Matt Riley

Graduated in 1997 from Liberty Union HS in California...Was drafted by the Orioles but attended Sacramento (CA) Jr. College for one year before signing...Went 6-1 with a 1.10 ERA at Sacramento City, allowing 15 hits and striking out 76 in 49.0IP and leading team to California State Jr. College championship...Signed by Orioles scout Ed Sprague.

2004

Went through another inconsistent season, pitching in just 14 games after being named the No. 4 starter out of Spring Training...Took just six weeks to be taken out of the starting rotation and was sent to Triple-A Ottawa on two occasions...Earned his first win with seven strong innings against Toronto...Went 2-1 with a 2.43 ERA in September, his best month.

2003

Made 2 starts for the Orioles after his recall from AAA Ottawa on September 9, his first big league appearance since 1999...Earned his first major league win with his start on September 14 at Toronto, pitching 5.0 innings in the O's 5-3 victory...Pitched 5.0 shutout innings on September 20 vs. Toronto but came away with a no-decision in the O's 2-1 win...Was recalled from Ottawa following the Lynx' loss in the International League playoffs...Combined to go 9-4 with a 3.34 ERA (142.2IP, 126H, 57R/53ER, 51BB, 150K) between AA Bowie and AAA Ottawa...Had the 6th best ERA among the organization's minor leaguers...Was 10th among all full-season minor league pitchers with 9.46 K/9IP...Began his 2nd straight season at Bowie and was rocked for 6 runs on 7 hits in 2.2 IP in a 7-4 Opening Day loss vs. Harrisburg...Rebounded and allowed 2 earned runs or less in 11 of his 14 starts for the Baysox, winning his last 4 decisions...Twice, he allowed only one hit to Eastern League opponents...Pitched a 7.0-inning complete game to beat New Britain in the nightcap of a doubleheader on May 25, then went 8.0 innings to beat Norwich on June 6...Earned EL Player of the Week honors for May 19-25, winning twice, including his one-hitter...Was promoted to Ottawa on June 23 and went 4-2 with a 3.58 ERA, allowing 2 earned runs or fewer in 8 of his 13 starts...Struck out a season-high 10 batters in 5.0 innings vs. Rochester on August 9 but did not get decision...Started Game 4 of the IL playoffs at Pawtucket on September 5 and did not allow a hit in 7.0 innings pitched...Allowed one run and did not get a decision in Ottawa's eventual 6-5 comeback win...Was named the 6th best prospect in the Orioles system by Baseball America during the winter.

2002

Led AA Bowie with 105 strikeouts in 22 appearances after missing entire 2001 season following left elbow surgery...Finished 5th among Eastern League starters with 8.64 strikeouts/9 IP...Had his 2 highest strikeout games against Erie...Struck out 10 in 6.1 IP during 4-2 victory on 8/18 and K'd 8 batters in 5.2 innings to earn win in 8-3 victory on 6/29...Allowed one earned run in 3 of his first 6 starts but only went 1-0 in those outings...Gave up a season-high 7 earned runs on 4 occasions, including backto- back starts 6/18 at Trenton and 6/24 vs. Akron...Lost 8 of his first 9 decisions through 6/24, including 5 straight starts, 6/2-6/24...Pitched a season-high 7.0 innings, allowing one run, for his only win in that stretch on 5/28 vs. New Britain...His best month was July, when he went 1-1 with a 3.46 ERA in 5 starts...ERA was not below 5.52 in any other month.

2001

Started the season with Double-A Bowie, going 5-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 14 starts ... Earned a promotion to Triple-A Ottawa, where he went 4-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 13 starts ... Was recalled by the Orioles on Sept. 9 ... Earned his first victory when he held the Blue Jays to two runs over five innings on Sept. 14 ... It was his first Major League appearance since Sept. of 1999 ... Threw five shutout innings against the Jays on Sept. 20, but ended up with a no-decision.

