Matusz's next stop
As I watched the huge snowflakes falling outside my window earlier today, leaving a light dusting on rooftops and the cars that hadn't been started in the morning, I wondered how many more days before pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
I'm trying to do the math now as I see more flakes swirling in the wind. They started out tiny, and now they're the size of canned hams.
Somebody asked about the lack of night games at Fort Lauderdale Stadium. The word on the street last spring was that one of the hurricanes caused some electrical problems. Turning on the lights isn't an issue. Turning them off could become one. Better to leave them off and play during the day.
Now that first-rounder Brian Matusz is finished with the Arizona Fall League, he'll spend the next 2 1/2 months at the Athletes' Performance Institute in Tempe.
I guess that constitutes rest for some people.
Matusz will benefit in numerous ways - conditioning, nutrition, exposure to major league players like Brian Roberts, Adam Jones and Dustin Pedroia. I hear Nomar Garciaparra and Mia Hamm also work out there.
It might be a good idea for Tim Bascom to spent some time at API. Joe Jordan, the Orioles' director of scouting, noted on yesterday's Playmakers show on MASN that Bascom needs to work hard to get his body in shape. He's been bogged down by injuries and fallen behind, but he's absolutely a prospect.
Jordan said Bascom isn't a "stuff guy," but he's a good pitcher who compares to Jeff Suppan.
I'll take Suppan's longevity, but I want more wins.
Tempe or Tampa?
"Athletes' Performance Institute in Tempa"
Is that in Arizona or Florida? ;o)
Ugh, can we please keep our players away from Dustin Pedroia?! I know, I know.. he won the AL MVP blah, blah, blah. I just don't like the guy very much. He reminds me of the creepy little guy who hits on you and then won't take no for an answer when you're at a bar with your friends.
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I hate when that happens to me, too. And sorry for the typo. It's Tempe. - Roch
Roch I know its off topic but: Why wouldn't the O's send G.Olson to SD for K.Greene?
Sure Greene had a bad year but he should be fine after his injuries and stuff are healed. and in a more hitter friendly park. Olson has pitched 33 career starts and his ERA sits in the mid 6. And to compare Cabrera had a much better ERA by almost 2 whole runs.
Trading Olson for Greene would be a horrible deal. If you look at Greene's numbers over his career, they are not very good. He had one year where he hit 20 homeruns, but his career on base percentage is terrible. Its like having another Jay Payton. If we traded for Greene, we would have him for one year and would give up a 24 year old pitcher, who has upside.
Bad move.
Please...someone check to see if AM has a pulse!...K.Greene for Olson is a steal!
Roch,
Let's get Brandon Snyder there, too.
If he could stick at third base, he may be turning into a legitimate prospect for us after putting up a nice .349/.431/.667 in Arizona. Get to work on this kid's defense for the love of god!!!!
XD23, i'm guessing it's not unrelated to the fact that we would only get greene for one year. he's a free agent next summer. i thought the same thing when i read that in the sun. but that's gotta be the reason. or they're holding out hope that garrett olson will one day have the cajones to trust his own stuff.
Couple things. What on earth is a "stuff guy"? I'm aware it's a guy who's got good stuff, but what's the difference between having good stuff and ... whatever the opposite is? Is the other kind a pitcher with a superior fastball who doesn't need more than one other pitch?
Also, I don't really know that much about Suppan, which may be because, as you suggest, he doesn't win many games. I'd like it if Jordan could clarify a bit, or if you could elaborate.
Thirdly, I can't believe this "Brian Roberts to the Cubs" b.s. is going to go on for another winter. We need speed in return, in other words, a new leadoff hitter, if we send him to Chitown, and they don't have a speed guy who's as good a player as Brian.
This is still the best baseball blog out there, and still the first place I go for O's news.
once agin off topic, but im with xd23. When i read that the Padres wanted really basically just Olson for Greene and we werent budging it made me so sick to my stomach i wanted to puked, but instead litterly screamed at the top of my lungs at the computer monitor. i was ready to strangle Mcphail THAT INSTANT! is the front office out of its mind? i had gained even more respect for Andy when hearing the "priority" quote from him regarding Burnett and Tiexiera, but if this Olson-for-Greene thing turns out to be true, and he does'nt pull the trigger, ill loose every bit of it in a second. i was ready for tho O's to offer OLSON, CABRERA,MONTANEZ, MCCRORY, AND WALKER for Greene 5 for one! what is wrong with them. its things like this that make me shake my head in frustration. you have a guy whos gold glove calibur and on web gems nightly, who happens to hit some ( 3 15hr seasons and a 27) and probably more so at Camden then in SD. look at his .270 mark away from SD. this guy is the best possible option available, and a better obtainable player for the position won't come around in the next 4 or 5 years. hes young and we should be able to extend his contract. Olson on the other hand doesnt even seem likely to be in our future plans given that we have about 7 or 8 young pitching prospects in our organization who are better. he will likely never amount to anything more then the 5-6+ ERA guy hes been in this division, but he is young, lefty, and has upside in the NL especially at PetCo park. again, very pitcher freindly. he could have the success there that the Al east wont allow him to, Ever. its been already stated that his spot in the rotation is a priority for upgrade.
