The Beavers travel to take on Long Beach State for three games this weekend. The game times and starting pitchers are listed below.
| Date | Opponent | Pitchers | Time (PT) |
| 03/18 | Long Beach State | Sam Gaviglio (3-0, 0.00) vs Andrew Gagnon (2-2 1.30) | 6:30 p.m. |
| 03/19 | Long Beach State |
Ben Wetzler (2-1. 3.98) vs Brenden Pinder (0-2 6.38) Josh Osich (2-0, 2.92) vs Shawn Stewart (2-1 3.63) |
2:30 p.m. |
| 03/20 | Double Header on Saturday | Canceled |
Long Beach State leads the all-time series 8-2, including winning 2 of 3 in Corvallis last year. The Beavers never play well versus California ball clubs. We already saw what Fresno did to them earlier this year. The Dirtbags are tough. They're 7-2 in one run games and 2-0 in walk-off games. Their record is only 9-7, but they boast one of the strongest strengths of schedule (#3) in the country. Somehow Oregon State is #15 in that department. This can only be explained by other schools (see Oklahoma) playing even weaker OOC schedules.
Meanwhile, the Beavers have won ten in a row, albeit against weak competition, but it was enough to snag the #23 spot in the Collegiate Baseball poll.
Below is the projected lineup for Long Beach State.
Position-Player AVG HR RBI NOTES
C-Mike Marjama .250 0 3 Started every game in 2011
1B-Jeff Yamaguchi .275 0 3 Hit game-winning RBI in 12th vs. Oregon
2B-Matt Duffy .219 0 11 Leads team with 11 RBI
3B-Michael Hill .333 0 4 First full weekend back at Cal Classic
SS-Kirk Singer .176 0 1 Doubled as part of two hits against Cal
LF-Jeff McNeil .147 0 3 Tripled last week at AT&T Park
CF-Brennan Metzger .296 0 2 Five doubles leads team
RF-Matt Hibbert .290 0 3 .280 third on the team
DH-Ino Patron .294 0 1 Second in average and slugging
Notice the lack of power. Offensively, they are very similar to the Beavs.
These games will be a good test for Oregon State. LBS can pitch the ball, and they are gritty. They are similar to Fresno State but without the powerful offense. I see each contest being close. My instincts tell me the Dirtbags are grittier than the Beavs; therefore, Oregon State will lose a heart breaker and split the other two contests. A 1-2 weekend is what I'm projecting. 2-1 is possible, especially since the Beavers aren't facing any southpaws. A sweep and we can start to feel very good about this squad.
Radio: KKAD
Stream: Check Colorado, I hear they stock them with brook trout. *Cough*
I think our bats are pretty good this year. They aren’t in it all game long, but they know when to pounce. And they go for a kill pretty quick if they see a weakness in an opposing pitcher. High percentages and a ridiculous slugging % tell the story of a team who likes to drive the ball. Susac, Berberet, Hayes, Rodriguez and Jones are all showing some focus at the plate when it comes to power, and Keyes and Bell seem to be hitting for good averages as well.
You can see the dirtbags are hurting because of their bats. Their pitching numbers look pretty good. We still gotta get over the hump when it comes to the Cali baseball powers though.
When does KPAM start broadcasting the game? I am sitting here listening to Oldies… As much as I like Bad Moon Rising by CCR… I want to hear the game more.
Try KKAD
http://www.1550kkad.com/
Thanks Angry, that one is working.
CCR is “oldies”?
Wow!
I was born in 85 :-)
did they say 400ft on that ball? That is some serious power…
BACK TO BACK?!?! Roids anyone? ;-)
Nice to hear Parker.
4-0 Beavs.
Sam G has struck out 8 of 9 batters through 3.
Riley fired someone from the current staff. Two open positions now. Discuss it in the O-line thread if you wish.
On a related note, had no idea that Alan Darlin was officially joining the team as grad assistant. Or have I been missing something all this time?
Back on topic, how’s the game?
Is Sam G. A monster? Or is he pitching well to lesser batters? Will he be brought back to earth hard in the Pac? Or is he the real deal?
