• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

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.