Home Baseball Baseball: UCLA @ Oregon State

Baseball: UCLA @ Oregon State

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Huge series this weekend. The season will likely go one of two ways from here.

Some random notes:

UCLA leads the conference by 2.5.  Aka a sweep and the Beavs are in first.

Beavs 6 game winning streak (that some are raving about) has come versus three opponents who average 142 RPI. Nevada being the best of the bunch at 64.

Conforto is second in the nation in RBIs with 51.

Pat Casey is 20-21 all-time versus UCLA.

Saturday's game will be televised on ROOT.

Beavs dropped out of the top 25 on Baseball America. Oregon now ranked #8. Changing of the guard after just a couple years? Too early to conclude, but the gap has closed, and the Ducks are at least as good. Beavs are #35, which is exactly where I slotted them in the pre-season.

Friday's matchup is: Ben Wetzler (4-1, 2.98) vs Plutko (4-2, 3.40). Child and Fry will pitch Saturday/Sunday, but I'm not sure who will throw for UCLA, as I haven't followed the rest of the league too closely this year.

——————————

Beavs haven't exactly played well lately. I'm nervous about this series…I think UCLA has a good chance to sweep. This is a strange team. The season is more than half over and Pat Casey is still unsure who his CF or C are. Team chemistry is okay, but they seem unable to bring all three facets of the game to the park each day. Starting pitching has been the most consistent group of late. Defense (especially up the middle) continues to be poor. There is more to defense than fielding percentage–"range" is more important, but there is no official stat for that (assists/9 innings is probably the best simple measure).

Go Beavs??

230 COMMENTS

  1. Well said, “The season will likely go one of two ways from here”, other than the erratic offense, bullpen, and fielding the only thing which would make me more nervous would be if the series were in Westwood.

    A bonus……….Jim Wilson is to be part of the Root broadcast team.

  2. I don’t really follow Duck baseball that closely, were they expected to be this good so far? I thought when they got smacked around by Texas St. they were pretenders, but they’ve bounced back extremely strong. They were not very good last year.

  3. As a lifelong Dodger fan…

    … I guess the first thing i have to do is complain about the friggin stupid management going away from a history of great pitching combined with awesome defense and catchers with no comparable defensive skills.

    Since I’ve put up with shit that doesn’t remotely resemble my bums for 20 years, why would I expect small ball to come to Corvallis?

    Because it worked for a year or two?

    Come on!

    People want home runs! They want bang for the buck. Just look at the Yanks and all the championships they’ve won in the last decade.

  4. And there’s nothing special about Nikegon’s baseball team. George Horton is a great coach. That’s all there is to it. He’s not as good as Casey. But he’s damn good.

  5. While I’m still stuck on the pot issue…

    … it sucks that my wife won’t let me use it until the kids are gone.

    I now have to drink every Friday and Saturday… and kill my liver… instead of probably making tea out of … ahem … stuff.

    • It looks like you started drinking at 11:58 which, technically, was still Thursday. Easy big fella… at that pace you won’t make it to Sunday.

      If you pass out sometime this afternoon you might miss a beautiful spring weekend. Cheers… JB

      • Burnout… highly caffeinated last night.

        Up at 4am then driving to and from Seattle with stops in Portland both ways will do that.

        Maybe if I borrowed a friend’s Altima it would have been a shorter trip?

  6. At the 1:40 mark Casey tears into pitcher Wilkerson. To me this is a rare glimpse into this kind of player-coach interaction during a game, of any sport. I always want to know what coaches are saying to players in the heat of the moment but most of the time we’re shielded from that.

