BB: LEC: Little East Conference

[dgilblair]

I have to agree with yags here if they had played in the lec vs. the pitcher the likes of morin espo and Conway there bats could have been shut down and the would have lost about 2 or 3 games in LEC PLAY (if they were in that league) that being said I hope they go undeafted and bring another Title to the best region in the country NEW ENGLAND

Well that makes Trinity 3-0 in the LEC this year.  I really don't think they have lost in the LEC this year with that pitching staff and that team.

[wordsmith]

And so another exciting season of LEC baseball comes to close. I am bored already. A few final thoughts on the 2008 season.

The LEC is now a 3 team horse race with KSC a 'contenda'.
Does the phrase pitch-count have any meaning at USM?
How good could ECONN have been with a healthy Gilblair?
They sure grow-em' big in Maine.
Trinity would have won the LEC this year, but not gone undefeated.
It will be strange to see the D-III WS without an LEC Team

Finally - My picks for next season

1-  TEE returns to form as does Gilblair
2-  USM - More RoboBatters and Rubba-armed pitchers
3-  KSC - Loses much, returns much, key is young arms developing

If you are bored perhaps these videos mght brighten your day.

Why baseball players should NOT do steroids!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfIfYkuJSMY&feature=related


Best reason why MLB should not have mascots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU_kGhDz-Zw&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwM-Rz6h9Ko&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQxTYLlayXk&mode=related&search=

Happy Summer - Word

[ECSUalum]

I want to thank Word this season for his keen insights and I hope making everyone laugh, (certainly had me on the floor!!!).

I realize everyone sometimes gets a little too serious about thier teams, But as someone else posted earlier this year, the LEC Board is the best!!

We all should be proud of the teams in the conference from Plywood to TEE to the Chowdas to Sullen Maine to the Swampies.

It will be another great season in the LEC nation next year.

Re the 2008 D-III CWS I personally are rooting for  the Red Dragons of Cortland State, and no, not because TEE was in the NY Regional , but because of thier great program over the years.. I just think it will be thier year.  It will not be easy with the Chapsters the Bantammysters and the JHopsters @ Grand Chute in the great state of Wisconsin, but I am hoping.

[KSCfan]

Another LEC season in the books, want to thank everyone for thier posts, and thier good insight.  Already counting down for next years LEC season!!!!!!!  Good luck to Trinity in the championship tournament

[Pat Coleman]

Hey -- just because the season for most of the region is over doesn't mean you have to leave. I know not every LEC school has football but those that do need your support on D3football.com. Keene State has a good basketball program and Eastern Conn needs support on our LEC basketball board. Plus we're starting up D3soccer.com this year. Plus Southern Maine and Eastern Conn have had some pretty good women's basketball teams.

Just making my pitch. Thanks.

[hockeyfan77]

Hey -- just because the season for most of the region is over doesn't mean you have to leave. I know not every LEC school has football but those that do need your support on D3football.com. Keene State has a good basketball program and Eastern Conn needs support on our LEC basketball board. Plus we're starting up D3soccer.com this year. Plus Southern Maine and Eastern Conn have had some pretty good women's basketball teams.

Just making my pitch. Thanks.

I need my hockey!!!  ....I do check the site once or twice a week during the off-season and will start posting in the national topics...This site is great and thanks for that...Is there a video link for the d3 championship next week?

[Jcon8958]

Had another great time on the boards this year. Will be back next year of course And will most certianly be back during the off season with updates

[dgilblair]

And so another exciting season of LEC baseball comes to close. I am bored already. A few final thoughts on the 2008 season.

The LEC is now a 3 team horse race with KSC a 'contenda'.
Does the phrase pitch-count have any meaning at USM?
How good could ECONN have been with a healthy Gilblair?
They sure grow-em' big in Maine.
Trinity would have won the LEC this year, but not gone undefeated.
It will be strange to see the D-III WS without an LEC Team

Finally - My picks for next season

1-  TEE returns to form as does Gilblair
2-  USM - More RoboBatters and Rubba-armed pitchers
3-  KSC - Loses much, returns much, key is young arms developing

If you are bored perhaps these videos mght brighten your day.

