With all the history and tradition surrounding ASU's baseball program, it's hard to understand the lack of support it receives from its students.
Baseball is not the most exciting sport in the world, but it's still America's pastime.
The Arizona Diamondbacks don't seem to have problems filling the seats at Bank One Ballpark. Cactus League Spring Training games draw hoards of people to watch Barry Bonds bat twice and call it a day so some scrubs that will spend the year in Triple-A ball can get some playing time. Yet students don't go watch the Sun Devil baseball team, which has some of the most talented young athletes on campus.
Guys like sophomore shortstop Dustin Pedroia and sophomore first baseman Jeff Larish are putting up staggering numbers, entering the record books in just their second year of competition. Pedroia has 28 doubles this season, two off the school record. Larish has already blasted four grand slams, a new ASU high. Plus, they use metal bats and play some of the most exciting baseball you'll ever see.
This year, the Sun Devils are averaging 10.37 runs per game and their batting average is .353, tops in the Pac-10. In fact, ASU teams under head coach Pat Murphy (1995-present) were averaging 9.13 runs per game in the eight seasons prior to this year.
The Sun Devil baseball program has enjoyed winning seasons for the last 18 years, including one in the 2003 campaign. The last time ASU failed to finish above .500 was in 1985 when the club went 31-35, not a bad record by any stretch of the imagination.
Now don't get me wrong, attendance figures at Packard Stadium are wonderful. In fact, the Sun Devils have drawn an average of 2,807 fans per game in their 33 home dates. That's 92,642 fans so far this season.
The problem is that most of those supporters are elderly people who have been longtime fans. Students seen in the stands are few and far between, and they usually show up only for Friday night games, leaving early to make it to the bars.
Students should play an integral part in helping give ASU a home-field advantage. The "Dirty Dozen" does a fine job in that department, but a larger fan base would be expected with the success of the team.
In addition, ASU baseball games are free to all students with an I.D. You don't get that kind of luxury when walking up to the doors of Wells Fargo Arena or the gates at Sun Devil Stadium.
I'll see you Tuesday when ASU plays UC-Irvine in its last home game of the school year.
What do you think of ASU baseball? Post your opinion in the forum below.
Reach the reporter at casey.pritchard@asu.edu.
