Soothsaying for Sixteen: Steven Matz

[Edgy MD]

I'm Steven Matz. I'm the last of the phenoms, and maybe the last among equals, but I have an undefeated record, an historic debut, a left-handed delivery, and a foxy grandpa. Surely there's still some room for growth.

How much growth? You tell me.

[fimg=308:11098d0c]http://isportsweb.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/10/Steven-Matz-31.jpg[/fimg:11098d0c] [fimg=392:11098d0c]http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.10588974.1435531373!/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/landscape_640/image.JPG[/fimg:11098d0c]
[fimg=332:11098d0c]http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/steven-matz-62815.jpg[/fimg:11098d0c] [fimg=368:11098d0c]http://images.performgroup.com/di/library/omnisport/29/16/matz-steven-062815-usnews-getty-ftr_k8z1a3olwaon1am5kwaly9f9s.jpg?t=1012380830[/fimg:11098d0c]

[MFS62]

14-8 2.90 1.20 WHIP.
Lots of no decisions that keep him from being an All -Star.
Leads the Mets pitchers in base hits.

Later

[Lefty Specialist]

The weak link, if you can call it that. 9-7, 3.60 ERA, 1.25 WHIP

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm from Missouri on this guy still.

Obviously lots to like, and at the same time, he's got room to improve. And his durability is an issue with me.

I'm going with 24 starts, 137 innings, 134 Ks, and a worrisome 50 walks. Goes 10-6 with a 3.45 ERA.

[metirish]

Steven will have more big hits than Wright , kidding, I think

looking forward to seeing what he can do over a full season, def worry about durability

[Guest d'Kong76]

Fourth best on a staff of wowwza... and still an envy of the league.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I dunno about youse guys but this guy drives me Batz.

Didn't it look like Rizzo was totally going to homer the fucking shit out of him yesterday when he did? And once he did, didn't you know the next pitch would be clobbered just as hard?

He needs to take a lesson or two from deGrom who looks to me to be the only of our vaunted starters who has any idea how to get by when things aren't going his way. I think Ron said something last night to the effect of you can't use "how you feel" as an excuse; it sounded to me like a very harsh criticism coming from a fellow pitcher.

Get your shit together, Matz. Guys with less stuff than you are much more successful.

/Rant Over

[Guest d'Kong76]

They also mentioned he needs to work on his change-up windup and
that he telegraphs it's coming because he doesn't sell it properly.

[Frayed Knot]

One of his biggest problems is that he tends to get himself into pitch-count hell early on in games and then seems to be fighting himself the rest of the way.
The general rule is that you'd like a hurler to stay at or under 15 pitches/inning, but in Matz's eight starts since June 1st he's more likely to be over 20 per (3 times) than under 15 (twice he managed to clock in at 14.3, not surprisingly those were his only 7 inning games)

Last night not only did he average over 20 per but there was just one inning where he was as low as 15 (exactly 15) an inning aided by a 1st pitch Lester bunt.
And the result of the lengthy ABs (7 pitches or more) are perhaps the most telling: single (8th pitch) - deep fly out (7th) - 3R HR (10th) - Double (8th pitch, which was also his 102nd and last of the game even though just the first batter of bottom 6th).