    At first I didn’t like to see Casey gather the team around only to chew the pitcher out, demeaning him in front of his peers. In the business world that is the quickest way to drive away your workers. But this isn’t business, it’s battle. Maybe Casey’s approach helps the players bond more, like they have a common goal of proving to the coach that they can succeed both individually and as a team.
    Personally, I am motivated when a leader calls me out like Casey did to Wilkerson, but I am in the minority. Most people shrivel in the face of that kind of confrontation. Again, maybe that’s exactly what Casey is trying to find out… are you going to nut-up and perform, or shrivel and fail?
    Regardless of my opinion I love seeing inside the game like this.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RAJ2hvulKG0

  7. Actually, Casey knows who his C is. That is Jake Rodriguez. CF looks like it will be Joey Matthews, he’s been getting better at the plate. Casey has been giving Kavin Keyes every opportunity to try and figure things but it hasn’t worked out. Hopefully Ryan Barnes is the permanent first baseman. With Ryan Gorton now being the full time DH it looks like Keyes won’t be getting much time. Really disappointing that he hasn’t been able to figure things out. Had such a great year last year, I thought he would have a monster season, just hasn’t worked out that way. Hopefully he comes back ready to go next year.

    For the offense to be consistent they need guys like Dylan Davis to really step up. He’s been struggling virtually all conference play, he’s a big hitter in the middle of the lineup, if he gets hot the Beavers offense will look a lot better. He’s got Conforto, Dunn, Gorton right in front of him. So, he’ll get a lot of chances to drive in runs, just needs to do it. I think the offense is gonna have a big series. Some guys are gonna break out and have a big series.

    The only concern about the series for me is the bullpen. You have guys like Gorton, Boyd and Bryant who I’m not worried about, but then there’s guys like Schultz, Brocker, Reser that have not been good. Need the starters to go deep to hand it to their setup guys and closer.

  8. Plutko is really cruising in this one. Perfect through 3 innings. Gonna be tough scoring many runs off Plutko when he’s pitching this well.

  9. Ryan Gorton might be the Beavers’ most patient hitter. Rarely ever chases a bad pitch. Big at-bat for Dunn now. Runners on first and third and 2 outs

  10. The online broadcast has been a lot better lately. Mike Parker is now audible and volume is constant. And they’ve cut the inbetween innings stuff a lot better.

    • Offense has been lacking much of the conference schedule, doesn’t really feel like this was the very first shutout.
      Not worth a lot now but the pen performed pretty well tonight.

      • Pen did pitch well. Was giving the offense an opportunity to try and come back. Offense just has a bad approach right now. Also, hitters keep missing their pitch. They’re getting their hanging breaking balls and their fastballs over the plate and pounding it into the ground.

  11. This is the only game all year I didn’t watch a single pitch. I just had a feeling it wouldn’t be pretty. Glad I spared myself.

  12. This game had a lot of suck to it. Ben gets hosed by a few bad bounces (literally), we can’t overcome a pitcher like Plutko, let alone go head to head with pitchers like him. We … just … can’t … make … that … extra … bit …

    It’s almost as if they don’t understand the need to nut up and take the series. Fridays at home are where you announce your presence with authority, and we just don’t do that like we used to. Guys, it’s time to stand and deliver, otherwise the only regional action you’ll see is on ESPN.

  13. Thanks to the Beavs…. Fall sucks, winter is depressing, CBI notwithstanding, and now even the spring, which we used to own, is becoming a big disappointment.

    In June of 2007, after the second CWS Championship, my Duck friend Mark said to me ‘The only reason the Beavers have a good baseball program is because we don’t have one.” At the time it sounded ridiculous but I’m starting to think he may have been right. From a standing start in four short years they have surpassed us. JB

    PS; I’ll bet BDC’s hair is on fire over this!!! OH…wait.. he has no hair… never mind.

    • Gonna be a beautiful day, supposedly pushing 80 and sunny.

      Well, it’s already been a great day with one Chinook added to my freezer (well, part of it went in my belly for brunch). And this has been an awesome spring run. Trout are good for the high country. I’m not big on the turkey shoot, but I will eat them.

      This has been an awesome spring, and the summer looks really promising as well.

      Sucks to be you.

      • Nice. I miss springer fishing. Have to settle for monster rainbows over here. Two over 12 lbs so far…lots in the 3 to 6 lb range.

        • Dude… I was out early and alone. I caught a 22-pounder on my third cast. I had to sit and drink about half my coffee before I thumped the kid. And the meat is SOOOO red. It’s heaven on earth. I have never had such a short fishing day. It sucks and it doesn’t… if you know what I mean.

