ASU Baseball 2024

[AZCB34]

Side thought. Oregon State is truly a baseball juggernaut these days. I wonder just how bad things will turn for the program after the PAC finally dies. Hopefully they can maintain their dominance in spite of that

 

[SeattleCardinal]

OSU believes it has the brand to compete successfully as an independent and it turned down a chance to play in the WCC. It will be interesting to watch how that goes.

Oregon State baseball to play independent schedule in 2025, giving Beavers chance to ‘create our own identity and do something special’ amid conference realignment

OSU officials are still ironing out many of the details, but the schedule will likely feature opponents from a variety of conferences, including the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, Big West, WCC, WAC and the current Pac-12.

www.oregonlive.com

 

[AZCB34]

Well…

Heading into this past week, I didn’t have the highest expectations. I was hopeful they could split the 4 game week and it started off ok with a walk-off win over GCU. Oregon State baseball is no joke so I was hoping to get one of those games. Didn’t happen.

ASU battled tough on both Friday and Sunday but could not scratch out a win. The pitching, which for a stretch this season seemed to be coming together, has regressed back to what they were early on. They cannot seem to hold leads. Injuries are certainly not helping the situation and neither is the number of freshman arms being utilized.

The hitting is coming back but this team just doesn’t put together great at bats when they are needed most. I don’t get overly worked up about ABs with RISP since I know the opposing team is trying to stop the hitters, however, I really cringe when guys strike out and strike out looking in critical situations. Case in point: Top 8 and first two hitters reach base with ASU down 9-7. ASU has their 3-4-5 hitters coming up so things feel decent. K looking, K swinging at pitchers out of the zone and weak grounder to 3rd. Inning over. Just happens too often.

No real observations for the week since it’s more of the same issues. They have about 25 games left I think. They probably need to win 18-20 of them plus a run in the final PAC tournament and maybe they sneak into postseason. The problem is there is no indication they can pull that off.

Up next a Tuesday nighter at GCU and home weekend series against a surprisingly good Utah team. Gotta take 3 off these minimum.

 

[Mainstreet]

What a demoralizing way to play in front of alumni who paid for a statute to honor ASU's greatest baseball coach, Bobby Winkles.

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[Mainstreet]

Here is the unveiling of the statue of Bobby Winkles.

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[AZCB34]

Realistically, the season is cooked and done. The devils have a fairly “easy” schedule closing out the year but worth this team, easy means nothing.

The Devils went 1-3 last week and the week was a microcosm of the season. Shaky hitting, especially with RISP, shaky pitching and a team at a loss for answers.

Most observers guessed that they would be poised, even with the shaky pitching, to get into a regional. They are not fully eliminated from a regional but they have not shown they are capable of doing what needs to be done to make it.

If not for the ghastly situation in the AD office, I think Bloomquist might be on a hot seat but since ASU is showing to be incompetent at most things athletic, he will keep his job into next year. There will be massive roster turnover in all likelihood and that creates uncertainty for next season.

Up next 2 weeknight games at a truly struggling blue chip program in CS Fullerton and then a weekend series at a truly struggling UCLA. If ever there was a get right week, this is it

 

[AZCB34]

What a demoralizing way to play in front of alumni who paid for a statute to honor ASU's greatest baseball coach, Bobby Winkles.

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That game was brutal. You tip your cap to the Utah pitcher but oh my did ASU have an atrocious game. Only 3 base runners all night and none even got to 2nd. Bullpen imploded in 6th inning and turned a tough game into a rout

 

[AZCB34]

What a strange week but, as it turns out, it was a good week. Sure didn’t look like it would be though.

Opened the week with two weeknight games against a really struggling Cal State Fullerton team. ASU opened with a win driven more by pitching than hitting. They on Wednesday ASU got run ruled. Yup, ASU got torched 14-4 in just 7 innings.

That left a bad taste going into the weekend. UCLA is having a terrible season but ASU has been very meh as well. ASU decided enough is enough and swept the Bruins outscoring then 26-6 across the 3 game series.

Observations

- Kien Vu started the year as a 4th-ish OF and was getting spot time and producing. He continued producing whenever called upon and so when production issues came up in the OF he has been getting more and more playing time…and this kid is producing like crazy. I heard a stat on the Sunday live stream that he hit over .500 for the week. Every AB and this kid is doing something

- Isaiah Jackson is one of the struggling OF but he got a start on Sunday and did ok at the plate. But he made a HR robbing catch in CF that somehow did not make ESPN Top 10 plays. It was a sight to behold.

Hopefully this team keeps stacking wins. Up next, no weeknight games this week. Weekend home series against a struggling USC team. The rest and another struggling opponent…hopefully a series win but a sweep would be nice.

 

[AZCB34]

Oops. Jackson’s catch did make top 10:

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