Why baseball players should NOT do steroids!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfIfYkuJSMY&feature=related


Best reason why MLB should not have mascots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU_kGhDz-Zw&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwM-Rz6h9Ko&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQxTYLlayXk&mode=related&search=

Happy Summer - Word

Keene is losing Ford, Morin, Maybe and Rousseau just to begin with, that hurts.  Hope they recruited well.

USM losing Skeff and Ross.  Does D'Alfonso get drafted?  Scouts have been at the games looking at him.  They will have the core of the team and they could roll in the LEC next year.  Plus they recruit so well.

RIC losing Thibault, Olson, Reyes and others will hurt.  Going to depend on pitching,  which always seems to be the case with them.

UMB losing Conway.  Need I say anymore.

Western may surprise some teams with their young pitching and more experience for the others on the staff.

Plymouth is Plymouth and Dartmouth is Dartmouth at least for the present time.

ECSU losing Dalton, Esposito, Jagodzinski and Bolorin, as well as others is big.  The fact is ECSU defense was not good this year.  Not any one spot, just as a whole in different spots at different times. Plus losing your two best pitchers.  Not good.  If Shawn comes back healthy that will help.  But there is still a hugh whole.  Fontaine filled Shawns spot this year and did a great job.  Kukucka, Montanari will need to take it up another notch when they are given the chances next year.  I think they have shown they are ready to do that.  It's just real had to replace Esposito and Jagodzinski in the same year.  DEFENSE, DEFENSE.

All in all SMU looks to be in the best shape to me right now.  The spring is a long way away.  Recruiting could do it.  Look what D'Alfonso did for USM this year.

[KSCfan]

Little insight to Keene fellas as we head into the off season, They lose a lot.  Morin and Maybe will hurt more this year more than Stromgren and Young did the year before because Keene doesnt have a Morin and or Stromgren to step into that role next year.  One kid that you want to look at is Somberg.  I know that USM hit him pretty good in the regionals, but he had a very good year and a great game in the LEC tourny.  Coach Testo has recruited some very good pitchers to come into the program next year, a couple of good freshaman , and a couple of juco transfer actually from CT.  (the owls seem to be spreading thier wings down into ct lately to get kids)  Both those are unproven pitchers, will be interesting to see how they mature, coach testo is very good at what he does and i have faith that he will make sure the staff is fine, he will take it personally if he doesnt, he cares that much about pitching and his players

Offense speaking they should be fine, prob not as good as last year with the loss of Jones and Rousseau(one of hte most underrated players in the LEC by the way).  Chev and Perkins are seniors, Cipolla will be a junior, All NE Doyon will be a sophmpore as well as Deprato who hit into the 400's as a freshman.  Chev will move to short, and look for Cahill and Barber to slide into the 3b and 2b spots, both who proved they can handel it this year at various chances.  Is keene the frontrunner to repeat as LEC champs? At this point i would say no, To many questions at the pitching level, but you never know

[KSCfan]

Pat- i do post on the Basketball site from time to time, i do go to most of the basketball games, and i like to post on that, however the board there is no where near as fun as the LEC board for baseball.  But, i will be there rootin on my owls as the homer that i am

[hockeyfan77]

And so another exciting season of LEC baseball comes to close. I am bored already. A few final thoughts on the 2008 season.

The LEC is now a 3 team horse race with KSC a 'contenda'.
Does the phrase pitch-count have any meaning at USM?
How good could ECONN have been with a healthy Gilblair?
They sure grow-em' big in Maine.
Trinity would have won the LEC this year, but not gone undefeated.
It will be strange to see the D-III WS without an LEC Team

Finally - My picks for next season

1-  TEE returns to form as does Gilblair
2-  USM - More RoboBatters and Rubba-armed pitchers
3-  KSC - Loses much, returns much, key is young arms developing

If you are bored perhaps these videos mght brighten your day.

