Matt Bywater update

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

August 16, 2010, 12:21pm

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Pepperdine pitcher Matt Bywater, the Orioles seventh-round draft pick, said he has had some phone conversations with club officials today, but he still does not have an agreement with the team as of a little after four this afternoon. "Not so much progress at this point," Bywater said. "I'd like to be optimistic, I guess we are kind of at a standstill," he said. The 21-year-old lefty went 6-5, 2.40 in college this year with five complete games and four shutouts. He fanned 83 in 97 2/3 innings. He garnered attention early last season when, on February 20th, he pitched a complete-game, four-hit shutout at then 4th-ranked Cal-State Fullerton. In that game, Gary Brown and Christian Colon of the Titans, who were both first-round draft picks this year, went a combined 1 for 8 vs. Bywater with two strikeouts. Colon was the fourth pick in the draft by Kansas City and Brown was taken 24th overall by the Giants. By the way, here are the total number of players signed by Joe Jordan as O's scouting director: 2005: 25 2006: 30 2007: 38 2008: 36 2009: 29 2010: 36