BB: LEC: Little East Conference

[hockeyfan77]

Perhaps I missed this on the Boards but I see where Bob Prince, sorta-long-time Ass't. Coach of the USM Huskies was named as HC of the UMass Dartmouth team. Good for him. A good guy. Will make that team better and create an interesting match-up rival for USM.

http://www.corsairathletics.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/082911aaa.html

Wish him nothing but the best: good coach but more important a good guy....

[ECSUalum]

In case you haven't seen this posted by Crashdavis on National Topics:

http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careersearch

kcer,

Cool, looked back at ECSU's schedule in the 70's and 80's brings back fond memories!!!

[kscer]

Perhaps I missed this on the Boards but I see where Bob Prince, sorta-long-time Ass't. Coach of the USM Huskies was named as HC of the UMass Dartmouth team. Good for him. A good guy. Will make that team better and create an interesting match-up rival for USM.

http://www.corsairathletics.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/082911aaa.html

Wish him nothing but the best: good coach but more important a good guy....

Just a though, talking about coaching and USM, How much longer will Flaherty stick around. Is his secind son still in College?

[wordsmith]

Just a though, talking about coaching and USM, How much longer will Flaherty stick around. Is his secind son still in College?
[/quote]

Regan Flaherty left Vanderbilt and transferred to Seminole State Jr. College in FL. See link below.
I would bet Ed might have quite a few more clipboards to kick around yet. He is about 58 and after baseball what is there left to do for him? He isn't at the age to make a big move and if truth be told name half a dozen programs in New England that have a bigger/higher profile than So. Maine (BC, UConn, Pierce, URI, EConn is about even). So where is he going to go? UMaine maybe but I think that needed to happen 5 years ago to be viable. I just don't see Ed leaving not now.  - IMHO.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=189&f=2202&t=7831871

[hockeyfan77]

Just a though, talking about coaching and USM, How much longer will Flaherty stick around. Is his secind son still in College?

Regan Flaherty left Vanderbilt and transferred to Seminole State Jr. College in FL. See link below.
I would bet Ed might have quite a few more clipboards to kick around yet. He is about 58 and after baseball what is there left to do for him? He isn't at the age to make a big move and if truth be told name half a dozen programs in New England that have a bigger/higher profile than So. Maine (BC, UConn, Pierce, URI, EConn is about even). So where is he going to go? UMaine maybe but I think that needed to happen 5 years ago to be viable. I just don't see Ed leaving not now.  - IMHO.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=189&f=2202&t=7831871
[/quote]




Agreed: the only place I could have seen him go was to U-Maine but it's probably to late for that....

[ECSUalum]

Perhaps if UMaine baseball were struggling, but Coach Trimper, (ECSU '92), is doing a pretty good job up in Orono with the Black Bears.  I think they won the America East Conference Tournament last year.

[Hobbesy]

My preview was just posted today

here is the link http://d3baseball.com/notables/2012/01/newengland-2012-preview

Thoughts?

[wordsmith]

Hobbesy,

Excellent Preview. Well researched and nicely presented. Thanks from the peanut gallery.

36 degrees in Keene on Feb 1 and the KSC diamond is clear and wet(natch) 

Does anyone know where Tanner Luopa is playing this year? I think I know but not officially so I won't post that.

He was set to play at USM last year but that changed. And this year???

Word

[ECSUalum]

My preview was just posted today

here is the link http://d3baseball.com/notables/2012/01/newengland-2012-preview

Thoughts?

Tristan,

Great Job as usual, keep it up and you will soon be at one of the major Networks, (ESPN??) or Newspapers Sports Departments!!

[KSCfan]

Gentleman (yes that even includes you Jconn)

My two cents......

1.  Pre-season rankings are nice, but are more for us to argue and complain about than anything else.  I am willing to bet most coaches and players dont really care about them, and its the rankings during the season that matter as they can determine at large bids.  But, none the less its still to fun to talk about. 

2.  Spring practices are upon us and that is very exciting.  I went to the keene state website today, and the first thing that popped up was spring baseball, and i was like ahhhh..... It was the first thing on the athletic page over Keene mens basketball beating #1 middlebury last night!!

3.  Hobbsey- great preview, read all of it today at work as I ignored my students.  I think that you will Keene and Eastern at the top of the New England Rankings all year.  I wish the new UMD coach well,  must be exciting to finally get your own team. 

4.  Quick thought on Keene, Between Pelkey and Thiesing that should be a pretty strong 1, 2 punch on saturdays.  Obviously the loss of Dip and Doyon hurt, but i think that Keene bats will be more than able to pick up slack.

[LEC Fan]

Hobbesy,

Thanks for the insight and looking forward to your continued expertise come the start of the season and beyond.

I posted this on the General New England page but wondered your thoughts as well...any chance we may see a bottom feeder (Plymouth,Western,Dartmouth) make a run or will it be the usual Eastern,Keene,RIC,USM,Boston party?

