sports_m-basebl_spec-rel_behind-the-dish
October 19, 2009
5:15 p.m.
When I last wrote a blog entry, I started off by saying `Happy Monday' to everyone. Well, it is two weeks later and I'm sure everyone would like it to be Sunday. It obviously isn't, but this Monday is almost over. For the Oregon State baseball team, that means it is just two days since the team worked out in a scrimmage in Medford.
On Saturday, the team played 10 innings in front of a great crowd at Harry and David Field. Not sure how many the place seats, but it was pretty much packed, and those in attendance got a great game to watch. The teams actually tied, 7-7, after a late rally from the black squad (I believe they scored five runs in the eighth to tie it up). Head coach Pat Casey and assistant coach Nate Yeskie were set to have the team play 10 innings regardless of the score, so it gave everyone a chance to see some extra baseball. And the best part was that weather in the area was bright and sunny until about the eighth inning, with temperatures in or near the 70s (it felt very warm at the least).
Medford native Rob Folsom was obviously was the star of the show and he didn't disappoint by getting a couple of hits for the orange squad. Sam Gaviglio, who is from nearby Ashland, did not pitch but spent a couple innings on the radio with play-by-play man Jay Reese, who broadcasted the game on KMED 1490-AM in Medford and on the Internet at tablerocksportsnetwork.com. Logan Boyd (undergraduate assistant coach) and Kurt Lupinksi (team manager) also got a chance to go home or get nearby it; Boyd is from Medford and Lupinski is from Klamath Falls.
A photo gallery with approximately 17 images is available on osubeavers.com.
Other action saw Andrew Susac hit a towering home run to left, and Kraig Sitton earned his first seven outs on strikeouts. Sitton looked sharp starting for the orange squad, but didn't pick up a decision in the tie game.
The scrimmage essentially served as one of the last chances for the team to play a full out scrimmage before the end of fall workouts. The team will be wrapping up its time shortly, and then players will be able to work out in individual groups before the Winter Break. They'll be able to get back to individuals in January, then official workouts come in February. Yes, we are that close. The coaching staff has been stressing to the team that they'll be back for spring in almost no time (at least it feels that way), so now is the time to close out the fall on a strong note.
Some Arizona Fall League News
While it has been established that former Beaver Mitch Canham has been selected for the Arizona Fall League, there have been two more OSU additions made that haven't been highly publicized. One involves Cole Gillespie going to the Scottsdale Scorpions as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. And making it even better, he will be joined by former Beaver teammate Daniel Turpen, who has also been assigned to the team while a member of San Francisco's organization. I actually found out about Turpen's assignment through Baseball America, in the printed version. Congratulations, of course, are due to both of them.
Gillespie has seen action in three games this season, going 4-for-12 with an RBI and a stolen base. Turpen, meanwhile, has pitched in two games, allowing one earned run and five hits in four innings (ERA of 2.25). They're teamed with Joe Martinez and Buster Posey from the Giants and Brandon Crawford, who is also in San Francisco's organization and once played at UCLA. The Saguaros (Canham's club) and Scottsdale play against each other next on Oct. 26, so make sure to check out the box score at mlb.com.
Canham, meanwhile, has seen action in two games thus far and is 0-for-4. He's on a team that also has Jason Castro, formerly of Stanford, on its roster, so there will be at bats that have to split between the two. There's no doubt that he will play a big part in San Diego's plans for the future, however. I could certainly see him starting out at Portland next season and then see how the Big Club does during the season.
Meanwhile, on osubeavers.com
We are constantly trying to add more and more to osubeavers.com, and in the past few days, have updated the OSU Baseball History page. The newest part of the history page is a link that takes the viewer to a page detailing the team's four trips to the College World Series. This page has a story on each of the trips, which occurred in 1952, 2005, 2006 and 2007. The best part, however, are photo galleries from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons. There's a photo gallery for each of the games played in Omaha, totaling 15 in all, plus galleries for the team's championship celebrations in 2006 and 2007.
Make sure to visit the section when you get time. There are also sections devoted to opening day lineups, All-Pac-10 players and more at the OSU Baseball History page. To get there, visit osubeavers.com and click on the baseball page. Under the "More" tab at the right, drag it down to read "OSU Baseball History" and it will take you there.
Again, we're always in the process of adding more so keep an eye on it.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
October 5, 2009
Happy Monday, everyone. For the Oregon State baseball team, this Monday comes two days after a majority of the Beavers spent part of the weekend in Bend. This has become an annual tradition, with the club playing a preseason scrimmage in Central Oregon at Vince Genna Stadium. It started after the first national championship season and has become a real treat for the team and fans in the area to partake in every year.
I don't have a whole lot of writeup about the game, which featured the black and orange squads. I was in the dugout for most of the scrimmage taking photos, along with Ethan Erickson, a photographer from our office. Ethan was and has been a real trooper thus far, shooting volleyball's win Friday night and then braving the elements Saturday for some great images. Which, of course, you can see in the photo gallery on the page. Ethan also almost got drilled on an overthrow at first base, which narrowly missed hitting director of operations Ron Northcutt as well, who thankfully was behind a fence.
Bill Bigelow of the Bend Bulletin has a writeup of the trip there and it is available at www.bendbulletin.com. He tried keeping track of the game as much as possible, but realistically, the score mattered little. The game did make it six or seven innings - I'm not totally sure as the stadium doesn't have its main scoreboard working and was using one that was not visible by the first-base dugout. At that point, the cold weather got worse and started dumping hail and snow on Vince Genna Stadium. Coach Casey decided that that point that it was best to end it without getting anyone hurt and off to a BBQ everyone went. The team was back safely in Corvallis by 7 p.m. and the players used Sunday as a day off. For those who have never been on a team bus, it can be relatively uneventful, with most of the team getting some sleep in on the drive home. The rest were glued to watching the afternoon's movie, which was "Happy Gilmore" or listening to an ipod or something similar. This trip did offer the chance to see some nice snowfall on one of the passes coming over from Bend. It didn't last long, and most every player has seen snow before, if not all of them, but it's not too common to see it when coming back from a game so you could say it was a nice surprise. It certainly turned a few heads.
Before the scrimmage on Saturday, the team put on an hour-long free baseball clinic with local youths. About 80 showed up in attendance and got pointers from the team's coaches and players. It was a great opportunity for the team to interact with the little guys. And since most players on the team are 18, 19 and 20 years old, it wasn't too long ago that some of the current Beavers were learning from former Beavers at camps and clinics at Goss Stadium. You just never know who the next great Beaver will be.
Meanwhile, in the Majors
We promised a week or two ago that we would touch base about Jacoby Ellsbury and Jamie Burke, who both saw their regular seasons come to an end on Sunday. Burke's season is over as his Nationals ended the 2009 MLB campaign with the worst record in the bigs. He played in 19 games with Seattle and Washington, batting .118 with two RBI.
