Oregon Sports Podcast

During 95 years of baseball in Portland many famous players had stints with the Beavers. Here’s some of the best-known faces.

Jason Bay, outfielder (2003): Batted .303 with 20 home runs before San Diego traded him to Pittsburgh where he was the 2004 rookie of the year and a two-time All-Star. Spent two seasons with Boston, one as an All-Star, before signing with the New York Mets.

Billy Beane, infielder (1987): Most recognized as the general manager for the Oakland Athletics and author of the book, Moneyball, Beane batted .285 with eight home runs for the Beavers. He spent parts of six seasons in the major leagues.

Bernardo Brito, outfielder (1989-1993): A fan favorite, Brito had five prolific years in Portland, batting .278 with 120 home runs. But his run here never translated into success in the big leagues where he batted .219 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in 40 games over three seasons with the Minnesota Twins.

Pat Casey, outfielder (1987): Before he turned Oregon State’s baseball program into two-time national champions, Casey was an aspiring professional baseball player. He had a career minor league average of .282 but peaked at Triple A with his final season coming in Portland in 1987 when he batted .215 with three home runs in 48 games.

Mickey Cochrane, catcher (1924): The Hall of Famer batted .320 in 13 major league seasons with Philadelphia and Detroit. That came after he played one season in Portland, batting .333 with seven home runs.

Darren Daulton, catcher (1984-85): The three-time All-Star catcher batted .297 in 103 games over two seasons with the Beavers. He went on to play 14 major league seasons, most with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Rickey Henderson, outfielder (2001): The Hall of Famer and all-time stolen base leader batted .275 in nine games with Portland before resuming his major league career in San Diego at age 42.

Willie Horton, outfielder (1981-1982): The four-time All-Star hit 325 career home runs during his 18 big league seasons, most with Detroit. In his two seasons in Portland he batted .287 with 39 home runs and 157 RBIs.

Tommy John, pitcher (1964): Best known for having an elbow surgery named after him, John played 26 years in the major leagues and went 288-231 with a 3.34 ERA. In one season in Portland, he went 6-6 with a 4.26 ERA.

Satchel Paige, pitcher (1961): At age 55, the Hall of Famer pitched 25 innings for the Beavers and went 0-0 with a 2.88 ERA. Between innings he mocked his age by sitting in a rocking chair beside the dugout.

Tony Pena, catcher (1980): A six-time All-Star during his 18-year major league career, Pena played one year in Portland, batting .327 with nine home runs and 77 RBIs.

Lou Piniella, outfielder (1966-1968): Played three seasons with the Beavers, batting .303 with 38 home runs. Went on to play 18 seasons in the major leagues. Also managed 23 seasons compiling a 1,835-1,713 record.

Jim Thorpe, outfielder (1922): Regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, Thorpe, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, played six big league seasons from 1913 to 1919 before playing his 35-game stint in Portland. In that season, Thorpe batted .308 with one home run.

Luis Tiant, pitcher (1964, 1981): In two seasons in Portland Tiant went 28-8. His 1964 season produced a 15-1 record with a 2.04 ERA. He played 19 major league seasons compiling a 229-172 record with a 3.30 ERA.

EUGENE – Oregon coach Chip Kelly emerged from the Ducks’ closed scrimmage in Autzen Stadium Thursday and said he would need to review video and talk to his coaching staff before deciding any of the position battles waged in fall camp.

“I think we played better overall as a group,” Kelly said. “We had 130 plays, the longest we’ve ever gone. It was a physical scrimmage. You could hear it.”

He answered a question about the play of quarterbacks Nate Costa and Darron Thomas by saying: “I thought they both played outstanding.”

Costa completed 17 of 35 passes for 138 yards, one touchdown, one interception. Thomas was 14 of 23 for 125 yards and three touchdowns.

They both were perhaps outperformed statistically by third-stringer Bryan Bennett, who completed 6 of 10 passes for 60 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also carried nine times for 41 yards.

Defenders were allowed to tackle Bennett, who operated against the third-string defense. Defenders couldn’t tackle Costa and Thomas.

“Bryan Bennett did a nice job,” Kelly said. “He’s going to be a really, really good quarterback here. We felt Bryan needed to be hit, and for the first time being hit, he was the hitter and not the hittee a couple times. Obviously, he needs to learn to protect himself, but I think he has a very, very bright future.

The present, however, belongs to either Costa or Thomas.