Good questions.
His in-conference ERA last year was bad, so until I see it I’m not buying.
These performances should buoy his confidence quite a bit…so maybe it carries over.
I hope he is the real deal. If he keeps pictching this well I like how we look going in the Pac.
Do you trust Wetzler or Osich in the Pac? I don’t…yet.
Both are too erratic. You can get away with that versus lesser opponents.
I dont either. But if he keeps this up, I have faith in him. :-)
Him?
I said Osich and Wetzler. Do you have faith in them?
Not yet, today will be a good showing. I think The Dirtbags have good bats. If Wetzler can pitch well today it will do alot for my confidence.
I DO NOT HAVE FAITH IN WETZLER… I havent played BB since highschool, and I am pretty sure I could out pitch that guy. I could at least throw strikes.
Sam G with a perfect game through 7 innings.
You had to say it Angry… :-)
The rule is you can talk about it after 7 innings!
Especially if the guy has only thrown 77 pitches.
Lucky 7s??
Ahh okay, my mistake I thought you were not suppose to talk about it at all… :-)
I think its an omen. 777!
DOH!
Sam G with a 1 hit CG shutout.
Rumor is Nygren will get a start…so I’m still expecting 1-2, but there’s room for error now and 2-1 is a definite possibility.
Why the hell does Buker call him “Sudden” Sam Gaviglio?
There is nothing sudden about him. What does it even mean to call a person sudden?
Is Buker all that knowledgeable about sports? I sometimes sense that he doesn’t ask hard questions because he doesn’t know what to ask. Perhaps that is the genre of sports columnists today, generally. I only know that when I want a reasonably technical understanding, albeit opinionated, of what happened in a particular game and/or circumstance, I go to angrybeavs, not PB. As to the coaches and players who claim they don’t read this or some other blog. Ha!
I think it is a takeoff on “Sudden” Sam McDowell, right? But McDowell was a power pitcher, isn’t Gaviglio a little more Maddox-like?
Yeah, Gaviglio is not a power arm.
From Wikipedia regarding McDowell: his left-handed fastball was delivered with an unusually calm pitching motion which led to his memorable nickname: “Sudden Sam.”
That makes sense, but nobody has ever described Gaviglio’s fastball in this manner. It just seems random and made up for no good reason.
I think McDowell may have played for the Portland Beavers at one time, but yeah it is random reference. Buker just being obscure for whatever reason. Maybe he should spend his free time thinking of some tough questions to ask Craig Robinson in the off-season instead!
FYI: There will be a doubleheader today. No game Sunday.
You asked about Wetzler and Osich above, and you mentioned Nygren. I don’t know if trust is the right word for any of them. Wetzler and Osich have both shown they have a limit of about seven innings at the moment, and both seem to find themselves in a jam sometime between the third and fifth. Wetzler gets better run support than Osich does, but I think that has more to do with Osich pitching the third game in a series–the one where Susac is most likely to rest.
Unfortunately Long Beach State’s stream doesn’t work. Of course that would be basically the only one that doesn’t work.
A couple comments from Casey on the pre-game that I like: yesterday “should have been 7 or 8 to 0” and, “I told the guys that I don’t make the lineup, they do (by their play)” He went on to let the players know that there is no one “we want to play” and that they make it easy for him to put together a lineup based on their performance.
This is the kind of focus on the performance of players and the kind of coaches attitude which goes beyond doing just well enough to get a win that make sense to me.
Here’s a radio stream that actually works:
http://www.kpam.com/
I would be listening on my osubeavers.com account, but their broadcast volume is so damn low and there’s a horrible hissing sound in the background.
Here’s the gametracker with live box score:
http://www.osubeavers.com/gametracker/launch/gt_mbasebl.html?event=918508&school=orst&sport=mbasebl&camefrom=&startschool=&
You don’t need to login to view it I guess.
BeaverBeliever20 – You found a video stream of today’s game? I didn’t think they even had cameras there. Please post link.
I’m happy to pay for my video from OSU when they give me the opportunity, but if they’re not going to offer it, I’ll take it where I can get it.