Why baseball players should NOT do steroids!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfIfYkuJSMY&feature=related


Best reason why MLB should not have mascots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU_kGhDz-Zw&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwM-Rz6h9Ko&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQxTYLlayXk&mode=related&search=

Happy Summer - Word

.  Does D'Alfonso get drafted?  Scouts have been at the games looking at him.  


.

 Recruiting could do it.  Look what D'Alfonso did for USM this year.

Not this year, if he puts up numbers like he did this year, next year I am sure he will...Recruiting, well since D'Alfonso played about 500 feet from my house last year for SMCC, I will take credit for that find...

[ECSUalum]

And so another exciting season of LEC baseball comes to close. I am bored already. A few final thoughts on the 2008 season.

The LEC is now a 3 team horse race with KSC a 'contenda'.
Does the phrase pitch-count have any meaning at USM?
How good could ECONN have been with a healthy Gilblair?
They sure grow-em' big in Maine.
Trinity would have won the LEC this year, but not gone undefeated.
It will be strange to see the D-III WS without an LEC Team


Finally - My picks for next season

1-  TEE returns to form as does Gilblair
2-  USM - More RoboBatters and Rubba-armed pitchers
3-  KSC - Loses much, returns much, key is young arms developing

If you are bored perhaps these videos mght brighten your day.

Why baseball players should NOT do steroids!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfIfYkuJSMY&feature=related


Best reason why MLB should not have mascots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU_kGhDz-Zw&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwM-Rz6h9Ko&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQxTYLlayXk&mode=related&search=

Happy Summer - Word

Keene is losing Ford, Morin, Maybe and Rousseau just to begin with, that hurts.  Hope they recruited well.

USM losing Skeff and Ross.  Does D'Alfonso get drafted?  Scouts have been at the games looking at him.  They will have the core of the team and they could roll in the LEC next year.  Plus they recruit so well.

RIC losing Thibault, Olson, Reyes and others will hurt.  Going to depend on pitching,  which always seems to be the case with them.

UMB losing Conway.  Need I say anymore.

Western may surprise some teams with their young pitching and more experience for the others on the staff.

Plymouth is Plymouth and Dartmouth is Dartmouth at least for the present time.

ECSU losing Dalton, Esposito, Jagodzinski and Bolorin, as well as others is big.  The fact is ECSU defense was not good this year.  Not any one spot, just as a whole in different spots at different times. Plus losing your two best pitchers.  Not good.  If Shawn comes back healthy that will help.  But there is still a hugh whole.  Fontaine filled Shawns spot this year and did a great job.  Kukucka, Montanari will need to take it up another notch when they are given the chances next year.  I think they have shown they are ready to do that.  It's just real had to replace Esposito and Jagodzinski in the same year.  DEFENSE, DEFENSE.

All in all SMU looks to be in the best shape to me right now.  The spring is a long way away.  Recruiting could do it.  Look what D'Alfonso did for USM this year.

D Gilblair,

Couple of questions.

Do you know why Coach H did not put Wojick in for relief in the RPI game?

Can you convince Jags to enroll in Grad school? 

Can Ronnie Newkirk blossum next year and really contruibute to back fill in loss of Jags and Espo?  He got some good experience this year and had a bit of a rough time re stats, but I see another Fontaine here.

I see the young players like Dewing, Park, Bass, Shult, Smith really providing some extra offensive punch in addition to Shawn and Mel next year.  Could be a big years for more than one of these guys.

Hopefully Coach H and W can find another Shawn or Ryan D, that can immediately contribute, but obviously these types will be sought after by many D-I and D-II programs nationally.

Agree re the D, I have posted many times that it is the third leg of a national championship team next to O and P.

Need to be in the .960-.970 on F% vs 0.940-0.950

Finally, I saw a lot of ECSU mental errors occur this year.  Sort of no excuse here!!

[Pat Coleman]

Hey -- just because the season for most of the region is over doesn't mean you have to leave. I know not every LEC school has football but those that do need your support on D3football.com. Keene State has a good basketball program and Eastern Conn needs support on our LEC basketball board. Plus we're starting up D3soccer.com this year. Plus Southern Maine and Eastern Conn have had some pretty good women's basketball teams.

