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Messages - DougiesGoinDeep

#1
From Baseball America today:

DIVISION III
TOP 5—HOW THEY'LL FINISH
Rank   Team   2009 Record
1.   St. Thomas (Minn.)   41-13
2.   Trinity (Conn.)   26-5
3.   Kean (N.J.)   39-11
4.   Wooster, Ohio   43-11
5.   Eastern Conn. State   39-8
PLAYERS TO WATCH
C—Patrick Reardon, Sr., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, N.Y. (.409-10-54). 1B—Mike Celenza, Sr., Salisbury, Md. (.469-12-57). 2B—Mike Moceri, Sr., Kean, N.J. (.433-2-59). 3B—Eric Groff, Sr., Keystone, Pa. (.445-13-58, 16 3B). SS—Javier Arrieta, Sr., Sul Ross, Texas, State (.461-17-51, 15 SB). OF—Bo Bell, Sr., Mississippi College (.425-13-73); Bobby Doyon, Jr., Keene, N.H., State (.435-13-72, 12 SB); James Wood, Sr., Trinity, Conn. (.361-4-38, 13 2Bs). DH—Kent Graham, Sr., Trinity, Conn. (.409-10-54). UT—Greg Van Sickler, Jr., Shenandoah, Va. (.411-7-66, 10 SB; 9-2, 2.69).
SP—Andrew Mondo, Sr., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (11-3, 3.03); Matt Schuld, Sr., St. Thomas, Minn. (12-1, 3.25); Noah Solomon, Jr., Trinity, Texas (5-1, 1.94). RP—Steve Matre, Sr., Mount St. Joseph, Ohio (0-1, 0.41, 13 SV, 22 IP/32 SO).
Player of the Year: Greg Van Sickler, rhp/1b, Shenandoah (Va.).
Championship: Eight regionals, campus sites, May 19-23. Eight regional champions advance to CWS, May 28-June 1 at Appleton, Wis. (Fox Cities Stadium).

TOP PROSPECTS, 2010 DRAFT
1. Greg Van Sickler, rhp/1b, Shenandoah (Va.)
2. James Wood, of, Trinity (Conn.)
3. Ryan Demmin, lhp, Wisconsin-Oshkosh

QUICK HITS
• St. Thomas (Minn.), the defending national champion, will have a new coach in 2010, as nine-year assistant coach Chris Olean was named interim coach in January. Dennis Denning, 65, retired in December after having led the Tommies to national titles in 2001 and 2009. St. Thomas either won the regular-season or tournament title in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) in each of the last 14 years. Denning's clubs went 522-157 (.769) at St. Thomas over 15 seasons. This year's Tommies team returns 20 players from last year's 41-13 club, led by 6-foot-3 senior RHP Matt Schuld, who set a school record with 12 victories last season; closer Brandon Stone, and senior OF Matt Olson (.380-2-25, 10 SB), the Most Outstanding Player of last year's Division III CWS.

• Independent power Chapman (Calif.) returns a pair of key players in two-sport athlete 2B Tyler Hadzinsky and senior OF Ryan Prechtl. Hadzinky was named the athlete of the year for 2008-2009 by D-III independents, doubling baseball player (he batted .376 with a team-best 18 doubles) and soccer goalkeeper (he's posted 0.62 and 0.68 goals against averages the last two seasons). Prechtl hit .315 with seven home runs and is a four-year starter in center field.

• Anderson (Ind.) coach Don Brandon has announced that the 2010 season will be his last. Brandon ranks second among D-III active coaches in wins and is fifth on the all-time list with a 1,075-562 record, after the 2009 club went 22-18.

• Mount St. Joseph senior closer Steve Matre is closing in on some records, as he has racked up 32 saves in three seasons while going 3-7, 1.29 overall. Matre, who has a 110-17 strikeout-walk ratio over 91 innings in three seasons, led the nation in saves a year ago. The Division I career saves record of 53, set by Blair Erickson (UC Irvine), is probably safe. But the D-III record is just 35, set in 2002 by Mike Spavento of Wheaton (Mass.).


