As UCLA’s baseball coach for the last 29 years, Gary Adams
has proven himself worthy and capable of heading the Bruin program.
Though he has never won a national championship at UCLA, he is an
esteemed mentor and teacher, producing a number of standout players
who have enjoyed success at the Major League level.
Unfortunately, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero might ask him to
leave his position within the next week. Such a decision would be
detrimental considering Adams’ many accomplishments, his
ability to lead the program, and his integral role in the UCLA
community.
During his tenure, 37 UCLA players have been drafted to play in
the Major Leagues ““ the second highest figure of any
collegiate baseball coach in history. These former Bruins include
Dodgers’ center-fielder Dave Roberts, Cubs’
first-baseman Eric Karros and Angels’ third-baseman Troy
Glaus. This high number of professional players shows Adams’
ability to craft players into successful competitors.
Unfortunately, Adams may be a victim of his own success. In
2000, after UCLA won a Pac-10 title, the team lost 12 players to
the Major League Baseball draft. These losses have since hurt the
team’s ability to compete against its college rivals ““
this season the Bruins finished 28-31.
In 29 years under Adams, the Bruins have won four Pac-10 titles,
a fairly modest accomplishment. However, Adams’ coaching
ability is not completely to blame for the lack of more victories.
Unlike many other large schools, UCLA does not have an on-campus
stadium. Moreover, Adams makes a point of not recruiting high
school players with mediocre academic performance.
In Adams’ words, “You can still have a diploma in
one hand, a ring on a finger and a multi-million dollar contact in
the other … We’ve been very successful at two out of the
three, haven’t we?”
At heart, Adams is a coach who cares about his players as
people, not just as parts of a machine. For a college coach, a
personal attachment to players should be considered a necessary
trait.
There is ample evidence of Adams’ concern for players,
including his exceptional efforts to protect players from injury.
In one example from 2001, Adams’ star pitcher was Josh Karp,
a young man who turned down a $2 million offer to instead play for
UCLA. During that college season, Adams strictly limited the number
of pitches he allowed Karp to throw, only exceeding the pitch count
once.
For Adams, that policy of restraint was a given ““ he
refuses to injure or wear out players to clinch a win. In the
cutthroat world of modern collegiate sports, it would be nice if
more coaches took this attitude.
Certainly, though, teams are expected to win ““ especially
at UCLA. The lack of a national championship title may be a sore
spot for some Bruin baseball fans. These fans should note that many
of the team’s best players this year will return for the next
season ““ that will give the team a boost and hopefully UCLA
will compete for a Pac-10 title.
Adams may never win a national championship at UCLA, but he is a
dedicated, passionate coach who cares about his players. Guerrero
should remember Adams’ overall ability and reputation when he
decides his future.
It would be a mistake to fire a man who has so admirably
dedicated 29 years of his life to his players and the school.