BB: General New England Discussion

[Jim Dixon]

Trinity actually had 7 players that received votes which is a testament  that it was not just one player who carried the team.  Compare this to the other teams ranked in the top 11 spots in the Top 25.  Five for Chapman, Kean, and Johns Hopkins with four for UW-Whitewater and Cortland. 

The team concept is alive and well in Conn. and is recognized as such by our panel.

[KSCfan]

To the baseball gods that know more than i do, is there any possible draft picks out of d3 NE this year?

[Bostonian]

Kiely will get drafted or sign a minor league deal if not drafted.

If Trinity got hosed by not having Wood or Graham get on the list, Steve Ragonese should be pretty upset as he was the NESCAC player of the year and didn't get a sniff either.

[Paul Heering]

I have a few theories about why New England kids may be at a slight disadvantage when it comes to national honors.

1.  Most teams go on a spring trip in March and then season is basically April 1st to the first week in May.  That is about 6 weeks of games.  The games are so bunched together that it is VERY hard for pitchers to pitch as many innings as guys in the south and west (and even parts of the mid atlantic).  This hurts hitters too, I think it is tough put up those numbers every day with playing 7-8 games and week where it is easier to put up numbers with playing 4-5 games per week (I know I am arguing both sides here since it is a zero sum game, meaning if it is harder for the pitchers and harder for the hitters it is then harder for neither, but I think it may play a role).  Pitcher of the year Kenny Moreland started 13 games and pitched 100 innings, if a new england kid pitched that much he'd have to be throwing a complete game every time out and doing it on 3 days rest (guessing, i didn't really do the math).

Another way that this factors in is with a kid getting banged up.  Say a kid from Chapman (first California team I thought of) fouls a ball of his ankle really badly and is banged up.  It happened in the 8th inning of Sunday's game.  Coach says, "hey just stay off the ankle for 4 days"  That kid misses 1 game (and possibly none).  In New England that kid missing those days could miss up to 3-4 games.  And what is more likely to happen is that he will just play through it and possibly hamper him for a longer time.

2.  Weather factors in again.  Teams go south or west and play against teams that are in full swing.  They aren't going to win that many games and also not put up huge batting averages, ERAs, or wins for pitchers.  A pitcher comes back from spring break with a 1-1 record and a 5.30 ERA that hurts them all year long.  The 8 teams (I through out trinity since they were undefeated for the season and 1-0 on spring break) that made the NCAA tournament were 44-41 on their spring trips this year.

3.  In this one I am coming after the New England posters here.  Get out there, talk about new england baseball.  I don't have time, or access to really determine this with facts but, I think you will notice that on national boards there are a lot more people posting and talking about kids from other regions.  I am guessing that a lot of people that vote read these boards.  Nothing wrong with talking guys up (facts based, not "this guy is nasty").  You get someone's name out there it may help (or not help, these are just theories) when it comes time for those voters to vote.   

Just my thoughts, thought throw it out there and see what people think.

[Pat Coleman]

3.  In this one I am coming after the New England posters here.  Get out there, talk about new england baseball.  I don't have time, or access to really determine this with facts but, I think you will notice that on national boards there are a lot more people posting and talking about kids from other regions.  I am guessing that a lot of people that vote read these boards.  Nothing wrong with talking guys up (facts based, not "this guy is nasty").  You get someone's name out there it may help (or not help, these are just theories) when it comes time for those voters to vote.   

Posters should not have any impact on an All-American team. That's just misguided.

[dgilblair]

I have a few theories about why New England kids may be at a slight disadvantage when it comes to national honors.

1.  Most teams go on a spring trip in March and then season is basically April 1st to the first week in May.  That is about 6 weeks of games.  The games are so bunched together that it is VERY hard for pitchers to pitch as many innings as guys in the south and west (and even parts of the mid atlantic).  This hurts hitters too, I think it is tough put up those numbers every day with playing 7-8 games and week where it is easier to put up numbers with playing 4-5 games per week (I know I am arguing both sides here since it is a zero sum game, meaning if it is harder for the pitchers and harder for the hitters it is then harder for neither, but I think it may play a role).  Pitcher of the year Kenny Moreland started 13 games and pitched 100 innings, if a new england kid pitched that much he'd have to be throwing a complete game every time out and doing it on 3 days rest (guessing, i didn't really do the math).

Another way that this factors in is with a kid getting banged up.  Say a kid from Chapman (first California team I thought of) fouls a ball of his ankle really badly and is banged up.  It happened in the 8th inning of Sunday's game.  Coach says, "hey just stay off the ankle for 4 days"  That kid misses 1 game (and possibly none).  In New England that kid missing those days could miss up to 3-4 games.  And what is more likely to happen is that he will just play through it and possibly hamper him for a longer time.

