Second-year head coach Willie Bloomquist’s trial run, is officially over. In his first season at the helm, he inherited a roster with only six players he personally recruited, was greeted by a disappointing non-conference performance, and led a scrappy group to an up-and-down Pac-12 showing that ultimately left Arizona State on the outside looking in when the NCAA tournament field was released. There were highs, of course, but the overall standard that Bloomquist works tirelessly to instill were never reached. Not even close.
“The expectations here speak for themselves no matter what year it is,” Bloomquist said confidently. “No matter how you want to phrase it. Last year, this year, our expectations are to win.”
The expectations may be the same, but the method has changed. Bloomquist and pitching coach/recruiting coordinator Sam Peraza had one specific goal in mind when it came to improving the roster this summer: Pitching, pitching, pitching.
Arizona State baseball has never struggled to score runs and attract formidable bats. The same, though, can’t be said for pitching. The team’s 6.76 ERA in 2022 was the worst in the Pac-12 by nearly a full point. Its 428 runs allowed were also dead last by a wide margin. In a league traditionally dominated by pitching, it’s hard to believe ASU finished in sixth place with such egregious pitching numbers. This deficiency was a product of a number of aspects. A lack of bullpen direction for much of the season and inconsistencies from starters left Bloomquist and recruiting coordinator Sam Peraza with no choice but to aggressively pursue improvements on the mound this offseason. And that they did, to the tune of seven transfer arms as well as six freshmen.
“That was certainly a concern that we needed to address. Last year was ugly on the mound in every sense of the word, and we had to get better at it,” Bloomquist said bluntly. “It’s tough to expect freshmen to come in and fill that void right away, so we knew we were going to be active in the portal in bringing in some experienced arms.”
There’s no doubt Bloomquist is more comfortable now than he was at this point last fall. But with so many new faces between transfers and freshmen, he says the acclimation process of a new team is similar to what he felt last year. With so many players coming from different programs, establishing a common goal through culture and continuity has been heavily emphasized by the staff early on.
“Part of the risk you take when you’re going to (overhaul) and bring in that many new guys, there’s going to be obstacles when trying to get them all together as one organization and one team,” he explained. “We’re focusing on building our culture from within, and it is a challenge when you bring that many new guys in, but it had to be done.”
Bloomquist, the 1999 Pac-10 player of the year and 13-year MLB veteran, has more than enough baseball experience to impart wisdom on his pupils. His coaching experience, however, is limited to last season alone. Though he’s not one to make excuses for himself, he admitted that the novelty of head coaching was a challenge at times during the whirlwind that was his inaugural season. The change in pace is night and day. While Bloomquist says he isn’t necessarily getting any more sleep this time around, he is taking comfort in having a year of experience under his belt.
“It’s certainly better knowing what to expect and what’s coming down the pipe. Last year every new day was a first for me, so having that kind of general idea of what to expect moving forward is certainly helpful,” he said. “I understand we still have a lot of work to do, but at least my expectations on what each day is going to bring are at least a little more realistic.”
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A year ago, junior infielder Ethan Long was preparing for a sophomore season that would almost certainly be his last one in a Sun Devil uniform. Coming off a stellar 16-home run freshman campaign that drew comparisons to former ASU sluggers Spencer Torkelson and Barry Bonds, the draft-eligible sophomore was poised to collect similar offensive numbers on his way to a top five-round selection in the MLB draft. None of that went according to plan. Long endured a slump to begin the year and, thanks to a nagging wrist injury that eventually ended his 2022 campaign, never truly found his stride offensively. He reflected on what was a disappointing 2022 by his lofty standards, explaining that his goals haven’t changed.
“Last year was definitely humbling. But that’s kind of the point; baseball is a humbling game,” the Gilbert native said after a moment of reflection. “Last year, I tried to focus on being a really good teammate, and that hasn’t changed. Growing up 20 minutes down the road, you know all about ASU baseball. Seeing how many national championships, my main focus is to bring one back here.”
It was a quiet summer for Long, who underwent surgery on that bad left wrist in June. He didn’t play any summer ball, instead rehabbing the malady and slowly working his way back into the batting cage beginning in mid-July.
“It wasn’t a long recovery,” Long recalled. “It sucked in the beginning, not being able to do anything. Once I finally got back in the swing of things, everything felt good. The wrist felt back to normal, and I’ve been working hard ever since.”
A player of Long’s status is naturally a leader. He plays in the infield, hits in the middle of the order, and garners considerable attention from fans and media alike. Long said that although he can be vocal, he likes to lead by example.
“I’m not much of a “rah-rah” guy; I don’t like talking that much,” he said. “Growing up, my dad always taught me that actions speak louder than words. That’s what I’m trying to do. So far, it’s been going really well.”
Long will headline a lineup that Willie Bloomquist says will have no trouble hitting the home run. When asked how the Sun Devils will make up for losing most of their home run production from last season, he responded with a knowing grin. “If you’ve seen our first few fall games… No. I’m not worried about a power outage. We’ve got some guys who can put the ball in the seats. But I do love that we’re a more athletic team from top to bottom.”
First pitch is still some four months away, as the 2023 schedule is being finalized. Fans should expect the non-conference slate to look a lot different this season. Specifically, Bloomquist wants to get his team on the road earlier. A road trip to 2021 national champion Mississippi State in late February will headline a pre Pac-12 gauntlet. All 56 games have been scheduled, and Bloomquist said a press release is expected to take place soon.
