BB: General New England Discussion

[zoneit]

Great site, thanks for pointing it out!

Interesting things going on in the NESCAC. Tufts is dominating the East, no real surprise there, but big doubleheader Trinity/Bowdoin at Bowdoin today. Trin dropped close one yesterday and can`t afford a bad day today since only two from each division go to league tourney. Trin in danger of not making it. They seem to have a lot of trouble scoring runs. Also, Bates has been surprisingly mediocre.

Wesleyan is at Middlebury for two today and probably needs a sweep to stay in contention, although that is a tall order. Their pitching seems questionable; also, offensive stats pretty impressive but bulk of that work done against mediocre competition in Arizona and against Hamilton, haven`t hit up north at all (other than against Hamilton).

Amherst took two of three from Middlebury last weekend and is at Hamilton for two today, and not sweeping there would be big news. Won yesterday 11-0. Jeffs still have three with Williams (who was swept by Midd) and Wesleyan, could use some help from Wesleyan today to put some distance from Midd. Amherst does have the tiebreaker with Midd, though. West winner gets to host the NESCAC tourney so it is a big deal finishing number one.

Amherst has kind of flown under the radar this year but they are a very solid team, with wins over Mass Boston, USM, Endicott (split DH), Worcester State (split DH), Oneonta, Westfield, Bowdoin (2), Castleton, 2 of 3 from Midd. Good hitting lineup top to bottom, defense generally good and a deep pitching staff.

[Hobbesy]

In this weeks conference call I take a look at some of the surprise teams around the region.

http://ned3baseball.wordpress.com/

Also, any thoughts on the NEWMAC tournament???

[zoneit]

Recent New York Times article cites study done at Division I level - average team scoring 5.63 runs and hitting 0.47 home runs, versus 6.98 runs and 0.85 home runs at a comparable point last season.

Batting averages down to .279 from .301; ERA down to 4.62 from 5.83; 444 shutouts versus 277 last year at this point.

Certainly anyone who has followed Division III this year will recognize comparable trends. My sense, without studying the numbers too closely, is that the better teams are still hitting for high averages but that the extra base hits, esp. homers, are down significantly.

A WAC commissioner was quoted as saying that "those of us on the rules committee prefer to look at it as if the game is being played more like it was prior to the advent of aluminum bats."

Which makes you wonder - why not just go to wood? Are we really that concerned with bat manufacturer profitability?

[forheavendial4999]

Because that guy's a tard.

Real wood would result in MUCH lower scoring than even now.

[wordsmith]

See where the Jumbos went into Holywater-Land and smacked around TEE. Egads another strong Beantown team!

Translation: Tufts traveled to Eastern Connecticut and defeated the Warriors last night. Big win for Tufts.

Word

[KSCfan]

Word shouldnt that be a Jumbo size win for Tufts...... sorry couldnt help myself

[ECSUalum]

Jumbos might just have all the cards to not only win the NCAA NE Regional, (Closer to home in Cape Cod), but make a LOT of noise in Wisconsin!!! Another class coach and program.  2002 and 2010 were the last two years Tufts made the NCAA NE Regionals losing to UMB last year and the Evil Empire in 2002 when TEE won their last D-III National
Championship.  ECSU bopped the Jumbos 19-5 in 2010 and 8-4 (2009), during regular season.  Eastern then lost 3-0 in the 2010 NCAA Regionals.

LEC Tourney will again be interesting this year!! No real dominant team. And ,as all LEC teams except Plymouth St are in or around .500 W/L or better, a team that gets hot in the tourney could win the thing.

Recently ECSU's bullpen, and in some cases starting pitching has been a little shaky, but offensively they are still explosive, with Jim Shult havng a massive year on mound, ( 3.43 in 63 inn), and at the plate hitting .429, with 9 HR and 50 RBI.  I can see him possibly being picked in the MLB draft this year.  Freshman ss Dan O'Connell has been terrific, batting .349 and playing well defensively.   Jr OF/C Cammusso, Sr OF Perry and Sr 3B/1B Turgeon are having excellent years at the plate.  Solid pitching from So Andrew Merritt (3.07 in 29 inn), Jr Jim Dimon, ( 3.92 in 59 inn), and So Matt Purnell, (2.95 in 21 inn), together with Jim Shult, give the Warriors a good shot at taking the LEC tournament and punch their ticket to another NCAA NE Regional.  But... you never know in this conference

[gap to gap]

Eastern running through the LEC but unable to grab any more signature wins going 2-2, takes 2 from Keene but that was sandwiched between 2 nescac loses (Tufts, Amherst). 