“I had a slow start, and I wasn’t happy with that,” Costa said. “But I ended very well. I think overall it was a good day, and I think I made my case.”

Thomas was happy with his performance too.

“Today was a good day for me,” he said. “I’ve got a few things to correct, but it was a good day. I didn’t turn over a ball. That was my goal going in. I did a good job with that.”

The only opinion that counts is Kelly’s. He said the evaluation process began when Thursday’s scrimmage concluded and will continue on Friday.

“We’ve got tomorrow afternoon to game plan for New Mexico and talk about depth charts,” Kelly said. “The next 48 hours, we’ll be around here.”

Costa and Thomas might be chewing their fingernails. But the decision will come by Saturday morning at the latest.

The Ducks open against New Mexico on Sept. 4 in Autzen Stadium

Besides quarterback, the UO coaches need to make decisions at the cornerback spot opposite returning starter Talmadge Jackson, and at kicker.

Cornerbacks Cliff Harris and Chad Peppars had interceptions in the scrimmage. With Rob Beard serving a one-game suspension, the kicker on Sept. 4 will be either Alejandro Maldonado or Eric Soils.

With sophomore tailback LaMichael James also suspended for the New Mexico game, the Ducks spent the scrimmage looking long and hard at back-up running backs.

Freshman Dontae Williams had six carries for 48 yards, freshman Kenny Bassett had seven for 41 yards and junior Andres Reed had eight for 37. Redshirt freshman Daryle Hawkins, who seems to be converting from quarterback, caught nine passes for 60 yards. Freshman Eric Dungy caught four for 50 yards and two scores.

Wise guy: UO defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti trotted up the ramp from Autzen Stadium past a cluster of reporters waiting outside the gate.

“You guys need to get a life,” Aliotti chortled as he ran past.

Media blockade broken: Most but not all reporters were excluded from the scrimmage.

ESPN commentator Mike Bellotti, Oregon’s head coach from 1995 to 2008 and UO offensive coordinator before that, was allowed in. Several other longtime UO assistant coaches also watched.

As Bellotti came off the field, he laughed at the waiting reporters and said: “I wasn’t in there in any media capacity.”

Kelly said: “If you coached on this staff for longer than 15 years you were allowed to attend the scrimmage.”

– Ken Goe; follow him on Twitter.

With roughly six weeks left before the Trail Blazers start training camp, the playing status of Greg Oden remains as unclear as ever.

Oden continues to rehabilitate his surgically repaired left knee and the Blazers insist things are progressing according to schedule. But at the same time, the organization is so intent on keeping once sky-high expectations low for the injury-prone center, officials refuse to say that Oden will be ready to play by Oct. 26, when the team opens the season against the Phoenix Suns.

“I don’t really want to put any time frame on it,” Blazers general manager Rich Cho said, regarding Oden’s return. “I don’t want any expectations out there. And I don’t want to put any pressure on Greg. The last thing I want him to do is come back earlier (than he should) because people are expecting it.”

It’s been 8½ months since Oden was wheeled off the Rose Garden floor on a gurney after fracturing the patella in his left knee in a game against the Houston Rockets. Since, Oden and the Blazers have maintained that the 7-foot center’s rehab was on schedule and he was poised to return for October training camp — a significant fact considering a healthy and productive Oden is perhaps the biggest key to how much success the team will have this season.

In June, Blazers coach Nate McMillan told The Oregonian that Oden was scheduled to start running in mid-July and would begin playing two-on-two or three-on-three games by mid-August, with a goal of returning to five-on-five action by the first week of September.

More recently, Oden has declined interview requests from The Oregonian, saying he’d prefer to talk about his rehab and playing status when training camp starts. Meanwhile, the Blazers do not want athletic trainer Jay Jensen discussing Oden’s rehab with the media.

On Wednesday, Cho offered some details, saying Oden’s rehab had progressed to feature jogging, defensive slides, spot shooting, light jumping, jump-roping and work in the pool. He added that Oden, who had his latest medical checkup two weeks ago, has trimmed his weight down to the “low 280s,” approaching where the team would like him to play next season.

Cho, who watched Oden work out two weeks ago at the practice facility in Tualatin, refused to reveal when Oden is scheduled to begin running full-speed, or when Oden plans to resume basketball activities. Cho also wouldn’t definitively say how much Oden intends to participate in training camp.

