Pat Casey looks at why his Beavers are suddenly getting their tails kicked
A good Kerry Eggers piece on the OSU baseball season. I agree with much of his assessment. One thing that really stood out for me was the level of pessimism Casey had within some of his comments, and how he tried hard to look at the bright side but really there wasn't much there beyond "Our guys are trying very hard to win" generalization. From my reading of it I agree with Eggers here: "It doesn’t look like that will happen this season. For now, the mojo is gone."
I think in an objective thought process there is a chance to bounce back with 3 out of the 4 remaining series at home and playing three teams that actually the Beavs should match up well with, but I just see no indication of any type of bounce in this team right now. And if indeed it is a done deal this season it is going to be interesting to see how this set of players bounce back next year. Will they learn anything? Will it create a more humble winning environment with what obviously seems like a bunch of young and talented but yet too ahead of themselves players?
about 2 years ago
rvm
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My new philosophy on the season
Instead of thinking about how bad we have been, I’m going to think about what we need to do to make the Tourney.
For starters, I think we need to take the series from Oregon, and then beat San Diego on Monday. If we can’t do that, then I would say we are officialy out of contention.
I Hate Your Ducks
Wish I could go there
But to be honest I’m in the Beavs need to prove it to me, otherwise I don’t see them winning any series the rest of the way in. I thought the Cal one was there for the taking and they did nothing with those games, so I’m in the make me eat my words with it all right now.
-RVM
by rvm on May 5, 2010 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions
As usual, I agree.
Harsh as it is, this isn’t a CWS team. The only way these boys get to Omaha is if their parents are taking them on a really crappy vacation this summer. Sad but true.
My adjusted expectations are:
1. A strong finish, marked with improvement, good play and a winning finish to the season.
2. Emergence of some team leaders.
3. A solid, strong rotation is established.
4. Win the UO series. All this talk of them “catching” up is kind’ve gross. This year we’re down but come on people, kiss the rings.
1 = Yep
2 = Yep
3 = Yep
4 = Yep, with the qualifier that I have to say the duckies have improved to the point the games we play with them should be better overall games, but the Beavs have not lived up to their end of the bargain this year. Plus I’m just plain much more worried about OSU over UO in baseball right now!
-RVM
by rvm on May 7, 2010 2:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, all credit to the ducks but this is one of our most inconsistent teams in a long time. They’ve improved, obviously, and Horton’s a great coach, but crap, we’ve really pissed the season away.
But still, phrases like, “turn the tables” and “catch up” or “role reversal” are all a little over the top.
My adjusted expectations
1. Making a Regional. I can’t stand to think about the Ducks name getting called on the Selection Show and not us.
2. Emergence of a leader.
3. To see that Peavey and Gaviglio of old.
4. Win the Oregon Series.
I Hate Your Ducks
1 = Yep, but not sure it will happen, sorry, we’ll see how I feel after this weekend.
2 = Yep
3 = Hell yes, what indeed happened to especially Peavey this season? Gaviglio had the injury so I’m giving him a bit more leeway.
4 = Yep
-RVM
by rvm on May 7, 2010 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Even if we go undefeated the rest of the way,
do you think we’d have enough to make the tournament?
Undefeated = Yes totally! That would give them a 37 and 17 record overall (I think if I did the math correctly), a winning record in the Pac, and also means beating ASU an excellent team, and beating UO, San Diego, and UA three very good teams.
Post Season = I think they can make it by winning all the remaining conference series and in non-conference making sure to beat Seattle and win over either UO or San Diego (and I think they could possibly lose still both to UO and San Diego and make it in the non-conference games as long as they take care of Seattle). And I actually think they could win three out of the four series and lose the ASU one 2 and 1 and still have a shot as long as they play ASU tough all three games.
Reality Check = But that all said the “objective” numbers stuff is in place for the Beavs to be just fine BUT the reality is that they are not playing right now at a level to even win ANY of the four remaining series. Mathematically we are still in it, but the way they are playing it is not even close to having a chance to make the post season. They need to turn it around this weekend, in a pretty big way, and at the very least win the series. Personally, I don’t know if that can happen this season, and if it does it will be one of the more impressive OSU sports turn arounds I can remember.
