BB: LEC: Little East Conference

[MSG77]

I am not sure this is what some may think.  This is not the UMaine team that goes to the World Series.  This UMaine team is the one that trailed Colby College last week in the 7 inning! The USM team is the same team that a Bowdoin frosh heald to one run the day before.

Hence my comment on the mighty falling.  Wasn't using it to say USM is great.  They are a 23-11 D3 team.  I was alluding to your point that UMaine is not what they once were.  I don't think anyone here is confused and saying USM is a great team.  Barring winning the LEC tourney, they will be home for the 5th time in 6 years come NCAA time.

[Paul Heering]

Any predictions of what the matchups will be in Keene tomorrow?  I think it is interesting b/c the tournament starts on Wednesday (only three days between sunday and wednesday).  Do you throw your number 1 or rest them?

[kscer]

Any predictions of what the matchups will be in Keene tomorrow?  I think it is interesting b/c the tournament starts on Wednesday (only three days between sunday and wednesday).  Do you throw your number 1 or rest them?

This is real interesting because no one knows who they are facing in the tourney. I think that Stromgren throws if Gilblair throws. Do these games mean anything ? Except for pride. They probably mean more for Keene than Eastern for an NCAA bid if they dont win the LEC Tournament. If Keene wins both and then RIC or UMB wins the LEC tourney what happens then?

[Paul Heering]

I think these games mean a lot.  it looks like (and i am only looking at box scores) that the LEC looks like this. 

ECSU and Keene at the top

then a drop off

Then Southern Maine, RIC, & UMass Boston

then another drop off

THen everyone else

With that assumption the number one seed is huge.  you get to play the 6 seed to start and then if you win you get to match up with a team that just lost the 3-4 game. 

if i were coaching i would do this.

Keene
Throw my number 2 in the first game and have my ace ready for game two.  If you win game 1, pitch your ace in game two b/c a sweep would win you the number 1 seed.  If you lose game 1 the second game is meaningless, rest your ace.

ECSU
Throw my number 2 in game 1.  if you win, you wrapped up #1 seed, rest the ace.  if you lose, throw your ace to wrap up #1 seed.

In both cases if the second game is meaningless i would probably throw my ace a few innings to keep him fresh.

just my thoughts, and heck the only coaching i have ever done is when i volunteered coaching t-ball and i never had to worry about who to pitch

[hockeyfan77]

Wheaton beat USM 11-1 today...

[kscer]

Don,
I think this a good approach. This is a great confrontation coming up tomorrow in the swamps of Keene.
There are so many sub-plots going on here. From the coaches to the catchers, everyone has a part to play in this drama.

[wordsmith]

I think these games mean a lot.  it looks like (and i am only looking at box scores) that the LEC looks like this. 

ECSU and Keene at the top

then a drop off

Then Southern Maine, RIC, & UMass Boston

then another drop off

THen everyone else

With that assumption the number one seed is huge.  you get to play the 6 seed to start and then if you win you get to match up with a team that just lost the 3-4 game. 

if i were coaching i would do this.

Keene
Throw my number 2 in the first game and have my ace ready for game two.  If you win game 1, pitch your ace in game two b/c a sweep would win you the number 1 seed.  If you lose game 1 the second game is meaningless, rest your ace.

ECSU
Throw my number 2 in game 1.  if you win, you wrapped up #1 seed, rest the ace.  if you lose, throw your ace to wrap up #1 seed.

In both cases if the second game is meaningless i would probably throw my ace a few innings to keep him fresh.

just my thoughts, and heck the only coaching i have ever done is when i volunteered coaching t-ball and i never had to worry about who to pitch

\\\\

KSC, at least in my humble opinion, does not have a solid #2. They tried Young who could not get past 3 or 4 innings, Maybe is a , a bit like Dice-K, Morin is untested in LEC action but could provide some magic. Howe will start Stromgren because he is at home and could win the LEC out right with a sweep. Ken will not start a #2 in the first game.

One thing about KSC, they do have good depth in their staff of pitchers.

Holywater vs the Howe Owl Scowl in the Swamp. Golly Gosh it don't get no betta than that.

By the way God bless the kid wounded in the shooting today at KSC and God Bless the parents of both kids. Mike Dyke was not a bad kid, just had some problems.

http://www.sentinelsource.com/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=37&ArticleID=148638

[kscer]

I think these games mean a lot.  it looks like (and i am only looking at box scores) that the LEC looks like this. 

ECSU and Keene at the top

then a drop off

Then Southern Maine, RIC, & UMass Boston

then another drop off

THen everyone else

With that assumption the number one seed is huge.  you get to play the 6 seed to start and then if you win you get to match up with a team that just lost the 3-4 game. 

if i were coaching i would do this.

Keene
Throw my number 2 in the first game and have my ace ready for game two.  If you win game 1, pitch your ace in game two b/c a sweep would win you the number 1 seed.  If you lose game 1 the second game is meaningless, rest your ace.

ECSU
Throw my number 2 in game 1.  if you win, you wrapped up #1 seed, rest the ace.  if you lose, throw your ace to wrap up #1 seed.

In both cases if the second game is meaningless i would probably throw my ace a few innings to keep him fresh.

just my thoughts, and heck the only coaching i have ever done is when i volunteered coaching t-ball and i never had to worry about who to pitch

\\\\

KSC, at least in my humble opinion, does not have a solid #2. They tried Young who could not get past 3 or 4 innings, Maybe is a , a bit like Dice-K, Morin is untested in LEC action but could provide some magic. Howe will start Stromgren because he is at home and could win the LEC out right with a sweep. Ken will not start a #2 in the first game.