“I don’t know if he’ll be ready to go full-speed ahead when training camp starts, but our hope is that he’ll be ready to participate in training camp,” Cho said. “I don’t know if that will include full contact (work). It depends on his progress.”

Oden is splitting his rehab work between Portland and Indianapolis, his hometown. He will be in Portland this weekend to take part in the Third Annual Team Oden Summer Slam, an event he sponsors to support and encourage mentoring youth in Oregon. There is a scheduled media availability at the event, so perhaps Oden will shed new details about his rehab at that point.

Otherwise, his status will continue to remain a mystery. Oden is in the final year of his rookie contract with the Blazers and the sides have not yet discussed a contract extension.

Oden, who has endured career-threatening surgeries on both of his knees in his short NBA career, has played just 82 games since the Blazers drafted him No. 1 overall in 2007. He’s averaged 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in those games but appeared on the verge of a breakout last season before his injury, when he averaged 11.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.29 blocks in 21 starts.

Oden had a 24-point, 12-rebound performance against Chicago last season and finished with 13 points, 20 rebounds and four blocks against Miami the game before he was lost for the season, tantalizing Blazers fans with his potential.

And although Cho is tempering the expectations that accompany such statistics, he remains pleased with Oden’s status as the offseason fades and training camp approaches.

“He’s on track for everything,” Cho said. “Greg is working hard and we’re pleased with his rehab efforts.”

– Joe Freeman; follow him on Twitter

The Associated Press

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks say they appreciate official Bill Leavy admitting he made two bad calls in their Super Bowl loss — and now they’re ready to move on.

Nine players remain from the team’s lone Super Bowl appearance in 2006, including quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. He was whistled for a low block on what appeared to be a legal tackle on an interception return in the fourth quarter of the loss to Pittsburgh.

The Steelers used the better field position from the penalty on Hasselbeck to score the clinching touchdown in Pittsburgh’s 21-10 victory.

“It’s a game. It’s not a perfect science,” Hasselbeck said Saturday, after Leavy again worked at the Seahawks’ training camp practice. “There’s a lot of human involvement there. I’ve played some games that I remember because I feel I did a good job and I remember some other games where I have regrets. That goes for any sport, any player. I’m sure coaching is no different. And I’m sure officiating is the same way.”

Leavy and his crew have been at Seahawks camp the past several days as part of the NFL’s summer tour of officials informing teams of new rules and interpretations.

Leavy told Seattle-area media Friday night that he “kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game.” He said he will “go to my grave wishing I’d been better.”

He also spoke to Seahawks players at a team meeting Friday with a similar message.

“I had a word with him and told him I really appreciated it,” said defensive tackle Craig Terrill, a backup on that Super Bowl team. “I certainly don’t have any hard feelings against him. There were plenty of things we did in that game that kept us from winning. He can’t take responsibility for the mistakes we made, but I appreciated it.”

Terrill said he has respect for Leavy, who became an NFL official in 1995.

“He’s a good guy and good referee,” Terrill said. “You have to think about his spot. You know if he’s apologizing, he feels awful about it.

“Obviously it was something that was on his mind and on his heart. It was awesome of him as a person to come to Seattle and say that to us in an intimate place like a team meeting.”

Cornerback Marcus Trufant said it’s time for the Seahawks — and all of Seattle, for that matter — to put the game behind them.

“It’s tough,” Trufant said. “Anytime you’re in the Super Bowl, that’s the highest of the high. When things go bad, they always tell you not to worry about the refs and stuff like that. Things do happen. Nobody’s perfect. It’s just one of those things.

“Everybody I think has moved on. I’ve tried to move on. That’s in the past. We’re going to keep playing and we’re trying to get back. That’s the goal.”

Leavy never worked another Seahawks game during the final three years of Mike Holmgren’s coaching tenure, but was assigned Seattle’s matchup last season at San Francisco, after Jim Mora had replaced Holmgren.

Hasselbeck said he spoke with Leavy during that game, but this week’s extended camp session has been much better in allowing things to be said and issues to be buried.

“It was probably a good thing that we talked,” Hasselbeck said. “Because I think just like Seahawk fans, I myself had to get to the point where I could kind of get past everything. And he’s a great guy and actually a really, really good official.”

But will the quarterback ever truly get over that game?

“I’m still a little upset about losing my high school state championship game,” Hasselbeck said. “There are just some games you’re never going to forget. Put it on the list.”