What are your thoughts?
-RVM
Reality bites...
At this point, after watching and listening to some very bad baseball, I just want our boys to end the year on an upswing and show some growth. Casey’s team has taken a giant step back this year but I have a good feeling that with the experience and talent—and top notch talent coming in—next year will be better. Not to say I’m cashing my chips in early this year, but I’ve crossed the CWS off my list of expectations and simply want to see improvement and growth.
This is one of the top baseball programs in the nation and Casey has done it the right way, building it from the ground up over time. I know the Beavs will be back and I want to see them start their road to recovery TONIGHT against the ducks.
GO BEAVERS!
I've tuned out thoughts of Omaha for now.
This team needs to do more on the field for me to think about Omaha or the letters C, W and S…
rvm has nailed it.
The Beavs need to figure out how to play better ball at-bat to at-bat, and inning to inning, because even winning games a) won’t happen until that happens, and b) will take care of itself if they can figure that out.
Realistically, I see the rest of this season as a time to learn how to play better, and be prepared to follow through on a good start to next year. Anything else is gravy.
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
I’m thinking of going on Sunday. It’s either I go to the game or put up fence posts in my front yard while listening to the game… decisions… decisions…
Have you been to any games this season? If not you should go to at least one.
Who knows, maybe it will be the one we can all look back on as the one that saved the season. Who knows…
-RVM
by rvm on May 7, 2010 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Well one down, barely...
Damn, the little things and they actually went a bit our way for once!
Miller wins it after missing two bunt attempts, and wins it on a UO error when he FINALLY gets the ball into play.
I can only hope that is a bit of a spark for the Beavs, it looked like it.
Have to like that yes it was an ugly win, but they actually played well on the defensive/pitching side, game MVP to K-rod!
-RVM
by rvm on May 7, 2010 8:42 PM PDT up reply actions
peavey gets props for 7 1/3 and only 1 run allowed. big time pitching performance when osu desperately needed one
Totally!
Yeah, he did come through after some really rough starts this last month of play and deserves a ton of props indeed.
I just got fired up by Kevin though and with how he’s struggled it was great to see him pull the team out of the brink of losing in a couple key situations. Man, with what we have been through lately I so thought it was over when they got runners in scoring position there in the late innings. But yes Peavey did indeed set it all up to keep us in the game to end up winning it, no doubt about that.
Got to give Carter Bell some props too for taking that ball to the head!
-RVM
by rvm on May 7, 2010 9:27 PM PDT up reply actions
So we can actually win and win a close game!
Didn’t give up and got to like that!
Two more to go though, and still a ways to recovering this season, but as AndyPanda said one bat, one inning, one game at a time.
-RVM
by rvm on May 7, 2010 8:44 PM PDT up reply actions
That is a HUGE win
I don’t want to get over-dramatic or anything, but that might be the win we needed to get our confidence back. For the first time in what seems like forever, I’m actually pumped about this team.
Am I gettting too excited after a game that we won on an error? Probably. But hey, we need something to get excited about.
I Hate Your Ducks
I'm excited
But maybe not as much as you are. I know I said upstairs there that one bat, one inning, one game, but I won’t really start to feel the full “believing” unless we win this series.
BUT, man, I loved the fire Rhoderick was showing and the spirit the team showed in winning, and I liked the defensive play and for the most part the pitching.
But again kind-of calling it all out and they need to take it up yet another notch tomorrow and win in a more solid way.
But, hell yes this is so much a better feeling than what we have been used to for the last month.
-RVM
by rvm on May 7, 2010 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions
"But hey, we need something to get excited about."
Agreed! And like your team spirit too!
-RVM
by rvm on May 7, 2010 8:59 PM PDT up reply actions
It took a miracle to win a game
A couple of weeks ago I commented that it would take a miracle to save this season. Others said that things weren’t as bad as that. But then the Beavs lost several more games. Badly. Embarrassingly. Finally, most fans accepted the fact that the season was unsalvageable. Even Mike Parker began to take a detached, humorous approach to the Beavers’ inept play.
