Matt Morris (SP), StL


MATT MORRIS - ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Starting Pitcher
Age: 28 (August 9, 1974)
Height: 6-5 Weight: 210
Throws: Right Bats: Right



History

Matt Morris was drafted twelfth overall by the Cardinals in the 1995 Amateur Draft after earning First Team All-American honors for the Seton Hall Pirates. After spending just one full season in the minor leagues, Morris had shown that he was ready to make the jump to the bigs in 1997, and quickly proved the club's confidence in him was well deserved.

The Breakthrough

Morris dominated in his first season as a major leaguer, tying for the team lead in wins (12) and posting a spectacular 3.19 ERA. His 217 innings proved that the 22-year-old hurler could be a workhorse at the major league level, and his 149 strikeouts spoke volumes for his poise and confident attitude on the hill. Morris won the equivalent of a rookie Triple Crown of pitching, leading all rookies in ERA, Wins, and Strikeouts. However, he did have to settle for second in the Rookie of the Year voting, as nobody stood a chance at beating out his new current teammate, Scott Rolen, that season.

Sustaining It

Morris missed the first half of 1998 with a strained shoulder, but came back to prove he was the burgeoning ace of the Cardinals staff. In just 17 starts, Morris improved on his stellar rookie season, posting a 2.53 ERA and winning seven of his twelve decisions, allowing two runs or less in a stunning 70% of his starts. He looked to be a lock for 15+ wins for years to come, and his recovery from his shoulder injury seemed to indicate that Morris was all the way back and ready to fill the #1 spot in the rotation for years.

Adversity

Morris blew out his elbow in Spring Training of 1999, putting him on the shelf for the better part of two seasons. Many forgot all about his first two seasons in his absence, but Morris wouldn't hear of it. After undergoing intensive rehab for fifteen months, Morris returned to the Cardinals, pitching out of the bullpen for most of the 2000 season. Cardinals management determined it was best to take a wait and see approach with their former #1 pick, and didn't want to rush him back with high pressure situations and high pitch counts. It was said that Morris may get a chance to compete for a rotation spot in 2001, but many remained skeptical.

The Comeback

Tabbed as a long-shot to crack the rotation in March of 2001, Morris locked up a rotation spot with a solid Spring while his main competition, Garrett Stephenson, caught the injury bug himself, requiring Tommy John Surgery. He didn't disappoint!

Though Morris looked lost in his first start of the season in Coors Field, he quickly returned to dominance, finishing his first month back as a starter with a 3-2 record and a 3.19 ERA, and didn't allow a run for 21 innings from late April to early May. He would build on these numbers all season long, instantly jumping his status from that of a long-shot #5 starter back into the role of ace of the staff.

Those who gambled on Morris last season, mainly in the middle to late rounds, were rewarded with a fantasy ace. He led the majors in wins, finishing 22-8 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. His 185 strikeouts placed him in the top 20 in the National League as Morris easily snared the Comeback Player of the Year Award and finished third in the NL Cy Young ballotting.

2002 Outlook

There's reason to think that Morris could even continue to get better. He's added some velocity to his fastball since the surgery, and his ERA numbers still haven't quite returned to the form of 1997. Regardless of whether he improves or not, Morris is a lock for 15-18 wins, and should have a good shot at winning 20 again.

2002

Morris has again faced some adversity thus far in 2002. Injuries to Woody Williams, Garrett Stephenson, and Andy Benes have plagued the staff. His mentor and former co-ace, Darryl Kile, passed away in late June. All of this has led to a tremendous amount of pressure being placed on Morris to win every time out for the first place Cardinals. He's responded admirably, but has had his ups and downs so far this season. Morris is on pace for 19 wins, and looks likely to crack the 200 strikeout mark for the first time in his career, but his ERA has risen rather than dropped. Tabbed by many as a late first round pick, Morris has proven to be a lower tier ace who shouldn't have gone any higher than the third round.

Predictions

The stress on Morris' arm and, more importantly, in his head should begin to lift as the Cardinals rotation gets healthy once again both for this year and for the future. As that happens, look for his innings pitched and pitch counts to drop, as well as his ERA. He may take a bit of a hit with his strikeouts, but it shouldn't really be drastic.

Morris will likely never be in the class of Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, or Randy Johnson. However, he's a safe bet to be a top ten pitcher for the next six years.

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James Meyerriecks
Cardinals Lead Correspondent