You have to be a heck of a pitcher to give up ten runs a game.

So does Matusz start for the Red Sox if there's a one-game playoff?

Damn, the Red Sox don't get to face Matusz in the season-ending series? Another blow.

John Lackey, entering tonight, has the 16th worst ERA of any pitcher since 1901 whose pitched at least 150 innings. If he bombs tonight, he could get into the top 10. Guys that suck like him and Matusz don't usually get to pitch 150 innings before the pain is too great. Ugh.

Matusz gave up six runs in five innings on Sunday, just slightly increasing his ERA from 10.68 to 10.69.

You know you're a bad pitcher when giving up six runs in five innings doesn't really affect your ERA. On September 25th.

On the bright side, Brian Batusz will one day be able to tell his grandkids that he broke one of Roy Halladay's records. What are the odds they're going to spoil the moment by asking?

I've literally never seen Halladay's record referred to on the basis of ten starts; it's always 50 innings.

Didn't you just see it?

Orel Hershiser has the third-worst ERA for anybody who pitched 20 or more innings. He has the record if 1887 doesn't count for some reason.

He's given up 18 homers in 49.2 innings, for a mind-boggling 3.26 HR/9. It's the highest rate ever for a pitcher with 40 innings or more. Even relaxing the minimum innings to 30, only Mike Christopher's 1996 (30 innings with 3.60 HR/9 as a mopup reliever) and Mike Bynum's 2003 (36 innings with 3.50 HR/9 as a swingman) are worse. Given Matusz's appalling BABIP and strand rate, using the more sophisticated measure of HR/batter faced might push him down the list somewhat, but such an inflated homer rate is still an amazing feat.

The crazy thing is that in 220 IP before this year Matusz had an average ERA, a 2.35 K/BB rate, and 1 HR/9.

The crazy thing is that in 220 IP before this year Matusz had an average ERA, a 2.35 K/BB rate, and 1 HR/9.

If he didn't have a history of some success, he'd never have been given as many chances.

His history of success is a lot longer than his history of failure. Matusz has a better chance at a useful career than lots of pitchers with ERAs around 5 (including some on the Orioles.)

Matusz has a better chance at a useful career than lots of pitchers with ERAs around 5 (including some on the Orioles.)

This will henceforth be the illustration used to explicate the concept of "damning with faint praise".

18 homers in 49.2 innings is an obscene number as Austin points out.

Orel Hershiser has the third-worst ERA for anybody who pitched 20 or more innings. He has the record if 1887 doesn't count for some reason.

That was the year that about a dozen guys hit over .400, so I think it's fair to throw 1887 out on the basis that something funny was going on.

That was the year that about a dozen guys hit over .400, so I think it's fair to throw 1887 out on the basis that something funny was going on.

Four strikes. Also walks were counted as hits, but that doesn't really affect ERA.

On the bright side, Brian Batusz will one day be able to tell his grandkids that he broke one of Roy Halladay's records. What are the odds they're going to spoil the moment by asking?

Dave Ross hit his first career home run on Sept 2, 2002 of off Mark Grace, who came in to pitch the 9th of an 18-0 game. Afterwards Ross said something like, "I'll tell my grandkids that I hit my first home run off of a Hall of Famer. I just won't tell them which one." It was a good quote, even if wrong in one of the specifics. "I hit my first career home run off a three-time All-Star..." is almost as good.