How many wins do you folks think Maine can win this year?
Is 3rd in the America East a reasonable ranking in anyone's opininon
just trying to spark some dialogue...
thanks
Feb. 13, 2008
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The University of Maine baseball team was selected to finish tied for third in the 2008 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll announced on Wednesday, Feb. 13. Stony Brook, who received four first-place votes and 32 total points, was selected to win the 2008 America East Baseball Championship, according to a vote by the league's head coaches.
After Stony Brook, Binghamton was selected to finish second as it received a pair of first-place votes and 28 points overall. Albany, who received one first-place vote and 24 points overall, was tied for third place with the Black Bears. Vermont was selected fifth as it received 21 points followed by Hartford who was sixth with 10 points. UMBC rounded out the poll as they it was seventh with eight points.
Maine returns seven starters for the 2008 season and has 16 newcomers on the roster. Highlighting the returnees is senior Curt Smith (Willemstad, Curacao) who is one of the top players in Maine history. Smith, who was named to the America East Second Team a year ago, finished second on the team with a .351 batting average. He had a team-high 46 runs scored and was also tops on the team in RBI with 48. Smith holds the school record with 16 career triples.
Also returning is center fielder Billy Cather (Worcester, Mass.) who hit .351 a year ago with 35 runs scored and 26 RBI. He enters the 2008 season with a 16-game hitting streak. Kevin McAvoy (Brewer, Maine), who was named the 2006 America East Rookie of the Year and a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in 2006, is expected to play right field for the Black Bears this season. Also returning is 2007 America East Rookie of the Year Myckie Lugbauer (Mahopac, N.Y.). Lugbauer hit .301 in 2007 with 20 runs scored and 27 RBI. He is expected to see time both behind the plate and at first base this season. Danny Menendez (Miami, Fla.) and Brian Hackett (Bangor, Maine) return in the infield for the Black Bears. Senior Mark Ostrander (Hopkinton, Mass.) will provide leadership in the outfield.
On the mound, Maine returns Alejandro Balsinde (Miami, Fla.) who earned a spot in the starting rotation in 2007 after starting the year as Maine's closer. He finished 2007 with a 3-5 record with a 4.40 ERA. His 71.2 innings pitched a year ago is tops among returners as are his 33 strikeouts. Ryan Forrest (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) was 3-2 a year ago and was second on the team with 19 appearances.
Maine welcomes 16 newcomers including several who are expected to have an immediate impact. Pitchers Jon Balentina (Willemstad, Curacao), Kyle Benoit (Brampton, Ontario), Joe Miller (Valley Stream, N.Y.) and Kevin Scanlan (Sudbury, Mass.) could all figure into the starting rotation for the Black Bears. Joe Mercurio (Brewster, N.Y.) is expected to see considerable time behind the plate, while Tony Patane (New Milford, Conn.) is expected to start at shortstop.
The Black Bears kick off the 2008 season on Friday, Feb. 22 when they travel to Dover, Del. for a four-game series with Delaware State.
-U-M-
Original Post
One of the pitchers from the team is pitching at Maine. A couple of other pitchers went to schools in the Colonial Conference. That makes five D1 players from the team. Several others went on to play at Southern Maine, an excellent D3 program coached by a dad of one of the SEC players. 
