Baseball America predicts BG to finish 5th in the East. Perhaps we'll be a sleeper & surprise some??!
http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/c ... 63172.html
Baseball Preseason
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FalconFamily
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- Posts: 34
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2005 7:40 pm
- Location: MD
Here is the content from the above link. Don't make too much of it really, just interesting to see what outsiders project.
MID AMERICAN CONFERENCE
HOW THEY'LL FINISH
Conference Overall
EAST W L W L
1. Miami (Ohio) 17 10 33 25
2. Kent State 19 7 38 19
3. Ohio 14 13 22 25
4. Akron 8 18 15 36
5. Bowling Green State 11 16 26 27
6. Buffalo 6 21 15 37
WEST W L W L
1. Central Michigan 17 9 35 23
2. Eastern Michigan 14 12 27 27
3. Western Michigan 16 9 30 22
4. +Ball State 16 9 38 22
5. Toledo 11 15 26 27
6. Northern Illinois 8 18 24 31
Projected NCAA Teams (2): Central Michigan, Miami (Ohio).
Conference Schedule: 27 games; begins March 23.
Conference Tournament: Six teams, May 23-26, at regular-season champion.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
C--Kurt Davidson, Jr., Akron (.338-12-47). 1B--Ben Humphrey, Sr., Central Michigan (.338-13-72). 2B--Eric Lawson, Sr., Bowling Green State (.355-5-30). 3B--Andrew Davis, Sr., Kent State (.376-3-47). SS--Bobby Stevens, So., Northern Illinois (.254-4-23-17). OF--Jared Bartholomew, Fr., Kent State (HS—Howland, Ohio); Matt Stiffler, Jr., Ohio (.300-3-28); Willie Walker, Sr., Ohio (.377-4-39). DH--Bryan Mitzel, Sr., Central Michigan (.305-15-57).
P--Josh Collmenter, Jr., Central Michigan (8-5, 3.41); John Ely, Jr., Miami, Ohio (8-2, 3.57); Jeff Fischer, Jr., Eastern Michigan (9-4, 1.97). RP--Ryan Davis, Sr., Kent State (0-3, 4.18, 14 sv).
Player of the Year: Ben Humphrey, 1b, Central Michigan.
Pitcher of the Year: Jeff Fischer, rhp, Eastern Michigan.
Top Newcomers:: 1. Kyle Smith, rhp, Kent State (HS—Louisville, Ohio). 2. Brad Stillings, rhp, Kent State (HS—Washington Courthouse, Ohio). 3. Dale Cornstubble, c, Central Michigan (HS—Homer, Mich.).
PROJECTED TOP PROSPECTS, 2007-08 DRAFTS
1. Connor Graham, rhp, Miami (Ohio).
2. John Ely, rhp, Miami (Ohio).
3. Tom Farmer, rhp, Akron.
4. Josh Collmenter, rhp, Central Michigan.
5. Jeff Fischer, rhp, Eastern Michigan.
SHORT HOPS
• We're predicting that both Central Michigan and Miami (Ohio) will receive regional bids this year. If that happens, it will be the first time that the Mid-American Conference has received an at-large berth.
• Buffalo reassigned head coach Bill Breene, who presided over the resuscitation of the program in 2000 and won 104 games in seven years, after the 2006 season. Bulls assistant Ron Torgolski was promoted to interim coach for 2007. Joe Hesketh, the only big leaguer in the program's history, will serve as pitching coach.
• Despite losing three pitchers in the first five rounds of the 2006 draft—Miami (Ohio's) Matt Long (White Sox, second round) and Keith Weiser (Rockies, third), plus Ball State's Ben Snyder (Giants, fourth)—the MAC remains loaded with mound prospects. The league's 2006 pitcher of the year, Eastern Michigan RHP Jeff Fischer, returns, and he ranks as just the league's fifth-best prospect for 2007. Miami (Ohio) RHPs Connor Graham (3-2, 4.70) and John Ely 8-2, 3.57, Akron RHP Tom Farmer (2-10, 7.92) and Central Michigan RHP Josh Collmenter all had strong summers in the Cape Cod League. Others to watch include Central Michigan RHPs Jeff Richard (2-1, 7.25) and Chris Kupillas (0-0, 6.75) and Ball State RHPs Luke Behning and Jeff Loveys. Richard and Kupillas are both draft-eligible sophomores, while neither Behning nor Loveys threw a pitch for the Cardinals last year. Behning was sidelined with a shoulder injury, while Loveys was academically ineligible. He also sat out 2005 after transferring from Buffalo.
• Kent State lost five key seniors and 2006 MAC player of the year Emmanuel Burriss (a supplemental first-round pick by the Giants), but the Golden Flashes countered by mining a strong crop of Ohio high school talent to put together a banner recruiting class. Their catches include projectable RHPs Kyle Smith and Brad Stillings, defensive-minded C Brandon White and athletic OFs Jared Bartholomew and Anthony Gallas.
• Central Michigan also did a fine job of in-state recruiting, locking up Michigan's top prep prospect, C Dale Cornstubble. He starred at Homer (Mich.) High, which set a national record with 75 consecutive wins. RHP Eric Lawrence starred at Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC, which won three straight Division II College World Series before losing in the 2006 title game. Lawrence led all D-II juco pitchers with 15.2 strikeouts per nine innings. RHP Bryce Morrow might have been drafted out of Caledonia (Mich.) High had he not been recovering from knee surgery.
• Miami (Ohio) OF Ryne Robinson (.253-2-20, 13 SB) has made more of a name for himself on the football field. He led the MAC with 91 catches and 1,178 receiving yards in 2006, setting school career records in both categories (250 and 3,697). He's also one of the best punt returners in NCAA history with 1,688 career yards (85 short of the all-time record) and seven touchdowns (one shy).