Ellsbury, meanwhile, is going back to his third consecutive postseason as the Red Sox claimed the American League's Wild Card. He played in 153 games for Boston this season, batting .301 with a Major League leading 70 stolen bases. We reported it about a month ago that he broke Boston's single-season stolen base record. The 70 swipes this season gives him 129 for his career, which already ties him for the seventh-most in team history. Harry Hooper holds the team record with 300 from 1909-1920, so assuming Ellsbury doesn't go to another club in the next two-to-three years, he is one pace for that mark as well.
And here's a stat for you stat-heads out there. In nearly three full seasons with the Red Sox, Ellsbury has 129 steals to just 169 strikeouts. That is a pretty impressive ratio.
The team is pretty much practicing on a daily basis at Goss Stadium, so if you are in the area, go ahead and stop over.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
September 30, 2009
Yes, we are about two weeks out from our last blog here on "Behind The Dish" but there has been a whirlwind amount of news with baseball in the last couple of weeks, so I felt it would be better serve to let those stories stay at the forefront. The team actually scrimmaged yesterday under some not so friendly weather. The Beavers got patches of good, blue sky, and then would get a five minute rain cloud. And so on and so forth. But they fought through it for what turned out to be a pretty productive afternoon.
A few of the guys will be getting together with one of our photographers on Thursday night to take photos for the "I Am Orange" materials that will be used to help promote the season. Not going to divulge those names; it's no fun that way. Just make sure to keep an eye out for some of these things over the next few months, such as posters and ticket information brochures. They'll be used on the Web site as well, just like has been the case with football, men's and women's basketball and other sports.
On the newsworthy front, Rivals.com has been doing a conference-by-conference breakdown of fall practices and the Pac-10 had its go-around on Wednesday. Here's what the site's main writer, Kendall Rogers, had to say about the Beavers.
Kendall wrote: "The Beavers returned to NCAA regional play last season and hopes to return to the College World Series in '10. The Beavers need to improve at the plate this fall to accomplish that goal. OSU finished last season with an unimpressive .278 batting average and must replace leading hitter and catcher Ryan Ortiz. The Beavers do welcome back Jared Norris and Adalberto Santos. Offense is a question mark this fall, but the pitching is in great shape with the return of Sam Gaviglio, Josh Osich, Ryan Gorton, Kraig Sitton, Kevin Rhoderick and Tyler Waldron. The Beavers have a good chance to return to Omaha if the offense rises to the occasion."
Kendall certainly was correct that Ryan will be missed. He was a great player on the field and someone who displayed great character off it. He was definitely a great ambassador for Oregon State. Now, of course, we wish him the best of luck in his career with the Oakland organization.
Kendall can only list so many names and in doing so missed listing guys like Stefen Romero, Tanner Robles and Carter Bell, amongst other returners who will play a key role for the Beavers in 2010.
Elsewhere, Jacoby Ellsbury and the Red Sox are gearing up for the playoffs with just a few days left in the regular season. Ellsbury has 67 stolen bases this season, which is easily a Boston record. But it's also the Major League leading mark, seven in front of Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford. I think it's pretty safe to say Jacoby will be next year's reigning stolen base king. He's also tied for fourth in all of baseball with 10 triples, which actually gives him the lead in the American League. Not a bad way for your second full season in the Major Leagues.
Last but not least, we mentioned having some baseball players on live chats. That obviously has not come to fruition yet, especially with football doing one on a typically weekly basis. Stay tuned for baseball. We'll get some guys in to talk to the fans, but not sure when just yet.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
September 17, 2009
2:45 p.m.
The blog is back just two days after the first post in more than a couple months. Why you ask? Well, fall ball of course, which we stated just a couple days ago, is back and really in full force. I promised pictures and there are a few. Today's workout consisted of group work. The full team didn't get together today, so it was broken up. Some of the pitchers worked out at 2 p.m. with pitching coach Nate Yeskie, which is where the pictures were taken.
I forgot to mention a few days that the Beavers have had a few former players jump into the workouts and help out. Logan Boyd will be one the undergraduate assistants this season. Also back is John Wallace, who actually got into town on Wednesday after being at the football game against UNLV over the weekend. Also there is Koa Kahalehoe and Drew George. Drew did an absolutely great job as an undergrad assistant coach last season. It's always good to see those guys around. Ryan Ortiz told me a few weeks back that he should be back at one point, and wouldn't be surprised to see the likes of Eddie Kunz, Darwin Barney and Mitch Canham, among others, in Corvallis before the end of the 2009 calendar year. That's what certainly makes Coach Casey's program so stellar. His former players want to make a point to come back, even if it's just for a day to say hi.
For those of you who haven't read the release yet, the recruiting class for the upcoming season was ranked No. 25 nationally by Collegiate Baseball. The folks with the publication have Florida as No. 1. CB typically releases its rankings far before Baseball America. BA will probably have its rankings out in early to mid October so stay tuned for those.
In the next week or so, I'll get up a pro in review recap for osubeavers.com. The minor league season is over and the bigs are just about done. Jacoby Ellsbury is having a monster season for Boston and is looking like he'll be in the postseason yet again as the Sox have a pretty commanding lead in the wild card race. Otherwise, guys had great seasons, like Daniel Robertson, Cole Gillespie, Aaron Mathews and Joe Paterson, among others. Make sure to check the web site to read the recap. I don't have a specific day yet, but that will keep you on your toes, right?
I'm sure we will have a few more releases up in the next week, so make sure to check often. Even when it's a little slow here on campus, there are things to talk about.
Other than that, it is relatively quiet right now. It's been absolutely gorgeous out since the team got back into town and workouts are going well. Each of the players is excited about Saturday's football game, which has the potential to be a good one.
I'm going to throw a bit of a plug out there. If you can't make it to Saturday's game, come to our web site and check out the game day blog/chat. Even after just a few games, it has grown pretty popular, and we'd love to keep improving it. And we can't do it without you, the fan. Of course, if you have any suggestions, let us know and we'll see how we can improve the experience.
Go Beavs!
September 15, 2009
10:30 a.m.
The blog has been off for the past few months while baseball season went into the offseason. Well, offseason for the fans and support staff anyway as the players all headed to various parts of the country for summer ball.
That time is over, though, as the team is back at Goss Stadium for fall workouts. The club met for the first time last week and got its first practice in on Thursday. They're out there six days a week, roughly, mostly in the afternoon. We'll have some pictures at some point and further information regarding scrimmages and other things of interest. I'm not sure exactly what the schedule is yet, but I'm anticipating fall ball going into late October, maybe even early November. That will all depend on what Coach Casey and his coaching staff want to do.
For now, an early report on fall ball was written by Brooks Hatch of the local GT today.
