2006 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW.Byline: Heather Gripp UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX COACH John Savage John Savage may refer to:
LAST SEASON 33-25 (13-10, third place in Pacific-10, appeared in Malibu Regional) FRESHMEN TO WATCH Charles Brewer Charles Brewer (1959–) is an American entrepreneur. Charles Brewer is the founder of MindSpring Enterprises, an American Internet service provider, and Green Street Properties, a real estate development company. , RHP rhp abbr. rated horsepower : Brewer, the Angels' 18th-round draft pick last year, was the Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year last season after completing his high school career with three state titles and a 19-0 career record for Chaparral High. He is expected to be part of UCLA's weekend rotation. Casey Haerther, 1B/DH: The slugger who batted .554 last year as a senior at Chaminade High of West Hills was one of the Bruins' top hitters this fall. He is the leading candidate to start at designated hitter designated hitter n. Baseball Abbr. DH A player designated at the start of a game to bat instead of the pitcher in the lineup. Noun 1. . Jeff Rapoport, OF: The former high school All-American who was a multisport mul·ti·sport also mul·ti·sports adj. 1. Composed of, involving, or accommodating several sports: a multisport competition; a multisport stadium. 2. standout at Westlake High is the Bruins' fastest player. He is a valuable addition to a team that ranked last in the nation in stolen bases last season, and he should see significant playing time in an outfield that lost two of last season's starters to the draft. THE SEASON IS A SUCCESS IF ... The defense lives up to its billing as one of the nation's best and is enough of an aid for a young pitching staff. Also, an improved offense will need to produce more than last year's lineup, which ranked 170th in the country in runs per game. The Bruins, who are expected to start sixsophomores, return all but one of their starting infielders, including: shortstop Brandon Crawford; third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Jermaine Curtis, who led last season's regulars with a .336 batting average batting average n. Baseball A measure of a batter's performance obtained by dividing the total of base hits by the number of times at bat, not including walks. Noun 1. ; and catcher Ryan Babineau, who was a freshman All-American last year when he threw out 60 percent of attempted base stealers. THE SEASON IS A DISAPPOINTMENT IF ... This year's freshmen don't grow up as quickly as last year's. A school-record 12 players were drafted last season. The Bruins lost six members of last year's pitching staff to the draft (reliever Brant brant or brant goose, common name for a species of wild sea goose. The American brant, Branta bernicla, breeds in the Arctic and winters along the Atlantic coast. Rustich was a 13th-round pick of the Cleveland Indians  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. but opted to return to the Bruins this season) leaving the staff with an unproven group that accounted for just nine of last season's 33 wins. Senior right-hander Tyson Brummett (6-7, 4.52 ERA) jumps from the No. 3 starter to No. 1 role, with freshman right-hander Charles Brewer the only other certain member of the rotation. One of the nation's most challenging schedules won't be forgiving. FUTURE MAJOR LEAGUER Brandon Crawford, SS, So.: Crawford earned team MVP (Multimedia Video Processor) A high-speed DSP chip from Texas Instruments, introduced in 1994. Officially introduced as the TMS320C80, it combines RISC technology with the functionality of four DSPs on one chip. honors last season as a freshman, then spent the summer helping the U.S. National Team to the FISU FISU Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire FISU Fill-In Signal Unit FISU Foundation for International Spiritual Unfoldment World Championship. Savage describes him as a five-tool player In baseball, a five-tool player is one who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities. In Major League Baseball, players considered five-tool players have included Hall of Famers Willie Mays with great range and a plus arm. Crawford started every game last season, batting .318 with six home runs, 30 RBIs and a team-high seven stolen bases. SAVE THE DATES Friday-Sunday, vs. Winthrop: After playing what Boyd's World rated the most difficult schedule in the nation last year, the Bruins jump right back into facing the best, opening against No. 23 Winthrop. The series will be the first against the Eagles. Feb. 23-25, at Cal State Fullerton: The No. 14 Titans, who swept the Bruins last season, will be the third member of Baseball America's Top 25 UCLA will face in the opening month. May 25-27, vs. Oregon State: The Bruins finish the regular season against the defending national champions. The teams split last season's rain-shortened, two-game series. MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR ... Omaha. The Bruins are a year away from being a favorite for the title, but if they stay healthy and get the most out of their ability, it wouldn't be surprising to see UCLA in the College World Series for the first time since 1997. Although they are young, many of the starters gained valuable postseason experience last year as freshmen, and don't consider anything out of reach after seeing last year's team more than double the previous year's win total. A schedule that features 33 games against teams in Baseball America's preseason Top 50 will leave UCLA well tested. CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE COACH Steve Rousey, fifth season LAST SEASON 26-30 (6-15, eighth place in Big West) FRESHMEN TO WATCH C.J. Belanger, OF: The speedy product of Cypress High is slated as a starting outfielder after redshirting last season. Jason Dabbs, SS: He'll begin as a backup to senior Jonathan Sakurai, but Dabbs' impressive play during the fall leaves the Matadors with options after last year's starter, Scott Lyons, left the program. Davin Tate, RHP: The big, strong hurler is relatively new to pitching, but he is a raw talent Rousey envisions developing into a pro prospect. The Matadors plan to use Tate out of the bullpen this season. THE SEASON IS A SUCCESS IF ... An experienced group continues to build on last year's progress. Senior infielders Jorge Andrate Jr. (.320) and Jonathan Sakurai (.295) are the leading returning hitters. Much-improved pitching depth could be the Matadors' biggest strength, with several capable relievers alleviating the need for starters to work as deep into games. Senior right-hander Joe Rocchio (3-1, 6.85 ERA, 6 saves) returns as the closer. Junior right-hander Chuckie Fick (6-7, 4.48 ERA) moves up to No. 1 starter, replacing Craig Baker, who turned pro. THE SEASON IS A DISAPPOINTMENT IF ... The rest of the Big West plays close to its potential. Conference teams perennially rank among national contenders, with Cal State Fullerton's berth in last year's College World Series giving the Big West representation in 14 of the past 19 CWS CWS Chicago White Sox CWS College World Series CWS Church World Service CWS Child Welfare Services CWS Canadian Wildlife Service CWS Community Water System (EPA) CWS Canada-Wide Standard CWS Compressed Work Schedule . Conference coaches have picked CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge to finish last again in a conference in which Cal State Fullerton, UC Riverside and Long Beach State begin the season in various national rankings. The Matadors, who were 10-17 on the road last year, won't be helped by playing 31 road games, including a season-high, 10-game road trip to start March. The defense also must improve after committing 109 errors last season. FUTURE MAJOR LEAGUER Jimmy Jolicoeur, RHP, So.: He's not one of the game's high-profile prospects, but Jolicoeur has the best arm on the Matadors' staff, and Rousey, who has sent his share of pitchers on to the pros, says he wouldn't be surprised to see him in the majors some day. Jolicoeur was 1-0 with a staff-best 3.53 ERA in 352/3 innings last season as a freshman. He joins the starting rotation this season in the No. 2 slot. SAVE THE DATES Feb. 23-25, vs. Oklahoma State: The nationally ranked Cowboys, led by defending Big 12 Co-Player of the Year Tyler Mach and transfer Matt Mangini are the Matadors' biggest test before starting conference play. March 30-April 1 vs. Cal State Fullerton: The Matadors open Big West play against the three-time defending conference champions, who reached the College World Series last season and begin this year ranked as high as No. 9. April 20-22 at UCLA: CSUN takes a break from Big West play for a nonconference series against a nationally ranked local rival. The last time the teams met was a sweep by UCLA in 2005. MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR ... Northridge. The Matadors finish the regular season May 27 at home against Pacific. Even with its most conference victories in three years, CSUN finished last in the Big West last season, serving as a reminder that even though the Matadors are improving, drastic strides are needed to contend for a postseason berth. CSUN's last winning season was in 2002. PEPPERDINE COACH Steve Rodriguez, fourth season LAST SEASON 42-21 (15-6, first in West Coast Conference, advanced to Malibu Regional final) FRESHMEN TO WATCH Jordan Durrance, LHP/OF: The versatile athlete will likely see most of his action out of the bullpen this season. He showed his offensive potential when he hit. 506 and earned Valley Oak League Offensive Player of the Year honors last season at Sierra High of Manteca. Travis Tartamella, C: He was a 50th round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are a professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Florida. The Devil Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Devil Rays have played in Tropicana Field. last season out of Los Osos High of Alta Loma, where he was an All-American. Tartamella has a strong, accurate arm he'll likely get to show off as the Waves' starting catcher. Mark Tracy, 1B/C B/C Because B/C Broadcast B/C Boundary Conditions B/C Biological & Chemical : The youngest son of Pittsburgh Pirates This article is about the baseball team. For the National Hockey League team, see Pittsburgh Pirates (NHL). For the National Football League team (1933–1940), see Pittsburgh Steelers. manager Jim Tracy
