ASU baseball head coach Tracy Smith said it himself this week: It's no secret that the team's rotation is running thin in terms of experience after the loss of junior Hever Bueno.
Luckily, junior right-hander Seth Martinez and redshirt sophomore lefty Reagan Todd have answered the call after each starting two games.
Martinez (2-0), who started out as the Saturday starter, has been moved up to Fridays. Todd made his first two starts of the year on Sundays, but is expected to move to Saturday for this weekend's series against Eastern Michigan.
Martinez has not given up an earned run in 13 innings while striking out 11 and walking four. He is displaying the consistency that Smith talked about with him throughout spring practice.
He noted his struggles in going past the fifth inning last year, and he said he is making an effort to go a bit deeper into games this season.
Additionally, he has worked on consistency but said improvement in that area is all mental.
"(It's about) knowing that you're at ASU for a reason, and that you are capable of going deeper into the game," Martinez said.
"It's just being in the present moment," Martinez added. "Just focusing on each and every pitch and not worrying about what's going on later in the game because you never know when you're coming out, or what could happen on that next pitch."
Martinez also said his team's confidence in him doesn't hurt either.
Smith said Martinez's performances have not surprised him one bit, noting that increased stamina is the biggest change from last season.
"He always gives you a chance to win," he said. "He realizes that maybe he needs to be a little more efficient early on so that he can go deeper into, but he's been solid all along."
Todd (1-1) has allowed just eight hits and one earned run in 9.2 innings between his two starts, which is impressive considering he didn't throw at all last year.
He said while redshirting is not fun for anyone, he grew a lot over the past year.
"I just tried to get stronger, I lifted more on my own because I knew I didn't have to worry about having my arm be ready for the game," Todd said. "Also just my mental strength, and not letting one season like that defeat me ... mental strength was probably the biggest thing that got me to where I am."
Todd said he also tried to pitch in practice like he was starting a game, sticking to his mechanics even though he did not rack up any game innings.
Preparation is what goes into trying to go a bit deeper into games, he said. However, the leash is perhaps shorter early on because the coaches want to avoid injuries before conference play and ensure longevity on the staff.
As the season progresses, he said working on efficiency will be key.
Confidence is something Smith and Martinez have praised in regards to the lefty's game on the hill.
Todd said it goes back to something Smith teaches all of his pitches.
"Don't show any chinks in your armor," Todd said. "He likes the idea of when somebody walks in the park and the score is 10-0, and you don't know which team (is losing). If you're on the mound and your team is losing, you can't show it. You've got to always keep the same composure throughout all times."
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Reach the reporter at Justin.Toscano@asu.edu or on Twitter @justintoscano3.
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