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A Post-Spring Look At: USC
by Jake Bertalotto
on Jul 2, 2009 7:48 AM PDT
in Football
6 comments
They're still a lock to win the Pac-10 in nearly everybody's mind, but if there's a year for USC to be unseated as conference champions for the first time in seven years, this could be it.
The unknowns include a new quarterback, two new coordinators, and only three returning starters from 2008's stingy defense. The Trojans will now have to rely more on their offense to control games, whereas they could rely on their defense to get stops in recent years.
The knowns, however, include a brand of toughness and competitiveness that head coach Pete Carroll always brings to the table. We also know that USC will have eleven outstanding athletes on the field at all times-- it's just a matter of if they can perform to the level that we've come to expect from the Trojans.
Something we've also come to expect in recent years is that Oregon State will have a decent showing against the Trojans-- unless the game is played in Los Angeles. The Beavers have won only nine of seventy-one games all-time against USC, but they've won two of the last three-- both in Corvallis. Prior to the victory in 2006, the Beavers last defeated USC in 2000 in Corvallis. Oregon State has only won three games in Los Angles, the site of this year's game, and all of them came in 1960 or before.
So how will the Beavers fare this year, against what could be a sub-par team? It's been 49 years since the Beavers have won at the Coliseum-- it's just not one of those places that Mike Riley's team can walk into with confidence. That being said, big wins over Arizona, Arizona State, and Stanford could set the stage for an early Pac-10 run prior to the trip to LA.
Only two teams in the conference have a guaranteed retuning starter at quarterback, and USC isn't one of them. Aaron Corp will be the likely successor to Mark Sanchez, and is already being heralded as one of the best drop-back quarterbacks in the conference. If he indeed gets the job, he'll be backed up by freshman Matt Barkley and Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain.
Corp will have a talented bunch of receivers to throw to, including another Arkansas transfer, Damian Williams. Patrick Turner departs from last year's squad, but Williams reeled in nearly 67 receiving yards per game last season.
USC's Offensive line is being heraleded as one of the best in the country, so whomever the quarterback may be come September, they will have good protection. Kristopher O'Dowd at center is the big name, as is sixth-year senior Jeff Byers at guard.
"The offensive line is a deep, experienced unit for us, and it will be highly-competitive all season long for playing time," said Carroll. "It's great to have Jeff Byers back for another season and we'll count on his senior leadership."
The defense, however, is not as experienced. Only three players return (Taylor Mays, Josh Pinkard, Christian Topou), although there are many with game experience from last year. This year's group has a high standard to live up to, as the 2008 Trojans led the nation in scoring defense (9.0, USC's best mark since 1967), pass efficiency defense (85.8) and pass defense (134.4, USC's best since 1977) and were second in total defense (221.8, USC's best since 1967) and fifth in rushing defense (87.4).
"Yes, we lost a lot of outstanding defensive players, but I'm confident we'll have another strong defense, led by the secondary. We'll be very fast up front, where we have a chance to field one of our best pass rushing units in years. Obviously, the key area is the new linebacking group, but don't underestimate them."
The secondary is the strong suit of the defense, led by two of the three returning starters-- safties Taylor Mays and Josh Pinkard. Pinkard is moving over from the cornerback position, which will likely be filled by senior Kevin Thomas and junior Shareece Wright. Mays gives the team a strong, physical presence, and Pinkard gives them a lot of versatility.
USC's three standout linebackers from last season-- Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, and Kaluka Maiava-- are all gone, so first year coordinator Rocky Seto must start from scratch there. The athletes are there, however.
Three players, including Clay Matthews, are gone on the defensive line as well, and that unit needs to be overhauled. Christian Toupou does return, along with several veterans looking for more playing time and young, athletic players as well.
Said Carroll on his team: "Every season presents new and different challenges, as is certainly the case this year, but we do have the ingredients to have another very good team."
The Trojans open the season September 5 at San Jose State before traveling to Ohio State on September 12.
The Beavers will travel to Los Angeles to play the Trojans on October 24. Last year, when the two teams met at Reser Stadium, Oregon State shocked the Trojans with a 27-21 victory that is now nominated for an ESPY as "Upset of the Year".
