BB: General Mid-Atlantic Region Discussion

[RSSmith]

Where have you been RSSmith?

Spring Break!!  I've been fishing and playing golf in Palm Coast, Florida, and now I'm doing a little sight seeing in Charleston, SC.  We'll be heading back to Northern Virginia tomorrow in time to get rested up for the Swarthmore games.

[d3baseballnut]

Where have you been RSSmith?

Spring Break!!  I've been fishing and playing golf in Palm Coast, Florida, and now I'm doing a little sight seeing in Charleston, SC.  We'll be heading back to Northern Virginia tomorrow in time to get rested up for the Swarthmore games.

Awesome! I bet it was gorgeous down there. THis past week was a good one to be down south.

[RSSmith]

Halfway through the season, it's hard to rank the Mid Atlantic teams, but I'll try.

1.  Hopkins 18-3, 7-0 Centennial
   BA .399, ERA 3.98, averaging 12 runs per game.  11-game winning streak.

2.  Kean 15-6, 3-1 NJAC
   Even though they lost to Rowan, overall schedule is much tougher with quality losses to
   Carthage and Wooster.  Hard to rank Kean above two teams who beat them (Rowan and
   DeSales), but overall body of work dictates it.

3.  Rowan 12-6, 4-0 NJAC
   Wins over Kean and Montclair State (2).

4.  Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham 16-3, 8-1 MACF
   No shame losses to Kean and Delaware Valley.  

5.  Catholic 12-4, 6-0 Landmark
                Beat DeSales twice, split with Eastern Mennonite.

6.  DeSales 11-7, 7-0 MACF
   Beat Kean.

7.  Haverford 14-8, 6-2 Centennial
   Best win over North Park.  Playing without all-conference pitcher.

8.   Rutgers-Camden 11-6, 2-1 NJAC
   Beat Saint Scholastica.

9.  William Patterson 11-7-1, 2-1 NJAC
   Beat Cortland and UMass Boston.

10.  Franklin & Marshall 10-10-1, 5-3 Centennial
   I don't know why.  This team is underperforming and is apt to catch fire soon.

[d3baseballnut]

As of April 5th, I'll go:

1. Hopkins 19-3 (will a #3 starter and deep bullpen emerge?)

2. Kean 15-6 (not vintage Kean. Sneaked out of several additional losses)

3. Alvernia 17-5 (Smoked Rowan earlier this season. 3 legitimate starters. Dangerous Regional Team)

4. Rowan 12-6 (Big DH sweep of Montclair. Will offense emerge?)

5. Keystone 12-5 (Will the real Keystone please stand up?)

6. FDU Florham 16-3 (8 wins in a row. Soft Schedule?)

7. Penn St. - Behrend 13-5 (Pitching issues)

8. Haverford 14-8 (needs serious pitching help)

[Hammer Ball]

Do not know enough about where the other teams fit in, but JHU hits like many of the D1 teams I have seen over the last 20 years.

[RSSmith]

Hey, d3baseballnut!  Thanks for getting Keystone and Alvernia back on the radar, which caused me to look at Neumann again.  Neumann started the season 1-8, and because its only win was against Alvernia and because Alvernia lost to Muhlenberg, I quit watching and missed the big win over Rowan.  Neumann is 7-2 in its last 9 games (losing a close double header to Keystone over the weekend), and while I doubt they're a tournament team, they're certainly not the pushover I thought they were.  Keystone's been playing close games with good teams (lost to Kean, beat Cortland).

What's your take on F&M?  I'm befuddled.  I keep waiting for them to come roaring back from a poor start. The pitchers who showed all that potential as sophomores last year (Markel, McCreary and Duranti) don't have such great numbers right now.  Markel did have a good outing against Muhlenberg on Saturday.

[d3baseballnut]

Hey, d3baseballnut!  Thanks for getting Keystone and Alvernia back on the radar, which caused me to look at Neumann again.  Neumann started the season 1-8, and because its only win was against Alvernia and because Alvernia lost to Muhlenberg, I quit watching and missed the big win over Rowan.  Neumann is 7-2 in its last 9 games (losing a close double header to Keystone over the weekend), and while I doubt they're a tournament team, they're certainly not the pushover I thought they were.  Keystone's been playing close games with good teams (lost to Kean, beat Cortland).

What's your take on F&M?  I'm befuddled.  I keep waiting for them to come roaring back from a poor start. The pitchers who showed all that potential as sophomores last year (Markel, McCreary and Duranti) don't have such great numbers right now.  Markel did have a good outing against Muhlenberg on Saturday.

RsSmith-

Hey there. I might wander up to the DH this weekened. If I do, hope to see you.

F&M. It just looks like their pitching isn't as good as in years past. And they never have ripped the cover off the ball. They play national league baseball.

They have had some close losses - 5 by 1-run, and 3 by 2-runs. But I still see them as a step below JHU. That being said, I could still see F&M winning the conference. But they shouldn't if JHU takes care of business.

If Eagleson and Harbeck pitch like they can down the stretch, I really think we could be booking tix for Wisconsin this year.

