Defending champ Royals, Panthers, ‘Dogs among favorites

It seems nobody wants to be the favorite in the Eastern Maine Class D baseball race this spring.

Ask defending state champion Jonesport-Beals coach Blaine Steeves, and he swears Central Aroostook of Mars Hill will run away with the plaque.

Pose the same question to Panthers coach Rick Bragg and he points to the Royals.

Van Buren boss Brian Hews says both teams have to be the favorites while offering thanks above that EM runner-up Fort Fairfield and semifinalist Katahdin of Sherman Station have moved to Class C.

And that’s just about the only thing Class D baseball coaches can agree on while they wait for their fields to dry.

So just for the sake of argument, it will be the Panthers, Royals and the Machias Bulldogs in the top spots this season.

Fresh from a successful state basketball title run, Central Aroostook features 10 returning seniors, including five starters from a team which a year ago went 10-4 and made its way into the regional semifinals.

Tagged as the Panthers’ best all-around player, senior Chad Boyd will lead the prowl, armed with a .400 batting average and 23 steals from last season.

Boyd, who accumulated a 4-1 record, 52 strikeouts, and a 2.20 earned run average, has a solid curve and is working on a knuckler. Behind him is senior Mitch Orser, who uses a fastball, changeup and what Bragg calls a screwball with lots of movement, in the No. 2 spot. Senior Todd Nelson rounds out the rotation after a 3-1 record and 2.47 ERA last year.

First baseman Ben Allen is the Panthers’ best hitter with a .434 average and 21 steals last season, while Orser adds a .368 average and 21 steals to the lineup.

Jonesport-Beals was hurt by graduation with the loss of five starters, including top pitcher Stephen Bean, which leaves Steeves leery of anyone calling his team a favorite. He prefers his Royals be thought of as an underdog.

But junior pitcher Byron Carver is well-equipped to step into the top role, with pitches including a fastball, curve, changeup and knuckleball.

Carver also leads the list of .300 batters who return to the roster. Junior Shannon Crowley, who will see time at the corners and as the No. 2 pitcher, and right fielder-No. 3 pitcher Jeremy Beal also were successful at the plate last season.

Machias features three decent pitchers, including senior Josh Look, whose strength is his control.

Junior Andrew Feeney and sophomore lefty Ethan Bagley are vying for the second spot. Feeney’s heat and Bagley’s curve will keep the Bulldogs on the playoff scent, coach Mike Lenfestey hopes.

The Bulldogs lost just two players, and return their entire infield.

Bangor Christian and Deer Isle-Stonington say it’s this year or never for their playoff hopes.

Six starters are back and three new players strengthen the Mariners’ lineup, and coach Richard Santospago is anxious to see how far his four pitchers will take the team.

Senior hurler Shaun Webb will lead the charge, backed up by 6-foot-1, 180-pound sophomore Ben Barrows, who is vastly improved from last year’s 25-inning, 44-strikout record, Santospago says.

Lefty Ryan Mick is back for his final year on the mound for the Patriots, and will lead a team which is slim in numbers (12), presents a strong six players, but must rely on untested prospects to step up.

Mick, Gabe Perrow, Dan Martin and Don Martin will lead the offense, and all hit around .350 last season for Bangor Christian.