Tonight, miraculously, the Beavs beat the Ducks, or more accurately, the Ducks beat the Ducks. Suddenly, some fans are wondering out loud whether Oregon State can get a post-season bid if they win out from here on, or at least win every series. Please. The Beavs can’t count on hit batters and throwing errors to give them a victory every game. I know, they had good pitching tonight to put them in a position to take advantage of the Duck error. But I still say it would take a miracle for them to put together a 15-game streak of strong pitching and hitting (e.g., under 3.0 ERA and over .300 hitting, scoring an average of 3-4 runs a game) to finish the season.
Sort of true to a point, and...
If you are referring to the comments above you need to read our comments a bit more carefully about our expectations especially in terms of the post season chances. First interestingly enough the remarks about any possible chances all came before tonight’s game was even played, and for the actual expectations I would say that none of us in this thread are actually jumping on any post season bandwagon and indeed all of us are pretty much doubting at this point in time it is even a possibility with how the team is playing.
-RVM
After a careful reading...
I see that you’re right. The bandwagon is sits empty in the barn. But if Casey would just put that older, walk-on player into the lineup. You know, the one with a bat named “Wonderboy.” It would be the miracle we’ve been waiting for.
Yep, and after last night’s game, as nice as it was to win finally, I still don’t see the “wonderboy” miracle happening. Miracles can happen, but I’m one to acknowledge them when they happen and I’m not even close to proclaiming one will happen this season.
Right now I’m like everyone else here and I just want to see some growth, which even though it was an ugly win last night there was growth to be seen finally. Will it carry over this weekend? No idea.
-RVM
by rvm on May 8, 2010 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions
A second miracle!
A Duck passed ball gives the Beavers a series win! Last night it was two hit batters and a throwing error. Maybe they’ll walk four in a row to give the Beavs the win and the series on Sunday.
Ah, huh, what? I kind-of feel good and kind-of don't...
WTHeck, we just won a series!
Not sure what to make out of this series so far. Whatever it takes I guess, but dang UO is not impressing me with their clutch play, although OSU isn’t impressing me with holding leads either!
Well another miracle win I guess, but damnit that ain’t going to cut it against San Diego, ASU, and UA. They are getting it done however which is MUCH MUCH better than we have seen with those big losses, but they need to again to take another step up.
But hey at least we won a series, wow can’t believe the last series win was the opening one at SC.
This one against UO has been a wild and wacky one, not sure I have the energy left to watch what the teams are going to do tomorrow.
-RVM
Well, it beats losing
The improvement in Beaver pitching is welcome news, but the batters are still in a slump. What did they manage today, five hits to the Ducks’ fifteen? Duck misplays have given the Beavs two straight games. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, the Beavs are going to end up in or near the conference cellar if they can’t finish up the season with some hits.
Good News and Bad News
First, the Bad News.
1. Obviously, the 9th Inning.
2. Only getting 6 Hits, and giving up 13.
Now, the Good News.
1. Even though the 9th Sucked, we could of easily given up and let the Ducks win it. But we stuck with it, with held TWO Leadoff Doubles in the 10th and 11th, and won the game.
2. The Ducks constantly got their leadoff batter on base, and the only inning they cashed that in was the 9th.
3. Pitching was great, except for the 9th.
4. Biggest Crowd of the season
Duck fans will say that we didn’t deserve this win because we won on a Wild Pitch, but they shouldn’t have even tied it up in the first place. We also started getting back to Beaver Baseball today. Great Pitching, a Home Run, and just putting the ball in play to get the two other runs. I’m very proud of the guys. They deserved that one.
I Hate Your Ducks
Yep, I’m very glad they won, even on a wild pitch, and agree with you for they had no reason to let the ducks back into it in the ninth. We almost handed it to them and then they handed it back, so a little justice there (ASU won’t be so kind though!).
Have a great time tomorrow and looking forward to the pics.
-RVM
by rvm on May 8, 2010 8:02 PM PDT up reply actions
Can't wait for tomorrow
I’ll be the one with the Broom in the Right Field Bleachers. I’ll try to get some good pictures and post them on here later.
Go Beavs!
I Hate Your Ducks
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