Because if you don't watch Matos, you have to watch Ed Rogers, who played a one-hop Sunday that traveled inside his sleeve and had to come out the back of his jersey. Yes, Matos is struggling, but he's a fully formed big-league outfielder and is a stronger bet for long-term success than either Rogers or fellow rookie utilityman Brandon Fahey.

Matos isn't going to hit .189 forever. He's a career .256 hitter in the big leagues and hasn't even turned 28 yet. The jury's out on whether he'll hit for power like he did in 2003, but it's reasonable to expect him to fill a fourth outfield job for years to come. That may not be in Baltimore -- Matos may need a change of scenery, much like Larry Bigbie.

As long as Gibbons and David Newhan are on the disabled list, you should expect to see plenty of Matos. The Orioles just don't have any upper-level outfielders who are better than him, and that includes Luis Terrero, who's hitting .299 at Triple-A Ottawa and 0-for-14 in the big leagues. When Gibbons comes back, Matos goes back to the bench.

How is Newhan's recovery coming along? Is he expected to go out on a rehab assignment any time soon?
-- Dave W., Cleveland

Newhan met with the media two weeks ago to discuss his mending right fibula and expects to return sometime shortly after the All-Star break. He shed the crutches two weeks ago and is set to start jogging soon, which will give him the foundation he needs to attack the rest of his recovery. After that, it's on to cutting and sprinting.

Barring any setbacks, the outfielder will take two weeks to work on planting and getting back to full speed. Also, while all those things are going on, he'll slowly but surely work himself back into condition at the batting cage. Newhan's fibula may be healed, but it will still take some time to pull the disparate threads of his baseball ability back together.

Newhan will eventually go out on a rehab assignment in the Minor Leagues, which could take two weeks or more. It's like a midseason Spring Training, necessitated by all the time he's spent on the pine. The Orioles don't expect Newhan back until after the All-Star break or the end of July. Until then, Fahey and Rogers will get some run in the outfield.

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What ever happened to Jeff Fiorentino? After all, last year, it seemed as if nobody could get this kid out.
-- Christopher I., Chevy Chase, Md.

Fiorentino was rushed to the big leagues last season and may still be feeling the effects of a jarring promotion from Class A Frederick. The outfielder hit safely in his first three games with the O's and then went through an inevitable slump -- both in the big leagues and after his demotion. Fiorentino hit just .225 after he was sent back to Frederick.

The left-handed hitter batted .286 overall in his first full Minor League season but is struggling heavily this year at Double-A Bowie, hitting .202 with a .283 on-base percentage. The wisest course of action appears to be a demotion -- so he can get his swing going -- but it may be that the Orioles overrated his ability in the first place.

You can't "ruin" a prospect by promoting them aggressively, but you can set back their progress. If a player's going to hit, they're not going to be deterred by incremental failure. If Fiorentino's going to be a big leaguer, he'll sort through his problems and demand another shot. If not, you can't blame the three weeks he spent in Baltimore last season.

Can you update us on the health of Hayden Penn? I was really looking forward to seeing him pitch this year for the O's.
-- Scott M., Portland, Ore.

Penn is back at the team's Minor League complex in Sarasota, Fla., and is scheduled to begin throwing sometime soon. Baltimore is bringing him back slowly after an appendectomy and will likely send him back to Triple-A Ottawa after he rebuilds his arm strength. The start of Penn's season was also delayed, and he's made just five starts this season.

Still, they were five starts that confirmed the organization's high opinion of him. The 21-year-old went 2-2 with a 1.48 ERA at Ottawa and was set to join the big-league rotation when appendicitis struck. Penn will likely get another shot at a spot on the O's in late July or early August, once he goes back to Ottawa and demonstrates he's healthy.

Right now, that rotation slot belongs to fellow prospect Adam Loewen, who jumped straight from Bowie to the big leagues. Loewen has pitched relatviely well considering his age and inexperience, but Penn appears to be more polished and more capable of performing at the big-league level at this point in their careers.