ORU Baseball Inks Nine During Fall Signing Period

[MrsSmith]

See the story on the ORU website. 

http://www.orugoldeneagles.com/index.ph ... _well_id=2

It is interesting that the only HS player signed is Parker Frazier (George's son) from Bishop Kelley.

[Dr. Cornelius]

Do we still have the Owasso kid? The one Arkansas burned?

[Bogus Smith]

Great additions to the team.  Petralli looks like a stud and Frazier should have the focus to compete as he has been pitching forever.  I wonder if any of these guys will be available after the semester break or whether these are all 2008 additions. 

I think it is safe to say that we're competing with the lower top-25 schools in the nation very well.  I didn't see where we stole anyone from Miami, Arizona State or Rice, but we definitely are competing with the area schools well and even got some kids that were looking at national champions Oregon State and Long Beach State.  Walton is an excellent coach and great evaluator of talent.  ORU is very fortunate to have him (and his staff).

Two things to look forward to: warmer weather (after Wednesday) and ORU baseball. 

[ORUTerry]

Any one notice that we signed George Frazier's son out of Bishop Kelly? This is a great recruit as he is a nice athlete - and on top of that you can be sure that his father (current broadcaster for the Colorado Rockies and former big league pitcher) will give us some publicity.

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Parker Frazier * P * 6-5 * 160 * Tulsa, Okla. (Bishop Kelly HS)

Currently a senior at Bishop Kelly High School ? Was all-conference selection as a pitcher last year ? Bishop Kelly won the Oklahoma state championship in 2006 and was ranked No. 3 in the country by USA Today ? Has also lettered three years in basketball ? His father, George Frazier, is a broadcaster for the Colorado Rockies and played nine years in the Major Leagues with five different teams ? Choose ORU over Arkansas, Georgia Tech, and Oklahoma State ? says Walton, ?Parker is a very projectable kid and has yet to fill out his frame. His velocity is improving and has good baseball bloodlines. He continues to improve and has very good upside.?

[MrsSmith]

Terry,

Do you just ignore my posts or what? 

[ORUTerry]

Sorry about that 

I noticed after I posted that you had mentioned he was George's son.

[Bogus Smith]

Sounds like we're not going to be rebuilding next year....only reloading!!  It looks like we could be a baseball powerhouse (at least a Top 25 team) for some time to come.  Can we fast forward to the warmer weather and the Mid-Con Basketball Tournament (which means that baseball season has started)??

                                                                                                                                   

ORU Baseball Adds Arizona Standout

TULSA, Okla. ? Oral Roberts University?s baseball coach Rob Walton has added a tenth player to the 2006 fall recruiting class as Arizona standout Seth Furmanek (Gilbert, Ariz.) signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play for the Golden Eagles.

?Seth is a good sign for our baseball program. He is an outstanding two-way player and will see time in the outfield and on the mound for us. He throws hard and has good power from the plate,? Walton said.

Furmanek will be playing this year for Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona. He is a 2006 graduate of Mesquite High School in Gilbert, Ariz. He lettered four years at Mesquite and garnered many awards. His senior year he hit .430 with 12 homeruns while also compiling a 9-1 record on the mound. In 2006 he was named Fiesta Region All-Conference Player of the Year, and was named to the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association 5A All-State First Team. Additionally, Furmanek was selected to the Arizona Republic All-Arizona Baseball Team.

Furmanek played for the South Team in the 2006 Arizona Baseball Coaches Association 5A All-Star Game. He entered his senior season among the School Sports Top 50 Pitchers in the Nation list.

Furmanek was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks scout team and the Rocky Mountain Baseball Academy. He garnered all-area code honors in 2006 and also helped his summer league team advance to the Connie Mack World Series in 2004 and led his Arizona Freebirds to the championship in 2006. Seth is also the cousin of Major League pitcher John Smoltz.

?The signing of Seth Furmanek caps another great fall signing class for us,? Walton said. ?We really feel good about the players we have coming in 2007. All of them have a oppurtunity to come right in and have a significant impact on our baseball program,? Walton said.

?Several of the players are either under control or they have a strong chance of being selected in next June?s Major League Baseball Draft,? Walton said, ?If we keep all of them this will be a very good class.?

Complete List of 2006 Fall Signing Class

Leroy Hunt * RHP * 6-7 * 225 * Stockton, Calif. (Linden HS/Sacramento City College)

T.J. Kelly * RHP * 6-2 * 240 * Bakersfield, Calif. (Liberty HS/Bakersfield College)

Ryan Groth * OF * 6-1 * 200 * Melbourne, Fla. (Melbourne HS/Indian River CC)

Michael Notaro * IF * 6-3 * 200 * Westlake Village, Calif. (Westlake HS/LA Pierce JC)

Juan Martinez * IF * 5-10 * 190 * Bakersfield, Calif. (Bakersfield South HS/Bakersfield College)

Parker Frazier * P * 6-5 * 160 * Tulsa, Okla. (Bishop Kelly HS)

Patrick Murray * IF * 6-2 * 230 * Huntington Beach, Calif. (Marina HS/Golden West College)

Kyle Price * IF * 6-1 * 165 * Buffalo Valley, Okla. (Buffalo Valley HS/Eastern Oklahoma State College)

Ben Petralli * C * 6-2 * 180 * Weatherford, Texas (Weatherford HS/Sacramento City College)

Seth Furmanek * OF/P * 6-0 * 180 * Gilbert, Ariz (Mesquite HS/Chandler-Gilbert Community College)