Dear coach John Savage,
I know this letter probably finds you not in the best circumstances.
I know how much you wish your Bruins were still playing, making a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. You have spent so much time, energy and money on making Jackie Robinson Stadium a high-class college facility, hoping to one day host a regional.
But instead, this letter will find you on a much-needed vacation, on the road scouting or on the recruiting trail trying your best to persuade projected first-round catcher Max Stassi to come to Westwood rather than sign a pro contract.
I’m sorry the season had to end like this. There was so much optimism surrounding the program. Heck, even Baseball America predicted that you would be hosting a regional this year, something you have always dreamed of.
Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out that way.
What went wrong? Who or what is to blame?
Maybe it was the column I wrote at the beginning of the season proclaiming that despite the immense amount of talent and experience you lost ““ five significant players from last year’s squad were drafted ““ this year’s team would be better. But I doubt it.
Maybe it was the high expectations placed upon the program. In 2008, Baseball America pegged you as its No. 1 team in the country, a ranking that lasted all of one weekend. This season it ranked you as the No. 9 team.
Two weeks later you were out of the Top 25, never to return again. I hate to say it, but maybe high expectations are the kryptonite of Bruin baseball. Your team seems to perform much better and with a lot more consistency when it’s flying under the radar.
And finally, as hard as it is to admit, or even to put it out there, maybe it was the coaching staff. There is no question you, coach Savage, have turned the baseball program around. You’ve even done so much more than that; you made it relevant, so much so that not only do Bruin fans remember we have a baseball team, but they actually talk about it now from time to time.
You can recruit with the best of them, as evidenced by Cole, Stassi and, two years ago, Jason Heyward. Too bad Heyward (from Georgia) was drafted in the first round (whole lotta cashmoney) by his favorite team (the Atlanta Braves). The perfect storm of events, but such is the world of college baseball recruiting.
But what I’m talking about is consistency. Why can’t this team ever play with a high level of regularity? Why does a UCLA baseball season continually feel like a roller coaster ride?
The longest winning streak the Bruins had this season was four games. The longest losing streak was 10.
I’m no coach, and in no way am I telling you how to go about your job, but why does your team have such a problem with consistency?
You show you can beat top teams like UC Irvine ““ the program you raised from the ashes ““ but still get clobbered by UC Riverside 11-1 at home.
However, I’m an eternal optimist. I’ve drunk the Rick Neuheisel “Relentlessly Optimistic” Kool-Aid, and it tastes good.
Therefore, despite the fact the Bruins are stuck at home and reduced to watching the Regionals on ESPNU, there were some significant positives to take away from this season.
No. 1 is the starting rotation you will have for at least the next two seasons. Freshman pitchers Cole and Trevor Bauer ““ who should still be in high school right now ““ not only showed they were capable of pitching in college, but excelled. Both were All-Pac-10 selections, and Bauer was tabbed the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.
Add in talented returners Gabe Cohen, Tyler Rahmatulla and Chris Amezquita, along with another highly touted recruiting class, and suddenly you start to feel that tinge of optimism again.
So, coach Savage, it was a long and difficult year for Bruin baseball, but things are looking up. I wish you well in these next few months and hope that at this time next year, you can finally realize your dream of taking the Bruins to Omaha.
Now, about Max Stassi.
Sincerely,
Andrew
If you also like drinking Neuheisel’s Kool-Aid, e-mail Howard at ahoward@media.ucla.edu.