        • I’ve never eaten bear. I wouldn’t know how to respond to that. And my bro-in-law feels some kind of kinship to them. So… since he’s the big hunter I know (and he’s damn good), I don’t think I’ll ever be tasting bear.

          Then there’s that internal voice which says that bear isn’t really on the menu.

          It almost sounds like a reverse Wal-Mart. Americans should be able to pay for products with bear carcasses. That’s what commie subjects love…. Right?

  14. Top of 6 now. Beavs up 2-0.
    I’ll try to post, while waiting for my wife to bring home lunch, then I’ve got some dirty yardwork to do.

  15. UCLA with a one out Single in 6th. Sac bunt moves runner to 2nd. UCLA then with a grounder up the middle in which Tommasini makes heads up play to throw out the runner at home to end the inning.

  16. UCLA’s Starting pitcher Vander Tuig being replaced by Watson. Vander Tuig gave up 3 runs, 8 hits no errors. And has Jake Rod on 1st with no outs bottom of 6. (Fry has given up 4 hits thus far).

  17. Jace Fry Walks leadoff guy then picks him off. Gives up a single. A fielders choice for 2nd out and then a ground out. 7th inning stretch. Beavs up 3-0. Beavs have 9 hits to UCLA’s 5.

  18. Conforto strikes out. Gorton pops out to right, Smith stays on 1st. Smith thrown out at 2nd (missed hit&run?). Top of 8 next (just heard Fry has 77 pitches through 7innings).

    I guess I’m GoBeavs today. But I gotta give back a little as I’ve always loved the updates when I’m busy.

  19. UCLA with lead off single to right. WooHoo! 6-3 double play.

    Philip Humber with 21st PERFECT GAME in MLB history. Whitesox win 4-0 at Seattle

  20. Amaral walked and Fry gets the ground out to end the Top of 8. Beavs Lead 3-0

    Personally I’d like to see Fry stay to finish game.
    (dont trust bullpen here, If I see Cole Brocker I’ll just go finish yardwork.)

  21. Ryan Dunn Leadoff hit (including homer is 3for3 and a walk). Dylan Davis with swinging “sac bunt”. Jake Rod walks. Matthews hits into double play. 3-0 Beavs Top of 9 next.

  22. Jace Fry with final strikeout. Complete game shut out. Beavs win 3-0.

    Beavs with win over today’s Boydsworld.com’s #1 team in nation.
    Rubber game tomorrow.

  23. Jace Fry with the complete game shutout. He was awesome all day. Beavers got just enough offense and Fry got it done. Big time pitching. Pitched like a Friday night guy. Beavers got a chance to win the series tomorrow. Would be a monster series win.

    • The stats suggest Wetzler is the 3rd best starter and it makes sense to break up the lefties. Go Fry-Child-Wetzler. Probably makes the most sense.

      I was really high on Fry coming into the season and thought he was a special talent, he’s showing why now. In that Washington game he developed some consistency and has been lights out ever since. Not many hitters are even getting good swings off him.

  24. going to the game tommorow. im excited for the aesthetics, sounds like its gonna be a beautiful day. the game itself im quite nervous about. wish fry was pitching.

      • yea, not saying child isn’t good, but i’ve seen him pitch before in person and a couple times on tv, i’ve only listened to and seen highlights of fry.

  25. Some scores from the conference: Stanford beats ASU 8-7, Arizona beats Washington 4-1, Washington State is beating Oregon 8-3 in the top of the 9th. If that score holds then Arizona will be all alone in first place with Oregon and UCLA tied for second. Cal beats Utah 9-0. Beavers with the win are tied for 5th with Stanford in the conference. If they both win tomorrow then they’ll be just 1 game back of ASU for 4th in the conference. If the Beavers and Cardinal can win tomorrow as well as their series’ next weekend, the matchup at Goss in two weeks will be an enormous series for both teams. Hopefully both teams can take care of business until then. Would love to see a fun, intense and meaningful series.

  26. DAmn…..way to GO, BEAVS!!!

    They aint giving up on the season … man, dig out that third game and think how good you will feel!