THE SEASON IS A SUCCESS IF ... The program that perennially churns out quality pitchers has another solid season on the mound. Junior right-hander Barry Enright (13-2, 4.05 ERA) and sophomore closer Brett Hunter (5-3, 2.83 ERA, 11 saves) both are preseason All-Americans. Enright ranked third in the nation in victories last year and is undefeated in his career against WCC WCC n abbr (= World Council of Churches) → COE m (Conseil œcuménique des Églises) WCC n abbr (= World Council of Churches) → Weltkirchenrat m teams. He became the sixth Wave in 10 years to earn WCC Pitcher of the Year honors when he won the award last season, the second consecutive year he led the conference in wins. Versatile junior Jason Dominguez joins the weekend rotation, and junior Adam Olbrychowski Adam Olbrychowski is a junior at Pepperdine University. He was born on September 7, 1986, in Los Angeles, California. He attened high school at Cleveland High, and he was the fifth draft pick by the New York Yankees in the 2007 MLB Draft. Adam is 6' 3" tall and weighs 180 pounds. is back after being named the top prospect in last summer's Clark Griffith THE SEASON IS A DISAPPOINTMENT IF ... The Waves can't find a way to replace the offense lost with the departure of Chad Tracy Chad Austin Tracy (born May 22, 1980 in Charlotte, North Carolina) is a third baseman in Major League Baseball who plays with the Arizona Diamondbacks.Tracy also commonly known as "Opposite Field Tracy" bats left handed and throws right handed. Tracy compiled a . , David Uribes and Nick Kliebert, who were three of the top four hitters on a team that hit .300 last season. Power hitting was scarce last year, and none of the returnees homered more than three times. Tracy's void could be the hardest to fill. The 2005 WCC Player of the Year spent the past three seasons not only anchoring the offense, but also serving as an on-field leader and knowledgeable handler of the pitching staff. The catcher was drafted in the third round by the Texas Rangers Texas Rangers, mounted fighting force organized (1835) during the Texas Revolution. During the republic they became established as the guardians of the Texas frontier, particularly against Native Americans. . FUTURE MAJOR LEAGUER Adrian Ortiz, OF, Jr. : The pros have had their sights on Ortiz since his days growing up at the Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (pwār`tō rē`kō), island (2005 est. pop. 3,917,000), 3,508 sq mi (9,086 sq km), West Indies, c.1,000 mi (1,610 km) SE of Miami, Fla. Baseball Academy, where he was selected the school's athlete of the year Athlete of the Year
SAVE THE DATES April 5-7 vs. Loyola Marymount: The local rivals are used to challenging each other for the WCC title, and even when the Lions posted a losing record last season, they were one of only two WCC teams to win a series against Pepperdine. April 13-15 at San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden : Both teams are nationally ranked this season after sharing the WCC regular-season title last year. The Dons, who are coming off the best season in program history, won last year's regular-season series against the Waves, but Pepperdine won two of three in the conference championship series. May 25-27, WCC Championship Series: Pepperdine has won the past three conference championships and is the preseason pick to win another. The WCC's top two teams from the regular season will meet in the best-of-three series for an automatic NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association berth. MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR ... The Regionals. The Waves don't have trouble getting to the postseason, but they do have trouble advancing -- they've suffered lopsided losses in regional finals the past three years, even as the top-seeded host last season. Pepperdine hasn't advanced past the Regionals since winning the College World Series in 1992. USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. COACH Chad Kreuter Chadden Michael Kreuter (born August 26 1964 in Greenbrae, California) is a former catcher in Major League Baseball and the current head coach of the USC Trojans baseball team. , first season LAST SEASON 25-33 (11-13, tied for fifth in Pacific-10) FRESHMEN TO WATCH Brad Boxberger, RHP: His dad was MVP of the 1978 College World Series after leading USC to the title, but bloodlines aren't all that's impressive about this potential