[baseball]

Man I feel your pain. I worked my ass off to get up to 185. Took me about a year of hardcore eating and lifting. I got the flu and lost 20lbs in three weeks. Sh*t sucks!!! If you've got an appetite I'd aim for 3500 calories at least. I did a huge study at school on caloric intake and its direct relation to athletic performance. I'm taller than you but weigh a bit more, and for me to maximize my performance while still gaining good weight the cushion area was around 4500-5000 cals (This includes alot of cardio -- basketball player). That is assuming you have a high metabolism like you say you do. For me to do a true bulk based on my metabolism, the food intake for me was ridiculous, almost impossible for me. Also assuming you don't do much hardcore cardio, I'd say 3k-3500 would definitely be a great area for you to be hanging out around, with the later being even better.