College Baseball

[boondockdrunk]

Team 2005 Record 2005 Final Rank
1. Texas (56-16) 1
2. Clemson (43-23) 14
3. Florida (48-23) 2
4. Georgia Tech (45-19) 11
5. Cal State Fullerton [46-18] 9
6. North Carolina (41-19) NR
7. Rice (45-19) 13
8. Oregon State (46-12) 7
9. Tennessee (46-21) 8
10. Missouri (40-23) 21
11. Pepperdine (41-23) 24
12. Tulane (56-12) 3
13. Mississippi State (42-22) 22
14. South Carolina (41-23) 25
15. Florida State (53-20) 16
16. Arizona State (42-25) 6
17. Southern California (41-22) 17
18. Arkansas (39-22) NR
19. Texas Christian (41-20) NR
20. Louisiana State (40-22) 18
21. Fresno State (30-29) NR
22. Long Beach State (37-22) 19
23. Mississippi (48-20) 10
24. North Carolina State (41-19) NR
25. California (34-23) NR


Texas begins the defense of their crown by ranking #1 in the pre-season polls. Runner-up to the Longhorns, Florida, makes the list at #2 which is the highest they have debuted since 1992. The Gators have one of (if not) the best hitters in college with first baseman Matt LaPorta (.328, 26 homeruns, and 79 RBIs as a sophomore in less than 270 ABs) and probably the best second baseman with Adam Davis (.306, 12 homeruns, and 63 RBIs in less than 300 ABs).

ASU begins the year ranked for the 20th consecutive season which is currently the longest streak in the nation. Stanford had been ranked in every preseason Top 25 since 1981 but that run came to an end this year. The large amount of talent lost last year of Buck, Larish, and Gosewisch are replaced by the #2 overall rated recruiting class by BaseballAmerica. First-Team All-American Outfielder Colin Curtis (.342, 2 homeruns, 45 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases in only 260 ABs) leads the young Sun Devil as ASU attempts to conquer the Pac-10.

North Carolina makes the biggest jump as LHP Andrew Miller and RHP Daniel Bard give them two aces who could be 1st rounders this year (with Miller being the pick to be the first player selected).

All the while, 6-10 sophomore pitcher Andrew Brackman is the ace for North Carolina State, #24 ranked team. As a frosh, the Second-team All-America, struck out a batter per inning as was very impressive.

Even with most of their starting line-up gone (most in the 2005 draft), The University of Arizona just missed making the top 25. However, they are thought to be in the running to make the list later on during the season. Anchored by All-American Second-Team Junior shortstop Jason Donald (.288, 5 homeruns, and 33 RBIs in 222 ABs) and third-team All-American closer Mark Melancon(4-3, 2.58 ERA, and 11 saves), the Wildcats are poised to take a young team far into the College World Series. Still, there is no need to worry about the UofA baseball program as many top 100 recruits for 2006 have already committed to Arizona: #18 RHP Jason Stoffel, #49 OF Drew Rundle, and #96 C Erik Castro to name a few.

A sleeper team to watch out for is USC. Backed by RHP Ian Kennedy (actually saw him pitch, and if the D'backs draft him I will be ecstatic) who lead the NCAA with 158 strikeouts (in 117 innings) and a solid offense, the Trojans could make a good run into the CWS.

Edit: On a side note, Long Beach State has a First-Team All-American SS named Evan Longoria. Just thought it was worth pointing out

 

[Kel Varnsen]

You must be registered for see images

 

[DevilPrideBAS]

Year in and year out ASU has a top 5 recruiting class, its about time they make something of it.

 

[boondockdrunk]

Year in and year out ASU has a top 5 recruiting class, its about time they make something of it.

Recently they have not made too much of it but they do have a good history with Baseball.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I forgot at what point BA rates recruiting classes. Do the rankings include the effects of the MLB draft?

 

[boondockdrunk]

I forgot at what point BA rates recruiting classes. Do the rankings include the effects of the MLB draft?

I am pretty sure they rank them right before the draft and therefore all those who signed with MLB clubs would not appear on the ranked recruiting classes.

