Matos would be a good fourth or fifth outfielder Because he is an excellent backup at all the outfield positions.

I would suggest that the Orioles give him a minor league contract and invite him to Spring Training. He could make the team as a backup outfielder and he may blossom into a good pinch hitter, what the O's desperately have needed ever since Terry Crowley stopped playing.

No Mato's was a scrub. Another light hitting no promise outfielder the Orioles some how love to draft.

The one thing that sticks out in my head was in the 05 season he started off great at CF until breaking his finger trying to lay down a bunt. Maybe he's one of Those late bloomers like Melvin Mora.

Fastball up and in, bad breaking balls in the dirt. That's what ran Mike Young out of the Majors and that's why Matos won't make it back. He failed to make the necessary adjustments once ther pitchers found his weaknesses

Man, if the O's are THAT desperate, maybe I can wrangle an invite? True, I turn 55 on Wednesday, but I can still run the bases and hit my weight (204). And last time I checked, I was still breathing... And I won't ask for more than $500,000/yr., promise.

Seriously? 4th outfielder? I am so gald you are not the Oriole GM. Matos is a BUM. Always has been, always will be.

Don't see the point.
I wish him well, but it will have to be with another organization.
Corey Patterson is far more talented and dynamic than Matos will ever be, and yet after a pretty decent 2007 with the O's, we non-tendered him.
Nice talkin' to ya, Luis. Take care now.

Does anyone remember Howie Moss (Orioles 40's-50's) playing ball in/and around Baltimore after he retired? Maybe the Belair-Harford League or the like?

Mora is a bum! Matos is a GOD!!!!

Matos huh? Someone else mentioned M. Young. How about Sam Bowens, Earl Robincon, Rich Coggins, Etc. Etc.....I think the last team to win with a good glove NO hit CF was the 59' W. Sox with Jim Landis.Brad Fuller and a host of others aside..could Felix Pie be the same thing? Oriole1952

Matos made one of the most spectacular catches I have seen. About 3 or 4 years ago against the Red Sox, he rob David Ortiz of a Home Run literally reaching over the wall and bringing it back. It was incredible. He'll always have a place in my Orioles heart, I'd have no problem bringing him back as a defensive replacement.

Playing for The Criollos de Caguas does not mean that his stats there deserve any respect. I see PR ball all the time. It's sunny and hot and the ball rides tropical winds 366 days a year. The pitchers in that league are green as gourds, so I would expect a former major leaguer to succeed. Yep, nice guy on the face of things, but his talent would better serve him as a coach in Puerto Rico.

Luis Matos was my favorite Oriole when he was on the team. I thought that he got mixed up with the changing of the guard between managers.
Because of vocal loyalties he expressed for Lee Mazilli....
he got ostrisized by Perlozzo, Tejada and Mora....

He lost all confidence in his abilities and truly felt alone in the clubhouse.
Now that there is a new regime...
the Orioles should really look into bringing him back as a fourth outfielder.

"remember Howie Moss (Orioles 40's-50's)"
There were
Damian Moss* Pitcher 2003
Les Moss Catcher 1946-1955
were the only Mosses listed in the Orioles all-time roster.
There was a Howie Fox, I believe that pitched for the '54 Orioles and was shot to death in a bar.

I like the Felix Pie idea. The Orioles would have nothing to lose by bringing Matos to camp to audition for a back up job, but due to the fact that fans are tired of retreads, it might be better to go with a fresh face- a clean break from the past.

I have no problem with Matos, but don't see a need for him here. He is in the past, I have a question for the future, and with your experience covering lesser known players, and knowing how to find info on them, Dean...

Who is John Cass? I got curious about the player to be named later, and checked Bradfords' wikipedia entry. Apparently he was the player to be named for Bradford. I took MacPhails' advice and had low expectations, but I can't find a darn thing about John Cass. Pitcher, or position player, I have no idea. MILB.com doesn't have anyone named Cass at all. Anyone have any idea?

