9 July, 2004

Matt Goyen Gives Brewster a Boost

     It's a pitcher's paradise, our Cape Cod Baseball League, and few have enjoyed it as much as Matt Goyen of the Bewster Whitecaps. 

     In a season of great pitching performances (teammate Josh Cribbs' one-hitter, P.J. Connolly's eight and two thirds hitless innings Wednesday in Chatham) Goyen's two-hit, 18-strikeout masterpiece vs. Orleans June 30, was the most overpowering. Goyen couldn't recall whiffing that many before, not even at Clark High in Athens, Ga. 

     The win earned him a Coca-Cola Pitcher of the Week nod. 

     Goyen bested the Cards' Dennis Robinson 1-0 that day, surrendering only two first frame singles to Steve Blackwood and Drew Butera. 

     "That day I was mostly using my fastball," he recalled. "I mixed in some change-ups and curveballs but my fastball was working best for me." 

     Goyen is a 6-5 220-pound lefthander out of Georgia College. He has a pretty good fastball. 

     "I usually like to mix more change-ups in than I did that game," he noted. 

     He's found success with the fastball here. Goyen is 4-0 for Brewster. He struck out 36 in his first 22 innings of work while limiting foes to just five hits. Wednesday he gave up nine hits in five innings but that was enough to beat Y-D 7-4 for win No. 4. He also gave up his first three runs of the year but still has an ERA of 1.00 

     "I usually don't strike out that many," he said. "But I do all right, at school I had 76 in 67 innings so that's more than one per inning." 

     Goyen was 4-1 at Georgia College, with a 2.41 ERA this year. He posted a 3-0 mark and 1.96 ERA in 2003 despite a leg injury and was 4-3 as a freshman in 2002, with a 2.78 ERA. 

     "The wood bats here help out, especially at the beginning of the season," Goyen reflected. "And I'm throwing the ball pretty well. I think the weight is distributed differently and I suspect the bat speed is slower, and also the sweet spot is smaller. As a pitcher you can be aggressive and go after the batter more. And if you make a mistake the likelihood of his hitting it hard aren't as good." 

     Goyen can't be anything but pleased with his success so far. 

     "I thought and hoped I'd do well but it's hard to tell how you'll do till you get up here," Goyen said. "I was supposed to play for Chatham last year but I ended up hurt. I got drafted this year (by Tampa Bay) and they wanted me to play up here before I signed. Things are going pretty good so far." 

     His coach at Georgia College, Steve Mrowka, played in the Cape League in 1985 and later managed the Hyannis Mets. 

     If the hitters zero in on Goyen's fastball, he's ready to mix it up more but as long as fastballs are working he'll give the batters a full diet of heat. He also has experience with summer baseball. He's played in the Coastal Plains League in North Carolina and the Valley League in Virginia. 

     "I think it helps, with the schedule especially, with just one day off a week; most people aren't used to that," Goyen noted. 

     Tampa Bay can't be displeased with what their potential prospect has done. 

     "I'm hoping to play pro," he said.