Virginia pitcher Matt Packer may return for senior season

Virginia pitcher Matt Packer has every reason to focus internally.

The left-handed standout led the nation in earned run average as a sophomore and was also drafted Wednesday in the 32nd round by the Cleveland Indians.

Having arrived at the College World Series, Packer said it would be hard to envision passing on the chance at a return ticket to the sport’s highest stage as a senior in 2010.

“This is something to come back to,“ said Packer, who pitched in all three games in the super regional at Ole Miss. “It will take something special to miss out on this.“

Oddly enough, Packer was unaware that he was even drafted after asking for $200,000 as a starting point in negotiations.

“I wasn’t really watching the draft and I got some text message saying, ‘congratulations,‘ and I was like, ‘for what?‘ Right after that a guy called me from the Indians and said he would talk to me after we were done in Omaha.“