2.  Weather factors in again.  Teams go south or west and play against teams that are in full swing.  They aren't going to win that many games and also not put up huge batting averages, ERAs, or wins for pitchers.  A pitcher comes back from spring break with a 1-1 record and a 5.30 ERA that hurts them all year long.  The 8 teams (I through out trinity since they were undefeated for the season and 1-0 on spring break) that made the NCAA tournament were 44-41 on their spring trips this year.

3.  In this one I am coming after the New England posters here.  Get out there, talk about new england baseball.  I don't have time, or access to really determine this with facts but, I think you will notice that on national boards there are a lot more people posting and talking about kids from other regions.  I am guessing that a lot of people that vote read these boards.  Nothing wrong with talking guys up (facts based, not "this guy is nasty").  You get someone's name out there it may help (or not help, these are just theories) when it comes time for those voters to vote.   

Just my thoughts, thought throw it out there and see what people think.

Paul

Chapman schedule, never more than 3 games a week.  One stretch of 13 days between games, one of 11,8,7,6. 

ECSU schedule, played 3 games in a week only two times.  The first week of the season and the last week of the regular season because of a rainout against Tufts with no time to reschedule.  The remaining weeks included two weeks of 4 games and four weeks of 5 games.  This includes a stretch of 9 games in eight days in California.

Both teams play tough schedules.

There are two trains of thought as far as how many games you play in a week.  SOme say it is better to play more games a week for hitters because you can get into more of a rhythm and stroke. Pitchers get used on a regular basis and more get time, making your bullpen stonger and giving you extra starters come post season.

Others say its easier for hitters to focus on just a 3 game a week schedule.  If you don't feel up to par or you just have a bad week it's only 3 games not 5 or sometimes 6,7.  You only need 3 good starters and a good bullpen.  Work the pen correctly and you will have a 4th starter by the end of the year come post season play.

Now, I guess you can make an argument for either way.  You mention the injury bug and for sure the short week would help there.  I also think the weather is a big factor as far as stats.  More on the offensive side.

Personally somewhere in the middle of the two would probably be perfect.  Say 4 games a week for everyone from one set date to the other. That will never happen so I would have to lean to the Chapman schedule as being better.

Don't know if any of the selection commitees really care what us posters think.  If you have to lobby that hard for your guy he probably doesn't have the numbers to warrant an AA award anyway.  But I guess it never hurts to have a extra voice out there.  Now if you can get all the gurus like Jim, Pat and Ralph pushing for you it might help.

[Paul Heering]

Posters should not have any impact on an All-American team. That's just misguided.

I don't think that posting has a huge effect on the voting (or any at all actually).  I just think that it helps to get peoples names out there.  and maybe I was just trying to rally the troops or new england posters to get out there and post more.  Things have actually really picked up in the new england posting area.  heck on February 14th 2007 (I looked up the day) I started this general new england thread because there really wasn't any activity on the boards overall.  Now the Harwich regional page from this year has 14 pages of posts.  that is cool.

Wow, I started a message board thread on Valentines Day, at 7:14 pm no less.  That is rough.

[Ralph Turner]

3.  In this one I am coming after the New England posters here.  Get out there, talk about new england baseball.  I don't have time, or access to really determine this with facts but, I think you will notice that on national boards there are a lot more people posting and talking about kids from other regions.  I am guessing that a lot of people that vote read these boards.  Nothing wrong with talking guys up (facts based, not "this guy is nasty").  You get someone's name out there it may help (or not help, these are just theories) when it comes time for those voters to vote.   

Posters should not have any impact on an All-American team. That's just misguided.

I agree that "talking up" players is not a behavior that I want to encourage.

As for New England players getting their fair representation on the All-American teams,  I see that you got a representative from Trinity CT, Southern Maine, KSC, Curry and Wheaton MA.  That is five teams in four different conferences.  I think that the voters clearly looked that the performers across the region and tried to give a fair assessment of what that performance meant on a national basis.

I honestly believe that these sites will make fans more familiar with the quality teams, conferences and programs around the country.  I think that the "name programs" may be judged more critically, and the lesser known programs of quality will have a chance to gain the limelight.

As this site allows us to pick up video links, radio broadcasts and "live stats" more easily, the D3 baseball community will become more knowledgeable.  That had definitely become the case on the football and hoops sites and boards.

The momentum is building.  Let's watch it!   

[Jcon8958]

Does anybody see any players coming out of New England that are going to be drafted come next week?

[Rick Vaughn]

NESCAC guys:  Kiely and Pinto have the best chance.  Pinto's success last summer in the NECBL will give him at least a shot of being picked up. 