Also, rivals.com has the Beavers as one of 30 teams to watch this fall. Wrote Kendall Rogers: "There's a good chance the Beavers will compete with Arizona State for the Pac-10 title. OSU returned to the postseason last year after failing to make a regional two seasons ago. They ended the year in the Fort Worth Regional. OSU should return to hosting a regional if everything goes as planned this fall and in the spring. The Beavers must replace position players Ryan Ortiz and Joey Wong and pitcher Jorge Reyes, but otherwise are in good shape. The pitching staff will be excellent with Sam Gaviglio, Kraig Sitton, Tyler Waldron, Kevin Rhoderick and Greg Peavey leading the way. The offense is a question mark, but freshman Andrew Susac is expected to be a solid replacement for Ortiz. It should be an exciting fall."
Of course, Kendall also wrote about the top 10 football/baseball schools in the nation, and LSU took the top spot (which not many could argue with that). The only schools represented are in the ACC, SEC and Big 12. You can't really argue with too many of the selections, but I'd certainly hope that if there was an "also voted for" list of teams, the Beavers would be there. What the OSU football and baseball teams have done the last 4-5 years is simply unprecedented in school history. And it doesn't look like either team is going to stop anytime soon. It's a great time to be a Beaver.
What's New
Since the blog has been away, there have been a few things that have happened with OSU baseball and former players that are of interest. The first is in regards to Marty Lees being promoted to Associate Head Coach. Marty will be in his ninth season with the Beavers in 2010 and has worked his way up from being a volunteer assistant coach his first few seasons. He's also the team's recruiting coordinator and unofficially has the team lead in most pairs of sunglasses (it doesn't seem like he ever takes them off on the field, does it?).
There's also Mitch Canham getting invited to the prestigious Arizona Fall League. This is a pretty big deal for Mitch, who ended the year at Double-A and has to be considered as a top prospect in San Diego's system. It looks like next year he'll have a good chance at being in Portland and closer to all us Beaver fans. He'll be playing for the Peoria Saguaros and some of his teammates include former Vanderbilt lefty Mike Minor (who nearly shut out OSU to start the 2008 season), former Stanford catcher Jason Castro and Jason Heyward, who is considered one of the best prospects in Atlanta's system. If Mitch has any questions about the AFL, I'm sure he'll call OSU pitching coach Nate Yeskie, who played in the league in 1999 while a member of the Minnesota Twins organization.
There's also Jacoby Ellsbury etching his way into Boston's record books. He stole his 55th base a couple weeks ago and became Boston's single-season stolen base record holder, breaking Tommy Harper's mark that stood for 36 years. The Red Sox are primed to back in the playoffs this season, which would put Jacoby in the postseason for the third time in as many years (not a bad way to start a career).
Then there's Andrew Susac, one of OSU's incoming players this season. The Beavers' catcher was rated as the No. 1 prospect in the West Coast League by Baseball America. Andrew batted .205 in the league, proving he had a hard go of it against some top collegiate pitching, but also threw out 13-of-30 baserunners attempting to steal, which is a 43-percent clip (pretty impressive for a guy just out of high school). He also picked off five runners, so there are some serious tools right there.
Another summer ball note: Stefen Romero won a Cape Cod League Championship with the Bourne Braves. Stefen was all smiles at practice on Monday when he was asked what he thought about it. You can tell he really enjoyed getting out there and getting a championship under his belt. Maybe a precursor?
Get In On A Chat
The Athletics Communications Office here at OSU has begun a series of chats on osubeavers.com. We're running these chats on football game days (yours truly is the host for home games) and other selected days. On Wednesday of this week, at 12:30 p.m., a student-athlete chat with Keaton Kristick will take place, which follows one with Sean Canfield from last week.
I'd like to get some baseball players involved in these chats as well, especially when they have some more time during fall practice. Who would you be interested in having in a chat? Whom would you like to ask a question? Email me at hank.hager@oregonstate.edu and throw some ideas my way. These chats are dependent on you, the fan, so I'd love to hear who you'd want to talk to.
For Those Of You In Medford
For those of you in the Medford area, on Thursday, Coach Casey and Todd Stansbury will be at the Rogue Valley Country Club for a Beaver Chalk Talk. It starts at 6 p.m . PT so if you are in the area, make sure to stop by and listen to what Coach Casey and Todd have to say.
May 26, 2009
7:15 p.m.
Just got an email from TCU's SID giving me an update on their ticket situation for this weekend. Note that a very limited number of tickets are available to each school for them to sell so contact 1-800-GOBEAVS for OSU's allotment.
Also note that I have learned that each game will be broadcast on an online web cast that will be free. It will be available on gofrogs.com and we're working with CBS College Sports to get the links added to osubeavers.com for easier access. I'll keep everyone apprised once I get final information.
From TCU:
All-Session reserved seats for this weekend's Fort Worth NCAA Baseball Regional, hosted by TCU, have been sold out.
The only tickets that remain are for standing-room only (SRO) at the first-and third-base porches, the third-base line and the grass bank down the right field line. These tickets will be sold as single-game only. They are $15 for adults and $10 for youth (ages 3-to-17).
Single-game SRO tickets for Friday's games (Oregon State vs. Texas A&M, 2 p.m.; Wright State vs. TCU, 7 p.m.) will be made available Thursday at 8 a.m. via TCU's Web site (www.GoFrogs.com) and through the Horned Frogs' Athletic Ticket Office in the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. SRO tickets for all games after Friday will only be sold the day of the game beginning at 8 a.m.
on-line and 10 a.m. at Lupton Stadium.
For more information, call (817) 257-FROG (3764).
Lupton Stadium will be cleared after each game. Chairs, umbrellas and coolers are not allowed inside the stadium.
Any reserved tickets returned by visiting teams Oregon State, Texas A&M and Wright State will be made available for purchase at www.GoFrogs.com.
Due to the PGA Tour's Crowne Plaza Invitational taking place at the nearby Colonial Country Club, fans are encouraged to allow time for traffic on University Drive and consider alternate routes to campus.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
May 22, 2009
5:45 p.m.
Looking here live at Sunken Diamond and we are about 10 minutes out from first pitch. The Beavers are primed for a big series against Stanford and freshman Sam Gaviglio is getting the start.
If you are in Portland this weekend, make sure to stop at PGE Park to catch the Beavers and Nashville.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
May 13, 2009
8:30 a.m.
A win last like last night's certainly feels good, especially against a tough non-conference team in a mid-week game. Those always seem to be tough when you are late in the conference season.
The Beavers won their 30th game of the season with the 8-1 victory over Gonzaga. Game two is today at 1 p.m. Looks like it will be another good one. Come on out and see the Beavers go for win No. 30. If you do, you'll be seeing a program that has now won 30 or more games in a season in 10 of Pat Casey's 15 years in Corvallis. Oregon State has done so in five of the last six years. Is it any surprise that stetch has coincided with the best period in program history?
