Senior relief pitcher Frank Mesa transferred to ASU in 2003 expecting to play third base for the next three years. After earning an All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention that season, the right-hander ran into "off the field issues" and left the team after only 14 games in 2004.
"He had some problems with circumstances that were beyond his control," ASU coach Pat Murphy said.
However, a passion to play the game still burned inside the Yuma native, who approached Murphy during the offseason about returning to the team.
"I told him about how I made a mistake, and thought it was the right decision at the time," Mesa said. "But we talked for about 30 minutes to an hour about it and he welcomed me back."
Murphy said that he was glad to have Mesa back and likes his new attitude.
"He came to me this summer and said, 'I've grown a lot and I'm interested in doing anything for the team,'" Murphy said.
That attitude allowed Murphy to make Mesa a pitcher this season, which has fellow senior hurler Brett Bordes excited.
"He came back with a great attitude," Bordes said. "He's been very impressive and he'll do a great job for us and will be a huge part of our pitching staff."
Mesa is expected to come out of the bullpen as he did in the exhibition Alumni game, where he pitched two solid innings, giving up one hit and striking out one.
"My role right now is to come in and pitch in relief and I'm going to give it everything I have," Mesa said.
The last time Mesa took the mound in a game was back at Kofa High in Yuma, where he went 8-0 with a 0.70 ERA his senior season and was named the league's Pitcher of the Year in 2001.
"We let him work out as a position player and I think he's a good position player," Murphy said. "But I think his future will be as a pitcher because he throws strikes."
Prior to coming to ASU, Mesa played a season at Arizona Western in Yuma where he batted .406 with nine home runs and 55 RBIs. He earned first team all-region for his brief but impressive stint with the Matadors.
This ability is what allowed Mesa to play for the Sun Devils in the first place and what drove him to come back. His return to ASU had many twists and turns, but now that he's back, Mesa wants to focus on his newfound role and enjoy his final season.
"It's a great feeling to be back," he said. "It's a feeling I lost while I was gone and I just got it back."
Reach the reporter at thomas.j.kelley@asu.edu.