Congrats to all of the NE players who made this list, I'm a little surprised Castillo got left off this list, considering Baseball America tends to favor players who play in major wood bat summer leagues. Thoughts?
#2
Awards / Re: BB: Pre-season All-American Teams
February 01, 2010, 09:22:49 AM
From Baseball America Today:

DIVISION III
TOP 5—HOW THEY'LL FINISH
Rank   Team   2009 Record
1.   St. Thomas (Minn.)   41-13
2.   Trinity (Conn.)   26-5
3.   Kean (N.J.)   39-11
4.   Wooster, Ohio   43-11
5.   Eastern Conn. State   39-8
PLAYERS TO WATCH
C—Patrick Reardon, Sr., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, N.Y. (.409-10-54).
1B—Mike Celenza, Sr., Salisbury, Md. (.469-12-57).
2B—Mike Moceri, Sr., Kean, N.J. (.433-2-59).
3B—Eric Groff, Sr., Keystone, Pa. (.445-13-58, 16 3B).
SS—Javier Arrieta, Sr., Sul Ross, Texas, State (.461-17-51, 15 SB).
OF—Bo Bell, Sr., Mississippi College (.425-13-73); Bobby Doyon, Jr., Keene, N.H., State (.435-13-72, 12 SB); James Wood, Sr., Trinity, Conn. (.361-4-38, 13 2Bs).
DH—Kent Graham, Sr., Trinity, Conn. (.409-10-54).
UT—Greg Van Sickler, Jr., Shenandoah, Va. (.411-7-66, 10 SB; 9-2, 2.69).
SP—Andrew Mondo, Sr., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (11-3, 3.03); Matt Schuld, Sr., St. Thomas, Minn. (12-1, 3.25); Noah Solomon, Jr., Trinity, Texas (5-1, 1.94). RP—Steve Matre, Sr., Mount St. Joseph, Ohio (0-1, 0.41, 13 SV, 22 IP/32 SO).
Player of the Year: Greg Van Sickler, rhp/1b, Shenandoah (Va.).
Championship: Eight regionals, campus sites, May 19-23. Eight regional champions advance to CWS, May 28-June 1 at Appleton, Wis. (Fox Cities Stadium).

TOP PROSPECTS, 2010 DRAFT
1. Greg Van Sickler, rhp/1b, Shenandoah (Va.)
2. James Wood, of, Trinity (Conn.)
3. Ryan Demmin, lhp, Wisconsin-Oshkosh

QUICK HITS
• St. Thomas (Minn.), the defending national champion, will have a new coach in 2010, as nine-year assistant coach Chris Olean was named interim coach in January. Dennis Denning, 65, retired in December after having led the Tommies to national titles in 2001 and 2009. St. Thomas either won the regular-season or tournament title in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) in each of the last 14 years. Denning's clubs went 522-157 (.769) at St. Thomas over 15 seasons. This year's Tommies team returns 20 players from last year's 41-13 club, led by 6-foot-3 senior RHP Matt Schuld, who set a school record with 12 victories last season; closer Brandon Stone, and senior OF Matt Olson (.380-2-25, 10 SB), the Most Outstanding Player of last year's Division III CWS.

• Independent power Chapman (Calif.) returns a pair of key players in two-sport athlete 2B Tyler Hadzinsky and senior OF Ryan Prechtl. Hadzinky was named the athlete of the year for 2008-2009 by D-III independents, doubling baseball player (he batted .376 with a team-best 18 doubles) and soccer goalkeeper (he's posted 0.62 and 0.68 goals against averages the last two seasons). Prechtl hit .315 with seven home runs and is a four-year starter in center field.

• Anderson (Ind.) coach Don Brandon has announced that the 2010 season will be his last. Brandon ranks second among D-III active coaches in wins and is fifth on the all-time list with a 1,075-562 record, after the 2009 club went 22-18.

