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<blockquote data-quote="admin" data-source="post: 2575009" data-attributes="member: 1"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/p/sp/editorial_image/78/78aee58e303fa042d93a3dfbebd11ecb/demoted_brian_matusz_could_miss_his_bobble_night_in_baltimore.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />As <a href="http://roarfrom34.com/" target="_blank">Roar From 34</a> points out via email, the <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/bal/" target="_blank">Baltimore Orioles</a> are starting to develop a bad bobblehead jinx.&nbsp;For the second straight year, the team could find itself in a position handing out the bobblehead of a player who&#039;s serving out a demotion in the minors.&nbsp;This year it could be pitcher <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8418/" target="_blank">Brian Matusz</a>, whose likeness is scheduled to be given away at Camden Yards at Aug. 6. But the real Matusz is currently pitching at Triple-A Norfolk after being demoted from the big league team on June 30.&nbsp;It wouldn&#039;t be the first time the O&#039;s had a bobblehead honoree as a no-show on his special night. <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8191/" target="_blank">Nolan Reimold</a> <a href="http://roarfrom34.blogspot.com/2010/05/nolan-reimold-mini-bobblehead-night.html" target="_blank">celebrated his special day last season</a> as a member of the Norfolk Tides. Like Matusz, the outfielder is a projected member of Baltimore&#039;s future core but has had trouble living up to expectations — on the field and in the promotions office — in the early stages of his career.&nbsp;Can Matusz return in time to appreciate his bobble in person? It doesn&#039;t seem likely. The O&#039;s haven&#039;t set a timetable for his return, but Matusz — who missed the season&#039;s first two months with an injury — <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110722&amp;content_id=22139200&amp;notebook_id=22139336&amp;vkey=notebook_bal&amp;c_id=bal" target="_blank">has struggled in his first four minor league starts</a>. Through 26.2 innings with Norfolk, he owns an 0-3 record with a 4.73 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. His last start came on Thursday and it wasn&#039;t good: eight runs (seven earned) over 3 2/3 innings.&nbsp;You really can&#039;t blame the Orioles for scheduling the promotion. Not after Matusz finished fifth in the voting for 2010 AL ROY, going 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA while striking out 143 batters, tops of any rookie in the league.&nbsp;Matusz&#039;s unfortunate 2011, however, should provide a few lessons for Baltimore&#039;s promotional schedule in 2012. Step away from the <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8771/" target="_blank">Zach Britton</a> bobbles and give us another <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Orioles-attempt-to-lure-Camden-crowds-with-Jason?urn=mlb-257120" target="_blank">Jason Berken shirsey</a>.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="admin, post: 2575009, member: 1"] [IMG]http://l.yimg.com/a/p/sp/editorial_image/78/78aee58e303fa042d93a3dfbebd11ecb/demoted_brian_matusz_could_miss_his_bobble_night_in_baltimore.jpg[/IMG]As [URL="http://roarfrom34.com/"]Roar From 34[/URL] points out via email, the [URL="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/bal/"]Baltimore Orioles[/URL] are starting to develop a bad bobblehead jinx. For the second straight year, the team could find itself in a position handing out the bobblehead of a player who's serving out a demotion in the minors. This year it could be pitcher [URL="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8418/"]Brian Matusz[/URL], whose likeness is scheduled to be given away at Camden Yards at Aug. 6. But the real Matusz is currently pitching at Triple-A Norfolk after being demoted from the big league team on June 30. It wouldn't be the first time the O's had a bobblehead honoree as a no-show on his special night. [URL="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8191/"]Nolan Reimold[/URL] [URL="http://roarfrom34.blogspot.com/2010/05/nolan-reimold-mini-bobblehead-night.html"]celebrated his special day last season[/URL] as a member of the Norfolk Tides. Like Matusz, the outfielder is a projected member of Baltimore's future core but has had trouble living up to expectations — on the field and in the promotions office — in the early stages of his career. Can Matusz return in time to appreciate his bobble in person? It doesn't seem likely. The O's haven't set a timetable for his return, but Matusz — who missed the season's first two months with an injury — [URL="http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110722&content_id=22139200&notebook_id=22139336&vkey=notebook_bal&c_id=bal"]has struggled in his first four minor league starts[/URL]. Through 26.2 innings with Norfolk, he owns an 0-3 record with a 4.73 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. His last start came on Thursday and it wasn't good: eight runs (seven earned) over 3 2/3 innings. You really can't blame the Orioles for scheduling the promotion. Not after Matusz finished fifth in the voting for 2010 AL ROY, going 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA while striking out 143 batters, tops of any rookie in the league. Matusz's unfortunate 2011, however, should provide a few lessons for Baltimore's promotional schedule in 2012. Step away from the [URL="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8771/"]Zach Britton[/URL] bobbles and give us another [URL="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Orioles-attempt-to-lure-Camden-crowds-with-Jason?urn=mlb-257120"]Jason Berken shirsey[/URL]. [/QUOTE]

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