Bruins hope to finish in swing of things

The college baseball season gets underway today, and UCLA begins it as a marked team.

Or, maybe not. It depends on whom you ask.

The Bruins are ranked as high as No. 1 and as low as No. 19 in the major national preseason polls, leaving observers wondering which to believe.

“Preseason rankings are pretty tough,” third baseman Jermaine Curtis said. “They’re just going off projections. At the end of the year we’ll know and everyone will know where we’re at.”

UCLA returns seven of eight starting position players and two of its top three pitchers from a team that last season advanced to an NCAA Super Regional -- one stop shy of the College World Series in Omaha. That’s enough to get them the No. 1 nod from Baseball America and a No. 5 from Rivals.com.

But UCLA is not exactly a baseball powerhouse. The school that has produced major league All-Stars such as Jackie Robinson, Chris Chambliss, Eric Karros and Troy Glaus has made only two appearances in the College World Series -- in 1969 and 1997 -- and has never won a title.

That could be the reason the Bruins remain a mystery to voters in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Assn., which ranked UCLA No. 19, and Collegiate Baseball, which has them at No. 18.

“There’s quite a difference of opinion on UCLA,” Bruins Coach John Savage said. “It’s a very strong team that’s had some success the last two years, but we haven’t been to Omaha. I don’t think we’re quite on the map because of that. I think if we had gone to Omaha last year, there might have been more No. 1 and No. 5 than 18 and 19.”

So which is more accurate?

“Oh, we’re No. 1,” Curtis said.

On paper, he seems to have an argument. The lineup has do-it-all leadoff man Curtis, sluggers Cody Decker and Gabe Cohen, who combined for 24 home runs last season, and shortstop Brandon Crawford, a five-tool talent projected as a high first-round draft pick.

On the mound, sophomore Gavin Brooks and junior Tim Murphy, both left-handers, give the Bruins a 1-2 punch with big-game experience. Brooks gave up only one run in two postseason complete games last season.

But being ranked No. 1 in the preseason isn’t the goal.

“It doesn’t mean a whole lot at the end of the day because there are so many games and so many ups and downs throughout the season that a preseason ranking doesn’t carry all that much weight,” Savage said.

UCLA will play nonconference games against Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Irvine and Pepperdine -- all of which are nationally ranked.

Fullerton will be guided by Dave Serrano, who returned to his alma mater after a season in which he became national coach of the year and led Irvine to its first College World Series appearance. Former USC coach Mike Gillespie is now at Irvine.

In Pacific 10 Conference play, Arizona and Arizona State are ranked No. 1 in the polls UCLA is not, and Oregon State is the two-time defending national champion.

“There are so many good teams in the West, to win 40 games and keep the No. 1 ranking in that environment would be a remarkable feat,” Savage said.

Of course, the ultimate goal is to be in the running for the top spot at the end of the season. Said Curtis: “We’re just trying to keep it simple, and we’ll see if we’re still there at the end.”

--

peter.yoon@latimes.com

--

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Local capsules

PACIFIC 10 CONFERENCE

*--* UCLA *--*

2007: 33-28, 14-10 (3rd).

Top players: Gabe Cohen, So., OF (.352, 10 HR); Brandon Crawford, Jr., SS (.335, 55 RBI); Tim Murphy, Jr., P (96 K).

Opener: Today-Sunday, home vs. Oklahoma.

*--* USC *--*

2007: 27-29, 8-16 (9th).

Top players: Brad Boxberger, So., P (3.20 ERA); Grant Green, So., SS (.316); Mike Roskopf, Sr., 1B (13 HR).

Opener: Today-Sunday at Florida International.

BIG WEST CONFERENCE

*--* CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO *--*

2007: 32-24, 13-8 (4th)

Top players: Brent Morel, Jr., INF (.333); Logan Schafer, Jr., OF (.335, 34 RBI).

Opener: Today-Saturday at Alabama.

*--* CAL STATE FULLERTON *--*

2007: 38-25, 10-11 (5th).

Top players: Josh Fellhauer, So., OF (.304); Jeff Kaplan, Sr., P (11-3, 3.30 ERA); Adam Jorgenson, Sr., P (4-2, 8 saves).

Opener: Today-Sunday at Texas Christian.

*--* CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE *--*

2007: 15-41, 3-18 (7th).

Top players: C.J. Belanger, So., OF (43 runs); Phil Hann, Sr., P (3.50 ERA); Jimmy Jolicoeur, Jr., P (5-3).

Opener: Today-Sunday, home vs. Northwestern.

*--* LONG BEACH STATE *--*

2007: 39-20, 15-6 (2nd, tie).

Top players: Danny Espinosa, Jr., SS (.319, 38 RBI); Andrew Liebel, Sr., P (9-3, 2.84 ERA); Shane Peterson, Jr., 1B (.327, 40 RBI).

Opener: Today-Sunday, home vs. Rice.

*--* UC IRVINE *--*

2007: 47-17-1, 15-6 (2nd, tie).

Top players: Scott Gorgen, Jr., P (13-2, 2.83 ERA); Ollie Linton, Jr., OF (.342, 15 SB); Aaron Lowenstein, Sr., C (.296, 10 SB).

Opener: Today-Sunday at Nevada.

*--* UC RIVERSIDE *--*

2007: 38-21, 16-5 (1st).

Top players: Joey Gonzales, So., OF (.356, 41 runs); Joe Kelly So., P (1.32 ERA, 6 saves); Aaron Wible, Sr., OF (10 HR, 51 RBI).

Opener: Today-Monday, home vs. Washington.

*--* UC SANTA BARBARA *--*

2007: 23-31, 9-12 (6th).

Top players: Chris Fox, Sr., OF (.328, 14 SB); Mike Ford, So., P (2-2, 68 K); Mike Zuanich, Sr., OF (.295, 38 RBI).

Opener: Today-Sunday, home vs. Marist.

WEST COAST CONFERENCE

*--* LOYOLA MARYMOUNT *--*

2007: 22-33-1, 9-12 (4th).

Top players: Andy Beal, Sr., P (2-1, 5 saves); Sean Dovel, Sr., C (6 HR); Angelo Songco, So., OF (.321, 22 2B).

Opener: Today-Sunday at Sacramento State.

*--* PEPPERDINE *--*

2007: 35-22, 14-7 (3rd).

Top players: Chase d’Arnaud, Jr., INF (.331); Brett Hunter, Jr., P (6-5, 76 K); Eric Thames, Jr., OF (.320, 44 RBI).

Opener: Today-Sunday, home vs. Wake Forest.

-- Peter Yoon