ASU Baseball coach is out. Was listening on XM Radio yesterday to a preview show for the College World Series and they were discussing the "resignation". Discussion was that ASU has some of the most unreasonalbe expectations of a baseball program in the country but does not pay it head coach like it (reference was made that they would not be surprised if some assistants in the SEC made more than the head coach at ASU).
Anyone have any thoughts on the ASU situation or next coach?
Read an article on Baseball America that had some pretty good names as potential replcaements:
Some potential targets:
• Grand Canyon head coach Andy Stankiewicz, a former major leaguer who spent time on Arizona State’s coaching staff before shepherding Grand Canyon through a Division I transition. He’s a hot name in the ranks of rising college coaches.
• Pepperdine’s Steve Rodriguez, whose Waves became the first West Coast Conference team to win a regional in the 64-team era this spring and are on the brink of the College World Series.
• San Diego’s Rich Hill, who has turned the Toreros into one of the more consistent programs in the West, though they are still seeking their first trip to super regionals.
• Indiana’s Tracy Smith, who guided the Hoosiers to Omaha last year and to a national seed this year. Smith has recruiting ties in Southern California, and his big personality and aggressive style of play would be a natural fit at ASU.
• New Mexico’s Ray Birmingham, like Smith, has turned an afterthought program into a consistent winner. His grinder mentality and recruiting ties in the area would make him a great fit.
• Florida International coach Turtle Thomas, an accomplished recruiter who spent a year on Murphy’s staff at Arizona State.
• UC Santa Barbara’s Andrew Checketts, one of college baseball’s most highly regarded younger coaches for his ability to recruit and develop pitching. He’s on the fast track to serious stardom in the coaching world.
• Pat Murphy, currently the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas manager. The Sun Devils welcomed Murphy back to Packard Stadium this year to honor his great teams of the 2000s, and they might consider bringing him back as head coach—he won three straight Pac-12 titles in his final three seasons, after all. If Bruce Pearl (now at Auburn) can return to coaching a major college basketball program after receiving a show-cause penalty from the NCAA, there’s no reason Murphy should be blackballed from coaching again, and few coaches can match his track record of winning. It would be a bold move by Anderson, and it is a long shot, but there are plenty of Arizona State boosters and prominent alumni who would welcome it.
Wow, Andy Stankiewicz . . . now there's a blast from the past. Never heard Phil Rizzuto fuck up a name during a broadcast as bad as he did Andy's.
Of the 12 coaches, Rush picked the one whose fans have the deepest passion, the longest memories, the greatest lung capacity and … did I mention deep passion?
Meh. Pat Murphy was paid alright. Lisa Love was the one that not only fired Murphy, but gave the job to Esmay. ASU seems to be trending up since getting rid of her. That said, outside of a few seemingly impressive AD admin hires, this will be Ray Anderson's first big coaching hire.
I also would not be surprised if some assistant in the SEC made more than Esmay. Dude made around $150k a year.
ASU hired Tracy Smith from Indiana. 2013 COY, somehow turned the Hoosiers into respectable ball club the last couple years. That a pretty big hire for them. Honestly didn't think they could pull him.
Scummy Dick Douglas wrote:ASU hired Tracy Smith from Indiana. 2013 COY, somehow turned the Hoosiers into respectable ball club the last couple years. That a pretty big hire for them. Honestly didn't think they could pull him.
Not a bad hire but Big-10 baseball is not on the level of the Pac-12. Also, there was no pressure at Indiana to win.
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Scummy Dick Douglas wrote:ASU hired Tracy Smith from Indiana. 2013 COY, somehow turned the Hoosiers into respectable ball club the last couple years. That a pretty big hire for them. Honestly didn't think they could pull him.
Not a bad hire but Big-10 baseball is not on the level of the Pac-12. Also, there was no pressure at Indiana to win.
yeah...big 10 as an entire conference has 27 cws appearances ever...3 were by nebraska while in the big 12 and 23 of the other 24 happened before 1984. indiana's 2013 cws appearance was the first by a non-nebraska big 10 team since michigan in 1984. conference went 28 seasons without a team in the CWS.
i was going to put the ua/asu records here...but i forgot what they were.
Well thats one way to look at his track record at Indiana. I tend to believe any coach who can convince talented baseball players to not only play for a crap team in a crap conference, but also guide them to the CWS is a pretty damn good coach.
