Location J.D. Morgan Center, 325 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90024-0044 Athletics Switchboard (310) 825-8699 Central Ticket Office (310) 825-2101 Chancellor Gene Block Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero Sr. Associate Athletic Director (baseball) Ken Weiner Faculty Athletic Representative Donald Morrison Event Management Dave Martinez Home Field (capacity) Jackie Robinson Stadium (1,250) Press Box Phone (310) 794-8213 Enrollment 37,500 Founded 1919 Colors Blue and Gold Nickname Bruins Conference Pacific-10 National Affiliation NCAA Division I Head Coach (Alma Mater) John Savage (Nevada ‘91) Record at UCLA (Years) 141-150 (five years) Career Record 229-234-1 (eight years) Assistant Coaches Rick Vanderhook, Steve Pearse, P.C. Shaw Director of Operations Trevor Ryan Baseball SID Alex Timiraos SID E-mail [email protected]SID Phone (310) 206-4008 SID Fax (310) 825-8664 Director of Sports Information Marc Dellins Web Site www.uclabruins.com 2009 Overall Record 27-29 2009 Pac-10 Record 15-12 (t-3rd) Lettermen Returning/Lost 17/12 Conference Championships (Last) 6 (2000) NCAA Tournament Appearances (Last) 15 (2008) College World Series Appearances 2 (1969, 1997) About the Media Guide ON THE COVER: The cover of the 2010 baseball media guide features Trevor Bauer, Blair Dunlap, Garett Claypool, Gerrit Cole, Justin Uribe and Rob Rasmussen. Photos by Don Liebig, Scott James and Aaron Sprecher. CREDITS: The 2010 UCLA baseball media guide was written and designed by Alex Timiraos. Photography by ASUCLA Campus Studio (Don Liebig, Scott Quintard and Todd Cheney), Scott James, Aaron Sprecher, Larry Goren, Icon Sports Media and Getty Images. Printing by Marina Graphics Center. Special thanks to Getty Images, ASUCLA Photography, Andrew Bernstein, the Los Angeles Visitors and Convention Bureau and Don Liebig for their photos in the UCLA Experience, and a special thanks to Dennis Hubbard for his photos from the 1997 College World Series. Photos in the Big League Bruins section courtesy of Major League Baseball, its respective teams and their photographers. Special thanks to Miles Kennedy, Jon Willey (Arizona Diamondbacks), Brad Newton (Texas Rangers), Dan Mendlik (Cleveland Indians), Missy Mikulecky (San Francisco Giants), Denis Bancroft (Florida Marlins), Dan Donovan (St. Louis Cardinals), Larry Babcock (Los Angeles Angels) and Mark Langill (Los Angeles Dodgers). PURCHASE: Copies of the baseball media guide can be purchased in person at UCLA’s Sports Information Office for $8. By mail, make checks payable for $10 to UC Regents and mail to UCLA Sports Information Office, Baseball Guide, P.O. Box 24044, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Please include your name and return address. Quick Facts General Information Media Information 2 Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium 4 Gifford Hitting Facility 6 Season Outlook 8 Roster 9 TV/Radio Roster 10 Coaching Staff Head Coach John Savage 12 Assistant Coaches 15 Support Staff 17 Meet the Bruins Veterans 18-34 Newcomers 34-37 2009 in Review Drafted/Graduated Players 40 Season Results 43 Season Stats 44 Superlatives 48 Pac-10 Review 50 Honors and Rankings 52 Opponents 54 Big League Bruins Bruins in the Majors 62 Bruins Fomerly in the Majors 64 Bruins in the Minors 69 MLB Draft History 70 Records Game-by-Game Results 72 Year-by-Year Summary 80 Starting Lineups 82 Year-by-Year Leaders 84 Single Season, Career Records 88 Miscellaneous Records 90 Bruin All-Stars 91 Tradition Team USA and UCLA 92 Jackie Robinson’s Legacy 94 Bruin Tradition 98 NCAA Tournament History 104 Jersey History 106 All-Time Statistics (since 1975) 108 Baseball Hall of Fame 113 Letterwinners 114 UCLA Administrators 116 Table of Contents THIS IS UCLA BASEBALL
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THIS IS UCLA BASEBALL · broadcasts, Losfans are encouraged to visit uclabruins.com. ... news-gathering papers, magazines or web sites. PHOTO CREDENTIALS: Credentials will be issued
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About the Media GuideON THE COVER:Thecoverofthe2010baseballmediaguidefeaturesTrevorBauer,BlairDunlap,GarettClaypool,GerritCole,JustinUribeandRobRasmussen.PhotosbyDonLiebig,ScottJamesandAaronSprecher.
