ASU Baseball 2021

AZCB34

ASFN Icon
Joined
Sep 23, 2002
Posts
14,036
Reaction score
5,804
Location
Mesa, AZ
Opened the season with a series win over Sacramento St. Ugly loss on Friday with a trainwreck 9th inning.

Hawaii coming next weekend.
 
OP
OP
AZCB34

AZCB34

ASFN Icon
Joined
Sep 23, 2002
Posts
14,036
Reaction score
5,804
Location
Mesa, AZ
15-5 heading into 4 games over the next 6 days against U of A starting tonight.
 
OP
OP
AZCB34

AZCB34

ASFN Icon
Joined
Sep 23, 2002
Posts
14,036
Reaction score
5,804
Location
Mesa, AZ
32-17 after taking 2 of three from USC. The against UCLA next weekend and then hopefully a post season invite.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
OP
OP
AZCB34

AZCB34

ASFN Icon
Joined
Sep 23, 2002
Posts
14,036
Reaction score
5,804
Location
Mesa, AZ
This team positionally seems loaded. Almost all the everyday players are freshman or redshirt freshman. They play well and their excellence will only allow them to get better...hopefully.

Pitching is where I get a little lost as to where they are at. Pitching is inconsistent at times. Not many teams could loose their weekend Pitching rotation and still get into postseason as a 2 seed...low 2 seed but a 2 nonetheless.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
I'm surprised it took so long. Tracy Smith is out as ASU baseball coach.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
I thought the same thing was said seven years ago.

From Arizona Sports:

“After speaking with Tracy Smith this afternoon, we have decided by mutual agreement that Coach Smith will not return as the head coach for Sun Devil Baseball next season,” Anderson said in a press release. “Decisions like this are never easy to make, but I want to thank Tracy for his efforts over the last seven years.

“We are committed to returning Sun Devil baseball back to one of the country’s elite programs and will look for a leader who can help us compete for Pac-12 titles, consistently host postseason competitions and return us to the College World Series.”


https://arizonasports.com/story/2680804/asu-parting-ways-with-head-baseball-coach-tracy-smith/
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
Possible replacements?? Doesn't ASU have a good class coming in?

These are some names mentioned in an Arizona Republic article.


By Jeff Metcalfe Arizona Republic:


Former Oregon State coach Pat Casey could be a candidate if he is interested in returning to the sport after retiring in 2018 following a third College World Series title. Rob Childress was let go at Texas A&M after 16 seasons and has extensive postseason credentials including two CWS appearances.

Florida’s Kevin O’Sullivan and TCU’s Jim Schlossnagle are among in demand coaches, both coming off regional upsets.

-----------------------------------------------

ASU returns a large number of rising sophomores now with experience, including hitting star Ethan Long next season and potentially the pitchers out this season provided the coaching change doesn’t trigger transfers.

“In this new world of transfer, you have no control,” Anderson said. “You might have folks say the change is good, we’re going to transfer to ASU. We’re going to make the decision that’s going to be best for the program as a whole going forward.”



https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...-ways-tracy-smith-after-7-seasons/7592218002/
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
Arizona State appears set to hire Willie Bloomquist, ASU Athletics Hall of Famer, as their next head coach.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 
OP
OP
AZCB34

AZCB34

ASFN Icon
Joined
Sep 23, 2002
Posts
14,036
Reaction score
5,804
Location
Mesa, AZ
Arizona State appears set to hire Willie Bloomquist, ASU Athletics Hall of Famer, as their next head coach.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

He has no coaching experience? I am unimpressed with this line of thinking.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
He has no coaching experience? I am unimpressed with this line of thinking.

It looks a lot like ASU is thinking about creating a pro model for the baseball team. Except for coaching experience, Willie Bloomquist checks all the boxes.


By Jeff Metcalfe Arizona Republic:


Ray Anderson, ASU Vice President for Athletics, said Monday that creating a pro model for baseball similar to football is "always feasible if you want to put the time and effort into working it out.

"We certainly thought about that model as something that may make sense for us. We'll continue to massage that as we go through the (hiring) process. But yes, it's crossed our minds for sure."


https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...ist-lead-candidate-baseball-coach/7620374002/
 

overseascardfan

ASFN Addict
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Posts
8,807
Reaction score
2,094
Location
Phoenix
Lackluster hire to address the elephant in the room.