--Jake (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)
6 comments
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[UPDATED] Darwin Barney Headed to AAA Iowa, Should Stay Above AA "Long-Term"
by Jake Bertalotto
on Jul 1, 2009 2:29 PM PDT
in Former Beavers
3 comments
Monday, Darwin Barney learned that he had been selected for the AA Southern League All Star game to be played at Regions Park in Birmingham, Ala., on July 13.
Tuesday, he learned he is moving up to Triple-A Iowa.
The Beaverton, Ore. native who played his high school ball at Southridge High School hit .317 in Double-A and has hardly hit under .300 in the minor leagues. Even dating back to his three years at Oregon State, Darwin's lowest batting average with any given teams was the .273 he hit with the Peiroa Chiefs in 44 games in his rookie year in the Chicago organization.
He hit .317 in 74 games with Double-A Tennessee, going 80-for-252 from the plate. He had 12 doubles and three home runs.
The Iowa Cubs will be the fourth team that Darwin has played for in his minor league career, but he's kept moving in the right direction--up. After his performance in AA, his former manager, Ryne Sandberg, thinks that Darwin will stick in Triple-A:
"Yeah, it's long-term," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He proved himself here. He was an all-star and hit over .300 the whole time."
Sandburg has also ascended through the Cubs organizaion in recent years. He coached Darwin last year at Single-A Peoria.
"I've had him for two years. He'll fit right in [with Iowa]."
Darwin now becomes the eighth infielder on Iowa's roster, but only the second listed as a true shortstop. Anderson Machado out of Caracas, Venezuela is the other player listed as a shortstop, and he is only hitting .175 in the minors.
The current shorstop on the big-league club is Ryan Theriot. Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue had this to say on Theriot:
Theriot will be the Cub SS for a couple more years, unless new ownership comes in and sweeps out the baseball department. Theriot really is a better 2B; he doesn't really have the arm for SS, but Lou likes him. He's hitting better this year than last.
He's not really "young", either. He'll be 30 in December. If you want to start a firestorm on the Cubs website, go there and say you like Theriot's "scrappiness".
Theriot is in his ninth year in the Cubs organization. Like Darwin, Theriot also won a College World Series ring... he was on the LSU team that won it all in 2000.
[UPDATE] This from Josh Timmers, Bleed Cubbie Blue's minor league expert:
His chances of making it to the majors seem pretty good now. He's probably third on the Cubs list of minor league shortstops after Starlin Castro and Hak-ju Lee, but Barney is likely to be ready to make the majors a lot sooner than either of those two are. The issue is how much the Cubs want to stick with Theriot at SS next season. Theriot really could get moved over to second base and Barney could be there next season--there is no way that either Castro or Lee are ready for next year, but Barney could be.
I've gotten some reports from our readers that he was making a lot of stupid errors in TN--that doesn't jive with the stuff I've been getting from "official" sources that say the Cubs are really happy with Barney's defense. He's hit really well in TN, so he got promoted to IA because with Andres Blanco in Chicago, the Iowa Cubs needed an everyday shortstop. This is interesting because the Cubs had been trying to keep Barney together with FSU second baseman Tony Thomas, trying to build a chemistry between the two of them. Either the Cubs figured the chemistry was already there or that their hand was forced by Blanco going to Chicago or they've given up on Thomas keeping up with Barney.
The Cubs clearly consider Starlin Castro to be the shortstop of the future--he's a 19 year old who is hitting over .300 in High-A Daytona. But three things could happen to Barney. One, is that he gets to play SS in Chicago next season and Theriot is moved over to 2B and the Cubs worry about Castro later when he's ready. The next is he could get traded to another team that is willing to start him. The third is that Castro gets moved and Barney has a long time in Chicago.
I've often compared Barney to Pittsburgh SS Jack Wilson--not likely to be an all-star, but a strong glove and a bat that won't hurt you. He's not quite the defensive wizard that Wilson is, but he'll likely hit a little more.
So now, the question: How long will Darwin stay in Triple-A?
--Jake (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)
3 comments
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Darwin Barney Promoted to AAA in Cubs Organization
Per WVLT Knoxville:
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Smokies, Class AA minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, announce a series of roster moves today. RHP Andrew Cashner and INF Nate Samson have been promoted from High-A Daytona. In corresponding moves, SS Darwin Barney has been promoted to Triple-A Iowa, while LHP Casey Lambert has been placed on the DL with left elbow stiffness.