PURCHASE: Copies of the baseballmedia guide can be purchased inpersonatUCLA’sSportsInformationOfficefor$8.Bymail,makecheckspayablefor$10toUCRegentsandmailtoUCLASportsInformationOffice,BaseballGuide,P.O.Box24044,LosAngeles,CA90024.Pleaseincludeyournameandreturnaddress.
Quick Facts
General InformationMediaInformation 2SteeleFieldatJackieRobinsonStadium 4GiffordHittingFacility 6SeasonOutlook 8Roster 9TV/RadioRoster 10
NewspapersLos Angeles Times202WestFirstSt.LosAngeles,CA90053(P): 213-237-7145(F): 213-237-7876sports.latimes.com
Los Angeles Daily News21860BurbankBlvd.(Ste.200)WoodlandHills,CA91367(P): 818-713-3600(F): 818-713-3436dailynews.com
Orange County Register625N.GrandAve.SantaAna,CA92711(P): 714-796-7817(F): 714-565-6765ocregister.com
Long Beach Press Telegram604PineAve.LongBeach,CA90844(P): 562-499-1338(F): 562-437-8914presstelegram.com
Pasadena Star News San Gabriel Valley Tribune1210N.AzusaCanyonRd.WestCovina,CA91790(P): 626-962-8811(F): 626-856-2758pasadenastarnews.comsgvtribune.com
Media OutletsRiverside Press Enterprise351214thSt.Riverside,CA92502(P): 909-368-9533(F): 909-368-9029pe.com
South Bay Daily Breeze5215TorranceBlvd.Torrance,CA90509(P): 310-540-4201(F): 310-540-3067www.dailybreeze.com
RIVALS.com College Baseball9215GreatHillsTrail,#206WAustin,TX78759rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/baseballKendallRogers,editor(P):512-584-8403
USA Today10866Wilshire#890LosAngeles,CA90024(P): 310-443-8900(F): 310-443-8923usatoday.com
BRUINS GETTING AIRTIMEHavingreachedtheNCAATournamentinthreeofthepastfourseasons,theUCLAbaseballprogramhas received increased exposure and mediaattention,bothlocallyandnationally.LosAngeleshassevenlocalnetworkaffiliatesorindependenttelevisionstations,andthebaseballprogramhasbeenbroadcasteachspringonFoxSportsNet.The Bruins have had 11 games broadcast ontelevision the past three years, including sevennationallytelevisedcontests.
College Baseball InsiderP.O.Box8235Richmond,VA23226collegebaseballinsider.com
USA BaseballDurhamBullsAthleticPark403BlackwellStreetDurham,NC27701(P):919-474-8721,x.225(F):919-474-8822JakeFehlingDirector,MediaRelations
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SPORTS INFORMATIONAlex Timiraos enters his fourth seasonastheUCLAbaseballsportsinformationdirectorin2010.Inaddition,heassistswith the men’s basketball team andserves as the contact for the men’sandwomen’swaterpoloprogramsandwomen’s rowing team. A lifelong LosAngeles resident, Timiraos graduatedfrom Boston College in May 2006,earning a Bachelor of Arts degree incommunication.
UCLA BASEBALL RADIO NETWORKJohn Ramey will call the action at allUCLA home games and selected roadcontestsin2010.Livestreamingaudioof UCLA’s baseball games is availableat uclabruins.com, the official website of the UCLA Athletics Department.Audio frompreviouslybroadcastgamesis archived and can be listened onlineaftereachgame.UCLA’sradionetworkis headed by Mike Sondheimer, Associate Athletic DirectorforAcademicAdmissionsServices.Forupdatedschedulesofbroadcasts,fansareencouragedtovisituclabruins.com.
LIVE FROM JACKIE ROBINSON STADIUMJohn Ramey enters his first seasonas the play-by-play broadcaster forUCLA baseball. Ramey joins the UCLAbroadcastingstaffafterhavingspentthelast three seasons as the voice of theUCRiversidebaseballprogram.
In addition, he has been the play-by-play voice for the UC Riverside men’sbasketballteamthelasttwoseasons.
