ORONO – Coach Paul Kostacopoulos’ overhaul of the University of Maine baseball team should be evident today when he unveils the 1998 Black Bears.

Maine opens its toned-down southern schedule with a 2 p.m. game against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Florida Atlantic University. Kostacpoulos hopes the 14-game swing will answer many of the questions he has about his young team.

There are 17 new faces on the squad, which includes 11 fewer Maine natives. Among the newcomers are 11 freshmen and five transfers.

“We’ve had a lot of changes. If you look at this roster, it’s amazing,” he said. “This team is so new, I just don’t know how they’re going to perform.”

Gone are position starters Nick Caiazzo, Jeff Longo, and Tony Bianchi, who represented a big chunk of 24-27 Maine’s offensive production. The pitching staff lost seniors Garrett Quinn and Dave Foran to graduation and junior Brian Glover to academic trouble. That trio accounted for 18 wins and 59 percent of the Bears’ strikeouts.

Maine’s starting rotation is brand-new and includes two lefthanders. Freshman Jason Hall, a righthander from Colorado, throws in the mid-80s and has a good breaking pitch.

Junior lefthander Tom Koutrouba earned Division II All-America status at the Community College of Rhode Island (12-1, 2.00 earned run average). Freshman lefty Jim Bailin has three pitches, including an excellent changeup, and was a Collegiate Baseball preseason high school All-American.

The fourth starter is crafty righty Eric O’Brien, who provides America East experience after starting at UNH last spring.

“On the mound, we’re young, but these guys will [eventually] win on this level,” Kostacopoulos said. “People who follow this program will see results with these kids.”

In the bullpen, freshman righthanders Rick Hewey and Brandon Brewer of North Yarmouth, sophomore returnees Jared Cochran of Norridgewock and Jon Dickinson, and soph Rob Worcester of Columbia Falls will get work.

The Bears are counting on several returning positional starters. Senior T.J. Sheedy, Maine’s hitting leader at .388 last year, has moved from third base back to center field, where he can utilize his speed to cover gap to gap.

Senior slugger Rex Turner of Augusta, who hit .363 and led the club with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs in 1997, returns in left field. Senior Ron Coombs of Kingman (.297) returns in right, while sophomore Jay Phillips has been suspended indefinitely after a dormitory incident earlier this month.

Brewer, Hewey, and sophomore lefthanded-hitter Jon Hambleton also will see time in the outfield.

Maine has a good foundation up the middle with senior Keith Croteau of Saco (.275, 19 RBIs) and junior Bryan Harvie of South Portland (.252, 14 RBIs) expected to platoon at second base. Sophomore shortstop Julian Bracali started last season at Providence.

“I do expect that we’ll be a much better team defensively, at least in the infield,” Kostacopoulos said.

Senior Gabe Memmert, a transfer from McNeese State who was injured last season, will bat third and play first base. Junior Brian Poire, who transferred when UNH dropped its program, gets the nod at third base.

Senior utilityman Marc Halsted of Orono, a switch hitter, will play some first base and some third.

Junior catcher Kregg Jarvais of Skowhegan returns behind the plate. Freshman slugger Chris Domurat, a Boston Red Sox draft pick, and junior Marc Pantazis are the backups.

The designated hitter role will be filled by whomever is wiebat. Freshman lefty Bob Talbot, Halsted, and Domurat are among the candidates.

Maine lacks power and speed overall, thus must move runners and take advantage of opportunities to score runs. Kostacopoulos hopes the schedule, loaded with northern teams, is more productive for the Bears.

“I tried to balance the schedule to a point where we could achieve some success, but we also could get a taste of a Top 25 program [Clemson],” he said, calling the slate ambitious.

Maine also will remain primarily in Boca Raton, which should reduce travel fatigue and enable the players to get comfortable.

“I think the learning curve is far greater in a 6-5 ballgame, win or lose, than it may be in a 10-1 game,” Kostacopoulos said of his scheduling philosophy. “Situations come up, bunt defenses, holding runners on. I think that really helps us react under pressure, having been through those close games.”