Illustrative photo for the article: The Boucaniers de La Rochelle celebrate their victory over Stade Toulousain in the 2022 CDF, credit photo Glenn Gervot.
Above: Bartosz Sulinsky for the PUC.
After the fierce battle waged by the 8 best teams in French baseball to determine who would reach the top of the CDF and after the Huskies secured their 10th trophy in this competition, everyone went home to prepare for the return to the championship and to nurse their arms, egos, or ankles, as the case may be…
Above: Rouen vs Sénart slide, CDF 2022 credit photo Glenn Gervot.
In D1, the matchdays of June 4th and 5th, the reserve weekend, will feature two showdowns.
Group A
In the north: Metz (2W-6L) (CDF 2L) vs PUC (0W-8L)
Trajectory of a Comet
Above: The Cometz performed well at the CDF. Photo Glenn Gervot
In Moselle, the Cometz, who have bolstered their roster, host Paris, who are struggling to secure a win this season. Let’s be clear, a battle for survival in D1 is underway. The Cometz have performed decently on the synthetic field in Montigny during the CDF, even though they didn’t reach the semifinals and suffered a heavy 14-1 defeat against the Norman Golem, who embodies all the power, being the French champion and CDF winner. The real test for the Cometz came against the Cougars, who only edged them out at Stade Jean Maréchal by a single run, 13-12. So far, the Cometz have scored 38 runs while conceding 62 in the regular season. Metz’s pitching, which allows a .310 batting average to opponents (relatively high), limits earned runs to 6.19 (but 13.20 in the CDF) with 54 strikeouts for 42 walks (10 strikeouts and 16 walks in the CDF). They’re swinging hard in Moselle with Noblet at .500, Rogers at .419, and Wederhake at .467. Roze at .429 in the CDF, Melendez at .375 in the CDF… It’s still a tough challenge, there’s a lot of competition, but they’ll have to hold on, especially when hosting Montigny and Savigny and then going to battle at the Huskies’…
The PUC, deprived of the CDF and stuck at the bottom of the standings, has no choice but to react. Only Nice is faring worse with a 0-10 record. On May 22nd, Douglas Rodriguez’s men (who are hitting .444) gave the Mosellans a serious run for their money, losing 7-8 on the clay of Stade Pershing. The Sisyphean task of Parisian baseball yields a mere .192 batting average coupled with a heavy ERA of 12.03. Akimasa (9.78 ERA, 14 strikeouts, 14 walks) and Laot (11.74 ERA, 6 strikeouts, 10 walks) struggle to lead a hesitant defense, which is second-to-last with 28 errors. Behind them, it’s a scramble to « relieve, » but they manage to produce 35 strikeouts for 58 walks…. It’s too much, obviously, even against the Cometz, who are struggling to impose themselves but seem to be gaining strength. The Violets have conceded 103 runs while scoring only 23. Hey boys, as Voltaire wrote: « We must cultivate our garden »….
Above: The Cometz mound at the CDF 2022. Photo Glenn Gervot.
The Cometz are heading for two more victories to perhaps catch up to the Lions (5-3) and could be enjoying a 4W-6L record on Sunday night. Or not?
Group B
In the south: Toulouse (2W-4L) (CDF 2L) vs La Rochelle (5W-3L) (CDF 1W – 2L)
Above: Crawford slide to home plate vs Toulouse (Soliveres) CDF 2022. Photo Glenn Gervot.
These two teams have issues with the weather. Last year, the Toulousains traveled laboriously to Aunis for one of their final matchups, and it rained… On May 1st, the Rochellais headed to Occitanie to play ball, as it’s well known that it’s always sunny in Toulouse. It rained. So, with hearts full of joy, the maritime team heads back to the Argoulets, wondering if rain will fall from the sky… It would take a rain of hits… De La Rosa will see his former teammates again… Toulouse narrowly lost 6-5 to the Boucaniers in the CDF.
Above: Toulouse scores. CDF 2022 vs La Rochelle.
The Toulousains have strong nerves. They didn’t secure a victory in the CDF where they hit .167 and are provisionally ranked seventh in the regular season, continuing to fight. Tough for the former Tigers. Their only two wins came in a double header against Montas’s men in Nice, with scores of 5-0 and 3-1. Stade Toulousain is hitting .125 and allowing a .276 batting average to their opponents. La Rochelle is hitting better with a .291 average, second only to the Huskies (.358).
Above: One of Toulouse’s « jardineros ». CDF 2022 Photo Glenn Gervot.
Toulouse will face the Rochellais with a respectable ERA of 4.18, 50 strikeouts, and 29 walks in six games. On the other side, the Rochellais’ defense has built an ERA of 3.95 with 83 strikeouts and 26 walks in 8 games. Few stolen bases in Toulouse (7/8). The Boucaniers have stolen 9 bases out of 11 attempts. 14 errors committed by Garcia’s teammates (6W) against 10 for Lot’s teammates (8W).
The balance logically tips in favor of the visitors, who could tie the Barracudas with a double victory… Which would not please the Toulousains at all, as they have a very busy end-of-season schedule. But beware, the Stade des Argoulets can spring surprises on the visitors.
Above: Brazilian Felipe Lot for the La Rochelle Boucaniers. CDF 2022. Photo Glenn Gervot.
Vincent Picard
