Tyler Matzek basked in a shower bath thrown by Latroy Hawkins while he was interviewed by Root Sports sideline reporter Marc Stout after the Rockies’ 8-2 victory over the Braves last night at Coors Field. Why not? After going through ups and downs in the minors, this is a night Matzek should enjoy. He won’t get another Major League debut ever again.
This has been a long time coming for the Rockies’ first pick in the 2009 draft. It took five years for him to be in the majors. Better late than ever for him.
The Rockies did not hype up Matzek’s debut like they did with Eddie Butler last Friday. There were no bells and whistles about him during the introductory Rockies telecast on Root Sports. That showed there were no expectations from him. Quite frankly, he would still be in the minors if the Rockies did not have injuries with their starting pitchers.
If the 11th pick overall of the 2009 draft pitched like he did last night, he could be in the majors for awhile. He can ask Jordan Lyles, who pitched so well in April that he became a permanent member of the Rockies starting rotation until he joined the disabled list last week. Plus, the Rockies are happy to have anyone who can pitch these days.
To say the 23-year-old southpaw was impressive is an understatement. He was ahead of the count all night long. He was throwing 90s all the way to the seventh inning. He was able to get the Braves hitters out in three pitches, which is why he was so economical by throwing 81 pitches in seven innings. The Braves had a tough time hitting his slider, his fastball and his changeup.
He was so good that it was surprising that he did not go for the complete game. His stuff was electric, and the Braves had no clue how to hit him. Everything changed for him in the eighth inning when the Braves had three straights singles off him that resulted to them scoring a run. Rockies manager Walt Weiss saw enough after realizing his starter may have been worn down.
Matzek left the game with a well-deserved standing ovation. He finished the night by allowing two runs on five hits in seven innings. He struck out seven Braves hitters. The best way to describe his night was he put on a clinic. This may have been one of the best pitching performances ever from a Rockies starter, and that says something since the Rockies rarely have a starter that can pitch this type of performance.
To top off an impressive night, he even got a base hit and scored a run in the seventh inning.
If Matzek does not have a great career, no one can take his Major League debut away from him. It’s something he can remember for the rest of his life. Major League ballplayers always savor their Major League debuts whether it’s good or bad after the road they traveled from the minors.
It has not been easy journey for him to get to the majors. He has struggled with consistency when it came to his command. He would pitch well, but he would also struggle. He gave up 62 walks in 89 1/3 innings in his first year at low Class-A Asheville in 2010. In 2011, he issued 46 walks in 33 innings while going 0-3 with a 9.82 ERA at Modesto. He has been 29-29 with a 4.34 ERA in his 106 career minor league starts. He was 5-4 with a 4.05 ERA in 12 starts at Triple-AAA Colorado Springs this season.
It was a humbling experience for Matzek after having success at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, Calif. He figured he would be on fast track to the majors. No one can blame him after he has been used to success.
For some pitchers, pitching comes easy. For others, it takes years until a pitcher finds his groove. Keep in mind Matzek is only a kid in Major League years. Most starters don’t figure it out until they are 25 or 26 years old. Patience has to be a virtue even if fans or teams don’t want to hear it anymore.
Matzek certainly showed he can pitch in Major League Baseball. No one can pitch like he did by accident. He has the stuff. Lack of consistency has plagued him, and that’s something he has to figure out if he wants to have a long Major League career.
Here’s the thing about him: He has the ability to persevere. He will keep at it by not letting bad starts to get to him. That’s an important attribute for a pitcher to be successful. That’s why he has been able to make it to the majors despite his struggles in the minors.
Maybe the Rockies and their fans don’t think he will amount to anything, but he does not think that way. That attitude will serve him well. It already served him well from what he has gone through with his struggles in the minors that helped him get to the majors.
If there is something to learn about Matzek, he has showed perseverance in trying to achieve success. He certainly did in getting to the majors for the first time ever.
That’s why last night meant something for him.
His performance from his first Major League start validated that.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro at @LightRodWriter
Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