For example, UofA would have had one of the better classes a few years ago but since their top recruit, Delmon Young, signed as the #1 overall pick they did not appear on the rankings.

2005 Top Recruiting Classes:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/051011dozen.html

2006 recruits:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/051125recruiting.html

 

[DevilPrideBAS]

That link for the top 25 classes you posted, is ranked after players have already been drafted and have decided whether to go to school or the minor leagues.

 

[AZBALLER]

What ASU and the rest of the West Coast needs is a little respect...it's hard to get West Coast teams into the WS, if they all have to face each other in the regionals...Heck, last year Oregon State and ASU made it to the dance, but UA and (pick a team from the left coast) could have beaten anyone in the tourney...Everyone knows where the best ball is played, they just refuse to admit it.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Sun Devils' lineup is full of fresh faces

Sun Devils' lineup is full of fresh faces

High standards greet 13 new players

Josh Weinfuss
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 24, 2006 12:00 AM

When fans file into Packard Stadium this season, they will need a program to match faces and to learn all the new names.

Gone are Jeff Larish, Travis Buck and Tuffy Gosewisch.

Here is the young future of Arizona State baseball.

Seven months after their unpredictable trip to the College World Series, ASU welcomes 13 new Sun Devils, including six freshmen who are penciled in to have a significant impact in their first year.

If fans don't recognize freshman catcher Preston Paramore, shortstop Matt Hall, first baseman Brett Wallace, pitchers Jeff Urlaub, Ike Davis and Jake Borup and transfers, third baseman CJ Retherford and outfielder Ryan Sontag, it's because four of five infield skill positions have a new face attached to the position. The outfield, which last year housed one of major league baseball's top draft picks, has also been reshuffled with Michigan State transfer Sontag taking the place of Buck.

With each practice, the fresh faces are exposed to new experiences. During media day on Monday, Paramore sat in front of the lights and cameras experiencing mass media attention for the first time. He, along with his classmates, are looking up to the older players for guidance on and off the field. Senior pitcher Brett Bordes said he thinks it's his time to give the mentoring that Larish, Buck and Gosewisch gave him, to the his new teammates. But with or without the direction, the players have become a close-knit group said Wallace, especially the infielders.

"I think the older guys on the team have really showed great leadership roles so far," Hall said. "(Freshmen are) intimidated a little bit. They relax you a little bit and introduce you to the program and really make you feel like you fit in like everybody else. Like you've been here three or four years."

Taking the place of players who were at ASU for the past few years can be a bit overwhelming. But Paramore, a catcher, has decided to take things slow in replacing predecessor, Gosewisch, who led the team with 74 RBIs last season and was a leader from behind the plate. Thus far, Paramore is aiming to have a "good personal relationship" with the staff, learning their quirks and how to catch them more efficiently.

"It can be difficult," he said of replacing Gosewisch. "But Tuffy did things his way. I'm trying to do things my way that coach Murph (Pat Murphy) will like."

Even though Murphy has never leaned on his team being young, this year's squad has expectations that come with a third-place finish in the College World Series. They were picked to finish third in the Pac-10 by conference coaches, and are ranked No. 11 in the preseason USA Today/ESPN Top 25 coaches poll.

The pressure doesn't bother some of the new players. In fact, Hall said they should be expected to win at ASU.

"I don't think it's pressure," Wallace said. "I think it's just, we hold ourselves to a higher level."

One new Sun Devils player who is being held to a higher level is a familiar name to Valley baseball fans.

Scottsdale native and Chaparral alum Ike Davis was on par to be Murphy's Mr. Baseball: a pitcher, clutch hitter and first baseman. But the 12-year coach reined in his highly touted freshman, holding him to only pitching and being the team's designated hitter. But, Murphy added, that could all change.

As the freshmen settle into life as Sun Devils, they're taking everything in stride as they get their chance to impress.

"The new class that we have is great," Bordes said. "We have a lot of solid incoming freshmen and transfers that can contribute a lot."
Roster
Catchers - Preston Paramore (Fr.), Austin Stockfisch (So.), Joel Bocchi (Sr.), Greg Bordes (So.)