    • A Pat Casey team will never give up on the season. Also, today I saw some fire out of the guys that I haven’t seen a whole lot this year. Different intensity level. Looked like the intensity of last year’s team. They were fired up. The offense is starting to get their act together a little bit. Only 3 runs today but a lot of guys hit the ball really hard, just had some bad luck. Those are gonna start falling in and the Beavers will put up some more runs going forward.

  27. If there’s anyone out there who can affect change, the story of Daniel Deane has been somewhat unsettling. The kid needs psychotropic drugs (and counseling) to survive. But a system which we all know too well leaves him alone.

    Somebody somewhere has power enough to affect change.

    Please do.

  28. Dan Child breezes through the first inning. Perfect way to get started today. Time for the offense to come out and do some damage now.

  29. Have we started a game with a score by our leadoff hitter this season? I love it, 2-0 lead after 1 puts the pressure on UCLA early. It’s a long game but I like playing with the lead.

  30. And it’s tied just like that. Really needed a shutdown inning from Child. Child was too focused on the baserunner and lost focus with the batter.

  31. Dylan Davis has still failed to make an adjustment at the plate in conference play. Gets beat on the same pitch over and over again.

  32. Child with some good pitching there. Would be ideal to get just 1 more inning from Child. Would set things up perfectly for Boyd and Bryant

    • Huh? An I what? That’s beyond my meager skill level. Izzz a WinTel (windows and intel) person.

      No idea why you’d be having that problem.

      However I am thinking about buying an Andriod tablet so it not working for you is something that I need to be aware of, even though the Android is a completely different beast.

  33. How in the world does Rodriguez still not know how to block a pitch in the dirt? Obviously it was a bad pitch but he didn’t even try to block it. Unreal.

  34. Dunn walks again. Runners on first and second and no outs. Beavers got a chance to have a really big inning. Got to add some insurance runs.

  35. For the football fans out there. Went to the U of Minnesota spring game yesterday. It was like a fall day in Corvallis. Overcast with a drizzle. Great to see CF again. Yes, we had enough O-linemen to have a real fake game. Sixteen, with two excellent recruits coming in. One was recruited by the Beavs. On the flip side, we have no WR’s. It was brutal watching them drop passes. To make it worse, they were really slow. Playing time available. Enjoy watching Wheaton and company this fall.
    If my two alma maters could combine their rosters, they would have the makings of a pretty good team.

    • I was in Columbus yesterday and they had over 80,000 pay $10 to go to their spring game with rain showers and 52 degrees. The interesting point on sports radio was they really liked the fact that every position was open competition. No playing just because you’ve been here or the coach recruited you and expects you to be a starter.

  36. Why was the home plate umpire checking with the 1B umpire with a lefty at the plate? He can’t see that. Should have checked with the 3B umpire. I’ll take the call though.

    • Be real for a second. His decisions were much better this weekend. He didn’t try to force the issue. That’s what people had an issue with before. He’s a great coach but earlier in the season he made questionable decisions. If you’re being logical there was good reason to have issue with some decisions. I call it like I see it. I’m not going to just be completely fine with whatever decision he makes if I don’t think it’s the right decision. If I think it is a good decision I will say so. If I don’t like it I will say so then too. You act like people were calling him a bad coach.

  37. Scores from the conference: Stanford beats ASU 9-5. Beavers and Cardinal tied for 5th in the conference and just 2 games back in the loss column from first place Arizona at this moment. OSU and Stanford also just 1 back of 4th place ASU. Cal beat Utah 5-2, Washington State takes the series from Oregon with a 10-6 win today. Arizona and Washington tied at 5 in the 12th. Washington win and the Beavers 1 back in the loss column.

    • True to a degree but small ball does that every once in a while. Some pitchers don’t like fielding the ball and that’s what happens when they do. Always nice to put pressure on the defense and seeing them crumble.

    • I think Horton did what he did to elicit the response he wanted from his team. He’s projecting his team’s attitude before his rant on the umps in order to make it all sound good. Unless you think people who love baseball hate standing on a field in mid-70’s/sunny/slight, cool breeze weather.

