluke. In five minor league seasons, he’s got a 37-13 mark, 2.71 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 507 K’s and 100 BB’s in 461 innings.

Of course minor league numbers don’t always translate to the bigs. Just ask Yusmeiro Petit.

But Hellickson’s numbers are so sparkling, they could be scuffed up in The Show and still shine. I mean, if you know how to be that successful, some of it has to translate. Plus, he has been praised for his bulldog mentality and even-keeled maturity.

There’s no telling when the aforementioned slow-moving Rays brass will promote this starter to the major league rotation, seeing that James Shields, Matt Garza, Jeff Niemann, David Price and Wade Davis all stand in the way.

But injuries and trades happen, and right now Hellickson can be had for free (or pretty cheap) and is sure to be in or around the top 10 of most prospect lists next spring.

Rays 3, Orioles 0: Snoozer

Stacey — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:34:26 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

2 months ago: Baltimore Orioles pitcher Mark Hendrickson throws to a Tampa Bay Rays batter in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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This would have been a good game to watch if I was a Rays fan. Young prospect bounces back from a bad second start to throw a complete game, 10 K shutout. Pretty good. I'm not a Rays fan, though, so this game was pretty sucky.

With Brian Matusz being shut down, the Orioles turned to their bullpen in the hopes that they could put together 9 innings of not-sucky pitching. And guess what? They did! Mark Hendrickson allowed two runs in 3.1 innings, followed by Dennis Sarfate, Cla Meredith, Brian Bass, Chris Ray, and Alberto Castillo. Chris Ray (who else) gave up one run, but the rest held the Rays down.

Unfortunately their efforts would not be rewarded. The Orioles loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning against Wade Davis but couldn't score a run. Nick Markakis, Melvin Mora, and Luke Scott left the runners stranded and that was as close as the Orioles would get for the rest of the night. Davis dominated the Orioles for the rest of the night, allowing just three more hits.

Losing sucks, but you know what? In their last four series against the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Tampa Bay Rays, this team has gone 6-6. Would any of you have guessed that would happen? I know I wouldn't. Hooray not playing losing baseball over the last 12 games!

Tomorrow the Red Sox and their fans invade Baltimore one last time. I'll thankfully be out of town. The good news is that the Orioles have a history this year of winning games when I'm out of town. Maybe that streak will continue!

Yankees 13, Orioles 3: This ugly loss isn't enough to dampen my mood.

Camden Chat — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:58:59 -0000

More photos » by Mark Lennihan - AP

Nice chain, Cesar. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

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The Yankees are the best team in baseball, and before yesterday hadn't lost back-to-back games at home since 17-18 June. The Orioles finish the season 5-13 against them, and when you compare rosters it's not hard to understand why. But this final series, despite today's ugly loss, was one of the most satisfying that I've watched this year.

Friday night's game was delayed by over an hour due to rain that continued to fall pretty much all night. The Yankee Stadium crowd was louder and more intense than usual. And Chris Tillman (born in 1988 for crying out loud), in his 9th major league start, responded by striking out 8 Yankees and getting the win.

On Saturday, Brian Matusz (born in 1987 and making his 8th major league start), dominated the Yankees for 7 innings. After allowing a two out double to Alex Rodriguez in the first inning, Matusz didn't give anything else up until a 1 out walk to Melky Cabrera in the 5th inning. When he finally got into a little bit of trouble in the 7th, he reached back and found something extra, striking out Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter to end his day.

So they lost today. Oh well. I didn't watch the game but from what I can tell Jeremy Guthrie got knocked around a bit but controlled the damage pretty well, and then the Yankees feasted on two pitchers (Chris Waters and Bob McCrory) who have no business being in the major leagues. The Orioles offense wasn't able to do much against CC Sabathia to no one's surprise, but rookies Justin Turner and Nolan Reimold put up a good show. Turner reached base three times and had an RBI, and Reimold had two hits, including a double.