3 days ago
Jake Bertalotto
4 comments
0 recs
College Football Preview, Part 4 of 11
by ConnorOSU
on Jun 30, 2009 12:00 AM PDT
in Football
3 comments
[Please shift the site to wide view with the buttons on the LEFT side of the screen to view this post. If that doesn't work... click on the story title above to view the post on a wider page.]
Tortuga12 from Addicted to Quack and I will be doing a 11 part College Football Preview throughout the Summer. Today we will be doing Conference Championship and Bowl Game Predictions. Mine will be in BOLD and Tortuga's will be in regular font.
ACC Championship C-USA Championship MAC Championship
Florida State vs Virginia Tech East Carolina vs Tulsa Buffalo vs Ball State
Big 12 Championship SEC Championship New Mexico Bowl
Missouri vs Oklahoma Georgia vs Alabama Colorado State vs La. Tech
St. Petersburg Bowl New Orleans Bowl Las Vegas Bowl
Rutgers vs Rice Troy vs UCF Kansas vs Utah
Poinsettia Bowl Hawaii Bowl Motor City Bowl
Arizona vs TCU UTEP vs Hawaii Buffalo vs Iowa
Meineke Car Care Bowl Emerald Bowl Music City Bowl
Wake Forest vs Cincinnati Maryland vs Oregon State Virginia vs South Carolina
Independence Bowl Eagle Bank Bowl Champs Sports Bowl
Minnesota vs Vanderbilt Army vs North Carolina BC vs Michigan State
Humanitarian Bowl Holiday Bowl Texas Bowl
Air Force vs Nevada Arizona State vs Tennessee Kansas vs Navy
Armed Forces Bowl Sun Bowl Insight Bowl
BYU vs Rice California vs West Virginia NW vs Texas Tech
Chick-fil-A Bowl Outback Bowl Gator Bowl
Florida State vs LSU Penn State vs Mississippi Georgia Tech vs Okla State
Capital One Bowl Rose Bowl Sugar Bowl
Wisconsin vs Florida Ohio State vs USC Alabama vs Boise State
International Bowl Papajohns.com Bowl Cotton Bowl
Connecticut vs Western Michigan South Florida vs Kentucky Neb. vs South Carolina
Liberty Bowl Alamo Bowl Fiesta Bowl
Tulsa vs Auburn Ilinois vs Texas Missouri vs Utah
Orange Bowl GMAC Bowl BCS National Title
Virginia Tech vs Oregon East Carolina vs Ball State Georgia vs Oklahoma
Tortuga12's Picks after the jump
3 comments | 0 recs
Astoria's Jordan Poyer wins Brian T. Meehan Oregon Baseball Player of the Year award
"Astoria outfielder Jordan Poyer, who plans to play football and baseball at Oregon State next year, was selected the first Brian T. Meehan Oregon Baseball Player of the Year. The award, to be presented annually by The Oregonian, recognizes a top senior high school player in Oregon."
4 days ago
rvm
0 comments
0 recs
Get out and VOTE for OSU in the ESPYs
by Jake Bertalotto
on Jun 29, 2009 10:17 AM PDT
in Football
0 comments
The nomination has been announced, the plane tickets have been booked, and now all that's left to do is ensure that Mike Riley, James Rodgers, and Jacquizz Rodgers will come home from July 15th's taping of the ESPY awards holding some hardware.
The Beavers will be competing with Mine that Bird, Team USA (soccer), and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Click the following link to vote:
http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/specialsection/espys2009/#/home/
You can encourage your friends to do the same by sending them an e-mail to this post... just click the "e-mail" button below.
--Jake (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)
0 comments | 0 recs
College Football Preview, Part 3 of 11
by ConnorOSU
on Jun 29, 2009 9:59 AM PDT
13 comments
[Please shift the site to wide view with the buttons on the LEFT side of the screen to view this post. If that doesn't work... click on the story title above to view the post on a wider page.]
Tortuga12 from Addicted to Quack and I will be doing a 11 part College Football Preview throughout the Summer. Today we will be doing game-by-game predictions for each Pac-10 team. My picks will be in BOLD and Tortuga's will be in regular font.
