Bleacher Report - Articles by Joseph Merkel

Baltimore Orioles Make a Mess of Red Sox Bullpen, Comeback from Nine Down

Joseph Merkel — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:08:32 -0400

It was the greatest comeback I have ever seen—and I didn’t even get to see the whole thing.

By the time the rain came in the fifth inning of the second game of a three game series between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles—causing a mid-inning delay— the score was already 9-1, Sox.

Why keep paying attention? I’ve been let down before by late-inning heroics that have come up short.

Not knowing that the game had started back up again, I started watching South Park and eventually played a video game or two. It was around 10:45 that I check my iPhone to see if they had started playing again when I realized that not only were they playing, but the O’s had scored five runs off Boston reliever Justin Masterson in the seventh inning—not bad.

Still down 10-6, I was certainly not about to get my hopes up and think that a win was still even remotely possible. Well, at least not until the O’s loaded the bases in the eighth against Hideki Okajima—a pitcher who for some reason has had success against every team he has faced except for the Baltimore Orioles.

Tonight was no different.

Oh well, his loss equals our gain.

After three consecutive hits, the bases were juiced with rookie catcher Matt Wieters coming to the plate. After falling behind 0-2, Wieters punched a single into left field, plating utility-man Oscar Salazar.

Four straight hits and Okajima’s night was done without recording an out. Red Sox Manager Terry Francona went to his bullpen and brought out former Dodger closer Takashi Saito to face Ty Wigginton—who was pinch-hitting for shortstop Robert Andino.

Wigginton hit a ball to deep right that was played perfectly by Rocco Baldelli, though it was deep enough for an RBI sacrifice fly. The O’s were now only down 10-8.

After Oriole’s second baseman Brian Roberts sliced a ball down the third-base line passing Kevin Youkilis at third, the lead was lessened to just one run.

Once again, Francona had seen enough.

He decided now that he would go with his stud, the closer, Jonathan Papelbon.

After a Felix Pie strikeout, the Orioles were down to their last out of their four-run rally and the outlook was looking grim.

Two on, two out, and to the plate came outfielder Nick Markakis.

Was the clock about to strike midnight for these Cinderellas? Papelbon is easily one of the top three closers in baseball and Markakis—as good a hitter as he is—was, before the at-bat, 0-for-7 against Papelbon, lifetime.

Regardless of the stat, Markakis must have been looking first-pitch fastball, because he got it. Markakis smashed a two-run double to the left-center gap and the Orioles took their first lead of the game, 11-10.

Markakis’ hit capped off what would eventually be the Orioles’ biggest comeback win since coming to Baltimore in 1954.

And I almost missed it!

Never again will I turn off a game early, or throw my arms in the air as Orioles’ Manager Dave Trembley brings in the mop-up reliever, showing no effort to try to keep a game close.

I have witnessed heart, talent, and greatness.

But most importantly, let us not forget, it came against the Red Sox.

A division rival is one thing, but against the first-place Sox, the team with arguably the best bullpen in the MLB makes the victory that much sweeter.

Seeing the Sox—who hold the best record in the American League—crumble nearly brought a tear to my eye, as it should.

Other than the Yankees, there isn’t a team out there I would have rather seen it happen to.

To be quite honest, even after writing that, I may not have meant it. I think I may have too much respect for Mariano Rivera to see that type of meltdown happen to him. But we’ll see how I feel if it ever happens.

Papelbon on the other hand, let him unload for all I care.

That’s what you get for saying you would be okay with being a Yankee.

Three years and a World Series title later, and the kid has no loyalty.

Look at Sox second baseman Dustin Pedrioa, who I hate because he’s not on the Orioles. But after winning AL Rookie of the Year and MVP in back-to-back seasons, he signed a six-year deal worth $40.5 million—the contract includes an option for the 2015 season.

The contract, worth an average of just over $7 million per year, is worth far less than Pedroia is, in terms of contracts given out in the modern era.

He did the right thing. He realized that it gets to the point when enough money is enough, especially when you can stay in the city where you want to be.

Anyway, it’s beside the point. Sorry for the short rant, back to the matter at hand.

Orioles win.

It was the non-role players that made it possible for the O’s tonight. Of the Orioles’ 11 RBI, six were driven in by players that didn’t start the game.

Pie had two RBI hits including a triple that scored Andino in the bottom of the fourth. He entered the game in the second inning taking the place of Adam Jones, who took a hard crash in to the center-field wall in the first inning while tracking an eventual home run.

Salazar, who came into the game in the seventh to pinch hit for Melivin Mora, hit a three-run home run and followed it up with a single to extend the O’s rally in the ninth.

Even pitcher Jeremy Guthrie got in on the action. Guthrie scored the game-tying run off of Markakis’ double after coming in to pinch run for Wieters.

This team isn’t going to win any beauty contests and I’ll defend to the day I die that if you give up 10 runs, regardless of the final score, you don’t deserve to lose a ball game.

And when you’re down 10-1, heading into the seventh inning, the fault isn’t all on the pitchers.

The game could be 2-1, but if the hitters don’t hit, the game can’t be won.

I don’t know what changed in the Orioles’ bats tonight, but whatever it was, I hope that it’s here to stay.

In the end, you have to take every game for what it’s worth.

You lose your star-centerfielder, and his back up has a stellar night. The opposing team brings in their star closer whilst still clutching a one-run lead against a guy who has never gotten a hit off of him and he slaps a go-ahead double.

