Preseason Ranks

The Rivals.com preseason rankings tab this year's version of the Sun Devils at #8, according to their polls released yesterday. Last year's squad ended the season at #14, after advancing to their seventh straight NCAA Tournament following a 37-21 record. As stated before, the Devils begin their season with the annual Alumni game on Jan. 27, before they host Southern Utah on February 2nd.

Two other Pac-10 teams are in the Top 25, defending champion Oregon State is 14th and UCLA is ranked at 16. The Sun Devils will also face one more squad from the Rivals.com preseason rankings, #7 Vanderbilt, who the Devils will face in the Houston College Classic, February 10th at Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX.

Devil Rewind: Travis Buck

From time to time around Devils' Dugout, we like to take a look back at former Sun Devils, and monitor their progression through the minor leagues. Today, we take a look back at former ASU Right Fielder and current Oakland Athletic prospect, Travis Buck.

Buck was drafted in the First Round of the 2005 Amateur draft by the A's, with the 36th Overall Selection. His time at ASU was captivated while a junior in the 2005 season, when he helped lead the Devils to a 3rd Place finish in Omaha. That season Buck hit .382, with 6 homers, 43 RBI, 82 runs scored and 27 stolen bases.

To this point in his professional career, Buck is being considered the top prospect in the A's system by many, including John Sickels of minorleagueball.com. Buck capped off his second professional season playing for the Midland A's, Oakland's Double A affiliate in the Texas League, after starting the season in High A ball, as a member of the Stockton Ports. Combined this season, Buck played in 84 games, batting .320, scoring 56 runs, hitting 7 homers, with 48 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

If Buck continues to play this way, he will no doubt be a future member of the Oakland outfield.

ASU State Press

Sun Devil '07 Schedule

2006 ended abruptly for the Sun Devils, after a magical run through the College World Series in '05 that culminated in a third place finish. Last year was marked with a mass exodus of senior leadership and an influx of new talent in Ike Davis and others.

In 2007, the Devils hope to make another CWS run, and it will all start very soon, with the annual alumni game on Jan. 27th at Packard. A complete list of the Sun Devil '07 schedule can be found here, as ASU looks to get back on the title contending track.

From what I see, the Devils continue to load up their season schedule to prepare for a long run in the postseason. The major non-conference part of the schedule is the March 9-10 matchup @ Long Beach State, a perenial Top 25 program, and the two tournaments the Devils will partake in; the Minute Maid College Classic in Houston, and the 5th Annual Coca-Cola Classic in Surprise, which includes the defending champion Oregon State Beavers.

The Pac-10 schedule kicks off in late March against USC in Southern California, and runs through late May, including the Challenge at Chase against the U of A on March 28th in Downtown Phoenix. Sprinkle in a few home series vs. K State, Maine and UL-Lafayette, and the Devils' 2007 schedule is shaping up to be a long, tough season, that hopefully ends on a win in Omaha.