(March 21, 2008)  It's only March, but Mike Marron said he can't wait to return to Wahconah Park this summer.

Marron will begin his second season as manager of the NECBL's Pittsfield Dukes in June.

"With the momentum we took in the last half of last summer, I feel excited about the direction of the team and the organization," Marron said. "There's a lot of potential to make a lot of good things happen this summer."

Marron's first year wasn't so great in the standings. The Dukes, overmatched for a lot of the season, were 13-28 and lost their last four regular-season games.

"I'm excited about the group I have" coming this summer, he said. "We're getting players from some very strong programs. That's going to help us right off the bat."

Marron is in his third season as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. He's a former All-Patriot League catcher at Holy Cross.

"He's a really good role model for the players and the organization," Dukes president Dan Duquette said when announcing Marron's return. "He is a very dedicated baseball man. I liked the way he represented the team and dealt with the players. We're happy he's coming back."

Marron said his staff has not been finalized, but should be within the month. The Dukes' manager expects a pitching coach and a first base coach will be part of the staff.

Marron has his hands full right now, helping coach at UMass-Lowell and with his regular job teaching English at the Malloy Alternative School in Lowell. In fact, Marron isn't with the River Hawks on their Florida excursion because his regular job got in the way.

As he recalls his first year as manager, the Dukes' field boss said that the biggest thing he took out of last year was about working on the mental side of the game.

"In looking back and having discussions with players, they benefited from conversations about what it they go through to play games in the summer," he said. "Making sure some guys have routines so that they're prepared to play, and when the game starts, let them play."

Both Marron and Duquette said that one thing they hope to improve on this summer is to have better players for Marron to manage.

"We haven't done a good job in that," said Duquette.

"There are players (coming) from all over the country. It doesn't have that New England feel," added Marron. "I'm excited about the group I have. We're getting players from some very strong programs."

Duquette said that player signings will start to be announced in early April.

Tyler Stampone is the lone returning Duke, and Marron is happy to have him back.

Stampone, who played last year at Holy Cross, hit .283 for the Dukes in the summer of 2007. He was solid defensively, making six errors at second base and having a .947 fielding percentage.

Stampone is now starting at William & Mary, where he is hitting .370.