UCLA baseball coach John Savage and Ryan Babineau stand next to
each other at every conference on the mound. When the starting
pitcher is struggling Savage trots to the mound to pick apart the
hitters’ scouting report and to give his hurler a chance to
slow down the pace.
With each guiding word, Babineau listens and learns.
Savage, widely considered one of the best pitching minds in
college baseball, put his staff in the hands of a freshman catcher
at the beginning of the season.
Babineau, a Rancho Cucamonga native, made a statement of his own
with strong play, and has started all but two of the Bruins’
53 games so far this year.
“I’ve usually been with older catchers,”
Savage said. “I think Ryan’s done an unbelievable job
of being a freshman catching the majority of the innings, handling
the pitching staff.”
Redshirt junior Hector Ambriz and junior transfers Dave Huff and
Tyson Brummett have combined for 258 strikeouts in 302 innings and
19 wins with Babineau behind the plate. The freshman’s
offensive production has come and gone, but his biggest priority
has been handling the veteran starters. Their success has been
his.
“It’s been pretty exciting,” Babineau said.
“Having a chance to catch some tough pitchers who really know
how to pitch and they’ve done really well.”
The catcher has done well too, earning the confidence of his
coach and the everyday role behind the plate.
“He’s blocking and receiving much better as the
season goes on and he can really throw,” Savage said.
“By the time he leaves here in three years, four years,
he’s going to be as good as any catcher in the
country.”
In many ways the freshman and reputed pitching guru are a
perfect fit. Savage is very hands-on when it comes to his staff,
calling all the pitches and pick-off plays, and depends on Babineau
to buy into the system and execute. Asked how much freedom he gives
his rookie catcher, Savage chuckled a bit.
“Very little. I would say zero freedom.”
The freshman has slowly started to assert his presence in the
clubhouse and involves himself in the pitchers’ game plan,
but he ultimately bows to the proven track record of Savage.
The catcher exudes a calm and humble focus and is quick to
downplay his role.
“He calls all the pitches, all the picks,” Babineau
said. “He does all that stuff, I just put the numbers down
and catch the ball.”
Redshirt senior Sean Smith overheard and gave the freshman a bit
of a hard time, telling him not to admit it.
The freshman just chuckled.
He was given a big task when Savage put him behind the plate,
and he has succeeded in a big way.
“It’s been tough, a lot of hard work. But it’s
all paying off now, the fact that I’m getting the chance to
play every day makes all the hard work that I put into it well
worth it.”