What happened to UMO baseball?

by **dbarr26** » Sun May 18, 2008 8:05 am

This years UMO baseball team fails to make the America East playoffs for the first time in eight years. This despite the fact they were rated to have one of the top recruiting classes in the northeast for the past 2 years in a row. Where is the program headed? Any thoughts?

by **billzfan34** » Sun May 18, 2008 8:15 pm

The days of Bill Swift,Rick Bernado,Mike Bordick,Mark Sweeney etc. are over.As with most UM recruits, these guys are other teams leftovers.If they weren't, they would be playing for Miami,LSU,Arizona St. or other top baseball colleges. Better get used to mediocrity.

by **xcoach30** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:43 am

You ask, What happened to UMO Baseball?

Same thing that's happened to UM softball, men's and women's basketball and hockey, etc...The curse of the Zone. The Maine teams have been pretty successful over the last decade or so--at least putting in respectable seasons. Ever since UMaine gave it's broadcasting contracts to Learfield (instead of WZON), the win-loss records have tanked. Anybody got a win-loss percentage for the athletic department for the year? If you stick with the major sports, it's not very impressive. In fact, it's a little embarassing.

Or, maybe it's poor leadership from the top down? Is that too simple of an answer? How about a not-ready for prime time coaching staff?

by **xcoach30** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:55 am

Oops--I hadn't read far enough. Win-loss %age of 27%. Nice to know our tax dollars are paying for NOT EVEN mediocrity. Not too mention a softball trip to Hawaii to lose every game, after losing every game in Florida...

by **bballnut** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:33 pm

I will bet they got great tans though...

by **TLukas** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:47 am

xcoach30 wrote:Oops--I hadn't read far enough. Win-loss %age of 27%. Nice to know our tax dollars are paying for NOT EVEN mediocrity. Not too mention a softball trip to Hawaii to lose every game, after losing every game in Florida...

Ummmmm, softball is the game played with the larger round ball, on a smaller field, versus the topic here ("baseball") that is played with the somewhat smaller ball on a larger field ? ........

" What happened to Maine Baseball " is pretty simple - - - - Reality !

Basically a team of Freshmen and Sophomores, especially the pitching staff, whom the 3-4 Jr. and Sr. everyday players simply couldn't lift up into a consistently strong team. While I'm not a big fan of team statistics indicating a whole lot in and of themselves, it is interesting and somewhat telling when you're solid enough in your team hitting and "most" pitching stats, but finish in the cellar ? It's the "little" things.

Rose-colored glasses time ?
- UMaine baseball did not get swept in any conference series this year !
- Baseball pretty much led the team sports at UMaine this year with a .348 winning percentage in conference play and .408 overall !!
- Departure of Curt Smith bat is a Huge Loss!!, but they are still a very good hitting team heading into next year (Cather, Lugbauer, McAvoy, Lukas, Martin, ...?) !
- Virtually the entire Pitching staff returns and will all be one year older and more experienced, and most are here for another 2-3 years at least ! (without even considering the 1 or 2 very good incoming pitching recruits !).
- Youthful but decent position players this year (Patane, Lukas, Martin, Lugbauer, Mercurio, ...) will all be better or at least as good next year, AND the year after that as well !
- And best of all, Blake James will no doubt have this team headed in a new direction !!

(Okay, maybe skip that last one ?) ......

by **xcoach30** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:50 am

[quote="TLukas"]

Ummmmm, softball is the game played with the larger round ball, on a smaller field, versus the topic here ("baseball") that is played with the somewhat smaller ball on a larger field ? ........

Maybe you could pass that along to all the softball coaches out there who are still coaching the sport as though it were baseball.

by **TLukas** » Tue May 27, 2008 3:14 pm

Now that XC30 (i.e., Coaching softball as if it were baseball) would be an interesting chat topic !!

I'll be first to admit I hadn't given a lot of thought to the differences other than what I might notice when watching some of the college playoffs/tournaments on TV (like being four feet out of the box towards first base while in act of swinging or bunt !? The speed with which left side IF needs to handle and release throw to first !!! etc.)?).

But ....., this chat topic was about baseball (UMO baseball specifically), so we'll have to refrain from that discussion here in favor of ........???

by **xcoach30** » Wed May 28, 2008 12:22 pm

I know, I know... I'm easily distracted.

But I do think that the topic (UMO Baseball's poor season) can't be separated from the rest of the athletic department, SB included. If we were to look at all the sports individually, I think we would eventually get back to the same answers (though each sport would have it's own issues, too).