Gonzaga @ Oregon (Ducks win series 2-0)

[Coastal Duck]

Thanks o-track - I just now got to the broadcast.

BTW - what juniors do you expect to see back for their senior years?

Do you get a feeling that Coach might want to get into the JC ranks for a "1-and-done" guy (read "certain 1st or 2nd round pick to fill the Friday starter role?

[duckgrad99]

Wow, talk about a couple of statement games.

[duck55]

some power would be welcome as well

Just read an article in the Salem paper on Sunday about how hitting is down through-out the NCAA due to new Bat regulations being imposed this year. I imagine guys like Serna are casualties of these new regs. This will carry over into next years class I believe.

[oregontrack]

any way the Ducks make the postseason?

If we go 6-1 the rest of the way we'd finish 34-25-1, and we'd have series wins over Tournament teams like Arizona, Stanford, and Oregon State. Our RPI is up to #70, which is okay, but two more series wins (including a series win over Oregon State, who has an RPI of #19) would likely push us into the top 50. I think that would be enough to get us in. I really think we have to sweep up in Pullman.

[oregontrack]

Thanks o-track - I just now got to the broadcast.

BTW - what juniors do you expect to see back for their senior years?

Do you get a feeling that Coach might want to get into the JC ranks for a "1-and-done" guy (read "certain 1st or 2nd round pick to fill the Friday starter role?

It's really hard to project who stays/leaves because there are 50 rounds in the draft, and even marginal players get picked; if a kid is just tired of school and wants to start his minor league career, he could choose to leave. This is how we lost Drew Gagnier last year, who by all rights did not have a good season.

I think Anderson, Boer, Kuedell, McGough (yes, really), Pulfer, and Serna will get selected. Anderson will be a first rounder and is gone. With Boer's size and versatility, I think he's gone, too. I think Kuedell comes back, I think McGough comes back. Pulfer depends on what round he goes in, and what kind of signing bonus he could expect. He's got no power, and he's not the world's best defensive 2B. I don't know how his arm strength projects to the next level. But he can get on base, and he certainly swings a good bat. It just depends on what round a team decides to take a singles-hitting infielder. If he's not in the top 10 rounds, I'd bank on him coming back. I think Serna gets dinged a bit for struggling this year, but I think his ceiling is higher than Pulfer's at the next level. But there's no way he's a Major League shortstop. With Serna, you also have to factor in all his suspensions and what kind of relationship he has with Horton at this point. He might not care that he can raise his stock by coming back for his senior year.

Really though, it's tough to forecast the baseball draft. Anderson you can take to the bank, I THINK Boer is gone, everyone else... I guess I think they'll be back, but wouldn't at all be surprised if they don't.

To answer your second question, I don't know if anyone playing JC ball right now would do better in a Friday night role than Jones or Kuedell or, if we might be so lucky, Boer would in 2012. We might try to get another starter (in fact, I'm sure we will) but I'd bank on one of those three going on Fridays next year. I think some of our freshman (Clayton, Tessar) project well as future starters.

Edit: If we do lose Anderson and Boer, I think we'd go Kuedell/Jones (whoever looks better in fall/early spring ball) Friday/Saturday, Clayton on Sundays, and incoming freshman Sam Johnson might just be the primary midweek guy. Johnson's from Westview HS, and one of the state's top prospects (if he's not #1, Oregon State-bound Jace Frye is).