24-year old lefty starting pitcher Brian Matusz has been flat out pathetic for the Orioles in 2011. He has pitched in 10 games (all starts) for the Orioles so far this year and he is 1-7 with a 9.84 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP. Matusz has given up 68 hits (15 homers) and he has also walked 19 batters in his first 43 innings of the season! Matusz has now pitched in 50 games (all starts) in his first three years with the Orioles and he is 16-21 with a 5.26 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. The Orioles will give Matusz another shot to make the starting rotation next spring.

33-year old righty closer Kevin Gregg has been putrid lately for the Orioles. In his last five games, Gregg is 0-1 with 1 save, a 21.00 ERA and a 4.00 WHIP. He has given up a stunning 9 hits while also walking 3 batters in his last 3 innings pitched! Gregg has pitched in 51 games (0 starts) overall this year for the Orioles and he is 0-2 with 18 saves, a 4.50 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP as he has walking an amazingly bad 31 batters in his first 48 innings this year. Don’t be surprised if the O’s take Gregg out of his closer role and replace him with Jim Johnson in the near future.

The Orioles have sent 24-year old lefty starting pitcher Brian Matusz to AAA. In his last four starts for the Orioles, Matusz was 0-4 with a 13.50 ERA and a 2.59 WHIP. He has started 6 games for the O’s so far this year and he is 1-4 with a 8.77 ERA and a 1.99 WHIP. The Orioles have to be very disappointed with how poorly Matusz has pitched this year as they had high hopes for him. Matusz started 32 games for the Orioles last year and he was 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. He pitched especially well last year after Buck Showalter took over as the manager. The Orioles hope that Matusz gets straightened out in AAA, so that he can get back to Baltimore.

32-year old righty reliever Kevin Gregg is on thin ice with the Orioles as far as the closer’s job is concerned. Gregg pitched in 12 games (0 starts) in May for the Orioles and he was 0-1 with 4 saves, a 3.97 ERA and a 2.03 WHIP as he walked 13 batters in only 11 1/3 innings pitched. Gregg has now pitched in 22 games (0 starts) for the Orioles this year and he is 0-1 with 9 saves, a 3.38 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. If Gregg doesn’t start pitching better soon, 36-year old righty reliever Koji Uehara might take his closer’s job away from him. Uehara has pitched in 22 games (0 starts) for the O’s so far this year and he is 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. He has only given up 15 hits while walking 5 batters in his first 23 2/3 innings with 29 whiffs, as he has been very impressive. Uehara pitched in 43 games (0 starts) last year for the Orioles and he was 1-2 with 13 saves, a 2.86 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Uehara is flat out a better pitcher than Gregg is, so look for the switch at closer to come soon if Gregg doesn’t start pitching better soon.

Young righties Jake Arrieta and Chris Tillman are having issues right now for the Orioles. Arrieta has started 3 games for the Orioles so far this year and he is 1-1 with a 7.04 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He actually has pitched good in two of his three starts so far this year. Chris Tillman has also started 3 games for the Orioles so far this year and he is 0-1 with a 7.30 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP. Tillman hasn’t been anywhere as good as Arrieta, but he did look good in his first start of the year. The Orioles need to stick by these guys for a while this season to see what they have in them. Both of these guys have electric stuff.