Matt Garza to the Orioles: "I'm Going to Shove It Down Your Throat"

Britt Ghiroli highlights Rays pitcher Matt Garza's comments to the St. Petersburg Times regarding his start against the Orioles on Friday:

"I owe them a lot of payback for the type of outing I had last time against them," he said to the paper. "They had back-to-back-to-back. So I'm going to make them feel really uncomfortable in the box. So they know, this (stuff) doesn't happen, so don't get used to it.

"I'm going to go in there, hair on fire, like I have been and go after them and say, 'Hey, you got me the first time, well I'm going to shove it down your throat this time.' "

Well, at least he gave us a heads up. First, to the fans. We should definitely watch this game tonight...could get interesting. And the umpires, who should issue a warning to Garza before the game even starts. And his teammates who now have to worry about retaliation. It's a nice bit of bravado to motivate yourself but not the smartest thing to say pre-game. You have also just thrown down the gauntlet to Kevin Millwood who, if he has anything left at all, will now leave it all on the field tonight to outduel Garza.

More quotes from the St. Petersburg Times:

Garza said the key has been staying with his mentality of "staying with my heater until they beat it."

Garza strayed from that plan for a stretch earlier this season, but it was out of necessity.

Well, a quick look at that game in Baltimore where Luke Scott, Ty Wigginton and Adam Jones hit back-to-back-to-back home runs show that Scott homered off a fastball, Wigginton did the same and then Jones hit one on a slider.

And it's not as if the Orioles have not hit well against the best pitchers in the AL this season. Just ask Cliff Lee.

So c'mon meat, show us that million dollar arm. 'Cause I've got a good idea about the 5 cent head of yours.