[RSSmith]

Hey, d3baseballnut!  Thanks for getting Keystone and Alvernia back on the radar, which caused me to look at Neumann again.  Neumann started the season 1-8, and because its only win was against Alvernia and because Alvernia lost to Muhlenberg, I quit watching and missed the big win over Rowan.  Neumann is 7-2 in its last 9 games (losing a close double header to Keystone over the weekend), and while I doubt they're a tournament team, they're certainly not the pushover I thought they were.  Keystone's been playing close games with good teams (lost to Kean, beat Cortland).

What's your take on F&M?  I'm befuddled.  I keep waiting for them to come roaring back from a poor start. The pitchers who showed all that potential as sophomores last year (Markel, McCreary and Duranti) don't have such great numbers right now.  Markel did have a good outing against Muhlenberg on Saturday.

RsSmith-

Hey there. I might wander up to the DH this weekened. If I do, hope to see you.

F&M. It just looks like their pitching isn't as good as in years past. And they never have ripped the cover off the ball. They play national league baseball.

They have had some close losses - 5 by 1-run, and 3 by 2-runs. But I still see them as a step below JHU. That being said, I could still see F&M winning the conference. But they shouldn't if JHU takes care of business.

If Eagleson and Harbeck pitch like they can down the stretch, I really think we could be booking tix for Wisconsin this year.

Good deal--I hope to catch up with you.  The only real difference I see in the F&M pitching staff is McCreary.  Last year he had a 1.49 ERA in 16 appearances (36.1 IP) with 29 strikeouts and only 5 walks.  So far this year, he has a 4.02 ERA in 11 appearances (15.2 IP) with only 5 strikeouts and 7 walks.  He had some good innings yesterday against Gettysburg, but I wonder if he's not 100% or maybe having some mechanical problems.

[Heat23]

Alvernia won the Freedom Side of the MAC  last year and it was very competitive. This year they switched over with their competiton being Etown. I would pick them to go to the regional championship game especially with the experience they have back from last year. A lot of the NJAC and MAC teams are starting to play each other more which is making the competiton more exciting to watch and follow.

[d3baseballnut]

Alvernia won the Freedom Side of the MAC  last year and it was very competitive. This year they switched over with their competiton being Etown. I would pick them to go to the regional championship game especially with the experience they have back from last year. A lot of the NJAC and MAC teams are starting to play each other more which is making the competiton more exciting to watch and follow.

True, and from the looks of things, the MAC is holding their own with the NJAC, along with everyone else in the region.

I dont think the NJAC is deserves to get multiple team in "just because" this year. I would be very willing to place a second MAC team in before a second NJAC, especially considering how Alvernia pasted Rowan earlier this year. Unfortunately, we have seen the panel place NJAC teams in the tournament with close to 20 losses....

With that incredible consideration for the NJAC, how could the NJAC not get multiple teams? I dont think the conference is strong enough to warrant such selections this year (or any other year)

[Hammer Ball]

Definitely a down year for NJAC.  Committee members take a few years to catch on.  Only 1 bid for NJAC is not likely this year.

[RSSmith]

With another week to ponder, here's how it looks to me:

1.  Hopkins 25-3, 12-0 Centennial
      BA .397, ERA 3.95, averaging 12 runs per game.  18-game winning streak.

2.  Rowan 15-6, 7-0 NJAC
   Wins over TCNJ and William Paterson last week.

3.  Keystone 17-5, 10-2 CSAC
   10-game winning streak including Cortland.

4.  FDU-Florham 20-4, 10-2 MACF
   No shame losses to Kean and Delaware Valley, 11-game winning streak snapped by Misericordia.

5.  Alvernia 20-6, 8-4 MACC
   9-game winning streak.

6.  Haverford 18-9, 9-3 Centennial
      Best win over North Park.  Playing without all-conference pitcher.  Won 7 of last 8.

7.  Kean 16-9, 3-4 NJAC
   Raises eyebrows losing 2 to Rutgers-Newark with Kean's #1 and #2 pitchers throwing.

8.  Frostburg State 18-8, 6-2 AMCC
   Won 10 of their last 13.

9.  Elizabethtown 16-8, 9-3 MACC
   Won 2 of 3 from Lebanon Valley.

10.  Montclair State 13-7, 5-2 NJAC
   No cheap losses.

[lordcharles]

Hello again

So anyone have any insight into the MAC Conference for 2011- looking for good things from DeSales this season.   Good Luck to everyone!

Anyone know when the preview fro mid atlantic will be posted out here?

[Ralph Turner]

Hello again

So anyone have any insight into the MAC Conference for 2011- looking for good things from DeSales this season.   Good Luck to everyone!

Anyone know when the preview fro mid atlantic will be posted out here?

I think that the snow storms have delayed the flight of the carrier pigeons out of that region to D3baseball.com central.   

[Hammer Ball]

Great Job on the Mid-Atlantic preview.  19 transfers for Keystone!  Seems like alot, especially for D3.