Lineup changes spark Sun Devils
May 1st, 2008, 1:37 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Dan Zeiger
FRIDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Ike Davis was not in Arizona State’s lineup for the series opener at UCLA and is likely out for the weekend, a school spokesman said.
Ike Davis, who leads Arizona State in several offensive categories, is battling a rib muscle strain but made the trip to UCLA.
There comes a time, Arizona State coach Pat Murphy said, where changes needs to be made just to break up the monotony that can set in over the course of a 56-game college baseball regular season.
“Things can get stale, and that can be tough on some people,” Murphy said. “This game can be very wicked to you. The bad situations sometimes find you, and you need some refreshing things to happen.”
Murphy pointed to two recent lineup changes that have provided a jolt to the fourth-ranked Sun Devils, who head into this weekend’s series at UCLA on a four-game winning streak. ASU was 3-6 from April 5-22.
Ryan Sontag, a senior, has become the everyday left fielder and leadoff hitter, and he is batting .382 (21-for-55) with a home run and 11 RBIs since April 1.
Junior Greg Bordes has started the last six games at shortstop, and while his hitting numbers (5-for-22) are not eye-popping, he has five RBIs in that stretch while providing reliable glove work. Defense was the primary reason for Marcel Champagnie’s demotion.
Bordes comes from a baseball family. His grandfather, Bill Cutler, is a former Pacific Coast League president; his father, Charlie, played professionally, and older brother Brett is a former Sun Devil pitcher who is now in the Baltimore Orioles’ system.
“Greg knows the game,” Murphy said. “He’s not on all cylinders because he has not played full-time baseball in four years. He gives us an element of competitiveness. It was time for him to get a chance, and he’s made the most of it. I couldn’t be happier, because he is a guy who is committed to the program.”
Greg Bordes
Murphy compared Bordes to Dustin Pedroia, the former Sun Devil second baseman and 2007 American League rookie of the year with the Boston Red Sox. The comparison, delivered in Murphy’s keen-wit fashion, might not be flattering to either player, but — considering that Pedroia is one of the coach’s all-time favorite players — it is as lofty of praise as he can give.
“He’s a lot like Pedroia. He can’t run, throw, move left-to-right or hit for power,” Murphy said. “But he’s a player. He’s a mini-Pedroia.”
Bordes paid a lot of dues before his recent emergence, appearing in just 28 games (three starts) in two previous ASU seasons.
“I’m just having fun,” Bordes said. “I’ve been here four years and stayed after it, grinding every day. I’ve got a chance and am trying to make the most of it.”
In injury news, first baseman/pitcher Ike Davis (rib muscle strain) made the trip to Los Angeles and is expected to take at least some part in practice on Thursday night. Pitcher Stephen Sauer (shoulder) remained in Tempe.
For relief pitcher Tommy Rafferty, capitalizing on opportunity has been a season-long endeavor. The senior reliever has eight victories (in as many decisions), which is tied for seventh in the nation.
“He’s earned it,” Murphy said. “His numbers (24 games, 3.52 ERA, two saves) indicate that he pitches a lot. He has stepped up and done an amazing job.”
Rafferty is on pace to break the school record for appearances in a season, 38, set by Brett Bordes in 2005.
Despite ASU’s need for a No. 3 starter, Rafferty is unlikely to move into that spot because of his bullpen value. That leaves the usual suspects — Sauer, freshman Seth Blair and junior Jason Franzblau — to continue making their cases.
Blair had an encouraging effort on Saturday against California. He gave up eight hits and three earned runs in 3 2/3 innings, but some of that damage was due to poor defense.
“We’ve never played well behind Blair,” Murphy said. “But he’s gotten better.”
The Sun Devils lead the nation with 297 walks. They are third in scoring (9.8 runs per game) and 22nd in team batting average (.327).
The Saturday game against UCLA, broadcast on Fox Sports Net, will be available in more than 26.7 million homes, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast.
ASU has received a verbal football commitment from quarterback Brock Osweiler of Flathead High School in Kalispell, Mont., according to recruiting services. The 6-foot-8, 235-pounder, who threw for 3,250 yards and 31 touchdowns as a junior last season, is the second known commitment in the Sun Devils’ 2009 class.