A residentof theSilverLakedistrictofLosAngeles,Rameyworksasasportsanchor,writerandseniorwebeditorforKNX 1070 Newsradio in Los Angeles. He has also been seenorheardonFOXSports,CNN’sNancyGraceandtheDr.DrewShow. He spends free time working as a musician, singer andsongwriter,havingreleasedseveral independentrecordings.HehasperformedinsouthernCaliforniaandthroughoutthenationwithhisact,JohnRameyandtheOrchestra.
DannyReesandNickTheodorouwillserveascolorcommentatorsonUCLAradiobroadcaststhroughouttheseason.Reeswillenterhis redshirt senior seasonon theUCLA football teamnext fall.Last season, he servedas the team’s holder on special teamsfor All-America kicker Kai Forbath. Rees has a background inbroadcastingandlookstopursueacareerinthecommunicationsfieldaftergraduatingfromUCLA.
TheodorouexcelledintheBruinbaseballprogramfrom1995-98afterredshirtingthe1994season.ThenativeofRialto,Calif.,spentnineseasonsplayingintheminorleagues(1998-2006),includingthefirsteightyearswiththeLosAngelesDodgersorganization.Theodorou was selected in the 27th round of the 1998 MLBDraftbytheDodgers.HecurrentlyservesasAssistantDirectorforMajorGiftsintheUCLAAthleticDevelopmentOffice.
CREDENTIALS:Allmediacredentialrequestsshouldbemade,preferably via e-mail, to [email protected], or byphone(310-206-4008)asfarinadvanceaspossible(nolaterthan24hoursbeforegametime).Credentials forgamesandaccesstocoachesandstudent-athletesaregrantedtomajornews-gatheringpapers,magazinesorwebsites.
PHOTO CREDENTIALS: Credentials will be issued on a per-gamebasisandmustbeworn inplainsightatall times.Onlycredentialedphotographerswillbegrantedaccesstobullpens.
TELEPHONES: The press box phone number (for mediascoringupdatesonly)is310-794-8213.Additionalphonelinesareavailable ona sharedbasis in themainpressbox.Radiopositionsandadditionalmedia seatingwill beallocated in thepressboxoradjacenttothebroadcastbooths,ifnecessary.
RADIO LINES: One telephone line can be made available tothedesignatedradiostationofthevisitingteam.PleasemakearrangementsthroughtheSportsInformationOffice([email protected](310)206-4008)wellinadvance.
THE BEST ARE OUT WESTCollege baseball’s national champion hasoriginatedfromtheWestCoastinthreeofthelastfouryears.Locally,UCLAfacesprominentprograms such as Cal State Fullerton,Pepperdine, San Diego State, UC Irvine, UCRiverside,UCSantaBarbaraandUSC.
INTERVIEWS:Coachesandplayersareavailableforpostgameinterviewsoutsidetheclubhouse(third-baseside)afterabriefcooling down period. Midweek interviews can be conductedbeforepractice(besttime,between12-2p.m.)orafterpractice.All interview requests must be facilitated through the SportsInformationOffice.
UCLABRUINS.COM:TheofficialwebsiteoftheUCLAAthleticsDepartment,uclabruins.comprovidesup-to-dateresults,news,schedules, player biographical information, statistics, in-gamescoring and links to audio webcasts. Fans can also shop forBruinmerchandiseattheUniversity’sonlinestore.
Locatedon thesiteofoldSawtelleField,JackieRobinsonStadium provides one of the most comfortable collegebaseball settings in the West. The stadium was madepossiblebyaprivategift fromHoytPardee (UCLA ’41),aclassmateof JackieRobinson.WithoutHoyt, thestadiumwouldnotbeareality.
Attheendofthe1984season,thesecondmajorphaseofthestadium’soriginalconstructionwascompleted.Anewclubhouse, press box, concessions stand, and permanentrestrooms were added. The clubhouse contains trainingand equipment rooms, a meeting room, offices and theUCLABaseballHallofFame,whichdisplaysplaquesofallitsmembers.
Themainpressboxisflankedbytwobroadcastboothsandprovidesamplespaceformembersofthemedia.Camerapositionsfortelevisioncoveragearelocatedatopbothdugoutsandontheconcourse.Controlsforthepublicaddresssystem,electronicscoreboardandlightingsystemsarelocatedinthemainpressbox.Theconcession is locatedabovethefirstbaseseatsalongwithpublicrestrooms.Onselectweekends,a second concession stand provides food and beveragesabovethethirdbaseseats.
Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium opens its 30thseasonasUCLA’shomebaseballfieldin2010afterhavingundergonesignificantrenovationssince2006.Followingthe2009season,thefieldreceivednewgrassontheinfieldandarenovatedwarningtrack.
Among the facility’s most recent improvement is theconstructionoftheJackandRhodineGiffordHittingFacility,a10,500-squarefootpracticecomplexlocatedbehindrightfield (seepage6).Amongthepremier facilitiesof itskindincollegebaseball,thispracticecomplexfeaturesmultipleretractablenetsforhittinganddefensivedrills.
Midwaythroughthe2008season,UCLAupgradeditsstadiumlights, making necessary improvements to meet NCAAstandardsforhostinganNCAASuperRegional.InJanuary2008,UCLAinstalledastate-of-the-artplayingsurface,amajorupgrademadepossiblebytheSteeleFoundation.
Priortothe2007season, thebaseballprogram installeda major-league quality net behind home plate, improvingsightlines for fans, photographers and television crews.Othermajorimprovementshaveincludedtheadditionofover1,000chairbackseatswithcupholdersinFebruary2006.The stadium welcomed a new hitter’s eye, draped abovethecenterfieldwall,andtheBruinsscoreboardreceivedawell-deservedfacelift.
JackieRobinsonStadiumwasdedicatedonFeb.7,1981with an exhibition game between the Bruins and the LosAngelesDodgersthatdrew2,500fans.Thefacilityhostedthe1986WestCoastConference playoff gamebetweenPepperdine and Loyola Marymount. One week later, thestadiumhostedthe1986NCAAWestRegionalTournament.Loyola Marymount, UC Santa Barbara, Hawaii, and UCLAparticipatedintheregional,wonbyLoyolaMarymount.The1986WestRegionalwastheLosAngelesarea’sfirstNCAApostseasontournamentsincethe1978District8Playoffswere hosted at USC’s Dedeaux Field. The 1986 regionalchampionshipcontestbetweenLoyolaMarymountandHawaiidrewacrowdof1,815.
JackieRobinson,forwhomthestadiumisnamed,wasthefirstAfrican-AmericanbaseballplayertocompeteinthemajorleagueswhenhejoinedtheBrooklynDodgersin1947.Asa student-athlete at UCLA, Robinson became the Bruins’firstfour-sportletterman,playingfootball,basketball,track,andbaseball.AbronzestatueofRobinsonis locatednearthe concession stand on the concourse level. The statuewasdedicatedonApril27,1985,beforetheUCLA-ArizonaStategame.
TheUCLAbaseballprogramcompletedconstructionof theJackandRhodineGifford Hitting Facility in February 2009 and has taken full advantage of the10,500-squarefootpracticecomplex.ThefacilitywasgenerouslyfundedbythelateJackGiffordandhiswife,Rhodine.JackplayedbaseballatUCLAintheearly1960sbeforegraduatingin1963.
KEY FEATURES OF UCLA’S GIFFORD HITTING FACILITY• Dimensions of the practice complex run 23-feet high, 70-feet wide and 150-feet long• Practice complex features an adjustable interior design, accomodating up to five hitting cages at once• Cages include multiple pitching machines, including one capable of throwing breaking balls• Accomodates room for defensive drills and pitching instruction on the south-facing half of the complex• Spacious tee area within the facility allows for additional hitting drills• State-of-the-art synthetic turf allows position players to practice fielding
The Jack and Rhodine Gifford Hitting Facility was built in less than five weeks, spanning from December 2008 through January 2009. Photos to the right (clockwise from top) show the construction of the hitting facility in December 2008. The project was completed in time for the Bruins’ preseason practice schedule in February 2009 and has been invaluable to the program throughout the year. The Bruins’ practice complex has become most needed on rainy days.
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UCLAlookstowardthe2010seasonwithexcitement,knowingthatitspotentialon themoundcouldnotonlypushtheBruins towardaPac-10Conferencetitle,butalsoadeeprunthroughtheNCAATournament. Sophomore right-handers Trevor Bauer and GerritColewillbecountedupontoliftUCLAthisspring,andacoregroupof returning position players – headlined by seniors Blair Dunlap and Justin Uribe – will be expected to help energize an offense that lost severalofitsmostpotentweaponstotheMLBDraftlastJune.