while im at it, there's word the Tigers, desperate for a catcher, are interested in Ramon. and they wanna loose Dontrell Willis. this would be an extremely sensible trade both ways, where we get a veteren arm who has had greeat success and can bridge the gap to Arieta, Tillman, Bergeson, Liz (when ready), Penn, Matusz, Erbe, or anyone else when the time comes in a year or two. i dont think Patton belongs anywhere near the rotation yet, coming off major injury, and having next to no experience at triple A to begin with. it should be 2010 for him for sure, maybe late next year at best. perfect offseason =
Burnett, Guthrie, Willis, Prior/Lowe/ Byrd, Cabrera/Liz/Waters
Ray, Sherril, Johnson, Sarfate, Albers, Wlaker/Castillo/lefty x
Roberts
Mora Markakis
Tiexiera
Huff
Jones
Scott Greene
Zaun/d.Miller/ LoDuca (until May when Weiters comes up)
= contender immediately!
sorry so long, but hav'nt posted lately. Happy Thanksgiving all! thaughts?
Matusz got a taste of pro baseball life v. college and it should have opened his eyes and quite frankly should have quieted those who had visions of immediate grandeur. I dare say he'll start out at Bowie and go from there. Bascum was either good or bad during HWL season, no in-between. In his last 3 outings, he got rocked pretty good and then for some reason they shut him down and he didn't pitch in November at all. To me it looks like Delmarva with an outside shot at starting at Frederick.... your thoughts ?
XD23: Greene is a free agent after 09. And his value is in the toilet. Why trade a guy who still projects as a #4 starter for that? Has J Maine for K Benson written all over it.
I have to agree with Andy Mcphail on this Greene for Olson trade. For kevin Towers to be fair I think a cabrera for Greene deal would be right....... Both those players are at the same place in their career with the teams they a re currently on. I believe Garret olson deserves a little more time before we get all fickle on him...Remember what Jim Johnson was like his first year...... Wouldnt trade him now.....for anything.... ..Garret olson could very well be that same guy and most tend to think he is.......Towers is not dumb........but he isnt fair either........I wouldnt expect him to be.........I would rather sign Izturis........than at that cost......If i was the Orioles...i would go to arbitration with Cabrera as though we still believe..........than try to move him for a shortstop......
Why play 32 of 33 spring training games during the day when you play nearly always at night during the regular season?
Is anyone else concerned that we need a lefty reliver or two? Jeremy Affeldt and/or Trever Miller would have both been big improvments at a reasonable cost. If we somehow ended up with a surplus in the bullpen, you could surely find a buyer at the trading deadline next year.
Yeah John Maine got 9 starts in an O's uniform. Not 33. John Maine went to the NL which is an easier place to pitch then the AL East. If Olson, 25, goes to the SD and pitches well good for him. He won't do it here. SD is better for pitchers. Baltimore is better for hitters.
A lot of guys 'project' to be a lot of things. I remember Jeffrey Hammonds was going to be an All Star caliber player. Same for Alex Ochoa. How about Rodrigo Lopez? Had 1 good year and thats it. Prospects are just that.
Khalil Greene hits in a pitchers paradise. Look at the splits for him in his healthy seasons.
'07:
Home - .216/ .258/ .412
Away - .288/ .322/ .519
'06
Home - .210/ .282/ .346
Away - .280/ .356/ .507
Baltimore is nothing like SD. This is a stadium better built for him. I can see him putting up an easy .250 20 HR 70 RBI in the O's line up. And its no big deal if Greene is a FA after the year. So is Roberts. Doesn't stop the O's from seeing if Greene is an able player in the AL and then extending him. Or even re-signing him after the season. Or maybe if there is no chance of re-signing him and he hits well. I can see someone needing a SS at mid season and giving up a player better then Olson to aquire him.
Jim Johnson, 25, did get better when he went to the bullpen. Maybe thats where Olson should go. So I'm wondering how anyone would not trade a RP for a starting SS capable of gold glove defense and 20+ HR Power?
XD23, I agree. And I like Olson. But there's that saying "there's no such thing as a pitching prospect." Olson was good in the minors, but not anywhere near a "can't miss" prospect (and for relative comparison, Maine had better minor league numbers). His upside is probably #3 starter, more likely 4 or 5 or bullpen. There are lots of guys that fit that description. He's had a fairly long look in the majors and had issues. If you can get a good fielding SS who is a good bet to hit 20-25 HR (despite a poor OBP), you do it. As noted, if you lose him to FA after a year you take the draft pick or two. We have lots of back-of-the-rotation maybes, we don't have any viable SS options. My mild hope on this rumor is that MacPhail turned it down in hopes of getting some financial compensation in the deal (Greene will make $6M, I think).