[Hobbesy]

LEC Fan-

Wouldn't it be nice to see that happen. I think that is one of the great things about the LEC, anything can happen! Every team expect Plymouth St. has won a conference championship which says a great deal about the conference. It is important to remember, though, that Western, Boston, RIC and Dartmouth have won because they got hot at the right time. And by right time I mean in the LEC tournament.

Looking at the yearly standings http://littleeast.com/sports/bsb/history/Year-By-Year is staggering. The last team besides Eastern, USM or Keene to win more than eight games in conference play was Western Conn. in 2004! I consider ECSU, USM and KSC as the top three because they have shown the ability to win on a consistent basis in conference play. They say the hardest thing to do in baseball is sweep a doubleheader, and that's what these teams have been able to do. It's no wonder that all but one LEC postseason tournament has been held at either Eastern or Southern Maine, and that was at Keene in 2008. That means 14 of the 15 tournaments have been at Eastern or USM!!! That is unbelievable. No other team besides Keene has even come close to winning the regular season championship.

When you look at it that way, then you would have to say there is no way for the bottom teams to make a run. But it is important to remember, being one of the top six teams is all that matters. Once you're in, anything can happen. I think that is why the LEC is one of the top conferences in the country. No matter the outcome of the regular season meetings, the tournament games are always different. Look at RIC last year. They were swept by Eastern during the season and then beat them twice in the tournament.

It's hard to say if this trend will ever be broken and I don't see it happening this year. But I do think that RIC has one of the best groups of players returning, offensively and defensively.

Another thing I think we will also see is some great pitching duels on the weekend. There are some premier arms in the conference and that will make for some very exciting Saturday afternoons. Dimon vs. Pelkey anyone?

[KSCfan]

I wonder how much the actual school has to do with a "bottom feeder" getting a boost. 


Lets look at Western.... Western is not a bad program, but have struggled lately in the league.  Im just using them for an example, this same school of thought applies to Plymouth, UMD.

  The school is located in western ct (duh), but it might be the actual school that i think hurts the baseball program.  WCSU school is split into two different campuses, instead of one.  I would imagine that this cuts down the possible amount of people to see an afternoon game in about half, as sometimes people like to see a crowd and come over and check what all the fuss is about.  7express you would probably be more of an expert on this, but isnt Western a commuter heavy school? and if that is the case i cant imagine a lot of students driving to the college on sat to see a game.  You throw in the fact that Western is the worst field in the conference and it must hurt the recruiting process.  Also, another major factor would be that Western is battling Eastern (4 national titles, state of the art stadium, and reputation) for recruits.  Also they are battling Trinity (national title, Nescac education)  for recruits as Trinity is about half way inbetween western and eastern.

So if you are Western CT how do you win over recruits?  It only takes a couple good recruit classes in a row to turn a program around.  I know im being a homer but the recruit classes of 06, 07, and 08 turned Keene into the strong program it is today.  06 you had POY Jeremy Schilling, 07 you had Grainger, Stromgren, Young.. 08' you had Jones, Rousseau, and Morin.  My point is that you just need a couple of strong classes to turn the program around, and then those guys pave the way for even better players in the future.  But, how do you draw those kids in with lower facilites, and flashier programs not to far down the road.

Quick ideas on some other schools

UMB- Is all commuter school, and dont have a home field.  If you could introduce these two things to the school, then UMB would become instant powerhouse in the LEC, and New England.  It is hard to sell a kid on a school that doesnt have a field or any campus life, espically because of the vast amount of d3 schools around the boston area.  This is why Coach E has done such an amazing job.  He has taken a program that doesnt have these facilities and won a LEC championship and has gone to the World Series. UMB is not a bottom feeder at all, just amazing how they have gotten such great players without facilites

Plymouth- I for the life of me cant understand why Plymouth flat out sucks year in and year out.  I know that may be harsh to say but they are a mystery to me.  Plymouth State is a great school, one that is in the mountains (skiing in the winter) cheaper state tution, and a school that gets decent attendance at sporting events.  It's field is good, not great, but not as bad as Western.  I cant for the life of me understand why they cant recruit.  The biggest challenge they have for recruits in NH is Keene, Colby Sawyer, and Rivier.

Just some thoughts for a tuesday.......

Practice has started season around corner!!!

[kscer]

Plymouth recruits for football in NH and usually does well. I had heard once that the coach does not actively recruit for baseball. Any ex NH hs bb players remember getting even a letter from PSU? They would do well since a lot of NH high school athletes go there and party and play.

[Wally]

As far as PSU goes. I went there and was recruited for soccer but not baseball. Was asked by several kids on the team why I didn't play? My response was that I wasn't recruited. I've seen Coach at various games over the year's while traveling with either Keene High or Keene Legion yet never ANY letters to any of the kid's as far as I know? Any idea when rosters might be coming out for those that haven't already? Time for a change at PSU?