Infielders - CJ4 Retherford (Jr.), Andrew Romine (So.), Joe Persichina (Jr.), Todd Wells (Fr.), Matt Hall (Fr.), Ben Bando (Jr.), Brett Wallace (Fr.), Eric Sogard (So.), Frank Mesa (Sr.)

Outfielders - J.J. Sferra (So.), Ryan Sontag (So.), Willy Fox (So.), Colin Curtis (Jr.), Rocky Laguna (So.), DJ Butler (So.)

Utility - Jeff Landry (So.), Seth Dhaenens (Jr.)

Pitchers - Jeff Urlaub (Fr.), Drew Bowman (Fr.), Kevin Dryanski (Sr.), Tony Barnette (Sr.), Zechry Zinicola (Jr.), Ike Davis (Fr.), Pat Bresnehan (Jr.), Josh Satow (So.), Daryl Arreola (Sr.), Brady Martinez (Jr.), Brett Bruneel (Jr.), Brett Bordes (Sr.), Jake Borup (Fr.), Matt Trink (Jr.)

 

[Toro]

Go Beach!

 

[boondockdrunk]

Devils Drop out of top 25

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Devils Drop out of top 25

Yeah, this was a pretty bad weekend.

 

[AZBALLER]

It was a bad weekend for ASU, and a bad start to the season...But ASU also had a bad start to the season last year with a veteran team, so I'm not to concerned...It "could" actually be nice if ASU barely made it to the post season and was sent EAST so they wouldn't have to face a Fullerton/LB State/Stanford/SC/etc in a Super Regional...

 

[boondockdrunk]

Updated Top 25 Rankings

Texas has not been playing up to their potential at all.

 

[AZBALLER]

Pacific Ten Conference

Team Years W L WP

Stanford 1996-2005 177 81 0.686
Southern California 1996-2005 166 92 0.643
Arizona State 1996-2005 150 107 0.584
Oregon 1996-1996 14 10 0.583
Washington 1996-2005 136 104 0.567
Oregon State 1997-2005 106 110 0.491
UCLA 1996-2005 123 135 0.477
Arizona 1996-2005 116 142 0.450
California 1996-2005 98 159 0.381
Washington State 1996-2005 70 170 0.292
Portland State 1996-1998 13 59 0.181

These speak for themselves fairly well, but I'll note that Oregon's last record was misleading; that was the last year of the NorPac, so that record was achieved against less-than-stellar UDub, WSU, and Portland area teams.



This is kinda embarassing, as I consider ASU a Baseball and Football school...ASU should have a much better winning %, although no team in baseball has more championships than USC, and they're still #2 in the Pac over those years...I miss the 6-Pack years, as I think those years better prepared those teams for tourney situations...

 

[AZBALLER]

ASU has started to get it together...Currently ranked #17 an BA, and just beat #3 Rice tonight. ASU is currently 15-5.

How about Frosh Ike Davis? 33 RBI already, and he is one of our starting pitchers...

 

[AZBALLER]

And if you'd like to look at it differently, #13 ASU knocked off #1 Rice according to the National College Baseball Writer's Association...

 

[boondockdrunk]

ASU has started to get it together...Currently ranked #17 an BA, and just beat #3 Rice tonight. ASU is currently 15-5.

How about Frosh Ike Davis? 33 RBI already, and he is one of our starting pitchers...

Ike was one of the top hitters in high school and among the top 50 in High School prospects. The kid is going to be good!

 

[boondockdrunk]

UofA will play Cal State Fullerton (#7 this week) this coming friday, saturday and sunday. Since I am on spring break (woohoo!!) and out of country I cannot make the friday game. However, I will try to make either the saturday or sunday game and check out the team.

Currently, Arizona is playing #15 Mississippi State and are 10-7. This has been a tough year so far for UofA. They have struggled to find starting pitchers to compete.

 

[AZBALLER]

ASU is now 17-5, and face UT on Tuesday...