[YagsUMB]

Kiely will go between the 30th and 50th round. I know thats a lot of room for error but that is directly from a scout's mouth in Harwich. His teammate SS Thomas DiBenedetto will get drafted because his father is a minority owner of the Red Sox and its been made clear that the plan is to draft him and give him a shot in the minors. RHP Chandler Bardnard might get a shot in the late rounds too. With the Red Sox ties with the Bantams, maybe they'll take a few Trinity players. Unlikely but possible.

LHP Chris Anderson, WNEC, has a shot to go in the late rounds. Scouts in Harwich were upset that the MLB scouting burrough hadn't found this kid until late in the season. He's 6'4" 215lbs with a 87-89mph fastball and good breaking stuff. Worth a late round pick.

OF Anthony D'Alfonso, Southern Maine, might get a sniff but he's only a JR and hitters in DIII won't go as JRs unless they are exceptional players. He's 6'5" 235lbs so he's got the size and power but another year will help his case. 1B Nate Nelson, Worcester State, is 6'5" 290lbs and can rip. It'll be interesting to see if he gets a shot.

I think RHP Nicky Conway, UMass Boston, has a shot to go in the late rounds too. I know the White Sox, Astros, and a few others have inquired. He can get outs and he's a ballsy competitor. He's a perfect middle reliever in the minors and could develop into a real tough pitcher out of the pen.

I'm sure there could be other surprises like Lavorgna was last year and Dzubia (Babson) was a few years back.

[EasternCtFan]

I think we are throwing some of these names out there too lightly. Kiely will definitly go. If we are going to throw out names how about Melvin Castillo and Joe Esposito of Eastern. I like Conway he was a good college pitcher and realize he played for a bad team but I dont see him pitching minor league ball.

[YagsUMB]

I don't believe Melvin Castillo is even draft eligible. He's only a sophomore. He is also going to be 24 years old in June. 2 months older than BJ Upton.

If scouts had a chance to look at Joe Esposito at his very best, there is no doubt in my mind that someone would take a chance on him. After his freshman year, we all thought he would be the next Joey Serfass and would automatically get drafted or signed by a big league team. Unfortunately, Coach Holowaty self-admittingly overused him while he had shoulder soreness his sophomore year. That seemed to ruin his JR year a little bit and he finally came back around this year to be the pitcher everyone expected him to be. I faced Joe when he was a freshman in the 1st game of a doubleheader. He was lights out. Serfass threw the next game, and wasn't as impressive although he still shut us down.  Serfass was a SR that year. Joe Esposito was done wrong by his coaching staff, in my opinion. It happens sometimes. That being said, when he is at full health he's as good as anyone in NE. He deserves a shot but health concerns might spoil it for him.

I don't think I threw anyone's name out there lightly. MLB teams have definitely inquired about Nick Conway if that is your argument. DiBenedetto will get drafted or signed by the Red Sox, TRUST ME!

Anderson is a work in progress and scouts who were there to see Kiely in Harwich were extremely impressed with his size and presence. D'Alfonso would be a reach this year but I stated that. Have you seen Nate Nelson? He can mash and has the size (6'5" 290lbs...with some agility) that is intriguing to teams. We'll have to wait and see.

[ecfaninri]

There are 50 rounds in the draft - anything is possible, there are countless players and in particular pitchers who can throw strikes, not give up the long ball, some teams can take a flyer on. Each team has 6-7 minor league affiliates they can filter them threw. Don't forget that we posteers on D3 have to consider the players in D1 & 2 as well. Juco players and high schoolers. Heck some teams don't even draft some players but have scouts talk to players about non-drafting invites to a camp/instructional league. The best thing you can do is sit back and enjoy the rumor mill about who is going to get drafted, and then wait and see how it plays out. There are scouts at all kinds of games, tourneys, and camps looking for that solid player and maybe a diamond in the rough. Just like the quote from that all-time baseball movie - "Angels in the Outfield" - "It could happen" - Anyone could get drafted. It's all about timing.

In NE .. we tend to fall in love with our players. But when you stack them up against the rest of D1, D2, Jucos, and high schoolers - they really have to be special.  I, too, think Esposito could help out some team. You can never have enough pitching. However, Nate Nelson may have an uphill climb because there are many big - power hitting first baseman out there. Unless they use him as a dh.

[Rick Vaughn]

Castillo being 24 has no impact on being draft eligible this year.  It just means that he would have been a draft eligible freshman.  It also means that teams are less likely to take a 24 year old than an 21 year old with similar abilities.  Agreed with DiBenedetto getting drafted somewhere, or at least given a shot.

Anderson should definitely get picked up.  Six foot six lefty.  Boom.