• Mount St. Joseph senior closer Steve Matre is closing in on some records, as he has racked up 32 saves in three seasons while going 3-7, 1.29 overall. Matre, who has a 110-17 strikeout-walk ratio over 91 innings in three seasons, led the nation in saves a year ago. The Division I career saves record of 53, set by Blair Erickson (UC Irvine), is probably safe. But the D-III record is just 35, set in 2002 by Mike Spavento of Wheaton (Mass.).
#3
Great to see the New England Regional back at Eastern Conn this year, they did a fabulous job last year and are very deserving of hosting such an event.

BUT... sorry LEC fans, I think it is going to be Trinity's year again to come out of NE. Sure, there is no replacing the D3 National Pitcher of the year in Bayer, but I think Trinity has enough coming back with Graham (3x All-New England) and Wood in the heart of the order, and Mortimer will be able to take over for Killeen behind the plate. Wood had a down year last year for how good of a hitter he is, but followed it up in the summer in the NECBL where he was the NECBL most valuable player (pretty impressive). Trinity has a lot of seniors on this team who are experienced and have played in big games, and some very, very good freshman this year from the recruiting class following there national championship in 08.

ECSU will be dominant this year, no doubt about that, but Trinity has just found ways to win big games. We'll just have to see how everything plays out though! Best of luck to everyone and looking forward to seeing some great baseball.


#4
Pro ball / Re: BB: D-3 Players in minor leagues/MLB
November 04, 2009, 03:27:31 PM
Former Trinity College (CT) ace and D3 Pitcher of the Year Tim Kiely tearing it up in the Arizona Fall League

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=543397
#5
Just want to say that there are some real class acts posting on this board and the ECSU team should be proud of their season, the game today was just a great baseball game no matter what team you were rooting for.

Bill Decker is certainly a class act and it really is impressive what he has managed to do in this decade. I have a couple of comments on the Trinity program which might explain some their success as a top academic school as well as baseball program:

If you look at last years national championship Trinity team, arguably the best d3 baseball team ever, it is interesting to note how many two sport athletes they had on that team. Kiely was recruited to play football and baseball, Same with Barnard, McGrath and Stafford, Graham played hockey and baseball his freshman year and I believe many others on the team chose not to play football and just concentrate on baseball. Jeff Natale, currently playing AAA ball with Pawtucket who led Trinity to 2 CWS in 2003 and 2005 was also a hockey baseball guy while Trinity. It seems as though Decker has recruited multi sport athletes who are good enough to play D1 but choose to play two sports in college instead at the D3 level.

#6
This is actually Bayer's last year of eligibility even though he is considered a junior academically after transferring from Vermont. He should definitely hear his name called in this year's draft though, and Coach Flaherty of USM said of Bayer after the game, "Bayer is the best pitcher I've seen at this level in quite some time." Unbelievable performance by him and Trinity today, hope they can keep it rolling against WPI tonight.
#7
So 3 of the top 6 teams in the country have to battle it out to get to Wisconsin? ESCU, USM and Trinity will be a dogfight. One thing is for sure, the price of admission at the NE regional will be well worth it. I can't even try to predict who will represent New England.

Here is what I'm looking forward to:
ESCU gets the honor of the 1 seed but has arguably the hardest first round matchup of the big 3 in Babson... Maybe an upset in the making?
What game will Trinity pitch Bayer? Trinity's offense I think can slug there way out of a first round game against WSC but Bayer will probably have to go game 2 against USM... what a match up that would be.
Like I said above, USM will cruise against Husson but will have there hands full with arguably the best pitcher in the country in Bayer for game 2, what a game that would be if everything works out. No disrespect to ECSU but Trinity with Bayer and USM with Therrien would probably be the best D3 game of 2009, I just hope everything falls into place so we can see it.