MID AMERICAN CONFERENCE
HOW THEY'LL FINISH
Conference Overall
EAST W L W L
1. Miami (Ohio) 17 10 33 25
2. Kent State 19 7 38 19
3. Ohio 14 13 22 25
4. Akron 8 18 15 36
5. Bowling Green State 11 16 26 27
6. Buffalo 6 21 15 37
WEST W L W L
1. Central Michigan 17 9 35 23
2. Eastern Michigan 14 12 27 27
3. Western Michigan 16 9 30 22
4. +Ball State 16 9 38 22
5. Toledo 11 15 26 27
6. Northern Illinois 8 18 24 31
Projected NCAA Teams (2): Central Michigan, Miami (Ohio).
Conference Schedule: 27 games; begins March 23.
Conference Tournament: Six teams, May 23-26, at regular-season champion.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
C--Kurt Davidson, Jr., Akron (.338-12-47). 1B--Ben Humphrey, Sr., Central Michigan (.338-13-72). 2B--Eric Lawson, Sr., Bowling Green State (.355-5-30). 3B--Andrew Davis, Sr., Kent State (.376-3-47). SS--Bobby Stevens, So., Northern Illinois (.254-4-23-17). OF--Jared Bartholomew, Fr., Kent State (HS—Howland, Ohio); Matt Stiffler, Jr., Ohio (.300-3-28); Willie Walker, Sr., Ohio (.377-4-39). DH--Bryan Mitzel, Sr., Central Michigan (.305-15-57).
P--Josh Collmenter, Jr., Central Michigan (8-5, 3.41); John Ely, Jr., Miami, Ohio (8-2, 3.57); Jeff Fischer, Jr., Eastern Michigan (9-4, 1.97). RP--Ryan Davis, Sr., Kent State (0-3, 4.18, 14 sv).
Player of the Year: Ben Humphrey, 1b, Central Michigan.
Pitcher of the Year: Jeff Fischer, rhp, Eastern Michigan.
Top Newcomers:: 1. Kyle Smith, rhp, Kent State (HS—Louisville, Ohio). 2. Brad Stillings, rhp, Kent State (HS—Washington Courthouse, Ohio). 3. Dale Cornstubble, c, Central Michigan (HS—Homer, Mich.).
PROJECTED TOP PROSPECTS, 2007-08 DRAFTS
1. Connor Graham, rhp, Miami (Ohio).
2. John Ely, rhp, Miami (Ohio).
3. Tom Farmer, rhp, Akron.
4. Josh Collmenter, rhp, Central Michigan.
5. Jeff Fischer, rhp, Eastern Michigan.
SHORT HOPS
• We're predicting that both Central Michigan and Miami (Ohio) will receive regional bids this year. If that happens, it will be the first time that the Mid-American Conference has received an at-large berth.
• Buffalo reassigned head coach Bill Breene, who presided over the resuscitation of the program in 2000 and won 104 games in seven years, after the 2006 season. Bulls assistant Ron Torgolski was promoted to interim coach for 2007. Joe Hesketh, the only big leaguer in the program's history, will serve as pitching coach.
• Despite losing three pitchers in the first five rounds of the 2006 draft—Miami (Ohio's) Matt Long (White Sox, second round) and Keith Weiser (Rockies, third), plus Ball State's Ben Snyder (Giants, fourth)—the MAC remains loaded with mound prospects. The league's 2006 pitcher of the year, Eastern Michigan RHP Jeff Fischer, returns, and he ranks as just the league's fifth-best prospect for 2007. Miami (Ohio) RHPs Connor Graham (3-2, 4.70) and John Ely 8-2, 3.57, Akron RHP Tom Farmer (2-10, 7.92) and Central Michigan RHP Josh Collmenter all had strong summers in the Cape Cod League. Others to watch include Central Michigan RHPs Jeff Richard (2-1, 7.25) and Chris Kupillas (0-0, 6.75) and Ball State RHPs Luke Behning and Jeff Loveys. Richard and Kupillas are both draft-eligible sophomores, while neither Behning nor Loveys threw a pitch for the Cardinals last year. Behning was sidelined with a shoulder injury, while Loveys was academically ineligible. He also sat out 2005 after transferring from Buffalo.
• Kent State lost five key seniors and 2006 MAC player of the year Emmanuel Burriss (a supplemental first-round pick by the Giants), but the Golden Flashes countered by mining a strong crop of Ohio high school talent to put together a banner recruiting class. Their catches include projectable RHPs Kyle Smith and Brad Stillings, defensive-minded C Brandon White and athletic OFs Jared Bartholomew and Anthony Gallas.
• Central Michigan also did a fine job of in-state recruiting, locking up Michigan's top prep prospect, C Dale Cornstubble. He starred at Homer (Mich.) High, which set a national record with 75 consecutive wins. RHP Eric Lawrence starred at Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC, which won three straight Division II College World Series before losing in the 2006 title game. Lawrence led all D-II juco pitchers with 15.2 strikeouts per nine innings. RHP Bryce Morrow might have been drafted out of Caledonia (Mich.) High had he not been recovering from knee surgery.
• Miami (Ohio) OF Ryne Robinson (.253-2-20, 13 SB) has made more of a name for himself on the football field. He led the MAC with 91 catches and 1,178 receiving yards in 2006, setting school career records in both categories (250 and 3,697). He's also one of the best punt returners in NCAA history with 1,688 career yards (85 short of the all-time record) and seven touchdowns (one shy).