2000

Underwent successful ligament replacement surgery in his left elbow ("Tommy John" surgery) on September 19 and is expected to miss the 2001 season...Was injured while pitching for AA Bowie in a game on September 2 at Harrisburg...Began season in AAA Rochester and was 0-2 with a 14.14 ERA before going on the disabled list with a left shoulder strain...Went to extended spring training in Sarasota before being activated and sent to AA Bowie on May 26...Did not survive 2nd inning in back-to-back starts June 1 and 6 for Bowie, allowing 12 runs on 10 hits and 7 walks over 3.0 IP...Allowed 17 earned runs on 16 hits and 10 walks in only 4.2 IP (32.79 ERA) over his first 3 appearances...Lost 3 consecutive starts, July 7-21, allowing 10 ER in 14.2 IP, before winning 3 consecutive starts, July 30-August 10, allowing just one run in 18.0 IP...Was 1-6 with a 9.50 ERA (36.0 IP, 38 ER) through July 21...Went 1-1 in his remaining 4 starts, including a combined 8-0 shutout vs. Erie on August 26 in which he struck out a season-high 9 batters over 7 innings...Had pair of complete game 3-hitters for Bowie -- 6 innings in a 2-0 loss on July 16 at New Haven and a 7-inning win August 10 at Erie...Was tied for 2nd among all AA pitchers in low-hit games...Despite prospect of not pitching in 2001, still was ranked by Baseball America as the 7th best prospect in the Orioles farm system at season's end.

1999

Began season at Class A Frederick in Carolina League before moving to Bowie and then Orioles...Became youngest Oriole pitcher to make his major league debut in 32 seasons when he started 9/9 at Minnesota...Was 20 years, 39 days old, the 10th youngest pitcher to debut with O's and youngest since RHP Mike Adamson (19 years, 291 days) debuted on 7/1/67...Only outfielder Eugene Kingsale (20 years, 14 days on 9/3/96) made a younger debut with Orioles since Adamson...Made 3 starts after his contract was purchased from Bowie on 9/6...Did not record a decision and his longest outing was 4.2 IP...Went 2.2 innings in his debut 9/9 at Minnesota, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks...Came within one out of qualifying for victory in his next start 9/23 vs. Oakland (game 2), leaving with 2 outs in the 5th inning with a 7-4 lead after allowing 5 hits and 7 walks...Combined to pitch 188.1 innings and made 31 starts between Frederick, Bowie and Orioles...Made 28 starts in the minors, going 13-8 with a 3.03 ERA (178.1IP, 147H, 72R/60ER, 56BB, 189K)...His 13 wins tied for the lead among Orioles minor leaguers with RHP Javier de la Hoya...His 189 strikeouts tied for 5th highest among all minor leaguers...Also ranked among top AA pitchers in ERA (9th, 3.22), K/9IP (7th, 9.38) and H/9IP (11th, 8.09)...Retired only batter he faced in Futures Game as part of Major League All-Star Week activities, July 11 at Fenway Park...Named to play for Team USA in Pan American Games but withdrew...Also was named to play in AA All-Star Game but was replaced by Bowie teammate Ryan Kohlmeier...Was Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, 5/31-6/6...Finished 4th in the EL with a 3.22 ERA...Struck out 8 or more batters eight times but never reached double figures.

1998

Began pro career with Delmarva after signing in late May...Registered 10 or more strikeouts in 6 of his 14 starts...Struck out 15 batters on 8/9 at Charleston-WV...Struck out 7 straight batters on 7/12 vs. Hagerstown...Did not give up an earned run in his first 5 appearances...In his last 4 starts, when 3-0 with a 0.36 ERA (25IP, 1ER) with 36 strikeouts and only 12 hits allowed...Was named organization's Pitcher of the Month for August...On the season, did not allow a home run and held opponents to a .152 batting average (42-277)...Named to Howe Sportsdata's All-Teenager Team for 1998.