On a side note, Sunday will be Senior Day. The Beavers will honor their five seniors, John Wallace, Mark Grbavac, Koa Kahalehoe, Logan Boyd and Kyle Foster, and manager Brian Pecor and assistant athletic trainer C.J. Neumann. There are still tickets to all three games this weekend. Make sure to come and snap a few up. It's going to be a tough series against surprising Washington State, which is in second place in the Pac-10. Believe it or not, the Cougars were selected to finish eighth in the preseason poll by the league's coaches.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
May 3, 2009
10:15 a.m.
What a great win last night. It was just what the Beavers needed against a tough club in Arizona State. This could be a bring springboard into the remaining part of the season.
Today's weather is looking good and should be a great day for baseball.
In the meantime, over the last couple of weeks, I have worked on getting photo galleries developed. Instead of making them for each game, I've decided to do it for each player. Most guys have a significant number of photos, and there will be more added as the season goes on. Each gallery is linked to each player's roster page, so if you want to check it out, make sure to look at their pages,
Here are a few examples (included is John Wallace and his catch from last night - thanks to Rich Heins, an amazing shot).
John Wallace
Jared Norris
Jorge Reyes
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 25, 2009
10 a.m.
Wanted to pass along a quick note I received from UCLA Sports Information this morning. They were told by FSN that due to technical problems, last night's game will not be televised at all, unfortunately.
So don't tune into FSN on any of the affiliates. Just make sure to tune into the Beaver Sports Network and Beaver Nation Online (osubeavers.com) at 2 p.m. PT today to catch the second game of the series.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 23, 2009
1 p.m.
The team is leaving in 90 minutes for the Portland Airport and by all accounts, the series at UCLA this weekend will be big. Friday night's game will be on TV, but delayed until 2 p.m. on Saturday on FSN Northwest. It is the national FSN Game of the Week, so it will be replayed at various points on each of the FSN affliates. I'll provide the list of dates and times where this game can be found (look below).
Also, two more items of interest to report. First, because of travel, the final game of the Arizona State series will be at 12 p.m. instead of 1 p.m. So that series now looks like this: Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 12 p.m. Note the Saturday game is at 5 so that football's spring game doesn't bump into baseball.
Also, talked with a producer at Comcast SportsNet and the Beavers' game against Washington at Safeco Field in Seattle on May 8 will be televised on Comcast in the states of Washington and Oregon. This is a Washington broadcast, but I can already guarantee it's going to be pretty balanced. They'll even be in Corvallis next week doing some interviews to prepare for the game. So put that one in your back pocket and circle it on your calendar.
Here's the dates and times for Friday night's game. Note there's always a chance these times could change so make sure to check your local listings.
FOX SPORTS ARIZONA Sunday - 4/26/2009 5:00 PM Pacific
FOX SPORTS DETROIT Sunday - 4/26/2009 2:00 AM Eastern
FOX SPORTS MIDWEST Saturday - 4/25/2009 4:00 PM Central
FOX SPORTS NORTH Sunday - 4/26/2009 4:00 AM Central
FSN NORTHWEST Saturday - 4/25/2009 2:00 PM Pacific
FSN NORTHWEST Monday - 4/27/2009 12:00 PM Pacific
FSN ROCKY MOUNTAIN Saturday - 4/25/2009 3:00 PM Mountain
FOX SPORTS SOUTHWEST Sunday - 4/26/2009 3:00 AM Central
FOX SPORTS HOUSTON Monday - 4/27/2009 3:00 AM Central
PRIME TICKET Saturday - 4/25/2009 11:00 AM Pacific
PRIME TICKET Sunday - 4/26/2009 12:00 PM Pacific
PRIME TICKET Sunday - 4/26/2009 5:00 PM Pacific
PRIME TICKET Monday - 4/27/2009 10:00 AM Pacific
PRIME TICKET Monday - 4/27/2009 11:00 PM Pacific
FOX SPORTS WISCONSIN Monday - 4/27/2009 4:00 AM Central
COMCAST BAY AREA Saturday - 4/25/2009 8:30 PM Pacific
COMCAST CHICAGO Saturday - 4/25/2009 7:00 PM Central
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 17, 2009
11:15 a.m.
It has been a little cloudy outside this morning, but all weather reports seem to think it's going to start clearing up around 1 p.m. today, leading to a beautiful day for baseball. Big series, of course, with the Beavers and USC being No. 2 and No. 3 in the Pac-10 standings, respectively.
Tickets are going fast so make sure to get to Goss Stadium at 2:30 p.m. when the ticket office opens. Grandstand seats still remain for Friday night but only bleacher seats on Saturday and Sunday. Promises to be a great series so make sure to come on over and support the Beavers.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 15, 2009
1 p.m.
Happy tax day everyone. Just kidding!
In what has become a trend lately (condensed NCAA schedule and all) I'm waiting on USC to play Pepperdine today before I can finish my notes, So here's a preview.
• Oregon State's 14-2 record over the last 16 games is the best stretch for the Beavers since they went 14-2 early in the 2007 season.
• Michael Miller finished the BYU series 3-for-6 with a home run and five RBI. He came into the two-game series with seven RBI on the year.
• Oregon State pitchers have ammassed an earned run average of 2.72 over the last 16 games. Opponents are batting just .223 against them while Oregon State hitters are at a .286 clip.
• Entering the week, OSU's (then) ERA of 3.67 was ranked 10th nationally. After the two BYU games, it was raised by .05 runs.
• The Beavers also ranked 18th nationally in fielding percentage at .974.
• Friday's starter, Tyler Waldron, has allowed just four runs in 15 2/3 innings 2.30 ERA) at home this season. Friday is his third start at Goss in 2009.
Rivals.com has also updated its regional projections, which can be found here. Anyone up for a trip to North Carolina? I know it's early and it's just a good talking point for Kendall Rogers and company but it is certainly interesting. Note that he also only has the Beavers and Arizona State making it from the Pac-10 this season.
Also, a day behind, but Mike Stutes made his first career Double-A start on Monday. Read about it here. Also, a week late, but here's a feature from the Reading newspaper about the former OSU right-hander.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 14, 2009
11:55 p.m.
Just got word that Brian Barden is scheduled to appear on the Joe Beaver Show with Mike Parker at 12:35 p.m. PT today. Brian hit his first career home run last night in St. Louis' 2-1 win at Arizona. Brian is certainly one of the good guys and is a real proud alum of Oregon State.
Again, he'll be on at 12:35 p.m. on KEJO 1240-AM.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 13, 2009
2:30 p.m.
Just got the ballpark and am watching the Beavers stretch. There will be a nice surprise for the fans who come out to tonight's game against BYU. Well, I'm going to ruin the surprise. The Beavers are wearing their traditional creme uniforms but are busting out their "old school" OSU hats that were last seen in the 2007 National Championship. I'm going to hope and get some shots taken but if you want to see them in the flesh now is the time.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 9, 2009
5:15 p.m.
The Beavers are getting close to BP. They will be wearing their all gray uniforms tonight.
