BB: LEC: Little East Conference

[Wally]

Big Poppa no problem. Should be a fun year and I to look forward to the insight's of everyone on the board! Must agree that the preseason rankings for the LEC are pretty much what I would have expected. Any thoughts?

[KSCfan]

Word-

" Ill be your Huckleberry"

I think you meant USM winning a national title in 1997.  
2001 was St Thomas from Minnesota.
Eastern last title was 2002 with a loss in the national title game in 2004.

Looking at the preseason polls its kinda wierd to see Umass Boston and not Eastern or Southern Maine.  They are defending champs and number 1 till someone proves otherwise.  I think that the coaches got it about right going into the season.  Pitching is going to be key for Keene, and Eastern.  The question of the early season is who will step or "toe the rubber" (sorry bad joke) for these teams.

[wordsmith]

Word-

" Ill be your Huckleberry"

I think you meant USM winning a national title in 1997.  
2001 was St Thomas from Minnesota.
Eastern last title was 2002 with a loss in the national title game in 2004.

Looking at the preseason polls its kinda wierd to see Umass Boston and not Eastern or Southern Maine.  They are defending champs and number 1 till someone proves otherwise.  I think that the coaches got it about right going into the season.  Pitching is going to be key for Keene, and Eastern.  The question of the early season is who will step or "toe the rubber" (sorry bad joke) for these teams.

I'm your Daisy!

Right you are about 1997 being the last USM title, which makes my point +++.

Opening Day of LEC baseball action in the Northeast I have EXCLUSIVE PICTURES!!!!!

http://blogs.davenportlibrary.com/reference/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/blizzard.jpg


Word

[keenONkeene]

Word, I agree.....preseason ranking does not mean much.....but can you tell me over the last 10 years that USM is behind Keene and UMB? Really, I normally think your insight is right on the mark....this time, not even close.  Even this past year, when they were ranked higher (not that that matters, right?) USM knocked them out of the LEC playoffs.......as well as ECSU.....and this was a "down" year for them.  Two years ago they were #1 for much of the season only to draw, arguably the two best pitchers in the country in the regionals and get knocked out........
ECSU is the class of the league, USM is next..........Keene is a distant 3rd (really, what have they won?) and Boston 4th.....one year does not make you a dominant program...
Keene people, we are kidding ourselves by continuing to place our program in the elite........wishful thinking yes, but not realistic....lets win the big one, or a big one for that matter before we start the ECSU and USM comparisons....

[KSCfan]

Keene has won the same amount of regionals that USM has since 2002, so in the last decade Keene and USM have been to the same amount of regionals 3 and won the same amount of regionals 0.  Am i missing something here?  KeenonKeene, if you want to break it down more lets do that

2004 USM sweeps and eliminates Keene from tournament

USM 3 Keene 0

2005 Keene and USM split DH

USM 4 Keene 1

2006 Keene got swept in the regular season, and then beat and eliminated USM in the LEC tournament

So far USM 6 Keene 2

2007 Keene swept them in the regular season, LEC playoffs USM beat them in game 2 keene came back and eliminated them later in tournament

USM 7 Keene 5

2008 They split regular season  USM beat them in the 2nd round of tournament Keene comes back to sweep the championship round taking two from them and the LEC title from them.

USM 9 Keene 8

2009 USM sweeps regular season Keene eliminates them from the tournament to advance to play Eastern in the championship game.

USM 11 Keene 9

2010 Keene sweeps USM in regular season USM beats and eliminates Keene in conference tournament

USM 12 Keene 11

Im failing to see how Keene is a distant third.  Keene over the last 6-7 years have played USM pretty even, some might say better than even considering the owls lead the series since 2006.  The owls have also eliminated USM from the tournament in 2006, 2007, 2008( for conference title), and 2009. USM returned the favor in 2004 and 2010. Playoffs are what we play this game for and its safe to say that Keene has had USM number in the LEC tournament over the last 5 years. In fact according to the USM website the last time that USM has won the LEC tournament was 2001. 

Lets recap shall we

LEC Titles in the last decade 1 for Keene 1 for USM
Amount of regionals in the last decade 3 for USM and 3 for Keene
Record (since 2003 because archives dont go to 2001) head to head USM 12 Keene 11

Im not seeing a distant third, im seeing two even programs.

[keenONkeene]

Keep looking.........big game.........big game..........big game.........Keene=0
If this was D1 and the furthest Keene had advanced was a regional how would we feel about that team?? Why are we lying to ourselves.......I want to see it as much as you and word, but the proof is in the pudding.......or Big wins

[Hobbesy]

In response to KSCfan and LECfan from yesterday-

Yeah the same bus! Tell me about it haha.  And as for the movie, I can't remember. 

As for the big three talk, lets never lose sight of how good the LEC is.