Notes: WR Isaiah Stanback tore his Achilles’ tendon during drills in Saturday afternoon’s practice, thus ending a hometown comeback bid this season by the former University of Washington quarterback. Stanback was waived/injured on Sunday. WR Mike Hass was re-signed in Stanback’s place. … LB Aaron Curry sat out of the team’s scrimmage at Husky Stadium on Sunday afternoon. He’s been sidelined eight straight days. … QB Matt Hasselbeck also sat the scrimmage portion of the practice after getting some early reps. Coach Pete Carroll said Hasselbeck had a sore hamstring but will be back at practice Tuesday after a day off Monday. … Others sitting out were DE Lawrence Jackson (hamstring), LB Lofa Tatupu (hamstring), TE John Carlson (oblique), WR Marcus Maxwell (unspecified) and LB Joe Pawelek (unspecified) also did not participate. … The scrimmage lasted 65 plays with QB Charlie Whitehurst running the first-team offense and QB J.P. Losman working with the second team.

– The Associated Press

PHOENIX — The Pac-10’s football coaches went on a look-at-us road show to the East Coast in July, hitting Times Square, ringing the opening bell at NASDAQ and visiting ESPN’s headquarters before landing back on the floor of the Rose Bowl for a media meet and greet.

Now it’s time to see if their teams can live up to the hype.

In what may be its final official year as the Pac-10 — next year’s addition of Utah and likely Colorado, too, will make 12 teams — the conference is as deep and talented as it’s been for quite some time. There may not be a legitimate national-title contender and Southern California has a two-year bowl ban because of the Reggie Bush fiasco, but the Pac-10 has eight or nine teams that can contend for the conference title.

“There is a lot of parity in this conference, there is no doubt about it,” California coach Jeff Tedford said. “Last year we had five teams with the same record. Very difficult to go through this conference unscathed. Very competitive. There is firepower on offense and a lot of great defenses.”

Oregon is the favorite, by a slight margin.

The Ducks are the defending conference champions after going 8-1 — 10-3 overall — and are coming off their first Rose Bowl since 1994. Oregon is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, has a no-huddle offense that makes defenders’ heads spin and is chock-full of confidence after knocking USC off the conference throne for the first time since 2001.

Still, it wasn’t a quiet offseason for the Ducks.

The big blow was the loss of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, who was dismissed from the team after a second run-in with the law. That leaves senior Nate Costa and sophomore Darron Thomas in a battle that will likely last until just before the season starts.

Running back LaMichael James, who set the Pac-10 freshman record with 1,546 yards rushing last season, was suspended for the season opener against New Mexico after an altercation with his ex-girlfriend that led to a guilty plea on a harassment charge. Two other players were dismissed from the team and two more were suspended for brushes with the law.

“We’re just moving forward, looking at a new season,” defensive tackle Brandon Bair said. “It’s just like we graduated the guys that are gone.”

USC made the Ducks’ offseason seem manageable.

The Trojans, coming off a lackluster 5-4 conference season, were rocked by the loss of coach Pete Carroll, who left for the Seattle Seahawks, then were hit with heavy sanctions that included a two-year bowl ban after the NCAA ruled Bush and basketball player O.J. Mayo received improper benefits.

The sanctions allowed players to transfer without having to take a year off and many did leave, leaving new coach Lane Kiffin with just 70 scholarship players — 15 below the NCAA’s limit — at the start of training camp.

“The only way we’re going to be able to express ourselves is to win 13 games,” tailback Allen Bradford said. “We know it’s going to be difficult this year.”

OREGON
Key players: QBs Nate Costa and Darron Thomas, RB LaMichael James, DE Kenny Rowe, MLB Casey Matthews. Returning starters: 9 offense, 8 defense.
Notes: Costa was slated to start two seasons ago before an injury and Thomas has drawn some comparisons to former Ducks QB Dennis Dixon, so the loss of Masoli might not slow Oregon’s potent offense much at all. … Had nine games of more than 200 yards rushing last season including 391 vs. USC. … Offensive line returns intact. … Rowe had 11½ sacks last season.

USC
Key players: QB Matt Barkley, WR Ronald Johnson, DT Jurrell Casey, MLB Chris Galippo. Returning starters: 5 offense, 6 defense.
Notes: Coach Lane Kiffin draws lots of attention for what he says and how he acts, but he was 7-6 in his only season at Tennessee, with close loses to Alabama and Florida. … Barkley started as a freshman and had an up and down season with 15 TD passes and 14 interceptions. … Trojans start season at Hawaii, which allowed them opportunity to play 13-game regular season.