First pitch is two hours away and it's hovering around 70 degrees here at Sancet Field. Tyler Waldron goes for Oregon State against Arizona's Preston Guilmet.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 8, 2009
11:30 a.m.
The Pac-10 stats arrived in my email last night, updated after yesterday's action, and a few things stood out. We have a little bit of time before the team is scheduled to leave for the airport and so I thought I'd share them with you all.
First off, the Beavers are third in the Pac-10 with a 3.57 ERA and second in opposing batting average at .230. This weekend's opponent, Arizona, is 10th in both categories - 5.86 ERA and .309 batting average against. When looking at conference only stats, it looks even rosier for the Beavers. OSU leads the league with a 2.24 ERA and .203 batting average against. Again, Arizona is 10th in ERA at 8.29 and ninth in BA against at .320.
By no means do those two categories tell the whole story, however. Just looking at Oregon State, the Beavers are seventh in the Pac-10 with 18 sac bunts allowed, and they are 10th with just three sac flies allowed. That means OSU's pitchers are making opponents work for their runs. Consider that the Beavers have given up just 13 home runs this season - third least in the Pac-10 - and it's obvious opponents have to work for their runs. And the Beavers have allowed just 44 extra-base hits altogether - the least in the league as well. Overall, OSU opponents have a league-low 183 hits against the Beavers, and just 24 percent have gone for more than one bag.
One last little tidbit stands out. The Beavers have allowed 97 runs this season, with 86 being scored as earned runs. That means just 11 have been unearned because of an error or passed ball. Over 24 games, that means OSU is allowing less than half an unearned run a game. By contrast, Arizona, which has 45 errors this season (to 25 for the Beavers) has allowed 192 total runs, with 155 being earned. That's 37 unearned runs this season, and over 27 games (Arizona is 13-14 overall), the Wildcats are giving up 1.3 per game. That's almost one more per game than the Beavers.
So, the truth is in the stats. There's a reason Oregon State is 18-6 and Arizona is 13-14. Of course, there is no such thing as an easy Pac-10 weekend and Arizona was projected as a postseason team when the 2009 season began, so the Wildcats are not to be taken lightly. Coach Casey, his staff and the players know this, so it will shape up to be a great series.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 5, 2009
12:45 p.m.
It's 15 minutes until first pitch. There are few clouds in the sky and it's 62 degrees. The Beavers are in their orange uniforms and their white hats.
It's a great day to be at Goss Stadium. If you aren't yet, there are still tickets available so come on down and watch Oregon State attempt a sweep of California.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 4, 2009
6:30 p.m.
Before we close the stadium for the night, a few things to note for Sunday's series finale against California.
• The announced crowd of 2,789 on Saturday was a Goss Stadium regular season record.
• Oregon State is 10-3 in games played in the state of Oregon this season. Those 13 games played have been consecutive and with Sunday's game, wraps up a 14-game stretch in Oregon for the Beavers.
• The 4-1 Pac-10 record is the Beavers' best start to conference play since they went 5-0 to open the 2005 campaign.
• John Wallace enters Sunday's game on a seven-game hit streak, which ties a career-long for the senior. He hit in seven straight at one point last season.
• Over the last 10 games, OSU's starters have posted an ERA of 1.79 and a WHIP of 1.01. The Beavers are 9-1 in that stretch.
• OSU is 11-4 in day games this season.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
April 4, 2009
1:35 p.m.
We are getting awfully close to first pitch and it is an absolutely beautiful day. There are no clouds; nothing but blue skies. OSU pitchers are playing catch in left field as Cal begins to take its infield warmups.
Stay tuned for first pitch on the Beaver Sports Network and Beaver Nation Online (osubeavers.com).
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 30, 2009
3:20 p.m.
This is a nice week for the Beavers who don't have any midweeks and will open Pac-10 home play Friday against California. The Golden Bears have a game Tuesday against San Francisco and Wednesday against Long Beach State, so their 14-10 overall record will change before the series opener.
Having no midweeks also means the staff can breathe a little easier, including myself. I'm just waiting for the outcomes of Cal's games, and have the notes pretty much done for Friday night. So here's a few things that are in there (call it a little preview).
- Over the last 10 games, the Beavers are 7-3 and the team's pitching staff has posted a 2.09 ERA. Oregon State's starters have allowed just 14 earned runs in 58 1/3 innings during that stretch, amounting to an ERA of 2.16. OSU's pitching staff had an ERA of 5.07 beginning on March 14, and in the last 10 games, it has dropped to 3.64.
- Over the last four games, OSU batters have 22 walks to just 24 strikeouts. The pitchers have walked 16 while striking out 36.
- Oregon State enters Friday night's game with a league only ERA of 1.32. That leads the Pac-10. Washington State is second with an ERA of 3.46.
Of course, OSU is back in the top 25 in a number of collegiate polls. Read more about that by clicking here.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 29, 2009
11:45 a.m.
The Beavers are on the field taking BP as we speak, so to speak, and they are going to be wearing their gray pinstripe uniforms for the first time this season. It is the same set of uniforms as last year's.
The sun is poking through the clouds and it's 45 degrees, so it should definitely warm up a bit. So great day for a game. Come on out to PGE Park.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 23, 2009
10:30 a.m.
A quick look at where some Beavers rank in the Pac-10 as of this morning:
- Stefen Romero (3rd-runs scored, 21; 3rd-RBI, 23; 2nd-doubles, 8; 8th-total bases, 41)
- Adalberto Santos (6th-batting average, .365; 10th-slugging percentage, .556; 4th-on-base percentage, .481; 5th-RBI, 19; 5th-walks, 14)
- Joey Wong (7th-walks, 13)
- Ryan Ortiz (3rd-walks, 16)
- Sam Gaviglio (4th-wins, 3)
- Kevin Rhoderick (2nd-saves, 4)
Overall, Oregon State is second in the league with 107 walks, fourth in batting average at .303, tied for first in on-base percentage at .426 and third in runs scored with 146.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 22, 2009
11:20 p.m.
We are about 90 minutes away from first pitch and the sun is poking through the clouds here at Goss Stadium. Sam Gaviglio is going to start his first career game today and he carries in with him a 2-0 record and 2.57 ERA.
Here's a few notes for today's game.
- Oregon State has lowered its team earned run average nearly a run to 4.10 entering Sunday, thanks to just one earned run over the last three games. The Beavers' starters have surrendered no earned runs in 19 innings of work. Oregon State pitchers have allowed just 18 hits in their last 27 innings while striking out 24.
- Junior Adalberto Santos extended his hit streak to 11 games Saturday, doing so in fine fashion. He went 4-for-5 with a double, four RBI and a home run. The effort gave him the team's longest streak since the 2007 season.
Read the full notes at the game notes archive.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 21, 2009
2:05 p.m.
Got a few drops of rain earlier today before Saint Mary's and Utah Valley had their first pitch, but since, we've had primarily sunshine. So it looks like Oregon State's game is going to be on a beautiful day.
Get my game notes today? If so, hope you liked them. If not, you can still access them here, but you can get them delivered to your e-mail on the day of every game. Your blackberry or iphone can alert you when you receive the most in-depth information on the Beavers.
As we speak, Utah Valley is defeating Saint Mary's 6-0 in the top of the third.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 19, 2009
3:20 p.m.
The Beavers are just about to wrap up their first official pre-game batting practice of the 2009 season. We're about an hour and 45 minutes away from first pitch and while there are clouds in the sky, it's a great day outside. Not cold, not warm, just right. The stadium is absolutely gorgeous and it's looking to be a great ballgame.
Oh and the Beavers are wearing their white hats for the home opener. Come on out, take a look at them and then walk over to the Beaver Authentics trailer near the ticket gate and pick one up.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 19, 2009
10:45 a.m.
Ah, game day and the home opener. How sweet it is. Just getting ready for the home opener tonight, which will come against Utah Valley at 5 p.m. PT.
Remember, for those of you who can't make the game, it will be available via web cast. For more information, click here.
Wanna check out some info about the game. Click on tonight's game notes and while you are at it, go ahead and read about some other games in the archives section.
And lastly, there will be a Beaver Authentics trailer at the game, so want a new hat or the shirt the team is wearing? You can find it at the game. Of course, you can always order Beavers' gear by clicking here.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 15, 2009
12 p.m.
Sitting here in Portland at PGE Park and it is looking to be a beautiful day. I know we have a chance of rain and there's always the possibility of something changing, but right now, we are getting ready to roll. The tarps are off the field and the teams are warming up, getting ready to resume yesterday's game and get in game three of the series.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 13, 2009
4 p.m.
Beavers are taking BP and they are wearing their new white hats. My student, Tucker Smith, has a camera down on the field right now and we'll have some shots soon.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 13, 2009
3:15 p.m.
The team just arrived to PGE Park sporting their new white hats. The sun is out and it's an absolutely beautiful day. I've only been to a handful of Triple-A parks but PGE has to be up there in terrms of sheer beauty. The MAC is ominous out in right field and the elevated street in left field provides a cool backdrop.
It's a great day for baseball. Go get some tickets and see the Beavers have a great game at PGE Park.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 12, 2009
5 p.m.
A quick note before we wrap up the day and get ready for PGE Park. The team will travel to Portland a little after lunch tomorrow. They will head straight to the field and take BP at 3:45 p.m. Gates will open an hour before first pitch.
Just got in a few copies of the game program. The cover features senior Mark Grbavac. Unlike last year, there will be three programs produced this year. One for the month of March, one for April and one for May. Each program will have a different player featured. There's also a new news and notes section on page two, a Q&A with that month's featured player that is on page 39 and another feature on page 40. The second feature for the first month's program is on new pitching coach Nate Yeskie.
That's it for now. Stay tuned to the blog for more from PGE Park this weekend. That is, of course, unless, you're at the ballpark. We hope to see you there.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 11, 2009
12:15 p.m.
I have a few short notes for today, but I'm pretty sure they are ones that will be quite interesting. The first is our rotation, and I will post that below.
The second is that this weekend, fans who attend the games at PGE Park will notice that we have expanded our baseball programs. This year, there will be three programs; one for March, one for April and one for May. Each program will have a different cover. This month, senior Mark Grbavac is featured. There is also a Q&A with the right-hander. On page 40 of the program is a feature on new pitching coach Nate Yeskie.
Something new I've also instituted this year comes on page 2. There's a page of notes and a look at each team the Beavers will play in that month's program. It's good reading, so make sure to get each program. They are now going to be collectible items.
And now, for the rotation and matchups against Missouri State:
Fri., 3/13: RHP Tyler Waldron (0-1, 6.75) vs. RHP Tim Clubb (0-1, 6.62)
Sat., 3/14: RHP Greg Peavey (1-0, 5.56) vs. LHP Buddy Baumann (2-0, 0.00)
Sun., 3/15: RHP Jorge Reyes (2-0, 3.86) vs. LHP Aaron Meade (2-1, 4.30)
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 10, 2009
10:30 a.m.
The blog has had to take a backseat lately due to the Palm Springs Tournament. I was responsible for making sure each of the games down there was scored correctly and 10 hours of baseball each day had my head spinning a bit. Now we're back to a normal schedule, so expect more updates as we go along and get ready for the trip to PGE Park and beyond.
First off, had an absolutely fun trip to Palm Springs. Didn't get to see much of the city, but for those of you who were there, you can attest the area around the stadium was nice and the weather was just about perfect.
A few links to pass along. The first is about Jacoby Ellsbury. Click here to read about his Spring Training thus far.
The second is Eric Sorenson's blog. A big-time supporter of college baseball and someone who really makes an effort to cover college baseball (he was in Houston the week before last) was in Palm Springs to chronicle the games at Palm Springs Stadum. He's from LA, so it was an easy opportunity for him and he made sure to be at each of Oregon State's games. He has some pictures up and thoughts about each of the games.
To visit it, click here.
Well, that's it for now. Make sure to get your tickets to PGE Park this weekend. It's going to be a great series against a very underrated club in Missouri State.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
March 1, 2009
10 a.m.
Just got word for all of you listening at home that today's game has a three-hour time limit today due to Northern Illinois' flight schedule. No inning today can start after 1 p.m. local time. So if we get to that point, be aware.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
February 28, 2009
3 p.m.
It's Saturday, so it's game day, again. The team is still about 75 minutes away from leaving for tonight's game against No. 5 Arizona State. The great part about this team is that even though it's a tough early season test, everyone seems very calm. Most of the players are in their room or just getting back from lunch. Everyone is relaxed and really focused on tonight. There's not too much nervous energy floating around.
We're also looking at a pretty good matchup between Tyler Waldron and Seth Blair, who, although he hasn't been announced as their starter, it's widely assumed he will get the nod for Arizona State. Blair pitched 1 2/3 innings against the Beavers last season and allowed two runs.
The game will be on GameTracker again and radio so make sure to follow each pitch. It will be a good game.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
February 27, 2009
11:30 a.m.
We're about 30 minutes away from first pitch and I have to apologize for my post last night. I left Mitch Canham off the hit list as the former Beav and current San Diego prospect got a hit yesterday as the team's DH in the 10th inning. Went to dinner last night with Mitch and the assistant coaches and he said it was a nice shot up the middle.
This is a good thing. We have enough guys to keep tabs on, so it's possible to miss something. That's a good problem to have.
Beavers are wearing their white uniforms for the first time this season as Oregon State is the home team against Missouri. Tanner Robles is in left field getting warmed up and some of the relievers are playing catch beside him. It's another beautiful day.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
February 26, 2009
8:30 p.m.