While the Bruins’ strength should be on the mound, the team’soffensehas the speed, patienceandability to helpUCLAmakeapushtowarditsfourthNCAARegionalappearanceinfiveseasons.TheBruinsmissedoutonthepostseasonin2009,endingtheyearwitha27-29recorddespitefinishingthirdinthePac-10Conferenceforthefourthconsecutiveseason.TheBruins’streakofthreeNCAApostseasonberthswassnappedbeforetheprogramsawsevenofits eightMLBDraft selections (five juniors, twoseniors) leave forminorleaguebaseballinJune.
UCLA will look no further than Bauer and Cole to lead the staff.After earning Louisville SluggerNational FreshmanPitcher of theYearaccoladeslastseason,BauerlookstoimproveupononeoftheBruins’most successful freshmancampaigns in programhistory.The right-hander fromValencia,Calif.,went9-3witha2.99ERA,registering 92 strikeouts and 27 walks in a team-leading 105.1innings. Equally remarkable, he graduated from Hart High SchoolonesemesterearlytoenrollatUCLAforthe2009winterquarter.
“Trevor had as good a season as any freshman in the country,”Savagesaid. “Weexpectedhimtobegood,buttoputtogetherafreshmanseasonlikethatisaremarkableachievement.We’lllookforhimtobecomeamorecompletepitcher.LikeGerritCole,he’saguywhowantstopitchdeepintoballgames.”
Cole arrived at UCLA after having been selected as a first-roundMajor League Draft selection by the New York Yankees in June2008. He pitched in the starting rotation all season, posting adeceptive4-8recordwhilecollectinga3.49ERAandateam-leading104strikeoutsin85.0innings.
Rob Rasmussen and Garett Claypool have both experiencedsuccess as starting pitchers at UCLA, and the expectation is nodifferent in2010.Rasmussenmissednearly his entire freshmanseason after a line-drive comebacker fractured his left foot in2008.Asasophomore last spring,heopened theseason in thestartingrotationbeforeBauerwasinsertedintheweekendlineup.Rasmussen, hailing from nearby Arcadia, Calif., had among themostsuccessfulsummersofanypitcherintheCapeCodLeaguein2009,beingselectedtostartintheleague’sannualAll-StarGameinBoston’sfamedFenwayPark.
AfreshmanAll-Americanin2007anda32nd-rounddraftselectionby the Oakland Athletics in 2009, Claypool returns as UCLA’smost experienced pitcher, having thrown 125.0 innings in threeseasons.ThenativeofWestHills,Calif.,hasbeenmostsensationalinmidweekstartsthroughoutthiscareer.Oneoffourseniorsontherosterin2010,Claypoolcouldbeexpectedtocontributeasbothastarterandreliever.
Otherpitchersexpectedtomakeasignificantimpact,mostlikelyinrelief,includeleft-handersMattGrace,MattDrummondandMitchellBeacomandright-handersErikGoeddelandDanKlein.Gracemade22 appearances in 2009, tops among UCLA’s returning arms.Drummondhadastrongsophomoreseasonin2008beforebeingsidelinedwithaninjuryin2009,andBeacomhadseveraldominantrelief outings as a redshirt freshman last spring, notching 14strikeoutsinnineinningsoutofthebullpen.
Kleinentersthe2010campaignpenciledinastheteam’scloser.Ahighly-toutedquarterbackandpitcheratServiteHighSchool,theredshirt sophomore overcame a shoulder injury before having adominantfallforUCLA.Goeddelmadenineappearancesinreliefasaredshirt freshman,overcominganelbowinjurythatkepthimoffthemoundin2008.
UCLAentersthe2010seasonwithamoreexperiencedanddeeperstaff behind theplate than it didone yearago.SophomoreSteveRodriguezmade34startsatcatcherasafreshmanin2009andisexpectedtoleadthegroupbehindthedishthisspring.Inaddition,theBruinswelcomefreshmenTrevorBrownandTylerHeineman.Brown isa formerbatterymateofBauer,asbothplayed forHartHighSchool’s varsity team in2008.HeservedasHart’sstartingcatcherasajuniorandsenior,securingfirst-teamAll-FoothillLeaguehonors in 2009. Heineman arrives in Westwood after havingexcelledasafour-yearvarsityletterwinneratWindwardSchool(LosAngeles).Heinemanwas nameda first-teamAll-CIF selection andtheDelphicLeagueMVPasasenior.