Olson for Pie? Yes. Bradford for Cass? Straight salary dump, I guess.

you need your head examined to write a story about matos. matos if you remember broke his finger trying to bunt because he wrapped his hand completely around the bat and bunted the ball with his finger. better off writing a story about dave delucci or david newhan or marceleno lopez or andre mora.

I will never forget being at the game that he tied up in the bottom of the 9th with the hated Yankees; only to see Jack Cust fall down on nothing in the 12th, on his way to an uncoved home plate with what would have been the game tying run.

He is Mama Cass's big brother. Yes it was a dump, good for Bradford though. I am sure there were 24 other Orioles that wish it were them. Love to see Matos come back he would be a good role player and could back up the whole outfield.

I'd like to see Luis Matos in an O's uniform again. When he's in a groove, he could hit the long ball. Nice swing, fast on the bases and an above average outfielder. I prefer Matos over Felix Pie.

Anybody remember Curtis Goodwin?

Matos was here for two reasons, one he was dirt cheap which fit in with the Angelos/Thrift regime, and two, he had tremendous range in CF to cover for a horrible Jay Gibbons and a rapidly declining Brady Anderson.

His break out 3/4 of a season was a sign of luck rather than talent. He struck out a ton and barely walked at all, meaning a repeat of that performance was not likely. He never hit very well in the minors, so what could you expect from him in the majors?

No, he shouldn't be back on the Orioles and clogging up a spot on their roster. As for back in baseball, sure. I never wish ill of any player no matter who they play for. I wish him luck in his quest to get back in the majors.

I always liked Matos and felt that he had more potential than he showed. With that being said, his time has come and gone in an Orioles uniform. I hope that he gets an invitation to some team's major league spring training and gets the opportunity to compete for either a major league job as a backup outfielder or another AAA team ready for a call up when the starter gets injured or slumps.

Howie Moss was a power hitting outfielder for the Orioles in the International League. He was the very definition of a AAAA player. He tore the cover off the ball in the minors but never made it to the majors.

Howie Moss was the star slugger of the INTERNATIONAL League Orioles of 1944-48 who missed the 1945 season due to the war. He led the IL in home runs every year he played with the Birds in the '40's with 53 homers in 1947 his best effort. His 167 home runs lead the IL Orioles. He was the IL MVP in 1944 and was elected to the IL Hall of Fame in 1960. He trails only Dick Porter (555) in career RBI with 530. He also played for the Birds in 1951, but was at the end of the line. He had cups of coffee with the Indians and the Reds, but couldn't stick. Today he'd be making several million dollars a year in the major leagues. He did NOT play for the AL Orioles. That's who Howie Moss was.

The John Cass that I mentioned turned out to be a Wikipedia hoax. The Chad Bradford trade still is waiting for the player named later, or cash.

John Cass? Sure his nickname isn't Jack?

Bench players - and scrubs - are like old tax returns - hold on to them for a couple years and throw them away.

Andy, I was at that O's/Red Sox game too with a friend of mine visiting me from Colorado whom I was trying to convince the O's didn't really suck, and Matos' catch of that ball slammed by Ortiz went a long way in convincing her (of course, we did suck, and fell apart like a campaign promise that season, but what the heck). I remember that moment vividly as all the $*#*($! Red Sux fans were standing and cheering and then had their cheers STUFFED DOWN THEIR THROATS when Matos stood up with the ball. As I recall, Ortiz himself even doffed his cap to Matos at that extraordinary catch. We pummelled the Sox pretty good that day and so for that memory, thank you Luis, hope you do well whatever outfield patch you may roam!

Matos showed some potential but always seemed to get hurt and didn't play well when he was less than 100%. We have lots of so-so players in the minors if we want to go that route.

Outfield is the one position the Birds don't need. Why give anything up for that (Olson) or jeopardize the positive work habits the current outfield has (for Matos- he was an uncommitted bum).

Focus on pitching, the 3 and the 5.

He sure was good lookin.

Attitude and work ethic cost Matos a longer stay in the MLB. Maybe he's matured...dunno?

Just another example of a player the Orioles stuck with to long.