Clem LaBree, morning show co-host and sportscaster for WZON radio of Bangor, is a pretty laid-back guy.

Until you get him talking about Saint Joseph’s College’s Mahaney Diamond in Standish.

On Monday, LaBree passionately stated on the air that the baseball stadium in Standish should not hold state championship baseball games.

He pointed out that it has limited seating and that several spectators at the Bangor-Portland state Class A game on Saturday sat on the grassy hill down the first base line.

There are no concession stands or rest rooms at the facility itself, just those grotesque portable toilets.

There is limited parking and the school is approximately 10 miles from the I-95 exit.

LaBree researched other states and found most of them play their state championship games in stadiums capable of holding at least 3,000 fans.

That is about 2,500 more than Saint Joseph’s segmented, makeshift bleachers can hold.

The field itself is nice and it is well maintained. Saint Joseph’s College baseball coach Will Sanborn takes great pride in it and does a terrific job.

There is a small and serviceable press box.

But LaBree is right.

So what is the solution?

Hold all four state championship baseball games in Bangor.

Two are held at Bangor’s Mansfield Stadium every year and the Maine Principals’ Association should hold the other two at the Winkin Baseball Complex on the Husson College campus.

Both have concession stands, rest rooms at the facility (Mansfield) or right next to it (Winkin), stadium seating, and press facilities.

The fields are superior to Saint Joseph’s and can handle a lot of water, especially at the Winkin Complex, which has artificial FieldTurf.

Both stadiums are within three miles of the interstate.

The University of Maine’s Mahaney Diamond would be another first-rate option, but the university and the MPA would need to iron out some things first.

The games could be played at 1 and 5 p.m. so the Western Maine teams and their fans wouldn’t have to leave too early or get home too late.

But it’s all a moot point.

There will never be four state championship games in the Bangor area.

“We try to have some type of balance between eastern and western sites,” explained Dick Durost, executive director of the MPA. “Most of our schools and population are south of Bangor.”

That is one of the primary reasons the three state championship football games are played in Portland’s Fitzpatrick Stadium every year as well as the fact it has FieldTurf.

And there aren’t many options.

Durost also said they received positive feedback even from the Eastern Maine schools about playing at Fitzpatrick.

Durost defended the choice of Saint Joseph’s, saying Sanborn and the school have been very willing to host it for a reasonable fee and it meets MPA criteria (i.e., a fenced-in facility so it can charge admission; flexibility in case of rainouts.).

They also play two state softball games at Saint Joseph’s and the fields are right next to one another. That close proximity is important, according to Durost.

Durost also said they don’t have many options in southern Maine.

“We may not have a Mansfield available in southern Maine, but we’re very appreciative that Saint Joseph’s is willing to work with us,” said

Durost.

Larry Mahoney can be reached at 990-8231, 1-800-310-8600 or by email at lmahoney@bangordailynews.net.