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Mike Moustakas, who set California's all-time career home run record at Chatsworth before joining the Royals organization last year as the No. 2 pick overall, is on a hot streak after a slow start.
The bonus baby has two home runs over his past three games at single-A Burlington (Iowa) and has raised his average to .210 with three home runs and seven RBIs (five over past six games) in 100 at-bats.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
It has taken a while, but Mike Moustakas, California's all-time HR leader while in high school at Chatsworth, hit his first professional home run Monday for single-A Burlington (Iowa), The No. 2 overall pick in the draft by the Royals, Moustakas is batting .214 with three RBIs (two Monday) in 42 at-bats.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
Former Chatsworth star Mike Moustakas, California's all-time home run hitter who was drafted No. 2 overall by the Royals, continues to struggle at single-A Burlington, Iowa. In 50 at-bats, the shortstop is batting .220 with no extra-base hits and one RBI. Moustakas, who signed for a reported $4 million bonus, has struck nine times and committed five errors.
For the first time in program history the UCLA baseball team has earned a No. 1 preseason ranking, taking the top slot in Baseball America's poll as several former local stars play leading roles.
The last time the Bruins were ranked No. 1 in the nation was during the 1997 season --the last time they reached the College World Series-- when Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball both tabbed UCLA as the No. 1 team in early March.
UCLA returns seven starting position players and two starting pitchers from a 2007 squad that reached the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time since 2000. Those returnees include juniors Brandon Crawford (.335, 7 HR, 55 RBI), Cody Decker (.307, 14 HR, 57 RBI) and Jermaine Curtis (.329, 4 HR, 33 RBI) and sophomore Gabe Cohen (.345, 10 HR, 36 RBI/ El Camino Real), each All-Pac-10 selections last year.
Cohen's former teammate at El Camino Real, righthander Garett Claypool, is coming off a year in which he went 3-1 with a 3.54 ERA in 24 appearances and will be one of the Bruins' top returning pitchers.
Three other Pac-10 teams join UCLA in the poll's top 10, with Arizona at No. 2, Oregon State No. 7 and Arizona State No. 9
UCLA opens its season Feb. 22 at home against Oklahoma.
Oct. 13: Daily News reporters focus on the Hart-Canyon game in their prep football roundtable.
Oct. 6: Oaks Chrsitian takes center stage in the weekly prep football roundtable