In baseball, maybe more than any other sports, it isn’t over ‘til the fat lady sings. Or until the fat ump calls strike three, which he did tonight against Jason Bay.

Anything can happen. Lesson learned.

Is Brian Matusz Due For a Promotion?

Joseph Merkel — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:28:45 -0400

In the 2005 MLB first-year-player draft, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim made a big mistake when they failed to sign their fourth-round draft pick, left-handed pitcher Brian Matusz.

Four years later, Matusz is tearing apart the Carolina League as a part of the Frederick Keys, a Baltimore Orioles affiliate.

In the 2008 draft, the Orioles took Matusz fourth over first baseman Justin Smoak and shortstop Gordon Beckham, who both play positions of need when looking at the Orioles’ farm.

Though fans were split on the decision to pass on a position player, I doubt many are complaining after watching Matusz’s first minor league season.

Matusz leads the Carolina League in innings pitched (66.2) and strikeouts (75) and is third in ERA. The 22-year-old has already proven that he can go deep into games going seven innings in four of his last six starts including three shutout performances.

Like Matt Wieters one year before him, Matusz could be looking at a Double-A promotion at the All-Star break and maybe even a few starts at the Triple-A level when the major league rosters expand in September.

One thing is for sure, Matusz has little left to prove in Frederick.

This past spring, Matusz received an invite to Spring Training camp with the Orioles and though he wasn’t there long, just two games pitched, he recorded a dominant line.

Matusz gave up just two hits and a walk while striking out five in four and two-thirds innings leaving his ERA at 0.00 when he was sent to minor league camp.

At 6’5” Matusz is a powerful guy but he isn’t going to throw 98-mph fastballs by you. The tall lefty will touch 94 but sits more in the 91-93 range.

Much like Cole Hamels, one of his closest comparisons, Matusz has both a devastating curveball and slider. A four-pitch pitcher, Matusz also has an above-average changeup in his arsenal.

Though Matusz pitched in the Arizona Fall League in 2008, he was ranked No. 20 on MLB.com top 50 prospects list before his official professional debut in April.

Shortly after the draft last year, ESPN’s Keith Law said that Matusz could be fastest to the majors of the 2008 crop.

Though the Chicago White Sox have already brought up Beckham, whom they picked No. 8, it was San Francisco Giants’ first-rounder Conor Gillaspie who made it first, though it was only for eight games.

But still, it is too early at least to say who will be the first to be successful at the major league level.

Next year during Spring Training, I imagine Matusz will be ready to compete for a spot in the Orioles’ rotation with fellow top prospects Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta who are currently dominating Triple-A and Double-A respectively.

Tillman and Arrieta are ranked No. 16 and No. 36 on the top prospects list and both have top-of-the-rotation potential.

Look out for the Orioles in 2010. With “The Cavalry” on the way, it’s sure to be an exciting season.

Will Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco Hit the Sophomore Slump Or Be Playoff Bound?

Joseph Merkel — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:02:49 -0400

Last year, the Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Ryan and the Baltimore Ravens’ Joe Flacco were the first rookie quarterbacks to start week one of the regular season since the Ravens played Kyle Boller in 2003 after taking him in the first round earlier that year.

Taking a look at Boller’s track record and inability to improve with even the least bit of consistency, it’s easy to see why more and more teams are drafting and developing before playing their young quarterbacks.

After four years of no rookies getting a shot, what were the odds that both of the young guns would stand out in a league with Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Bret Favre? The chances were slim, but that’s just what they did.

Both quarterbacks started all 16 games of the season and led their respective teams to 11-5 records and a playoff berth.

Ryan, who earned Rookie of the Year honors, became the first rookie quarterback since Manning to throw for 3,000 yards.

Flacco’s inaugural season was filled with an equal amount of accomplishments as he won NFL.com’s Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award and was the first rookie quarterback to win two playoff games.

Flacco led the Ravens to the AFC Championship game where they fell for the third time in the season to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ryan beat out Chris Redman for the starting job though the Falcons seemed poised to start him week one just to make fans forget about the Michael Vick situation.

Flacco, taken with the No. 17 pick, began training camp third on the depth chart behind former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and Boller. However, due to injuries, Flacco was thrown into the gauntlet immediately.

As the year progressed, both of these quarterbacks improved their games to the extent that the word "rookie" seemed like an unfair characteristic.

This year, entering their second season, both quarterbacks are their team’s go-to guys, and both teams have made improvements to help their franchise players.

The Falcons improved their already impressive receiving corps with the addition of tight end Tony Gonzalez via trade with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Ravens' biggest addition to help Flacco was Mississippi tackle Michael Oher, taken in the first round of last month’s draft.

Gonzalez gives the Falcons a big go-to receiver that can be a safety net for Ryan, like many tight ends are for young quarterbacks.

On the other hand, Flacco should have more time to make decisions and go through his progressions if Oher is given the starting right tackle job over journeyman Willie Anderson and oft-injured Adam Terry.

With NFL mini-camps getting underway recently, both Flacco and Ryan are No. 1 on the depth chart and will have to worry about a possible sophomore slump after flying high their rookie seasons.

The NFL just recently saw what the pressure of being a young quarterback can do to players, as former Rookie of the Year quarterback Vince Young lost his starting job after losing composure along with some of his playmaking abilities.

After setting the bar so high their rookie seasons, will either quarterback be able to outdo themselves and lift their teams back in to the playoffs?