Steady play keeps Torrez in lineup

In an Arizona State lineup featuring All-America candidates and first-round draft prospects, Raoul Torrez is rarely the first name that comes to mind.

But on a list of the most steady Sun Devils, the sophomore second baseman is near the top, with such names as Brett Wallace, Ike Davis, Petey Paramore and Mike Leake.

“With those big hitters around me in the lineup, I get a lot of fastballs,” Torrez said. “It’s better for me. I’ve never minded playing the role of the guy in the shadows. I can relax, fly under the radar and do my own thing. It’s nice to not have all that pressure.”

Despite his relative anonymity, Torrez’s play and leadership this season has drawn the loftiest of praise from coach Pat Murphy.

“When I think of players that embody the Sun Devil tradition,” said Murphy, who is in his 14th season at ASU, “Raoul is one of those guys, unselfish, a hard worker.”

Torrez, a product of Phoenix Brophy Prep, has one home run and 15 RBIs, but his .359 average is fifth on the team. After a shaky start in the field, he has been a model of reliability at second base.

That is pretty heady stuff for a guy who had just 43 at-bats last year and was not guaranteed a starting job coming into 2008. But his limited playing time in ’07 did not keep him from building confidence and valuable experience.

“I was able to get a feel for what college pitching is like,” said Torrez, who batted .233 with eight RBIs a year ago. “Late in the season, I got at-bats in some late-inning, pressure situations. I played a little in Omaha (at the College World Series), and that awakened me to my capabilities.

“I was in there against national championship-caliber teams, and I learned that I could do this. I got a lot more comfortable at the plate.”

Torrez can play third base, shortstop and second base. With Wallace starting at third, Torrez was in a preseason competition with two players — juniors Jake Elmore and Marcel Champagnie — for the middle-infield spots.

Champagnie won the shortstop job, and on opening night in February, Elmore was at second base. Before the weekend was over, however, Torrez got the call.

There were some anxious moments early on as Torrez, who primarily played at third last season, made the adjustment to second.

“I hadn’t played there a lot,” said Torrez, who has seven errors this year. “I would get a ground ball and think it through about how I wanted to play it. Now, it’s second nature. I know how to play each ball, see it off and bat and read the hops. It’s instinct.”

The game that erased any doubt for Torrez was on March 11 against Arkansas. In the seventh inning, he committed an error on a potential frame-ending double play ball, enabling the Razorbacks to take the lead.

But in the bottom half of the frame, a Torrez single drove in the winning run.

“He’s got all the ingredients and the attitude,” Murphy said. “There has not been a day since he’s been here that he has not been a team guy all the way.”

In 2009, a player Torrez figures to mentor closely is brother Riccio, who is a senior shortstop at Brophy and has signed with ASU.

“I’m looking forward to turning some double plays with him,” Torrez said.

Oregon State at ASU

When: 7 p.m. today, 6 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday
Where: Packard Stadium
TV/Radio:None/KDUS (1060 AM)
Rankings: Oregon State unranked; ASU No. 3 USA Today/ESPN (coaches); No. 2 Baseball America; No. 3 Collegiate Baseball; No. 3 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
Scouting the Beavers: Oregon State is, by its standards, struggling. Or is it sitting in the weeds? The Beavers were underwhelming for much of the 2007 regular season, only to storm to a second straight national title. To make a similar run, they must get better starting pitching from Mike Stutes (2-4, 5.40 ERA) and Jorge Reyes (2-1, 6.38 ERA). There are no problems at closer, as Scottsdale Horizon product Kevin Rhoderick (0.56 ERA, six saves) has been lights out. Third baseman Drew George (.387, three home runs, 24 RBIs) and designated hitter Jason Ogata (.368, four HRs, 31 RBIs) are among the top threats at the plate.