      It’s us against them boys! And if you’re not with me, you’re not with us!

  38. Great series this weekend capped an awesome weekend. Too bad the bats weren’t there for Friday.

    OT items…
    Daniel Deane was arrested again on Thursday (?) for pretty much the same he was arrested for a couple months ago. “My mama always said, “Life is like….””

    Thomas Tyner has had a rough go since last summer. He couldn’t go to the junior Worlds because of hammy issues. He suffered his second or third (2nd and 3rd?) concussion in football, keeping him out for half the season. And he collapsed this weekend in the 100m here in Eugene with another bad hammy. He’s been hurting al spring. I truly feel for the kid. Hope he gets better. But I still think he should concentrate on the one sport in which he has a true gift… if he ever gets a chance to do one or the other.

    And there have been uni rumors with Nebraska supposedly doing something a little radical next season? Is Adidas going batty too? Because now UCLA is talking some stupid uni rumors too.
    http://gojoebruin.com/2012/04/21/ucla-football-new-black-uniforms-leaked-photo/

    I think the Beavs should be allowed to wear any color out there of teams who choose to wear our colors. Well… screw that. I don’t want other teams’ colors. That’s just idiocy.

    Yes… I’m calling all the schools who wear our colors a bunch of idiots unless they traditionally wear those colors already.

    So I would like us to differentiate our colors by going with tuxedo black like the color scheme for the Chicago Bears. Of course, we won’t get anything simple or elegant out of Nike. But one can always wish for something simple and elegant.

    • I remember one of the original duck argument for wearing their rival’s color. It was “black (grey, silver, metallic, etc) is a trim color like white.” And I always thought, “ok sure, but yif ou’re whole uni is a the trim color cause then it becomes a main color.” …just can’t admit to jealously over better main colors.

      • You know… I would accept that reasoning if it were true. But it’s not. The only black these schools have on any part of their unis or logos is possibly their shoes… and under their eyes.

        Hell… Nikegon stil has no uni with black trim. The only unis they have with black on them are unis with BIG black sections (shoulders, legs, torsos, etc). If they have a uni without a BIG black section on it, they have no black at all… except maybe their shoes… or under their eyes… or highlighting the swooshbag on their helmet.

      • I’ve heard that their “argument” is that black is not the beavers official color either. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but my duck friend told me that only orange is the official color.

    • Let me guess, more schools are now going to back away from TT due to his potential hammy or concussion issues and magically OSU begins to work its way back into the equation. It’s the “hottest girl in the class no longer wants me so I guess I can now go to the dance with you” syndrome.

      • I think the kid is a world class track talent. I also think he can be a very good football player at the next level. But I don’t think he can be both. And I don’t think he can survive a whole college career in football.

        There just aren’t that many kids who can play two sports at the NCAA level well. Tyner needs to give one up, and it should be the one that’s going to kill him rather than the one which might make him millions upon millions for many years.

  39. And for a final OT for all the troglodites out there… RM beat Barca on Saturday, but RM lost to BM in the UEFA semis and Barca lost to Chelsea. Return matches are being played tomorrow and the day after.

    And it will be an awesome spectacle.

    I must admit that the only jerseys I had as a kid/teen were Claudio Gentile, Der Kaiser and Ron Harris… oh… and Mike Scioscia. And I also had one jacket given to me by Tommy Davis and another given to my mom by Cale Yarborough.

    I don’t understand how people can only be fans of a simple game like football, yet think they look down on soccer or racing. Competition played on a rail is competition at its best.

  40. Loved Jordan Poyer’s attitude comments to the G-T. We need Poyer and a few more cocky leaders to develop a tough identity for the OSU football team regardless of whatever vibe Riley is emitting. Like Poyer says “You need swagger and cockiness. You can be as mean as you want on the field. You have to be violent with your technique!”

    Pac-12 Power Rankings:
    http://beaverbyte.com

    • As well as many of the people on this forum get along (myself included) it might result in an eventual fistfight slamadam.
      On the other hand, putting a face and handshake to many of the people here might have the opposite effect.

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