The Orioles are a long way from contending in the AL East, but if and when they do get there, it'll be thanks to Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, and the other young pitchers the O's are hoping will turn out. Andy MacPhail has said that the Orioles probably can't match the offenses that the Yankees and Red Sox are capable of assembling, so instead they have to grow enough arms to compete that way. If this weekend is any indication, Andy MacPhail knows what he's talking about.

-Stacey

Poll

Who was today's Most Birdland Player (MBP)?

Nolan Reimold (2-4, double, only O with multiple hits)

49 votes

Justin Turner (single, 2 walks, run, RBI)

14 votes

Joe Flacco (Ravens are birds too!)

44 votes

Can I vote for Brian Matusz again?

54 votes

161 votes | Poll has closed

Orioles 7, Yankees 3: Brian Matusz makes us happy

Camden Chat — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:32:20 -0000

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

Brian Matusz made Derek Jeter so mad he almost said a bad word to the umpire. Siddown, Jetes. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Last June, according to the story told by Gary Thorne on today's telecast, Brian Matusz had just signed with the Baltimore Orioles. He was in New York for the draft, and saw the new Yankee Stadium being constructed. He said to himself, "I'm going to pitch there someday." He had yet to throw his first professional pitch.

Fast forward 15 months. Brian Matusz got his wish, or, more accurately, earned his destiny and took the mound at the new Yankee Stadium today against the New York Yankees. He entered the day having won his last two outings, and having gone 7.0 IP in both. He'd given up just 5 ER in those 14 innings, and O's fan might have been cautiously optimistic about today's game.

Throw caution to the wind, people - Brian Matusz will be winning a lot more games in Yankee Stadium over the next six years.

Matusz went 7.0 IP again today, and aside from a SAC fly in the 1st inning, didn't allow a run in his last six innings of work. Sure, he had his troubles, but not many. There was a 20-pitch inning, and the Yankees sent five men to the plate in the 7th. That was the most he faced all day - five batters in an inning. It's great to win. But to face just three or four batters an inning, almost every inning? And by a rookie? Against a team that's up by eight games in the AL East? I'll take it.

The offense did its best, for one inning, to make this an easy day for Matusz. In the second inning, AL ROY candidate Nolan Reimold led off with a home run to left-center, Matt Wieters walked after Luke Scott looked terrible, again, and Ty Wigginton singled Wieters to second base. Michael Aubrey singled the two runners over, and Robert Andino singled Wieters in.

Then Brian Roberts came up. Then the ball went out, over the wall in right-center. Pretty quickly, too.

The grand slam by Roberts, his 15th HR of the season, made the game a 6-1 lead for the Orioles, and the way Matusz was pitching, you could almost feel comfortable. Next year, when he's allowed to complete games, a 6-1 lead may be as automatic a win as you can earn in the majors. But, for now, we're at the mercy of Diamond Dave's decisions with the bullpen.

The sight of Chris Ray warming up in the 7th inning was not needed. Really, Dave, really? Chris Ray? In New York? You do remember what happens when Chris Ray pitches in New York, right? Instead, sanity prevailed, Matusz was allowed to finish the 7th, and Danys Baez came in to pitch the 8th, and did so in a completely professional and non-exciting manner. Thank you, Danys. Jim Johnson finished the game. That's all I'm saying about Jim Johnson today. I will not spoil the good mood.

The Orioles go for the improbable series sweep tomorrow, and here's hoping the O's close them out. -duck

Poll

Who was the Most Birdland Player for Sept. 12, 2009?

Brian Matusz (W, 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 3 K, 2 BB)

158 votes

Nolan Reimold (2-3, HR, RB, amazing first-row catch of foul ball)

6 votes

Brian Roberts (3-4, Grand Slam, 4 RBI, 1 R, and, oh yeah, a GRAND SLAM. Plus a walk.)

62 votes

Danys Baez (1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1K, not being Chris Ray while in New York)

0 votes

226 votes | Poll has closed