Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Matusz joins Tillman in the majors
Posted by Evan Brunell |
| Matusz (Samara Pearlstein) |
Matusz throws from the 3/4 arm slot and as I type this is showing some deception during his start against the Detroit Tigers. At a listed 6'5", 200 lbs, he is very wiry and could stand to pack on some pounds, something that should eventually happen as he settles into a major league routine.
Matusz needed less than one year to prove he belonged in the bigs. Starting the year out with High-A Frederick, he started 11 times and posted a 2.16 ERA. An eight-gamer in Double-A Bowie did nothing to dispel the myths that he was one of the best left-handed prospects in the game, checking in at a 1.55 ERA. All told, he averaged 2.5 walks per nine innings while whiffing 9.6. He has the potential to reach those numbers at the major league level, but it will likely take a couple years to do so.
Together with Chris Tillman, also recently recalled, the duo should pair up to provide one of the most devastating 1-2 punches in the major leagues over the next five years.
Next year will be a year in transition for the Orioles, who will get a full year of Matusz and Tillman while also breaking in Jake Arrieta and Brandon Erbe to give the Orioles a light at the end of the tunnel to all their pitching woes of recent years.
With a young, dynamic outfield offense and Matt Wieters behind the plate, the next one and a half years should be extremely exciting to watch the team develop and come together. Don't rule out a run for the postseason in 2012. It'll be difficult in what promises to be a brutal AL East for the forseeable future, but the Orioles are stacked with young players sure to be legitimate stars.
Take a look at what one projected rotation and lineup in 2012 could be:
SP Matusz, Tillman, Arrieta and two of Erbe, Radhames Liz, Jeremy Guthrie, David Hernandez, Brad Bergesen
C Matt Wieters, 1B Brandon Snyder, 2B Brian Roberts, SS (the one big hole), 3B Josh Bell, LF Nolan Reimold, CF Adam Jones, RF Nick Markakis, DH Luke Scott.
That's a pretty scary team. Invest in a solid, league-average shortstop and I could see the Orioles in the playoffs for an appreciable length of time.
Once baseball returns in Baltimore, they could see themselves returning to their big-market ways and here to stay.
Evan Brunell blogs the Red Sox regularly at Fire Brand of the American League. Stop by, or e-mail him with comments.