Well, I'd say that was a pretty good day for the Beavers. Twenty hits in 42 at bats is a pretty good average, just short of .500, and really sets the tone for the weekend. Of course, Missouri just got its first hit against Arizona State tonight ... in the eighth inning, so OSU will be facing a team that should be pretty hungry. The Beavers will face their first right-handed starter Friday. His name is Ian Berger and he is 6-foot-1, just shy of 200 pounds. He was 4-5 last season in 16 games. Oregon State will counter with lefty Tanner Robles. He'll be the first OSU pitcher to make two appearances this season.
With the Beavers' game a few hours old now, most of the team is out having dinner. The coaching staff is back at Packard scouting both Missouri and Arizona State. They were joined by Robles and Tyler Waldron, who are the next two starters, along with Taylor Starr, Josh Osich and Joey Wong. Never too early to take a look at ASU since we'll see them four times this season, including three times at Goss Stadium. Now that is going to be a series. The top two Pac-10 teams over the past few seasons duking it out on the nicest ballpark in the Pac-10. Don't wait to get your tickets. I promise you if you wait, you will be sorry.
On another note, it looks like Darwin Barney made a start in a Spring Training game today. He started at short in the eight-hole for the Cubs and went 1-for-5. There's no play-by-play on either MLB.com or ESPN.com so not sure who he got it off. Certainly exciting to see another former Beaver get some attention in the bigs.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
February 26, 2009
11 a.m.
Just arrived to Packard Stadium here in Tempe and I can tell you it's an absolutely gorgeous day. We're talking 80 degree temperatures today and barely any clouds in the sky. Perhaps no player was more excited to see this weather than Tanner Robles, tomorrow's starter. Tanner came out of the hotel this morning with a big time step in his stride and exclaimed how great it was to have this kind of weather.
The Beavers are the visiting team today and are currently stretching down the right-field line. I'm going to attempt to run GameTracker today, but Internet isn't totally stable here, so if it's slow or glitchy, bear with me. I'll do everything I can to make sure you are up to date. I'll even be doing some color today on radio with Ron Callan (I think) so make sure to tune in.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
February 22, 2009
2:15 p.m.
Well, got two games in before the snow came in Tennessee, but all in all, a pretty good weekend. Getting 18 runs in two games off an SEC opponent isn't bad, and the good sign is the number of hits the Beavers put up (25 in the two games combined).
Now, the team will have a few days off before heading to Tempe on Wednesday.
In the meantime, I've added a couple photo galleries from the games in Knoxville. Enjoy.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
February 19, 2009
5:45 p.m.
Ok, the blog is a little behind again, and I'm sitting courtside at the women's basketball game at Stanford. In the next few days, I will be updating the site with my normal game recaps and stats and like last year, I will be doing notes for every game (for those of you who receive these via e-mail, don't be surprised to see these in your inbox at 2 a.m. sometimes).
This blog will get busier once we get going full-time, so make sure to check back reguarly.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
February 10, 2009
9:45 a.m.
Sorry about the delay on the blog. Went on a trip to Tucson and Tempe lately and it seemed a bit hard to update. I do have a book review to come out of it, though. Got a chance to read John Feinstein's "Living On The Black" about the 2007 seasons of Tom Glavine and Mike Mussina. I've made it about 300 pages in and have got about 200 more to go but it's been a great read. For anyone who has read Feinstein before, you know he gets in-depth and this one certainly doesn't disappoint.
We announced yesterday that single-game tickets for the 2009 season will go on sale Feb. 16. So keep an eye out for those. But also remember than Pape Grand Slam tickets go on sale tomorrow (Wednesday). For those who have season tickets, they're included in the package. For those who don't, you'll want to snap them up. They're a great series against a great opponent in Missouri State. Missouri State, in fact, was just picked to win its conference this year.
Later today, we'll have another announcement on the Web site. Don't want to tell you what it is just yet (have to keep up the suspense don't I) but it's something you'll want to know. And beginning tomorrow, I'll start posting the 2009 season preview. Like last year, it will be done in segments so it will run through next week. And then, the season will be here.
I'm also working with the folks at CBS College Sports to design a "Baseball Central" page that will be like a one-stop point for everything OSU Baseball. I'm planning on having links up for everything baseball, an archive of the season preview and stats, schedules and rosters for every team Oregon State will play this season (links of course).
I want to try and improve the Oregon State Baseball experience on this Web site with everything I do. But there is always more than can be done so if you have an idea, let me know. All suggestions are welcome.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
February 4, 2009
11 a.m.
About to head out on a trip with women's basketball (here's to 80 degrees in the desert) and wanted to drop in a few notes about what's going on with baseball. We had our annual media day yesterday, with coach Casey, Kevin Rhoderick, Jorge Reyes and Ryan Ortiz in attendance. To read more about it, click here.
The Pac-10 released its coaches poll earlier this morning and the Beavers got chosen to finish fourth with 58 points. We did get two first-place votes, which is second only to Arizona State and UCLA, which both got three and are No. 1 and No. 2 in the poll. It's a pretty compact top five, with Arizona, which is fifth, having 56 points, just 13 behind No. 1 Arizona State. After that, there is a dropoff to No. 6 California, which only got 42 points. So 13 points separates No. 1 and No. 5. Fourteen points separates No. 5 and No. 6. Read more about the poll here.
After the media day, had a couple stories helping preview the season. The G-T focused a bit on Ryan Ortiz, which can be read here. The Register-Guard gave more of a season preview type story.
Remember, opening day is only 16 days away.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
February 2, 2009
6:30 p.m.
Just got back from the first practice and posted a little writeup about the workout that can be seen here. Also have a photo gallery up (here) that has about 15 shots from the workout.
Great weather out today and the guys looked good. After working on some defense early on, the team came together for a five-inning scrimmage.
We're having media day tomorrow, so make check to stay tuned to osubeavers.com and we'll get a transcript up of what was said.
Go Beavs!
Hank
February 2, 2009
8:30 a.m.
Well, today is the big day. The first practice is scheduled for this afternoon, at approximately 2:15 p.m., and it looks like we are going to have a beautiful day outside. Everyone is excited to get back on the field for real and prepare for the first game. After all, the season opener is only 18 days away.
I will have some photos of practice and a writeup after it's wrapped up, so make sure to check the baseball page at osubeavers.com.
In the meantime, The Oregonian previewed the season. For The Oregonian preview, click here.
January 31, 2009
5 p.m.
Another quick one today as I sit in Eugene after women's basketball defeated Oregon earlier. A big congrats needs to go out to coach Casey, his staff and the Dugout Club for a really well done job last night at the Diamond Dinner. I missed last year's and wasn't really sure what it was going to be like. A very well done event and if that kind've event can't get you pumped for the upcoming season, I don't know what would. All the former players in attendance looked like they had fun, and it was good to see guys like Eddie Kunz, Darwin Barney and Brooke Knight, among others. Some of the memorabilia available for auction was really incredible, like Chase Utley and Jacoby Ellsbury jerseys.
