June 16, 2007

Reyes gets the nod for Game 1
Freshman pitcher will start against Cal State Fullerton

By By Abe Winter
for the Mail Tribune

OMAHA, Neb. — Numbers can be deceiving when checking the statistics of Oregon State's pitching staff.

For instance, the team's combined ERA is 3.51 and opponents are batting .244. Quite impressive.

And the numbers show that the team's Big Three starters are a combined 29-11 — Daniel Turpen (9-1), Mike Stutes (10-4) and Joe Paterson (10-6). That's also impressive.

But one name is missing when glancing at those stats.

That would be Jorge Reyes, the starter in today's 4 p.m. game against Cal State Fullerton. Although a true freshman, Reyes seems the logical choice.

"I'll be a little nervous," Reyes said. "It's one of the biggest games I'll pitch in my life."

Which is just the way he likes it.

"I like to be in control," he said, acknowledging the fact that everything in this sport starts on the mound.

His attitude is not lost on his teammates or pitching coach.

"Jorge would pitch everyday," catcher Mitch Canham said. "That's the attitude he has."

Reyes was 5-3 with a 3.13 ERA in the regular season when he made 22 appearances, including nine starts. He was amazing in his first two postseason starts, allowing nine hits and two runs in 13 innings. He's 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA over those two outings.

His no-decision in the dramatic 1-0 victory over Michigan in the first game of the super regional featured seven scoreless innings.

"It's the best I've seen him," Canham said.

"I wasn't very nervous," Reyes added. "I got three quick outs in the first inning and then it became a battle with (Michigan' starter Zach) Putnam."

Reyes prefers to throw fastballs by hitters, but he knows that won't work all the time.

"Not at this level," he said.

So his repertoire includes an effective slider and change-up, and he throws whatever is signaled from pitching coach Dan Spencer via Canham.

"The mental part is (Spencer's), the physical part is mine," Reyes said.

Spencer took that as a compliment.

"That's nice of him to say that," the coach said. "He doesn't act like a freshman. He's a special kid. He's got a lot of (former Beavers') Dallas Buck stuff and Jonah Nickerson poise."

Meanwhile, Reyes has enjoyed all the sights and sounds at Rosenblatt Stadium. He seemed to especially enjoy signing autographs for children.

"This is what I play for, seeing those little kids running around," he said. "They look up to us as role models."

When he pitches today, he knows someone in the stands — his father, Jorge Reyes Sr. — will be moving from section to section.

"I'm obviously happy with the decision to go (today)," he said. "I'll definitely be nervous, but I think my dad will be more nervous."

NOTES: Fullerton, playing in the CWS for the 15th time, starts junior right-hander Wes Roemer (11-6, 3.24 ERA). He has struck out 143 while walking only 22 in 136 innings. However, he's allowed 137 hits. In 48 career starts, he's 31-11. ... Evan McArthur, a Fullerton senior who starred for North Medford High, starts at third base. McArthur, who usually bats seventh, is hitting .253 with 4 home runs, a triple, 10 doubles and 31 RBI. "¦ Fullerton first baseman Matt Wallach is the son of former Major Leaguer Tim Wallach, who played third base on some talent-laden Montreal Expo teams. "¦ OSU is trying to become the first team to win consecutive titles since LSU in 1996-97. "¦ All eight teams in the 2006 CWS had two losses. OSU was 6-2, losing its opener 11-1 to Miami and falling 4-3 to North Carolina in the first game of the best-of-three championship series. Fullerton was 2-2 last year.