weekend starter. Boxberger was 12-0 with a 1.17 ERA last year, when he pitched Foothill High of Santa Ana Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. to the Southern Section Div. II championship and earned second team All-America honors. The Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium. drafted him in the 20th round. Grant Green, SS: The former U.S. Junior National Team player is the Trojans' first freshman starter at shortstop since Seth Davidson in 1998. Green was a 14th-round draft pick of the San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. Padres last year out of Canyon High of Anaheim. Baseball America  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . rates him the No. 13 freshman in the country. Robert Stock, C/RHP: He wasn't even supposed to be in college, but just two months after turning 17, Stock is slated as the Trojans starting catcher and potential closer. The former Agoura High star is ranked No. 14 among the nation's freshmen according to Baseball America. THE SEASON IS A SUCCESS IF ... The pitching is good enough to carry a team that returns only one player who hit better than .300 last season and no one who hit more than four home runs. Unlike a year ago, the staff is deep, with several options to start and relieve. Left-hander Tommy Milone (7-4, 4.94 ERA), who led last year's staff in wins, and fellow sophomore Ryan Cook (4-4, 5.97 ERA) are returning weekend starters. Freshmen Boxberger, Kevin Couture, Hector Rabago and Stock, along with sophomore transfer Anthony Vasquez are expected to make an immediate impact. Sophomore right-hander Anthony Encinas Encinas is a municipality located in the province of Segovia, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 68 inhabitants. is back after missing last season because of Tommy John surgery Tommy John surgery, known by doctors as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (or UCL), is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body (often from the forearm, hamstring, knee, or foot of the . Newcomers Green, Derek Perren and Nick Buss are being counted on to bolster an offense led by junior All-Pac-10 infielder Matt Cusick (.369). THE SEASON IS A DISAPPOINTMENT IF ... The abundance of change, including an almost entirely new coaching staff and no position player back in the same spot, is too much for one year. Junior outfielder Lucas Duda, who hit three homers in 56 games last season, is being counted on to have a breakout season and provide the power hitting he has long been touted to have. But if he doesn't, the team lacks a real home run threat. FUTURE MAJOR LEAGUER ... Robert Stock, C/RHP, Fr.: Baseball America's 2005 Youth Player of the Year has been in the national spotlight since before he entered high school, but his pro debut will be at least two years later than expected thanks to his decision to skip his senior year at Agoura High and bypass the opportunity to be a probable first-round draft pick this spring. Stock looks forward to honing his catching skills under the guidance of former major league catcher Kreuter, but Stock is also an accomplished pitcher who throws in the low 90-mph range. In his last appearance as a high schooler, he was the starting pitcher for the West in the Aflac All-American game in August, where he struck out the side in his lone inning on the mound and hit a home run. SAVE THE DATES Feb. 23-25, vs. Tulane: The No. 15 Green Wave, led by preseason All- Americans Warren McFadden and Brad Emaus, will be the first top-25 opponent to visit Dedeaux Field this season. March 23-25, vs. Arizona State: The Trojans open Pac-10 play at home against the No. 20 Sun Devils, who are the first of three conference opponents ranked in Baseball America's Top 25. April 13-15, vs. UCLA: Unlike recent years, both teams should be contenders, making the local Pac-10 rivalry series even more intense. UCLA won last year's series, but hasn't swept a season series against the Trojans since 1986. MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR ... The Regionals. Barring another injury epidemic such as the one that decimated last year's squad, the Trojans should be much improved from the version that lost 19 of its final 22 games. Look for USC to be in the top half of the Pac-10, a conference that has qualified at least fourof its nine teams for the NCAA Tournament each of the past 10 years. The Trojans begin the season ranked as high as No. 25 by Collegiate Baseball. CAPTION(S): 19 photos Photo: (1) Sophomores, from left, Jermaine Curtis, Ryan Babineau and Brandon Crawford John Lazar/Daily News (2) John Savage (3) Charles Brewer (4) Casey Haerther (5) Jeff Rapoport (6) Brandon Crawford (7) Steve Rousey (8) Jason Dabbs (9) Davin Tate (10) BELANGER (11) Steve Rodriguez (12) Jordan Durrance (13) Travis Tartamella (14) Mark Tracy (15) Adrian Ortiz (16) Brad Boxberger (17) Grant Green (18) Robert Stock (19) STOCK |
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