UCLA baseball coach John Savage likes what he sees from his 2009 team.
"There seems to be a lot of unity within this team," Savage said. "The group has had tremendous work ethic."
With a few uncertainties at various defensive spots, Savage has noticed a high level of play during workouts and practice.
"You see a lot of competitiveness and toughness that you’d like to see as a coach going into a brand new year," he said.
Perhaps lighter rankings this season – as opposed to the top-ranking UCLA received from Baseball America last season – are having an effect on the team’s mindset. Savage didn’t necessarily rule that out.
"The fact that we were 12th in the preseason rankings as opposed to No. 1 last year is not going to have a major effect on how we approach things," he said.