LEC representation in the World Series 02-03-04-06-07-10

Not to shabby

[Jim Dixon]

All rehashed before but Keene State is one of three teams that are expected to contend for the Conference Title.  UMass-Boston has some great players that has elevated the team but I will want to reserve judgement when they show the consistently at getting to the top of the conference as USM, ECSU and KSC has.

One might think that Keene State is in the running for best team never to be in the Championship round.  I count 8 teams in the Top 25 who are without an appearance.

Surprising enough, Keene State received no votes in the preseason poll

[KSCfan]

KeenonKeene, you keep saying big game... when was the last big game that USM won?  1997?  Notre Dame won a national championship for football in 1988 too, does that make them better than say a Boise State because Boise hasnt won a national title?  Even though anyone with half a brain knows that over the last 10 years Boise has been way better...

I see that we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one

Jim great point about being one the best teams that never made it to the ship.  I would of like to seen Keene get some votes but what are you going to do, its a preseason poll and we all know that those dont really count for a whole lot come May.

Games are coming soon people cant wait, Jconn and Bobby come out of hibernation lets go!!  Calling all LEC posters lets get the board going again. 

[LEC Fan]

I guess it comes down to "what have you done for me lately?". While not taking away from what USM has done in the past, that is was makes them a great program, I think Keene has become one of the top teams/programs in New England.

As Hobbesy, KSCFan, and several other posters pointed out, Keene has been at the top of one of the most competitive conferences in New England for the last 5-6 years. Of course this doesn't mean that KSC is the best team in the country but they have been competing with the teams (USM/ECSU) that have been considered such.

I think there is a clear line seperating the top tier of USM and ECSU as they both have several national titles under their belt. Keene is working their way up there as they are showing the consistency that the top 2 have over the years. After that it gets a little cloudy, mind you a little, Boston has become the most recent program to raise the bar and really has no indication (at this juncture) of slowing down as they return the majority of their team this year. RIC made a run in 2005 and I know WCSU had their time at the top as well.

Regardless of where our respective teams rank the LEC is easily one of the most competitive and exciting conferences to watch. The talent that plays in this league year in and year out is great. It should be another great year as so many teams are capable of winning the title and competing at a high level. I don't know about anybody else here but I am certainly starting to get that itch again...at least pitchers and catchers report next week lol

[keenONkeene]

KCS fan, you are right........I do keep saying big game. I am not defining a big game by beating Eastern on Saturday in game #2 of a double header.......There is a line, I feel, that takes a program to another level....Keene has just not crossed it yet.....they are very close....but come on, why are we lying to ourselves???
In terms of football, the rankings for the most part are a bit subjective......Boise St. has fallen prey to that.......
Keenes fate/destiny is in their own hands....

[KSCfan]

Valid points KeenonKeene. 

What is that big win?  Is it to go toa world series?  Is it winnig a game in the World Series to prove that you belong? Is it getting to the national title game?  Or is it winning the whole thing.  Im not trying to be difficult im just curious on everyones opinion on what that "big program changing win is"

Is it getting to the World Series - UMB
Getting to the World Series and winning a game
Losing in the National Title Game- Wheaton
Winning it all - Eastern (4) Trinity USM (2)

[keenONkeene]

Getting to World Series.........and being in the regional mix on a fairly regular basis.

[Ms. Beacon]

UMB posted their 2011 roster.  With 7 of 8 starting position players returning, the offense and league-leading defense should be strong again.  Senior Andrew Tambling is gone, and the Beacons will definitely miss his bat and speed on the bases (.364, 9 HR, 34 SB).  Sophomore Nick Grassetti is slated to take his spot, and although not a big kid, word on the street is that he was swinging a good stick and running the bases well in the fall. 

In my opinion, the starting rotation should be better than last year's.  Dalton and Heefner provide a strong 1-2 punch, while Cole and a now healthy Gambill should give the Beacons solid mid-week starts.  I am expecting one of the new freshman arms to fill in the fifth spot in the rotation.  The bullpen will be young and untested; the loss of Tony Damon and making Heefner a starter leaves eight new freshman arms to battle it out as the go to late inning replacements.  With so many young arms, the Beacons really need catcher Tim Fontaine to be healthy, as mixing freshman pitchers with a freshman catcher could be costly for UMB.  If you remember, Fontaine was injured last summer in the final inning of the season with the Keene Swamp Bats.

Also, Coach Eygabroat brought in Mike Conroy as the new hitting and outfield coach, after Kupiec left to take the head job at Newbury.  Conroy is a former first round draft pick with 9 years of professional playing experience.  It should be interesting to see if he can continue to develop an already strong offensive team. 

[Ralph Turner]

Welcome aboard Ms Beacon.  That is a good post.  We appreciate well-presented discussions of the team and its performances.  +1!   

Good luck this season!