#22 |
ARIZONA STATE
sundevils
(49-13, 16-8)
final 2008 ranking: 9 |
Arizona State fought Fresno
State to the last out in the Tempe Super Regional last
spring, but couldn't get by the upstart Bulldogs and
had their season come to a close a game short of their
21st College World Series appearance. The amateur draft
depleted the Sun Devils roster as fifteen players were
selected, including a pair of first round draft selections
in Brett Wallace and Ike Davis. While the losses are
mammoth, they’re not quite to the dogs-and-cats-living-together
type hysteria that would make 2009 a year to rebuild.
The Devils return an All American caliber athlete both
on the mound and in the field which will along way in
keeping ASU competitive. Mike Leake (11-3, 3.49, 104
K) was the 2008 Pac 10 Pitcher of the Year, and Jason
Kipnis (.371, 14, 73) will be back despite being selected
in the fourth round by the Padres. The two will lead
by example one of the top recruiting classes in the
nation which would have been even better had seventh
round draft choice, Johnny Coy who went 18-3 and hit
.655 his senior year in high school, not transferred
to Wichita State after initally committing to ASU.
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