Brian Matusz is through three hitless innings in the intrasquad game at Ed Smith Stadium. He has thrown 29 pitches, 20 of them for strikes. He did give up a walk in the first, but needed just nine pitches -- all strikes -- to get through the second and eight pitches -- six strikes -- to get through the third. He would have given up one hit, but Josh Bell made a terrific diving stab to keep the ball from going down the line.
Matusz is throwing to reserve catcher candidate Craig Tatum, which might have meaning or might not. It appears that the decision between Tatum and veteran Chad Moeller is going to be a difficult one, which I would not have suspected when camp opened.
Jim Johnson and Will Ohman pitched the first two innings for the other squad, and it's starting to look like there may be more major league pitchers going in the intrasquad game than will represent the Orioles in the MASN-televised Grapefruit League game against the Yankees tonight.
Neither Johnson nor Ohman looked particularly sharp, but it's got to be tough to get real pumped up for an intrasquad game.
Instant update: Matusz has now pitched five hitless innings and faced the minimum number of batters (though he did walk a guy in the first inning). He has thrown 57 pitches -- 39 for strikes -- which means he is averaging just 11 an inning. He has been so dominant that pitching coach Rick Kranitz sent a runner to second base in the fifth just so Matusz could get some work out of the stretch. His father is in the stands, but I've got to believe he would rather be watching Brian tonight against the Yankees.