“Steve got much stronger in the offseason and should be muchmoreoffensivethanhewasoneyearago,”Savagesaid.“WelikeourdepthbehindtheplatewithTrevorBrownandTylerHeineman,andIthinkyoucouldseeallthreeguyscompetingforplayingtime.”
TheBruins’ infield featuresdepthateachposition,ascompetitionforplayingtimeandstartingspotsmaybeonthetableduringthenon-conferenceportionofUCLA’sschedule.Atthirdbase,UCLAisencouragedbytheadditionsofsophomoretransferDeanEspyandfreshman Cody Regis. Espy batted .363 as a freshman at SouthMountainCommunityCollege(Phoenix)oneyearagoandbringsasavvy,veteranpresencetothehotcornerfortheBruins.Regis,aleft-handedhitterfromGlendoraHighSchool,hadamongthemostproductivecampaignsforUCLAduringitsfallpracticesandshouldpushforplayingtimeatthirdbase,shortstoporsecondbase.
“We’re very balanced around our infield, starting at third basewithDeanandCody,”Savagesaid.“Thosearetwoexcitingplayers,particularly from the offensive standpoint because Cody hits left-handedandDeanhitsright-handed.Dean isaveteranguy,havingbeenapolishedplayeratatopjuniorcollegeforoneseason.”
UCLAisequallyencouragedbyitstwoprimaryoptionsatshortstop– junior Niko Gallego and sophomore Adrian Williams. Gallego batted .273 in 55 starts at shortstop last spring and boasted a .300battingaverageplaying inall27Pac-10contests.AfterspendingthesummerplayingintheCapeCodLeague,Gallegoreturnstothefieldthisspringhavingplayedin74collegiatecontests.Williamsisexpected to push formoreplaying timeat shortstopand secondbase in 2010. Hailing from Moreno Valley, Calif., Williams hasdisplayedterrifichandsontheinfieldasaverysmoothdefender.
“NikoandAdrianhavebecomemorecomfortableatshortstopandeachguyisthatmuchmoreexperiencedthisseason,”Savagesaid.“They both went out and had productive summers – Niko playing intheCapeCodLeagueandAdriancompetingintheNorthwoodsLeague. They have both gotten stronger in theweight room, andwe’reexcitedtoseethemhavestrongseasonsin2010.”
Withthedepartureoffour-yearseniorEddieMurray,whostarted49gamesatsecondbasein2009,theBruinswilllookforsophomoreTyler Rahmatulla and senior Blair Dunlap to fill the vacancy.Rahmatullaplayed in35gamesaround the infieldasa freshmanlast spring, and Dunlap has worked to make the transition fromcenterfieldtosecondbase,apositionheplayedatSantaMargaritaHighSchool.UCLA’smostveteranplayer,Dunlaphadastrongjuniorcampaignin2009,batting.301whileleadingtheBruinsinhits(68),doubles(17)andstolenbases(15).
“BothTylerandBlairareveryoffensiveplayers,andourhopeistohavebothguys in thestarting lineup,”Savagesaid. “Blair isgoingtobeoneofourleaders,especiallyontheoffensiveend,andwe’rethrilled to have himbackwith us for his senior season. Tyler gotsomeplaying time in2009,butwe look forhim tobringamoreconsistentgameasasophomore.”
UCLA lost its primary two first basemen – Cody Decker and Casey Haerther – from the past three seasons, but will look toward senior JustinUribetomakeasmoothtransitionfromtheoutfieldtofirstbase.Uribe,whohasplayedat firstbase insummer leaguesandatFoothillHighSchool,enterstheseasonasoneofUCLA’smostexperienced hitters. He has batted above .280 in each of threeseasons,highlightedbyacareer-high.318averagelastspring.
Among UCLA’s most notable additions in 2010 are its four left-handed-hitting freshman outfielders – Beau Amaral, Jeff Gelalich, DennisHoltandCodyKeefer.Thosefournewcomerscombinedwith
thereturnofjuniorsChrisGiovinazzoandBrettKrillandsophomoreMarcNavarrohavetheBruinsexcitedabouttheirpotential intheoutfield.Twooftheteam’smostoffensiveoutfieldersfromoneyearago – Dunlap and Uribe – have moved to the infield, opening up spaceforseveralfreshmentocompeteforplayingtime.