My impact players for the regional (players who I think could single-handidly carry their teams):
1. ESCU: Gilblair and Castillo
2. USM: D'Alfonso, Pike and Burrelson
3. Trinity: Bayer, Killeen and Graham
4. WPI: Fahey and McNee
5: Suffolk: Just doesn't have the talent of the above
6. WSC: Same
7: Husson: No Prayer
8: Babson: Aizenstadt (tough match up for ECSU if he goes game 1)

This is shaping up to be one of the best regionals EVER. Good luck to everyone in involved. 


 
#8
Moc...

If it makes you feel any better, in my opinion Wheaton has played there last game and will NOT receive an at large bid this year. There is no way you can justify them getting into a regional with a very average record this year. I have absolutely no idea how Wheaton is even still ranked in the top 10 in New England in this recent poll. Babson has proven this year that they are the best team in the NEWMAC and rightfully so, they have earned their trip to the NE regional. All Wheaton has done this year is under achieve with some bad losses. However, there is just too much talent between USM, Trinity and ECSU to think that anyone can compete with them in the NE regional. USM has a ridiculous offense to go along with some above average pitchers, Trinity has arguably the best pitcher in all of D3 in Bayer and probably the second best offense behind USM with Killeen, Graham and Wood, and ECSU has the depth to win the regional with a very strong senior class led by Gilblair and the ability to beat anyone on any given day. I just don't see anyone upsetting these 3 teams in the regional. My pick is still USM, but I think Trinity could also make a run if Bayer can pitch 2 of the 4 or 5 games.   
#9
Really looking forward to the Eastern Trinity game tomorrow. Will Trinity throw Bayer on 3 days rest? Who will pitch for Eastern? Im sure Eastern will be fired up for this game after what happened last year. Some real good talent on both teams, should be some great baseball.
#10
GNAC,

As always, great analysis.

I said this at the beginning of the season, but the regional at ESCU this year will be absolutely loaded. So much so, that it looks like a team like Southern Maine who if they do not win the LEC, could run the table in the New York regional as an at large and we could easily see 2 New England teams in Wisconsin this year. It may actually be a blessing to be shipped to New York this year and take your chances there, as whoever comes out of the New England regional will definitely have to earn it. It will certainly be an exciting next month, good luck to everyone.
#11
Don't sleep on how good Trinity's line up is this year. They got somewhat overshadowed last year because of the amazing pitching numbers their staff put up, but they return 4 first team All-New England hitters, far more than any other team, not to mention they hit 2 through 5 in the lineup. No one in New England has a 2-3-4-5 combo as good as Trinity, with a combined 33 HR's and 186 RBI returning. While all of the LEC teams will beat up on each other each weekend, Trinity will be fresh to make another run. Sorry to dissapoint folks, but its a 5 team race in New England this year, with Trinity USM ECSU KSC and Wheaton. These 5 teams are by far ahead of everyone else and it will be one of them representing New England in Wisconsin. I think this could be the year that we see one of these 5 shipped to the New York regional and actually win it and put two New England teams in Wisconsin. Can't wait for a great season.
#12
Awards / Re: BB: 2009 Pitcher of the year candidates
December 28, 2008, 12:44:44 PM
Everyone thinks Trinity (CT) lost all of their pitching, but they still return All-American Jeremiah Bayer as their ace.

Jeremiah Bayer 9-0 1.33 ERA 81 IP 71 SO

Pitched some big games including the deciding game of the National Championship last year, Bayer should definitely be in the talks for pitcher of the year.
#13
KSC Fan,

No team in New England can even compare to the strength of Trinity's pitching staff. Kiely is without a doubt the best pitcher in New England, and Chandler Barnard, Mike Regan and Jeremiah Bayer all held a good hitting Bowdoin team to 2 runs in 3 games. Trinity should definitely be considered as a #1 team.
#14
The number 19 ranked Trinity Bantams beat the number 16th ranked St. Thomas Tommies 7-2 today to move to 10-0.

Trinity starting pitcher Tim Kiely was dominant and pitched 8 innings allowing 2 runs. Trinity looks to complete a perfect Florida trip tomorrow when they take on St. Michaels.
#15
Thats a big win for KSC beating a hot and very good TCNJ team, who pitched for KSC?