USC Oregon Arizona State
San Jose State, Win @ Boise State, Loss Idaho State, Win
@ Ohio State, Loss Purdue, Win Louisiana-Monroe, Win
@ Washington, Win Utah, Win @ Georgia, Loss
Washington State, Win California, Win Oregon State, Win
@ California, Win Washington State, Win @ Washington State, Win
@ Notre Dame, Win @ UCLA, Win Washington, Win
Oregon State, Win @ Washington, Win @ Stanford, Win
@ Oregon, Win USC, Loss California, Loss
@ Arizona State, Loss @ Stanford, Win USC, Win
Stanford, Win Arizona State, Win @ Oregon, Loss
UCLA, Win @ Arizona, Win @ UCLA, Loss
Arizona, Win Oregon State, Win Arizona, Win
California Oregon State Arizona
Maryland, Win Portland State, Win Central Michigan, Win
Eastern Washington, Win @ UNLV, Win Northern Arizona, Win
@ Minnesota, Win Cincinnati, Win @ Iowa, Loss
@ Oregon, Loss Arizona, Win @ Oregon State, Loss
USC, Loss @ Arizona State, Loss @ Washington, Win
@ UCLA, Win Stanford, Win Stanford, Win
Washington State, Win @ USC, Loss UCLA, Win
@ Arizona State, Win UCLA, Win Washington State, Win
Oregon State, Loss @ California, Win @ California, Loss
Arizona, Win Washington, Win @ Oregon, Loss
@ Stanford, Win @ Washington State, Win @ Arizona State, Loss
@ Washington, Win @ Oregon, Loss @ USC, Loss
Stanford UCLA Washington
@ Washington State, Win San Diego State, Win LSU, Loss
@ Wake Forest, Loss @ Tennessee, Loss Idaho, Win
San Jose State, Win Kansas State, Win USC, Loss
Washington, Win @ Stanford, Loss @ Stanford, Loss
UCLA, Win Oregon, Loss @ Notre Dame, Loss
@ Oregon State, Loss California, Loss Arizona, Loss
@ Arizona, Loss @ Arizona, Loss @ Arizona State, Loss
Arizona State, Loss @ Oregon State, Loss Oregon, Loss
Oregon, Loss Washington, Win @ UCLA, Loss
@ USC, Loss @ Washington State, Loss @ Oregon State, Loss
California, Loss Arizona State, Win Washington State, Win
Notre Dame, Win @ USC, Loss California, Loss
Washington State
Stanford, Loss
vs. Hawaii, Win
SMU, Win
@ USC, Loss
@ Oregon, Loss
Arizona State, Loss
@ California, Loss
vs. Notre Dame, Loss
@ Arizona, Loss
UCLA, Win
Oregon State, Loss
@ Washington, Loss
Tortuga's Picks after the jump
13 comments | 0 recs
Tri City Dust Devils vs Vancouver Canadians Game Recap
by ConnorOSU
on Jun 27, 2009 8:43 AM PDT
in Former Beavers
9 comments
The Dust Devils defeated Vancouver on Thursday night by a final score of 8-3. Former Beavers Ryan Ortiz and Joey Wong played in the game. Ryan went 2 for 4 with a Single, Double, RBI, and Two Strikeouts. Joey had a rough game, going 0 for 3 with a Strikeout, Sacrifice, and Fly Out.
In the second inning Austin Rauch doubled to Center Field and scored Matthew Sanders to give the Dust Devils a 1-0 lead. In the third inning, Tri City brought three runners across the plate on three hits to make the score, 4-0. The fourth inning for Tri City started out with a Single from Jeremiah Sammy followed by a Joey Wong Sacrifice Bunt to move Jeremiah over to second. Tri City brought three runs across the plate in the fourth to break the game open.
In the fifth inning Vancouver brought in two runs on three hits to make the score, 7-2. With two outs in the sixth inning, Ryan Ortiz doubled in another run to make the score, 7-3. Tri City added an insurance run in the eighth inning to make the final score, 8-3.
The Winning Pitcher was Eric Federico who improved to 2-0 on the season. Ricardo Penalba was credited with the loss, falling to 1-1 on the year.
The Dust Devils improved to 6-1, as the Canadians fell to 3-4. Both teams will meet again tonight at 7:15 PM to cap off the long five game series between the clubs.
9 comments | 0 recs
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