Just a great night to be a Beaver and see how much baseball means in the state of Oregon and the Corvallis community. I already can't wait for next year's, but let's have the 2009 start already. Well, first practice is Monday, so keep your eyes and ears out for balls and bats gettng to work on the diamond. The start of the season is right around the corner.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
January 30, 2009
3:30 p.m.
Wanted to throw a post out there before I get ready for tonight's Diamond Dinner. I've never been to one after being out of town during last year's outing. First off, it sounds like it's going to be a great night and some of the things planned by coach Casey are going to be spectacular. Looked around the room earlier today and there are some great items at the silent auction. Some of them are signed bats, including one by Aaron Mathews, as well as signed hats by Brian Barden, Chris Hopkins and Joe Paterson, a 2008 team signed helmet and other great little items. And that's just the silent auction.
Bought a copy of the 2009 The Sporting News Baseball Yearbook and at the back of the magazine is a few pages devoted to college baseball. A top 25 ranking is in there with the Beavers at No. 15, right behind Pepperdine and ahead of No. 16 San Diego. Also, Ryan Ortiz is on the list of the top 15 hitters to watch this season. So it goes to show that the Beavers are going to be highly regarded this season. If you add TSN's ranking to the four official polls, OSU's average ranking is 26th, right on the cusp of the top 25. Of course, preseason rankings are just that; they don't mean much until that first pitch of the 2009 season, but it's certainly good to see everyone putting OSU in the top 25 or close to it.
Check back in the next day or so for a little recap of Friday night's Diamond Dinner.
January 27, 2009
12 p.m.
The season is inching closer, with practice less than a week away. Today, just glanced at Baseball America and the folks at the publication have done a projected 64-team field for this season. They think the Beavers will be back in the postseason, as a No. 2 seed at the Fullerton Regional. Cal State Fullerton would be seeded No. 1, followed Oregon State, then No. 3 Santa Clara and No. 4 Stony Brook.
See the entire list here.
The first day of NCAA allowable practices is Sunday, and the annual Diamond Dinner is Friday night, so the season feels like it's just right around the corner. Keep an eye on osubeavers.com as we'll have plenty more to talk about once everything gets rolling.
Go Beavs!
Hank
January 23, 2009
10:45 a.m.
Quick update today. Walked over to indvidual workouts yesterday and saw that some former Beavers are back in town. Bumped into Eddie Kunz, Darwin Barney, Cole Gillespie, Tyler Graham and Andy Jenkins. Daniel Robertson has been around, too, but he was here as well in the fall and is helping out with the team.
It has been real nice lately so the Beavers are taking advantage of it and getting out to Goss Stadium (at least the hitters are). Everyone is looking good and feeling good. John Wallace and Ryan Ortiz did interviews with Jim Beseda of The Oregonian yesterday, talking about expectations for the year and how much they are looking forward to the start of the '09 season.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
January 22, 2009
1:30 p.m.
Just got the newest copy of Baseball America in the mail and this issue has the top 10 prospects by team in the NL Central. If you have a copy of the magazine, check out page 17 and look for Cole Gillespie. BA has him at No. 9 the Milwaukee Brewers' system.
This is what they have to say about his strengths: "Gillespie lived up to his reputation as a gap hitter by pounding out a team-high 38 doubles last season. He has average but not great power, but he shows a keen eye at the plate and knows how to lay off strikes he can't do much with. He moves well in left field and has also played in right, showing an accurate arm. His speed and althleticism are average and he shows good instincts on the bases."
Milwaukee has outfielders Ryan Braun and Corey Hart ahead of Cole, and he looks as though he'll start off the year in Triple-A. It certainly looks as though he has a chance to be Oregon State's 22nd Major Leaguer.
Cole is the second former Beaver I've seen in the top 10 lists thus far. Eddie Kunz was No. 10 in the Mets' system a few weeks ago. If I've missed someone, let me know.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
January 21, 2009
10:30 a.m.
Oregon State baseball has been in the news the past couple days. First off, the Beavers ranked 25th in the preseason rankings by Baseball America. This is typically the last major poll that comes out before every season, so it's a pretty good indicator of where teams truly stand. OSU is also 24th by Rivals.com and 31st by the NCBWA, so the Beavers are highly regarded going into '09.
Season tickets also went on sale yesterday. Only 400 were available when they went on sale, so make sure to get in touch with the ticket office (here at Gill Coliseum or call 1-800-GOBEAVS. Osubeavers.com is also a good choice) to get yours. This is the only way to guarantee great seats for the season as you never really know where your seat will be with single-game tickets (not that there's a bad seat in the house, but you catch my drift).
Lastly, a blast from the past. Darwin Barney has been invited to the Cubs' Spring Training. Darwin has only been in the pros for a few years and he was in A-Ball last season, so not quite sure what they have in mind for him this season (could be Triple-A according to the story below). But coupled with his invite to the Arizona Fall League this offseason, it looks like they think pretty highly of him. Read more about his invite here.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
January 19, 2009
Welcome, Oregon State baseball fans, to the first post in the "Behind The Dish" blog that focuses on the Beavers.
When we switched to CBS College Sports a month ago, it gave us an opportunity to expand what we do on the World Wide Web. One such idea I was particularly interested in was a blog, much like what other schools have begun to do. And in some cases, they have done so very successfully. I thought it would be a great idea to start one with baseball now that the season is getting close.
This blog will be a source of information regarding the Beavers. I won't post releases here (that will be for the front page of the site), but I'll let you know about stories involving the Beavers. I'll let you know what's going on in the world of Oregon State baseball, both past and present, and any topics in between. I'm not sure exactly how often I'll post just yet. It will just depend on the week and the day, so make sure to keep an eye on this page.
Have a question? Want to know something more about the Beavers? E-mail me at hank.hager@oregonstate.edu and I'll make a point to post an answer on the blog so that everyone has a chance to know more. Remember, I can't answer everything, but I will do my best.
In the meantime, take a few minutes and look around the new baseball site. Our page for the Palm Springs Tournament has been updated and the Pape Grand Slam page is also getting a facelift. It will be updated soon with a little more pizzazz than in the past. It won't stop there - new pages to celebrate baseball will be updated as we go along, much like many pages on other sports. As we get more comfortable with our new provider, things will begin to look better and better.
Also on the site is the 2009 media guide. It's at the printer, so I don't have any actual copies just yet. But the .pdfs are available by clicking here. The guide is 192 pages this year - 32 pages more than last year - and has additions like more information on former Beavers in the Major Leagues, a game-by-game listing against 2009 opponents and a few more statistical pages on the current players and last year's team. It's now the second-longest media guide at Oregon State - just 16 pages shy of football and 52 pages longer than men's basketball.
This blog is about Oregon State baseball and its fans play a huge role in what we do. So I want to keep you involved. Send me comments, suggestions, questions - anything on your mind - to hank.hager@oregonstate.edu.
Go Beavs!
Hank Hager
