Bruins back home, beaming
The UCLA gymnastics team was tested last week. It was competing in rival Utah's gym and without all-around competitor Chae Campbell.
The No. 6 Bruins didn't win, but they did post their secondhighest score and had key performances from walk-on freshmen to give them some momentum in their return today to Pauley Pavilion for their second home meet of the season.
“Utah is not an easy place to compete,” UCLA first-year coach Janelle McDonald said. “So for our freshmen to get an opportunity to go out there and hit their routines was a huge confidence booster for each of them. That was really exciting to see.”
Campbell was absent due to a family emergency, and McDonald said Wednesday that she was back on campus and set to resume training at the end of the week ahead of the Bruins' dual meet against Arizona State (1-2).
In her absence, walk-on freshmen Maddie Anyimi and Clara Wren stepped up against Utah. Although it's unclear if either will be in the lineup for UCLA (1-1-1) today at 2 p.m., McDonald didn't rule out future appearances.
“They're working on cleaning up details, landings, and I'm just excited for them to keep growing in their gymnastics,” she said.
UCLA's balance beam performances are also looking up. The Bruins achieved their highest event score of the season against Utah, and four out of five gymnasts in the event lineup reached 9.900 or higher.
Balance beam scores had wavered this season and dipped below 49.00 in UCLA's first two Pac-12 dual meets of the season before rising to 49.575 against Utah.
McDonald and beam coach Autumn Grable have been drilling fundamentals and adding exercises to build mental strength, like pressure sets that simulate a meet with high-pressure situations.
“We've had a couple of rocky beam rotations,” said Emily Lee, who scored a 9.90 in beam against Utah. “And right after, (Grable) is coming up with game plans, the kind of assignments on beam that are going to help us compete better under pressure.”
Freshmen Ciena Alipio and Selena Harris scored careerbests in beam, with 9.875 and 9.950, respectively. Harris earned her fifth consecutive Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Week honors as a result.
She's now tied the Pac-12 record for most Freshman/Newcomer of the Week awards, set by California's Toni-Ann Williams in 2015.
Harris ranks fifth in the country as an all-around competitor and has hit every routine this season.
“She has a special mix of power and artistry and it's really fun to get to coach somebody like that. The nerves don't get to them,” McDonald said.
Sophomore Jordan Chiles was named the Pac-12 gymnast of the week after earning first place in three events to win the all-around against Utah. Chiles ranks eighth nationally in the all-around, third in vault and sixth in floor exercise.
The pair will return with the Bruins to Pauley Pavilion to face an Arizona State team that matched a seasonhigh meet score of 196.800 in its loss to California last week. Senior Hannah Scharf set a career high on floor and a season high in uneven bars and the all-around.
The Bruins are excited for the return to home, but also feel well prepared to compete anywhere after the challenge of Salt Lake City.
“Our team thrives off of ... any energy at all,” Lee said. “Knowing that energy isn't really directed towards us, it makes it harder to compete, but we can't afford to think like that. So when the crowd does cheer, energy is energy and we try to use it to the best of our advantage.”
Angels pitchers and catchers are scheduled for their first workout of the spring on Wednesday, with a smattering of other players who are on World Baseball Classic Rosters also in attendance. As we count down to the opening of camp, we're analyzing the various position groups on the roster. Today, the bullpen. Previously: outfielders, infielders, catchers and starting pitchers.
2022 RECAP
The Angels invested heavily in the bullpen but it didn't work out. Last winter they re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias and added free agent lefty Aaron Loup and righties Ryan Tepera and Archie Bradley. All told, they committed more than $28million of their 2022payroll to those four pitchers. All four proved to be disappointments, and the Angels traded Iglesias with a 4.04ERA in early August. (Iglesias then posted a 0.34 ERA with the Atlanta Braves.) Loup (3.84ERA) and Tepera (3.61) both pitched poorly early in the season when the Angels fell out of the race and then improved. Bradley was hurt for most of the season. The best story in the Angels' bullpen was right-hander Jimmy Herget, who the Angels picked up in 2021after he was released by the Texas Rangers. Herget pitched to a 2.48ERA and even got the chance to close some games. Right-hander Jaime Barria (2.61) also was consistently good all year as a long reliever. Righty Andrew Wantz (3.22) and lefty José Quijada (3.98) also did some nice work. Overall, Angels relievers posted a 3.95ERA, which ranked 18th. Their WHIP of 1.23was 11th.
HOW IT LOOKS RIGHT NOW
The only significant addition is right-hander Carlos Estevez (free agent, from Colorado Rockies). Estevez is going to get the first shot at the closer role because the Angels feel he can improve when he's out of the thin air of Coors Field. Last season Estevez had a strikeout rate of 29.3% on the road and 16.8% at home. As camp begins, Estevez, Loup, Herget, Tepera, Quijada, Wantz and Barria all seem to be fairly safe bets to be in the Opening Day bullpen. (Barria could wind up as a starter, which would open a spot for another reliever.) That leaves room for one or two relievers from a group of newcomers and holdovers. The Angels added veterans like righties Jonathan Holder and Chris Devenski on minor-league deals. Righties Justin Garza and Jacob Webb have been successful at times in brief major league careers. Right-handers Austin Warren and Jose Marte remain in the
system after inconsistent performances in 2022.
THE NEXT LAYER
Right-hander Ben Joyce was the Angels' third-round pick in 2022. He's not even considered to be one of their top 10prospects, but he consistently hits triple-digits with his fastball, so he's an intriguing arm to watch for the back end of the majorleague bullpen. Joyce, who will be invited to spring training with the major leaguers, posted a 2.08ERA with 20strikeouts in 13innings at Double-A last summer. Left-hander Kolton Ingram was added to the Angels' 40-man roster this winter after posting a 3.12ERA with an 0.93 WHIP at Double-A in 2022.
MOVE THEY COULD MAKE
Relievers are the most plentiful commodity left on the free agent market, and the bullpen is the area in which the Angels have the most room to improve, so it makes sense that they still could have an addition to make. The best reliever available is lefty Andrew Chafin, who had a 2.83ERA with the Detroit Tigers last season. Chafin has a career ERA of 3.23. Lefty Zack Britton, who just made it back from Tommy John surgery late last season, is also available.
— Jeff Fletcher