Krilladdedtohisstrong6-foot-4,225-poundframeintheoffseasonand proved to be one of UCLA’s top power-hitting threats in fallpractice.ThenativeofLagunaNiguel,Calif.,hasplayed in just22gamesthepasttwoseasons,butabigseasonfromKrillcouldhelpsparktheBruins’offense.
Giovinazzo showed that he was one of the team’s best athleteslast season. He batted .286 with 11 extra-base hits and figuresto have an even more productive campaign as a junior. Navarrowas the Bruins’ primary pinch-hitter and late-inning defensivereplacement and could push for time in the starting lineup as aredshirtsophomore.
“Chrisiscertainlyoneofthemostpolishedandtalentedathletesinourprogram,”Savagesaid.“Hehasaddedstrengthintheoffseasonand can really build off his successful sophomore season. Marcbroughtgreatvaluetoourteamoffthebenchin2009,andwasoneofourteam’sbetterhittersinthefall.”
Amaral,GelalichandKeeferwereeachselectedinthe2009MLBDraft and enter their freshmen campaigns with high aspirations.ThesonofformerUCLAstandoutandmajorleaguerRichAmaral,Beauisaleft-handedhitterwhocouldvieforthelineup’sleadoffspotastheteam’sfastestrunner.Gelalichwasatwo-sportstaratBonitaHigh School, excelling on the football field and baseball diamondbeforechoosingtosolelyconcentrateonbaseball.Atalentedhitter,Gelalichpossessesaverystrongarmandcouldemergeasaregularstarter ineitherofthecorneroutfieldspots.Keeferhadastrongsummer in2009,batting .292in39gameswiththeWenatcheeAppleSoxoftheWestCoastCollegiateBaseballLeague.
Knownforplayingamongthenation’smostchallengingscheduleseachseason,UCLA’s2010slateisequallydifficult.WhiletheBruinshaveaddedseveralmorehomegames,theprogramisexcitedaboutplayinginthreein-seasontournaments,includinggamesatDodgerStadiumand in theWhataburgerCollegeClassic, at thehome totheHoustonAstros’double-AaffiliateCorpusChristiHooks(CorpusChristi,Texas).Inall,UCLAwillplay33gamesathome,19ontheroad,andfouratneutralsites.TheBruins’27-gamePac-10slate,inadditiontoastrongselectionofnon-conferencemidweekgames,shouldhelppreparetheteamforadeeppostseasonrun.
“I think the first thing you’ll notice when looking at this team’sscheduleisthatweplaymoregamesathomethanwehaveinthepast,”Savagesaid.“We’regoingtowelcomesomegreatteamsfromsomepowerconferences,includingtheBig12,theSECandtheBigWest,toJackieRobinsonStadiumthisspring.Wehaveplayedwellathome,butwhenyouplay33regularseasongamesathome,youhavetobecomeadominantteaminyourownpark.”
After opening the season playing in the third annual UrbanInvitational, the Bruins will help host the first annual DodgertownClassic, with the pinnacle game to be played Sunday, Feb. 28,against USC at Dodger Stadium. UCLA follows that weekend byhostingNebraskaforthefirsttimeinprogramhistory.Theteam’sweekend in Corpus Christi includes games against Texas A&MCorpusChristi,MississippiStateandOklahoma.Afterback-to-backhomeseriesagainstCalPolyandOralRoberts,theBruinswillopenPac-10playwithathree-gamehomesetagainstStanford.
UCLA’s conference slate at home will also feature three-gameseriesagainstOregon,ArizonaState,USCandWashingtonState.TheBruinswill hit the road inPac-10play to faceOregonState,Arizona, Washington and California. As has been the custom,UCLA’sschedulewillbelinedwithTuesdaygamesagainstlocalnon-conferencefoes,includingLongBeachState,Pepperdine,CalStateFullerton,UCIrvine,UCSantaBarbaraandUCRiverside.
“Welikeourschedule,andwe’reexcitedtogettheseasongoing,”Savagesaid.“OurfansaregoingtoseegreatopponentsrollingintoJackieRobinsonStadium,and I think theywill also recognize thatourteamwillbringanexcitingbrandofbaseballtotheballparkeachday.”
UCLA Baseball Seeks Return to Postseason, Trip to OmahaBruins enter 2010 excited about veteran pitching experience, potential throughout batting lineup