BB: LEC: Little East Conference

[KSCfan]

Other than being able to use your ace more is there an advantage to playing games now as suppoused to the condensed version that you see here in the Northeast.  Do the teams down south go through long lay offs that make some of thier play rusty?  As you well know baseball is a game that you need to play everyday and get your reps in, long lay offs are tough (see colorado rockies 2007 world series).   When i played i know that i liked playing five to six days out of the week it allowed for you to get into a routine and a rythm.  Dont get me wrong i would of loved playing in Jan but does playing now with longer lay offs give your team an advantage come NCAA time?

[dgilblair]

Other than being able to use your ace more is there an advantage to playing games now as suppoused to the condensed version that you see here in the Northeast.  Do the teams down south go through long lay offs that make some of thier play rusty?  As you well know baseball is a game that you need to play everyday and get your reps in, long lay offs are tough (see colorado rockies 2007 world series).   When i played i know that i liked playing five to six days out of the week it allowed for you to get into a routine and a rythm.  Dont get me wrong i would of loved playing in Jan but does playing now with longer lay offs give your team an advantage come NCAA time?

Don't think many get rusty.  Some teams do finish their seasons way before the regionals so that may hurt a little.  I agree with getting in the reps but if they play consistently all year I don't think it hurts them. That is till they get to the regionals and beyond.  Thats when they have to use a lot more pitching than normal and could become a factor. 

I know the last two years ECSU was a tired bunch by the time they got to Appleton.  Of course that had a lot to do with Keene in the LEC's 06 and regionals in 07.  Remember the weather and travel for the 06 LEC's and cramming games in at all hours of the night at different fields, what a trip.  Then the same thing happens in the NY regional.  Dog tired.  I think it would be much better to have the LEC's a week earlier and have a couple non league games for tune-up the following week.  Maybe a couple more single sunday games after the saturday doubles like ECSU does with WConn every year now.  That could give you the extra week before the regionals.  What do ya think? 

[KSCfan]

I have no problems with the way that the LEC has set up and run thier schedule and or tournament.  I know that playing in the LEC prepares you for the regional tournament like no other conferance tourny in NE.  SOme leagues are done half way through and some only have like 4 teams in their conferance tourny.   I think that the reason you constantly see LEC teams in regional finals and and in appleton is that they are prepared for the grind for the regionals because they experiance that same grind just a week before.  I know what the LEC tourny in 06 was like and what the regionals where last year in the cape, Keene playing Wheaton till 2 in the morning then turning around playing Eastern at noon the next day for the regional championship.  THe answer to that problem is stay in the winners bracket.  Eastern two years ago(the tournament that still gives me nightmares) lose the second day to keene and then had to beat UMD, SM, and Keene twice no wonder they where tired if they had stayed in the winners bracket its a lot easier.  Same with Keene last year in the Regionals.  Losing to Eastern in the Winners bracket finals gets you a battle with Wheaton into all hours of the night and tired for Eastern the next day.  Solution stay out of the losers bracket, it can be done but its twice as hard to win a tourny from there espically if you  go into it early

[LEC Fan]

KSC I would agree that staying the winners bracket is always the easiest way to go. The best thing for a team that moves on in tourament play is playing the least amount of games and using the least amount of pitching. The tournament always offers the best competition as the majority of teams have depth in the bullpen, good defense, and good team chemistry. Or they get hot at the right time i.e RIC when they won it back in 05 I believe. The conference tournament in the LEC offers the best comepetiton in NE, NESCAC is up there as well but the ability to win at the conference tourny level absolutely helps the teams at the regional level.

I can't believe the weather in NE. Its hard to believe that games are 2 months away. Atleast pitchers and catchers report soon!

[dgilblair]

I have no problems with the way that the LEC has set up and run thier schedule and or tournament.  I know that playing in the LEC prepares you for the regional tournament like no other conferance tourny in NE.  SOme leagues are done half way through and some only have like 4 teams in their conferance tourny.   I think that the reason you constantly see LEC teams in regional finals and and in appleton is that they are prepared for the grind for the regionals because they experiance that same grind just a week before.  I know what the LEC tourny in 06 was like and what the regionals where last year in the cape, Keene playing Wheaton till 2 in the morning then turning around playing Eastern at noon the next day for the regional championship.  THe answer to that problem is stay in the winners bracket.  Eastern two years ago(the tournament that still gives me nightmares) lose the second day to keene and then had to beat UMD, SM, and Keene twice no wonder they where tired if they had stayed in the winners bracket its a lot easier.  Same with Keene last year in the Regionals.  Losing to Eastern in the Winners bracket finals gets you a battle with Wheaton into all hours of the night and tired for Eastern the next day.  Solution stay out of the losers bracket, it can be done but its twice as hard to win a tourny from there espically if you  go into it early

I agree with all that, except I think it would be better to have the tournament a week earlier.  The chance of winning a double elimination tournament for three consecutive weeks is pretty tough. 

[supernovakid]

I agree with that,

[stevejohnson]

Anyone have and news on Shawn Gilblair.  I heard a rumor from an Eastern source that he didn't play in their opening game against Kean because of a failed drug test.  I'm wondering if there is any truth to this rumor. 

If not, can anyone give some info on why he was held back.  He didn't pitch and didn't DH.  That seems like he must be hurt or suspended.  I can't think of any other reason to keep an All-American out of the line-up against the defending national champion.  I remember he had some injury issues at the end of last year, but the ECSU website says he is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday. 

[Paul Heering]

I see that the LEC pre season poll came out today.  No surprise to see ECSU at the top but I am surprised that there was only one first place vote going to another team.

[Paul Heering]

I forgot to put in the link to the article.

http://www.littleeast.com/sports/bsb/2007-08/news/20080227_ECSU_preseason

[Jim Dixon]

My expectation is that a righty was to be used against Kean.  Gilblair was not the expected opening day pitcher, Esposito was.

Holowalty must be saving him for Stevens.

[Paul Heering]

I read that online also (that Esposito was going to get the start against Kean).

The Steven's game should be a good game.  Steven's lost a one run game to Kean last week.  That is if they play, it has been raining here in Jersey all day.

[dgilblair]

Shawn has a torn patella ligament.  I wanted him to red shirt this year but he said he was playing.  The doctor said he could play with a special patella brace and be fine if thats what he wanted to do.  The injury can be easily repaired but he would miss this season and he wants to play. He was not going to play till Wednesday at the earliest. And he may not DH this year, we'll have to see how it feels and what Coach wants to do.

[kscer]

Shawn has a torn patella ligament.  I wanted him to red shirt this year but he said he was playing.  The doctor said he could play with a special patella brace and be fine if thats what he wanted to do.  The injury can be easily repaired but he would miss this season and he wants to play. He was not going to play till Wednesday at the earliest. And he may not DH this year, we'll have to see how it feels and what Coach wants to do.

That's too bad. A healthy Shawn is fun to watch play the game.

[kscer]

I see that the LEC pre season poll came out today.  No surprise to see ECSU at the top but I am surprised that there was only one first place vote going to another team.

The only vote going to another team was Holowaty's since he could not vote for himself. I think everyone is in awe of ESCU's undefeated season last year. I predict more parity as the season unfolds. If KSC's young pitching lives up to potential, they will give Eastern a run, and UMB may live up to their potential. ooooooooo... Can't wait 10 more days till our season starts.

[Paul Heering]

That is a good point, it is hard to vote against a team that went 10-0 in that conference the year before.