Just making my pitch. Thanks.

I need my hockey!!!  ....I do check the site once or twice a week during the off-season and will start posting in the national topics...This site is great and thanks for that...Is there a video link for the d3 cahmpionship next week?

Yes -- we'll have links on the front page.

[wordsmith]

Few surprises here. Polls are what they are. 

American Baseball Coaches Association/Collegiate Baseball
NCAA Division III Baseball Poll
May 19, 2008
next poll: May 28
Rank School Record Points Last Rank
1. (4) Chapman (Calif.) 39-3 236 1
2. (4) Trinity (Conn.) 41-0 234 2
3. Cortland (N.Y.) State 42-3 223 3
4. Kean (N.J.) 39-9 214 6
5. Wis.-Whitewater 39-8 208 5
6. Johns Hopkins (Md.) 39-6 195 10
7. Salisbury (Md.) 41-4 190 4
8. Linfield (Ore.) 34-11 171 18
9. Adrian (Mich.) 34-11 156 nr
10. Heidelberg (Ohio) 41-10 155 9
11. Southern Maine 36-14 140 rv
12. Illinois Wesleyan 33-11 136 8
13. Lynchburg (Va.) 32-13 130 20
14. St. Scholastica (Minn.) 35-6 129 rv
15. Texas-Tyler 36-9 119 7
16. Rensselaer (N.Y.) 33-12 109 nr
17. Wheaton (Mass.) 34-10 105 11
18. Rowan (N.J.) 34-14 103 28
19. St. Thomas (Minn.) 33-9 100 16
20. Wooster (Ohio) 36-11 99 19
21. Webster (Ill.) 31-15 89 nr
22. Piedmont (Ga.) 34-14 88 12
23. Carthage (Wis.) 36-10 81 13
24. Keene (N.H.) State 34-11 55 17
25. Wis.-Oshkosh 29-11 38 14
26. Ithaca (N.Y.) 30-13 37 21
27. Eastern Connecticut State 32-15-1 24 26
28. Montclair (N.J.) State 28-20 23 22
29. New Jersey 30-12 22 23
30. Christopher Newport (Va.) 29-14 21 nr
Also receiving votes and named on more than one ballot (alphabetically): Augustana (Ill.),
Cal State East Bay, Rose-Hulman (Ind.).

[dgilblair]

ECSU,

Wojick either hurt himself during or after the Montclair game, not sure which, and was not available the rest of the way.  That was unfortunate but you go with what you have.  I did think it was a little funny he came on in the 7th with a 7-3 lead, but you really hate to go to the losers bracket.

Jags has been worked on to come back.  Nothing definite, so you have to consider him gone and hope to see him in the spring. It would be huge if he does.

Newkirk, I don't think you can put him in the Fontaine category just yet.  Maybe your right though.  Fontaine has better stuff but they both need to work on focusing a little more or maybe longer.  Now I'm not putting anything on Fontaine for his last start he was going on two days rest and was on fumes out there.  He is a top notch starter for us and I'm happy when he toe's the rubber.  Where was I, they both will be going good then get into a little trouble, get two outs and give up a hit or and a run or two.  I know that happens but it just seemed it happened to often.  Could be a lack of focus.    

It was to bad we had so many players injured this year.  Smith being one of them.  He is good.  Dewing pop a hammie, thats why he didn't play against RPI.  But you are absolutly correct that is a nice group and should put up some numbers next year.  I think Hobbs is going to hit with more power next year and closer to 400 too.  Just my hunch.

These rumors of incoming freshman and a transfer or two that can be impact players.  But we will have to wait and see, just like Jags.

The defense in my opinion was worse than the numbers even showed and to me thats still going to be a big concern next year.  I saw a lot of balls that should have been caught or fielded that never went for errors.  

Yes you did.  A LOT of mental baserunning.  

A year older should help some of woes.  If we recruit well and Tingley and Gilblair get healty, Jags returns for one more run, we will be fine.