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Coach Murphy's Responses
This Week's Winner of the ASU Baseball Cap: Cheri Schnitker
Mark Christie (Baton Rouge, LA)I just enjoyed the weekend series between LSU and ASU. Both my wife and I were impressed with (and enjoyed) the way many of your team came up into the stands after BP to visit with the fans. I was wondering how you came to start this practice and to read your comments on how you feel it benefits your players. Please give our best to your team and good luck for the rest of the season.
Coach Murphy: I agree the weekend series in Baton Rouge was great. The LSU fans and the atmosphere are the best in the nation. Going into the stands was a way to show our respect for the fans - to pay tribute by coming up and introducing ourselves. Fan support is crucial to success of college baseball teams across the country and we appreciate the fact the fans at LSU wanted to see the great matchup between our two teams.
Michael LeBrun (Baton Rouge, LA)
Coach.....being an ASU fan here in Tiger land is difficult at best, but
when the Sun Devils came to town last week the heat really got turned up.
I had the chance to take my son to the Friday and Sunday games and I
can't begin to tell you what a thrill it was for him. The players were
great to him....Jeff Phelps got him an autographed ball and a set of
batting gloves. He slept with them. Here is my question: did Switzer pitch Sunday due to time between starts or was it strategic
?...I would have thought you might have started him Friday to get the
momentum in your favor.
Coach Murphy: I'm glad you had a great experience with our players. It's important that our players take the time to interact with the fans and thank them for their support. Switzer had four straight starts going seven-plus innings so he needed the extra days heading into the LSU series. He had also had a couple of bullpens during the week to work on his breaking ball. So the Sunday start was not strategic, it just worked out that way.
Rick Reidt (Godfrey, IL)
Being in the Pac-10, do you see some difference in your players
fundamentals as compared to players in other conferences?
Coach Murphy: The Pac-10 conference is the most competitive conference in the nation. It gives you that playoff atmosphere day-in and day-out. I'm sure there are plenty of programs in the country that also stress the fundamentals but in the Pac-10 you can be sure of it. Games in the Pac-10 often come down to one run so whoever can manufacture a run here or there usually wins the game. Schools in the Pac-10 work hard at playing the game of baseball.
Cheri Schnitker
First I'd like to applaud you on keeping up the great baseball tradition
at ASU. Being an ASU grad from the late 70's and recently moving back to
the valley, it's a great way to spend a day watching such talent.
Someone else asked about the College Baseball Rankings before the season
starts, but mine is about once the season begins. Baseball Weekly has FSU
#1 with a 7-2 record. They lost to us and they lost to Stanford. We are
11-2 and at #13. Why? Granted our 2 losses came from FSU but I would
think we would be higher. Maybe I'm just prejudice.
--The Lady in Pink, Section I, Row 4, Seat 7
Coach Murphy: Thank you for the kind comments regarding our program. We try not to spend too much time with rankings. The reasoning behind them is known only to the people working on them. We've got a long way to go to reach our goals this season. As a coach, I just worry about us getting better each week.
Ryan Lloyd (Boone, IA)
How does this team rank compared to the 1998 team and how do you think
your chances are for a national title in omaha? Do you ever think you'll
have another team like the 1998 one with 10 players drafted and six
players with All-American honors?
Coach Murphy: This team is similar to the '98 squad in that the players from both are unselfish and team-oriented. The dream of a national title is always there. Althought this season might be more difficult with the inexperience and injuries we still have that goal. You have to believe it to achieve it.
We are always going to have a ton of players drafted. We've actually had more players drafted in the last two years than any other Pac-10 school. The All-American honors will also be bestowed on deserving ASU players. But none will be remembered more than that '98 squad. It was a very special year with special young men who believed in themselves and their teammates.
Thanks again for all of your questions and continued support of Arizona State baseball.