Recruiting will be key. If he can do that then I'm sure he'll be fine with the X's & O's or whatever term is used for baseball coaching with his MLB playing experience.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
It reminds me a lot of the Herm Edwards hire except he had NFL coaching experience.
 

overseascardfan

ASFN Addict
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Posts
8,807
Reaction score
2,094
Location
Phoenix
It reminds me a lot of the Herm Edwards hire except he had NFL coaching experience.
The encouraging thing is there are first time coach success stories. I am willing to give WB the benefit of the doubt for a couple of years, if he struggles then ASU should move on.

It seems to be the new trend so universities to fill vacancies with alumni despite lack of experience, I think this is the first time that I know of for college baseball but men's basketball seems to be the pioneer sport.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
The encouraging thing is there are first time coach success stories. I am willing to give WB the benefit of the doubt for a couple of years, if he struggles then ASU should move on.

It seems to be the new trend so universities to fill vacancies with alumni despite lack of experience, I think this is the first time that I know of for college baseball but men's basketball seems to be the pioneer sport.

Aside from a lack of coaching experience, Willie Bloomquist has impressive credentials as a player with the Sun Devils, a 14 year major league career and working 5 years in the Diamondbacks front office.

I'm not opposed to the hire if it turns out like Herm Edwards.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
The hire of Willie Bloomquist as the baseball head coach is official.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
I particularly like the retention of pitching coach Jason Kelly.


By Jeff Metcalfe Arizona Republic:


New Arizona State baseball coach Willie Bloomquist moved quickly to fill his full-time coaching staff.

Pitching coach Jason Kelly is returning for a third season and Mike Goff is coming to ASU with 35 years of mostly professional coaching experience.

Kelly was on former coach Tracy Smith's staff in 2020 and 2021 and before that coached at Washington and Cal Poly.


Despite three season-ending injuries to starting pitchers this season, ASU's staff held together enough for the Sun Devils to reach an NCAA regional.


https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...-coach-jason-kelly-adds-mike-goff/7676445002/
 
OP
OP
AZCB34

AZCB34

ASFN Icon
Joined
Sep 23, 2002
Posts
14,036
Reaction score
5,804
Location
Mesa, AZ
I particularly like the retention of pitching coach Jason Kelly.


By Jeff Metcalfe Arizona Republic:


New Arizona State baseball coach Willie Bloomquist moved quickly to fill his full-time coaching staff.

Pitching coach Jason Kelly is returning for a third season and Mike Goff is coming to ASU with 35 years of mostly professional coaching experience.

Kelly was on former coach Tracy Smith's staff in 2020 and 2021 and before that coached at Washington and Cal Poly.


Despite three season-ending injuries to starting pitchers this season, ASU's staff held together enough for the Sun Devils to reach an NCAA regional.


https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...-coach-jason-kelly-adds-mike-goff/7676445002/

Given the pitching injuries I thought Smith would be back for sure.

Willie has some experience on his staff which is a good thing
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
Given the pitching injuries I thought Smith would be back for sure.

Willie has some experience on his staff which is a good thing

I thought it was time for Tracy Smith to go. He had seven seasons. It was always something.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
Arizona State and pitching coach Jason Kelly mutually agree to part ways.

Jeff Metcalfe Arizona Republic:


The two sides agreed to mutually part ways Friday, a little more than two weeks after Kelly was retained by new head coach Willie Bloomquist and given the additional responsibility of recruiting coordinator.

---------------------------------------------

Bloomquist, in his first coaching job, now must find a pitching coach and decide who will be his recruiting coordinator. Others on his staff are Mike Goff and hitting coach Bill Mueller, both coming primarily from professional baseball.


 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,770
Travis Buck, 37, is returning to ASU in a role yet to be determined.


By Jeff Metcalfe Arizona Republic:

Like Bloomquist, Buck is a former ASU standout who came to the school from Washington. He played for the Sun Devils from 2003-05, was All Pac-10 first team twice and an All-America selection. He helped ASU finish third at the 2005 College World Series. He is eighth in school career hits.


 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
534,765
Posts
5,246,051
Members
6,273
Latest member
sarahmoose
Top