For all effective purposes, Oregon’s baseball season is over.
The Ducks have a three-game home series with Oregon State this weekend that concludes the regular season, and then it’s back to offseason training for George Horton’s squad.
The disappointing nature of Oregon’s year has been well-chronicled by many — a preseason top-15 squad has limped to an 8-16 record in Pacific-10 Conference play, highlighted by inconsistent bullpen pitching and anemic hitting. @@http://www.goducks.com/downloads2/416707.htm?ATCLID=205153871&SPSID=94835&SPID=11401&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
As a result, the Civil War has become a matter of pride — with a series win, the Ducks can stake their claim to being the best college team in the state, at least in head-to-head matchups (they’ve already won three of four from Portland). They can also prevent the Beavers from winning the Pac-10’s regular season title. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=11401&SPSID=94835@@
But it’s also a time for the Ducks and their fans to recognize and commemorate the efforts of several players who have helped Oregon establish itself as a contender in the Pac-10 — if not this year, then in years to come.
A flock of Ducks have taken part in each of Oregon’s three seasons since baseball was reinstated — Madison Boer, Tyler Anderson, Joey Housey, Alex Keudell, Scott McGough, Danny Pulfer and KC Serna.
While several of those players will likely return to Eugene next year to complete their collegiate eligibility, three Ducks — Anderson, Boer and McGough — are among Baseball America’s top-200 draft prospects. Others, like Pulfer, are likely to be drafted as well.
If this is their last weekend wearing a Duck uniform, it’s as good a time as any to look back on their careers.
There’s no better place to start than with Tyler Anderson, who has become one of the faces of Duck baseball.
After a tough debut season, Anderson has cemented his status as one of the best amateur pitchers on the West Coast. Last year, Anderson led the Ducks’ starting rotation with a 2.98 ERA (fifth-best in the Pac-10 among starters), while setting a new Oregon single-season record with 105 strikeouts. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=204892502@@
He’s only gotten better this season, keeping opposing hitters at bay to the tune of a 2.42 ERA (despite a horrendous outing in his start last weekend at Washington State), and he is the team leader in wins with seven. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=94835&SPID=11401&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=204892848@@
Then there’s Danny Pulfer, who has elevated his draft stock exponentially with a fantastic junior year. Pulfer, who had an average sophomore season and was even taken out of the lineup after scuffling at the beginning of this year, has put together a fantastic junior campaign. He’s hitting a team-high .352, and he has emerged as the spiritual leader of the squad. His contributions to Oregon’s program are hard to quantify. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205099773@@
Despite being yanked around between the bullpen and starting rotation, pitcher Madison Boer had put together a special season. He’s the team leader in ERA (among pitchers who have thrown at least 20 innings) at 2.31, and he has been a calming force in whatever role he’s been asked to fill. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205099773@@
Even though his fastball still consistently sits in the mid-90s, Scott McGough has struggled at times. He has a 3-6 record to go along with a 3.60 ERA, and he has had trouble being consistent.
Finally, Finally, three Ducks will definitely be playing in their final college series — seniors Shawn Peterson, Kellen Moen, and Mitch Karraker. Both Moen and Peterson played two years at junior colleges before matriculating to Oregon and have made meaningful contributions since they’ve arrived. Karraker’s playing time has been limited this season, but he made numerous contributions in 2009 and 2010.
For all we know, many of the aforementioned Ducks could decide to return to Eugene next year, for one last run. And several certainly played a role in Oregon’s disappointing season.
But, they’ve been the heart and backbone of a team that, while not always successful, will always be remembered as the group that ushered baseball back to the University.
For that, they deserve a standing ovation this weekend, no matter what the scoreboard says.