ARIZONA
Key players: QB Nick Foles, RB Nic Grigsby, DE Ricky Elmore. Returning starters: 8 offense, 4 defense.
Notes: New QB coach Frank Scelfo tutored eventual first-round draft picks Patrick Ramsey and J.P. Losman at Tulane … Wildcats finished a solid season with a thud, getting beat 33-0 by Nebraska in Holiday Bowl. … Defensive coordinator Mark Stoops, head coach Mike’s brother, left for Florida.

CALIFORNIA
Key players: RB Shane Vereen, LB Mike Mohamed, TE Anthony Miller. Returning starters: 8 offense, 6 defense.
Notes: QB Kevin Riley has had a mixed career at Cal, but he’s a senior now and the Bears need him to find the consistency that has eluded him. … Vereen led team with 952 yards rushing last year filling in for first-round draft pick Jahvid Best. … New defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast was in NFL for last 15 years.

STANFORD
Key players: QB Andrew Luck, G David DeCastro, WR Chris Owusu, NT Sione Fua, LB Shayne Skov. Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense.
Notes: Luck, projected as a possible first-round draft pick, takes over the reins after Doak Walker Award winner Toby Gerhart moved on to the NFL. … Coach Jim Harbaugh has been mentioned as a possible candidate for NFL and big-name colleges but has so far stuck with Stanford. … The Cardinal are coming off their first bowl appearance since 2001.

WASHINGTON
Key players: QB Jake Locker, RB Chris Polk, WR Jermaine Kearse, LB Mason Foster, S Nate Williams. Returning starters: 9 offense, 6 defense.
Notes: An accurate drop-back passer, Locker is a Heisman Trophy front-runner and the likely No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NFL draft. … Polk became the first freshman in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards (1,113) and caught 25 passes. … The Huskies went from 0-12 in 2008 to 5-7 in their first season under Steve Sarkisian and expect to make another jump this season behind Locker.

OREGON STATE
Key players: RB Jacquizz Rodgers, WR James Rodgers, DT Stephen Paea, LB Dwight Roberson, CB James Dockery. Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense.
Notes: Jacquizz Rodgers was third in the nation with 21 rushing TDs, while his brother, James, led the Pac-10 with 179.1 all-purpose yards per game. … The Beavers must find a replacement for QB Sean Canfield, who graduated. Sophomore Ryan Katz will take the helm at quarterback. … Oregon State finished tied for second in the Pac-10 last season, just missing its first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1965 with a loss to rival Oregon.

UCLA
Key players: QB Kevin Prince, WR Nelson Rosario, WR Taylor Embree, LB Akeem Ayers, S Rahim Moore, DE Datone Jones, K Kai Forbath. Returning starters: 7 offense, 5 defense.
Notes: The Bruins are making steady progress under coach Rick Neuheisel, winning seven games last season and four the year before, and have had two stellar recruiting classes. … Forbath has made 37 straight FGs inside 50 yards. … Moore led the NCAA with 10 INTs in 2009.

ARIZONA STATE
Key players: WR Kerry Taylor, WR Aaron Pflugrad, LB Vontaze Burfict, DT Lawrence Guy, K Thomas Weber. Returning starters: 3 offense, 4 defense.
Notes: Coach Dennis Erickson, who could be on the hot seat after two of the worst seasons in program history, has made big changes with the offense, bringing in new coordinator Noel Mazzone and switching to a no-huddle, four-wide set. … The QB battle between Michigan transfer Steven Threet and Brock Osweiler will likely last until just before the season starts.

WASHINGTON STATE
Key players: QB Jeff Tuel, DE Kevin Kooymanm, DE Travis Long, WR Jared Karstetter, LB Alex Hoffman-Ellis, P Reid Forrest. Returning starters: 8 offense, 6 defense.
Notes: Any turnaround for the Cougars will have to start on defense. Washington State ranked last in total defense last season, allowing nearly 1,000 more yards than the next closest Pac-10 team. … Washington State has won just two games the past three seasons and coach Paul Wulff’s job could be in danger if there isn’t improvement this year. … Tuel won the starting job in a close battle with junior Marshall Lobbestael, who will still get snaps during the season.

— The Associated Press