That particular one doesn’t work, unfortunately.
Long Beach home audio link:
http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/lbsu.portal?mode=link&eventId=22556&broadcastType=audio#
Mike Miller makes a good baserunning play?
A player is bound to do something right eventually.
Yes, but remember that Miller holding up at third against UCLA began a 12 game slide last year. That Miller can score from second on a passed ball says a lot about the different mindset this team has.
Was it Miller? I thought it was Rob Folsom.
I think you’re right. Folsom froze at third on a deep infield grounder that everyone said he could have walked home on. I remember Hayes hit a double in the ninth. Smith was the pinch runner who scored on Berberet’s single. And I think my memory is muddled because Miller came in as a pinch runner for Berberet at that time.
I think Folsom froze at third…I think Miller may have been the batter. Or, Miller maybe made a bad baserunning play earlier that game. I know he was involved somehow, but I’m almost positive Folsom was the guy who froze at third.
Folsom froze at third when he was on the bag for the at bat in the eighth. I think Santos was the batter, and Parker announced it like he could have done cartwheels home if he wanted to.
I think Miller was the pinch runner for Berberet after Berberet knocked in the tying run in the ninth. If I recall correctly, he then stole second. Then the next play was a single on which Miller held up rounding third. And that’s where the runners stayed for the next two outs to end the inning.
Then again, it could have been Miller in the eleventh or twelfth. That game lasted for fifteen or sixteen innings.
DISLIKE BUTTON pushed for James Nygren.
Wow. Danny Hayes always seem to come through in the clutch. He often will have some bad at-bats, but when they need him to come through in the worst way he almost always does.
LIKE button for Danny Hayes.
Nice, Long Beach State hasn’t been great since 2009, but they’ve been a power for 20 years so 2 of 3 (or *gasp* a sweep) would be amazing. Still a long way to go, though. Like what I’m seeing…er…hearing.
The Beavs smell blood. They just need to put it in play and be aggressive.
Michael Miller again?!
You know the saying about a blind squirrel finding an acorn?
What’s Susac’s hit streak at now?
13ish?
14
Who’s up in the bullpen?
Time for Nygren to sit.
Boyd and someone else, missed his name.
Hmm Bayless?
Weirdest pitching change I’ve ever heard.
Is it Baylis? Gametracker says Gorton
Wow, some confusing drama… No one knows who is on first.
Ryan Gorton?! The two pitchers I dislike the most come in back-to-back in the game.
Parker had no idea what was going on. Get it together buddy! ;-)
Ryan Gorton…huge DISLIKE BUTTON.
Does Boyd make you feel better?
Matt Boyd? Meh… button?
LOVE BUTTON for Matt Boyd. Best pitcher we have.
you sure about that???? I hear we have a guy named Sam Gaviglio who is pretty good
Nygren and Gorton out of the way. Boyd should be able to make the lead stand up.
Bullpen is struggling. They can’t get anybody out. Boyd having some issues now.
Sounds like should have been out of inning with a double play. Boyd still out of inning by making a decent play himself,.
I thought we had broken the “over-slide” curse, guess not. No harm this time but Casey will not forget.
Stamps strikes out and flies out a ton. He reminds me of Willie Mays Hayes from Major League (the movie).
“Willie Mays Hayes, hit like Mays and run like Hayes”
If only he could run sub 4.4 barefoot, and in pajamas.
Another clutch hit by the Beavs. Nice work boys.
What I love about Boyd is he’s a craftsman…he’s not just a thrower. He understands the art of pitching. That’s rare at the college level. Sam G has it, Boyd has it…the rest of the guys, not so much. They’re just “throwers”…
Wow, Nygren gets the win if Boyd can get three more outs…….where’s the justice
Boyd really struggling in the ninth.
Riley and Football players take note. When you wronged do something about it.
Amen !!
Good point.
Nice to see the umps admit fault and clear that up.
I agree. “sorry we screwed it up” /fix
Ump is learning
What an educational game for this young team! So many lessons, never give up, don’t over-slide, etc. AND, call those fly balls.
The only game that now matters will start in about 30 mins!
Beavs sure don’t make anything easy…
hey a win is a win right, but I got to say if they keep playing like this I don’t think I’ll make it for through the whole season
I will take any Beaver sports win at this point. I think the baseball team won more games in two weeks than the basketball did in four months!
This game is on pace to finish in about an hour less than the first, Parker is probably glad!
Jake Rodriguez is money. Just an awesome player for the Beavers. He’s also only just a true freshman and will get so much better. Beavers tie it at 1. Hopefully they can grab the lead here and shut the door on LBSU
He is a masher.
Very impressive.
Smith in at SS, not sure I agree but better defer to Casey.
Beavers inability to execute fundamentals hurt them badly in the 8th. Should have scored a run in the 8th.
Hays dodged a bullet there. But, it wasn’t luck, he stayed with it and didn’t give up after not handling the fly ball. This is the kind of hustle we need even though he should have held the fly.
BTW, a Duck for new RB coach? Wow!
Poyer singles, TAKE THAT PAT CASEY!!!
I’d be surprised if LBS doesn’t win this game. They’re gritty…fighting tooth and nail for this win. Beavs playing like fat cats complacent with two wins.
I don’t see the fat cat thing, example: Hays hustle above
The fact that he dropped an easy pop up…seems like a lack of focus. Failing to get bunts down (Nash) = lack of focus. I don’t see them fighting or working counts. A lot of 1 and 2 pitch outs. Just my feeling on it. Maybe I’m wrong.
Poyer hung in there to get his hit.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Dirt Bags win, but don’t really see the Beavs giving up. Time will tell.
Beavs seem to have run out of injury at the plate.
Beavers have had some bad luck. Numerous balls have been smoked on a line and LBSU has dove to catch them.
My perception would be excessive focus with a need for relaxation. If you think too hard about any one thing, you reduce automaticity and allow of problems to infiltrate your thought process. Thus creating unneeded errors.
The first team to relax and play a little loser will win cuz the other team will then feel even more pressure and crumble.
Regarding relaxing: the home team always has a huge advantage in tied games/extra innings. The pressure of knowing LBS can win with one swing is a lot for the Beavers to deal with. If the Beavs win this game it will be a great one.
Nash has had a rough night at the plate. Looking at the stats on GT, man he strikes out a lot.
First year playing after taking two years off. There was bound to be up and downs. He will adjust his swing and be much better towards the end of the season.
Did he go on a mission? I remember him from high school ball the last year I lived in Utah.
Yeah, he went on a two year mission.
I think you just walk one here…don’t load the bases. Bad move. Bryant isn’t sharp enough; he could walk a run in.
Moot!
Oh well, 2-1 is better than I thought. I’m okay with that. Don’t like the lack of grit in game 2, but it was a long day…
Really frustrating loss. Beavers had their chances but were undisciplined throughout the game and lost because of it.
Damn
Oh well, not too bad winning a road series against a decent team. Damn Ducks swept San Diego today. D-1 baseball still has them ranked above the Beavs.
Which Poll? They aren’t updated until Monday. Beavs were at #23 in the Collegiate Baseball Poll. From what I remember the Ducks dropped out of the top 25. Beavs should move up with 2 road wins vs LBSU–they haven’t been great in a couple years, but they’re still a name brand with the #3 SOS in the nation.
I expect the Beavs to be 20-25 in various polls.
National Collegiate Baseball Writers Poll….don’t know if it is worth anything. As of today, they had the Ducks at #28 and the Beavs at #30. Maybe they love Horton?
Well, Angry, you predicted a heart breaker loss. Good series from a learning standpoint for this young bunch of Beavs, I feel pretty good, anxious to see how we hold up with the schedule between now and Pac 10 opener.
Eventually you had to believe Bryant would run out of gas. He pitched two games and you had to believe Pat Casey stuck with him too long.
Overall, if you wanted a learning experience, this was the one. They had chances and Casey wont let them forget it. They still got the series, but left with the feeling that they should have had more..