Each year, most Major League teams have a fan festival before spring training starts.  It's a way to get fans closer to the players and coaches while building up excitement for the approaching season.  It's also a way to generate speculation and conjecture.  In the Baltimore Orioles' case, there are questions about how the team plans to use Brian Matusz since he will be participating in a panel with other relievers.

Roch Kubatko of MASN was quick to point out this does not guarantee the team plans to use Matusz from the bullpen next season, but it is interesting.  Matusz is supposed to workout with the team as a starter this spring, then a decision is going to be made about how the team will use him.


Matusz has been given another shot with the organization that once had high hopes for him.  He never developed into the pitcher the Orioles thought he would, but he has proven to be solid out of the bullpen.

Matusz split time last year between Triple-A and the big league club.  He also split time between starting and coming out of the bullpen.  Overall, Matusz had a 4.87 ERA last year with the Orioles.

Injuries have been part of the problem limiting Matusz, but he has battled through those and still never shown Baltimore that he can be a solid starting pitcher.  At least not consistently.  We'll see what happens this spring, but it seems Baltimore will likely continue to use Matusz out of the pen.
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