GoDucks.com

Things started off right for the Pac 12 in the 2013 MLB Draft as Stanford Cardinal Mark Appel went #1 Overall to the Houston Astros. In the first 15 Rounds, the Conference had 24 players taken this year. However that doesn’t mean that all of that talent will head to the Minors. For a good part of the players taken, it is decision time. Do they stay or do they go?

For Oregon, who had six players taken, a handful have to make that choice.

Friday kicked off with Junior Ryon Healy off the board first chosen by The Oakland A’s in the Third Round.  Junior Pitcher Jimmy Sherfy was chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Pitcher Cole Wiper by the Texas Rangers.

Over the weekend Senior Shortstop J.J. Altobelli was taken in the 18th round by the St Louis Cardinals(he is the only Senior chosen for the Ducks). Lefthander Redshirt Junior Christian Jones was picked by the San Francisco Giants in the 18th Round. Junior Outfielder Brett Thomas was chosen by the Seattle Mariners in the 21st Round.

A majority of these six can return to school or leave and chase their dream of playing in the big leagues. The biggest losses for the Ducks, if they decided to depart, would be Sherfy and Healy. From the sound of the final Press Conference of the year after the loss at home to Rice, it sounded like Healy was departing with Altobelli. It is now a waiting game until these 5 players who have elegibility remaining to make a decision.

Do they stay another year for experience, honing their skills and another College World Series run,  or do they leave early and start working their way to the Major leagues?

Oregon Ducks This Week:

Fans can vote for Sherfy at GoldenSpikesAward.com – the three finalists will be announced on Friday at 2pm.

Press Release from the U of O:

Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon closer Jimmie Sherfy is one of 30 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award, USA Baseball announced on Thursday.

Sherfy, a 2012 All-American and finalist for the Stopper of the Year Award, was also on the award’s preseason watch list and its midseason watch list. He is the active career leader in strikeouts per nine innings with more than 13 Ks per nine innings, while also ranking second on the active career saves list with 39. The right-hander enters the NCAA Eugene Regional this week second in saves during the 2013 season with 20, while boasting a 2-0 record with a 1.67 ERA.

The three finalists for the award will be announced on Tuesday, June 4 with the winner being named on Friday, July 19.

Oregon Ducks This Week:

GoDucks.com

In the latest Baseball America Poll the Ducks drop to #11 and UCLA, who is tied with the Ducks in the Pac 12 Standings moves up to #8 after sweeping USC over the weekend.

Oregon still has a lot to play for and should be able to take care of business in the final weekend of the regular season at Utah.

The Ducks are on a roll and closer Jimmie Sherfy has an Oregon record 20 saves on the season. According to GoDucks.com the ‘rotation’ switch with Tommy Thorpe in front was a good thing and actually lowered the staff ERA:

Since Oregon changed its weekend rotation before the California series; the three starters– Tommy Thorpe, Cole Irvin and Jake Reed– have combined for a 1.84 ERA and the Ducks have gone 14-4 in those starts. All three have lowered their ERAs with Thorpe posting a 1.29 ERA after the change compared to a 3.35 before. Irvin has a 2.05 ERA in the six starts since the change was made opposed to a 3.11 before the move. Reed has a 2.23 after and a 3.75 before. Oregon was 16-8 in their starts when the rotation went Reed, Thorpe and Irvin.

Baseball is a funny game and has its ups and downs. Oregon should get back on track to close out the season and this upcoming Sunday is important as well:

(Update) The Oregon State game scheduled for Tuesday has been cancelled due to rain and will not be made up. This is not a good sign for the Ducks. They will split the season series with Oregon State for who reigns supreme in the State of Oregon. With Baseball America seeing the Ducks ranked 11th, there won’t be much of an opportunity to be considered for a Super Regional, although Oregon does have an outside chance. There is more likelyhood the Ducks will host a Regional next weekend at PK Park.

The 16 regional hosts and sites will be announced Sunday at www.ncaa.com/cws at approximately 6 p.m. The 2013 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Selection Show will be broadcast on ESPNU next Monday at 9 a.m.

Oregon Ducks This Week: