BB: LEC: Little East Conference

[kscer]

I think you could say that any team in the LEC could be very good or very bad this year. ESCU lost a lot of talent and experience. USM still has the same porous defense it had last year. KSC lost the POTY and #3 Hitter. Can they replace Schilling without upsetting everything else? To me that's the key. They just added a former AAA catcher as a coach which can only help them. Pitching is sound. I dont thionk they will go south. They have kids who have played together for a long time.

[dgilblair]

I think you are going to see it a lot closer than that this year.  Lots of teams near  500 or a little over.

[kscer]

I think you are going to see it a lot closer than that this year.  Lots of teams near  500 or a little over.

I agree. It will come down to the tourneyment, and pitching in the tourney. Great year coming up!

[wordsmith]

Bob, You are correct with your math. I may have extended out the wins a bit too far for KSC & UMB.

As to KSC: They have perhaps the strongest senior class in the LEC, so one would think the leadership is there? (More about that later). I tried to find a weakness with KSC, perhaps middle infield and the health of the their 2b. The outfield is good although they do not have a #4 for when Ford comes into close. 1B is a especially in the field. Middle relief is solid. Starting pitching is or should be strong.
The coaching staff is hurting as the pitching coach is out with family issues.
There are a lot of personalities on this team. If the coaching staff can manage them properly they will win the LEC. If not they could be really bad. Thus the 10-4 mark.


Word!

[wordsmith]

I don't think you can honestly say Ply St., WConn, UMD or even RIC could be good or bad. They are all programs that have had there moments but are not contenders.

USM & EConn are always there! They have coaching staffs that regularly put them in a position to win; and they have the horses to do that. KSC has the horses but they have to do it and get over the hump of beating USM & EConn when the titles are on the line. Yes, as I said they have a strong senior class, but the program has yet to prove they can be there at the end and finish-off the USM and EConn's of the world. Don't be surprised if USM ends up in thw WS this year.

As to KSC losing the POTY - I think they will miss the 1B more.

We'll see.

[kscer]

I believe I misspoke. I meant the top four teams, which I see as USM, ECSU, KSC, UMB in that order for the regular season, then the tourney loaded with what-ifs.

I agree that it's going to be difficult to replace Arroyo at first. He was the impact player that Schilling was not.

As to senior leadership, I see only one senior starting as a position player.

[dgilblair]

I believe I misspoke. I meant the top four teams, which I see as USM, ECSU, KSC, UMB in that order for the regular season, then the tourney loaded with what-ifs.

I agree that it's going to be difficult to replace Arroyo at first. He was the impact player that Schilling was not.

As to senior leadership, I see only one senior starting as a position player.

Not sure why Schilling was not a impact player. He hit 418 and was LEC POTY? Ford is still there and he hit .324 and had 7 HR's and he is only a Jr.  Never mine having Rousseau (jr) .379, and Hall (jr) .333 and on and on.  They look tough to me.

[wordsmith]

I include pitchers and role players as senior leadership. Last year neither captain was a starter but provided leadership in different ways. KSC basketball team has a non-starter as a capt. You have to have stars but you must have role players who understan their role and live-up to it.

This is where KSC rises or falls this year. Will the stars star and will the role players play their role?

Word!

[kscer]

I believe I misspoke. I meant the top four teams, which I see as USM, ECSU, KSC, UMB in that order for the regular season, then the tourney loaded with what-ifs.

I agree that it's going to be difficult to replace Arroyo at first. He was the impact player that Schilling was not.

As to senior leadership, I see only one senior starting as a position player.

Not sure why Schilling was not a impact player. He hit 418 and was LEC POTY? Ford is still there and he hit .324 and had 7 HR's and he is only a Jr.  Never mine having Rousseau (jr) .379, and Hall (jr) .333 and on and on.  They look tough to me.

Schilling was a great hitter...no doubt... but he was not a multi-dimensional player. I don't want to sell him short, but what he brought to the team will be easier to replace than what Arroyo brought at first.
Note to Word... I look at senior influence in terms of experience on the field in tough situations. You're right about the captains last year. BTY I heard the pitching coach was starting to plan on going on their spring trip...good news there

[wordsmith]

USM - what happened to the Bergeron kid? I thought he had another year? He was really a couple of years ago and even last year. Did he get injuried or did he transfer or just drop out?


Word!

[kscer]

USM - what happened to the Bergeron kid? I thought he had another year? He was really a couple of years ago and even last year. Did he get injuried or did he transfer or just drop out?


Word!

Bergeron needs Thommyjohn surgery and decided he didnt want to go through it. He's out of baseball and out of college and doing landscaping.

[wordsmith]

USM fans - what happened to the Connors kid who pitched so well last year? I thought he was only a Soph.
Also, when do the LEC Pre-season coaches' predictions come out?
Here are my guesses:
    1) USM
    2) KSC
    3) EConn   
    4) UMB
    5) RI
    6) UMD
    7) WConn
    8) Ply St.
Gilblair(EConn), Bourque (USM), and Skeffington (USM), O'Connors (RIC) will fight it out for POTY!

Word

[dgilblair]

No predictions here, I don't want to put the hex on anyone...LOL

SMU
ECSU
KS
UMB
Plymouth
RIC
WCS
UMD

ECSU wins LEC tournament

[Old Man]

WOW - Is the LEC up in the air or what?  - as a 5 + observer of the D 3 New england baseball scene, i feel this league is the best in Div. 3.  Can they continue their reign as the BEST D3 conference in the nation?  Only time will tell...  i am strong with USM and KSC as the favorites as well as ECSU and UMB as possible titie contenders.  I think the LEC winner has a 35% chance of winning the D 3 Crown.  That is higher than the poll but what other teams besides the NE region plays 5-6 games a week?  that sets them up to be pretty competitive in a tourny setting.  Alot of warmer teams play 3-5 games a week and they can get by with less pitching....

Just my thought from an "old Man"

[Bostonian]

Apparently, old man hasn't been to New Jersey....the NJAC is the best league in D3 baseball, and it really isn't that close....I would say the LEC is definitely inthe top 5, but untill Mass Dartmouth and Western CT get back to respectability, only half of the league can be thought of as upper echelon teams.