(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) The 2016 season is full of question marks for the Sun Devils. Perhaps there is no bigger uncertainty than how the starting pitching will perform. Only one starter from last season’s weekend rotation, Seth Martinez, returns this year after Brett Lilek and Ryan Kellogg both left after being
Baseball
ASU Baseball: Hever Bueno’s growth from the bullpen to a Friday night starter
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) Last season, Hever Bueno failed to build upon an encouraging freshman season. While the infamous "sophomore slump" has seldom made an impact on Arizona State’s roster, Bueno would be considered an outlier after appearing in 14 games, throwing 16 innings and yielding one starting nod. In that limited sample, Bueno
ASU Baseball: Canning turning heads despite inexperience at collegiate level
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) College baseball coaches rarely want to rely too much on inexperienced freshmen to fill key roles in their lineup, but Tracy Smith does not have much of a choice heading into the 2016 season. Most notably, the open outfield spots, with perhaps the exception of left field, appear
ASU Baseball: Stage is set for a new crop of sophomore standouts
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) In the words of head coach Tracy Smith, the best thing about freshman is they become sophomores. The freshman on the team might be able to attest to that fact more so than anybody. In the past, players such as Colby Woodmansee, Brian Serven and David Greer all took the
ASU Baseball: The Cycle – Brian Serven
ASU Baseball: Underclassmen pitchers important for team’s hopes of contending
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) Brett Lilek, Ryan Kellogg and Ryan Burr were three of the best Arizona State pitchers in recent memory. While they aren’t irreplaceable, finding pitchers to take their place will not be easy. Sheer quantity won't be an issue, as head coach Tracy Smith has a bevy of underclassmen pitchers
ASU Baseball: Non-conference schedule preview
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) One year ago the Sun Devils opened Phoenix Muni in grand fashion with a set of series against Oklahoma State, TCU and Long Beach State. They even added a midweek game against the Oklahoma Sooners to make their non-conference schedule even more robust. This season, ASU will only face
ASU Baseball: Woodmansee looking to continue meteoric rise in 2016
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) The date was February 13, 2015. Phoenix Municipal Stadium was hosting its first Arizona State baseball game since 1974 and Tracy Smith was coaching in his first ever Sun Devil game. Sophomore shortstop Colby Woodmansee, who was batting eighth in the game, was at the plate in a tie
ASU Baseball: Woodmansee, Bueno, Serven all earn top-300 prospects nod
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) Regardless of the fact that nine members of last year’s team heard their name called in June’s MLB Draft, Sun Devil baseball is still in some reliable hands. Juniors Colby Woodmansee, Hever Bueno and Brian Serven were all ranked within the top 100 of D1Baseball.com’s annual top-300 prospects list. Woodmansee
ASU Baseball: Expectations and goals for season two of Smith regime remain grounded in day-by-day improvement
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) The goal for Tracy Smith and Arizona State baseball every season is simple: Win a national championship. Of course, how attainable that goal is fluctuates on a season by season basis--a lot of the times by factors that are out of the head coach's control. Smith is trying to