Tufts beats eastern and as usual didn't play a whole lot of baseball the rest of the week.

Amherst 2-0 week (Brandeis Eastern) and plays 2 in Maine tomorrow (USM and Bates) should be a good test for Amherst.  A good chance to get one more somewhat quality regional win for the resume.

WNEC in the middle of the CCC tournament sits at 4-1 on the week must take 2 agasint a good Endicott team tomorrow.

That all being said 2 or 3 of these teams could be up for an atlarge.  Assuming LEC goes to Keene or Eastern and the Nescac to Tufts or Amherst.  With a tough day tomorrow WNEC could be leaving it up to the committee.  Peoples thoughts on what teams could be in?

I think something needs to be said for winning 35 regional games despite the weaker conference.  Eastern should win the Little East but really has not made a good case for themselves lately. 

[zoneit]

ECSU upset by RIC, road to the LEC champiohship will be a long one. They have been playing so-so lately, not sure they can do it. Keene has to be the favorite now.

So we have Saint Joe`s, WNEC, Husson, Bridgewater, Wheaton and Mitchell already in. LEC and NESCAC to be decided. What about at large bids - does anyone know how that might work? With 8 automatic bids, I assume that the extra ones would come, if at all, from the (weak) N.Y. region. Would at large teams automatically go to N.Y. or is it possible an auto qualifier could be shipped? How many might be available?

Giving NECC (Mitchell) an automatic bid is unfortunate. Mitchell is 23-9 but hard to find any quality wins there, perhaps Wentworth. Maybe they will make me eat my words with a decent showing, we`ll see.

At large candidates - ECSU, Keene, Tufts, Amherst, Bowdoin, MIT, Babson, possibly Endicott - the first five still could get auto bid - am I missing anyone?

[ECSUalum]

Zoneit,

Well stated, +1 for the analysis

[gap to gap]

I think the only 2 who can get an at-large are Tufts or Amherst.  The Little East has played themselves out of 2 bids and with one more AQ from NE it may be tough to get 2.  Eastern has played very poorly of late and keene has an uphill battle in the rankings.  I don't think can climb without playing and Endicott is in the ECAC so does that eliminate them automatically?

[zoneit]

Good question re Endicott, don`t know. Anyone? Anyone?

Amherst and Tufts have both had remarkable seasons. The NESCAC tournament begins tomorrow and should be very special. It is Amherst/Bowdoin and Tufts/Middlebury in the first round of the double elimination tourney. As good as Amherst and Tufts are, they better not take Bowdoin or Middlebury for granted. Any one of these four teams could capably represent the NESCAC in Harwich.

[wildthngvaughn]

No Gap to Gap, being in the ECAC's does not automatically eliminate you from the NCAA, in fact it does just the opposite.  The ECAC's is a place where borderline at-large teams can pick up 3 wins against higher quality opponents.  A couple years ago WPI was probably going to be on the outside looking in on the NCAA tournament.  They swept through the ECAC tournament and earned one of the last at-large bids to the NCAA's.  Brandeis did a similar thing a few years before that.

[zoneit]

Thanks for that info, wildthngvaughn. 

Endicott with 31 wins, if that ends up being 33 incl. ECAC title they will have a story to tell. If not, those twin 5-4 losses to WNEC will not soon be forgotten by the Gulls.

The problem with at large bids for NESCAC teams is that they generally play fewer games than most other leagues, so their win totals are less. But I agree that this year if Amherst or Tufts wins tourney, the other stands a very good shot at an at large bid unless they completely collapse in the NESCAC tourney. ECSU has the big rep though, plus 30+ wins, so if they are in the discussion, who knows even though Tufts and Amherst both beat ECSU head to head.

[kscer]

I believe the key elements for selection to the tournament as a B or C pick are in-region record, strength of schedule, and opponents strength of schedule. Even though it is hard to believe it it is not based on whims and fancies.