One thing about KSC, they do have good depth in their staff of pitchers.

Holywater vs the Howe Owl Scowl in the Swamp. Golly Gosh it don't get no betta than that.

By the way God bless the kid wounded in the shooting today at KSC and God Bless the parents of both kids. Mike Dyke was not a bad kid, just had some problems.

Howe will pitch Stromgren against Gilblair, however that works out. Maybe has been effective  except for a little let down against KSC. He has to prove he can fill Stromgren's shoes next year and I believe he can. But Keene still won that game.  Morin has been deadly and Young is coming back.

[wordsmith]

For what it is worth, IMHO, if I were Ken Howe, I'd throw Morin in game one regardless of who the Evil Empire threw. Then decide on game 2 based upon the results of game 1.

Morin is the wild card. The kid is a gamer and he saves Howe from using Stromgrem up unless he has a chance to sweep.

[kscer]

We"ll see tomorrow as the sun shines and the wind blows. Dress warmly...it is never warm at Owl Stadium.

As an aside, whatever happened in that shooting incident was truly tragic, and throws a little pall over graduation weekend.

[ECSUalum]

A comment and a question to everyone.

ESCU lost to Weaton yesterday, 2-1.

I had posted sometime last week about defense being an important element in the mix.  Well ECSU lost this game on 2 unearned runs.
Good defense is a must to win the D-III CWS.

Following the chat about USM beating UM and Wooster beating Kent St.

I also commented last week about a UConn/ ECSU match-up.

Anyone follow UConn Huskies  baseball and would like to make a comment?

Final comment, RIC looks to be coming into the LEC Tourny somewhat hot.

They make me nervous!

[MSG77]

I think it will be Gilblair vs Stromgren in Game 1.

I think it's a different strategy if Keene didn't have to sweep both games.  Can't worry about game 2 until you win game 1.

If I were ECSU, I would throw Gilblair in game 1.  I would asy it is about 95% they will.  Then if they win, they will likley throw #6 and some bullpen guys.  I wouldn't want to wait around for game 2 if you can clinch with game 1.  You don't want to get the other teams bats going to start the day and waiting around for game 2 is just asking for trouble I think.

Again, if I'm KSU, I throw Stromgren in game 1 if Gilblair is pitching.  I think if you win, you have a huge advantage in momentum, regardless of who your game 2 starter is.  I've seen it happen a lot, where if a team's ace shuts down the other team and beats their ace, the team that lost is demoralized and has a bit of a hangover to start the second game.  IMO this is the best chance that KSU has for a sweep.  You would figure that Gilblair is not going to give up a tons of runs, so you would need to hold Eastern down to win.  From what some have posted here, that might not happen with Keenes #2 or #3.

It is a huge advantage to finish #1 as has been said, the drop-off from #5 to #6 is pretty significant and the #1 seed gets to host which is also an advantage.

[wordsmith]

I think it will be Gilblair vs Stromgren in Game 1.

I think it's a different strategy if Keene didn't have to sweep both games.  Can't worry about game 2 until you win game 1.

If I were ECSU, I would throw Gilblair in game 1.  I would asy it is about 95% they will.  Then if they win, they will likley throw #6 and some bullpen guys.  I wouldn't want to wait around for game 2 if you can clinch with game 1.  You don't want to get the other teams bats going to start the day and waiting around for game 2 is just asking for trouble I think.

Again, if I'm KSU, I throw Stromgren in game 1 if Gilblair is pitching.  I think if you win, you have a huge advantage in momentum, regardless of who your game 2 starter is.  I've seen it happen a lot, where if a team's ace shuts down the other team and beats their ace, the team that lost is demoralized and has a bit of a hangover to start the second game.  IMO this is the best chance that KSU has for a sweep.  You would figure that Gilblair is not going to give up a tons of runs, so you would need to hold Eastern down to win.  From what some have posted here, that might not happen with Keenes #2 or #3.

It is a huge advantage to finish #1 as has been said, the drop-off from #5 to #6 is pretty significant and the #1 seed gets to host which is also an advantage.

MSG77,

Agreed, this is what you will see today. KSC cannot deviate from what got them to this point.

[Paul Heering]

I think the fact that they NEED TO SWEEP is the exact reason you DON'T pitch your ace in game one if you are Keene State.

here is why i think this (sorry if i am repeating myself), lets say you pitch #1 in game one and you win, then your number 2 gets shelled.  now you get the two seed, don't get to host, have to play the #5 seed in first round and your #1 & #2 would be on 3 days rest.

Now if you throw your number 2 in game 1 and he gets shelled, you know to rest your ace because you are already the #2 seed, you can have your ace well rested for the first day and your number 2 on four days rest for the second day of the tournament.

Now if you throw your #2 in the first game against their ace and WIN, you look great.  you have your ace going in game two with their ace not able to pitch.

For Keene State to get the #1 seed and host the tourney they NEED to sweep.  that means someone other than their ace needs to win a game.  why not find out right away by pitching your number 2 in the first game.

Other than saying, "that is the way you do it" or "that is they way it is done" or "you can get the momentum" i can't see the logic in throwing your ace in the first game.  and a wise man once said, "In baseball momentum is only as good as the next games starting pitcher"

[ECSUalum]

ECSU takes opener 8-3. Giblair started