Some buccaneers charge into battle with swords bared, heedless of strategy or risk. More often than not, they’re cast back into the sea without a second thought. Others know how to set an ambush, take their time, weigh their opponent’s strengths. And so give themselves the best chance of success. That’s the path Béziers has taken. No reckless charge toward D1, risking singed wings. Instead, building step by step a project that holds water. In an interview with Midi Libre, club president François Bonnet spoke of an ‘achievement.’ And in his speech, one could read the ambition of a winner (‘we are ready’) and the caution of a manager (‘the hardest part is yet to come’).
Without rehashing the entire history of a club celebrating its 38th anniversary in a few weeks, their first national successes date back to 2018, in the now-defunct N1 championship, with a final lost to Valenciennes. This northern vs. southern showdown marked the Biterrois’ seasons. In 2019, their first D2 season, they reached the semifinals and missed the final due to a 3-run push by Saint-Aubin in the decisive game’s final inning. It was just a postponement. In 2021, Béziers claimed the title, leaving Thiais no chance. But no promotion, even in a D1 expanded to 10 teams. The seeds needed more time to ripen. Even if the 2022 semifinal was lost to the Arvernes, Béziers confirmed their place among the D2 elite. This became certain with a decisive victory over the Vipers, and a promotion playoff that gave the Messins some sleepless nights. Then another title last year, a sweep against Valenciennes (we told you these two couldn’t stay apart), and the path now wide open to the top 8. In total, in 5 D2 seasons, the Pirates won 86 games, a 71.7% win rate. They’ve proven themselves.
To navigate the choppy waters of D1, where some heavily armed ships sail, the Pirates have bolstered their crew with some sturdy fellows ready to face storms. They’ve retained their pillar, Pilar, who ruthlessly dismantled D2 pitchers over three seasons, and that’s excellent news for Béziers. He’ll be joined by a young Venezuelan, like Rouennais JC Masson, who passed through the Blue Jays organization, Adrian Meza, an American veteran of European championships as useful for coaching as on the mound, Tim Brown, a Venezuelan giant of a catcher, Roger Torres, a Venezuelan pitcher who distinguished himself notably in the Argentine championship (a good omen, considering the successes of Camacho and Y. Gomez who also played there), Luis Gonzales, another Venezuelan pitcher who recently wore the Dbacks’ colors, Moises Lira, and finally an American outfielder who rose through high-level university ranks, Thomas DeBondeville. That’s a lot. Maybe too much, some might say. But after all, the Cometz also counted on 7 foreign players last season.
If Béziers knows how to recruit, they also know how to give young players their chance. And we’ll follow with great interest the progress of Rafael Surjus, who showed great things last season with the Boucaniers and returns to his home club, the gem Baptiste Volpato, even if it’s no longer the same story as in the U15 European championship, and the very promising Lucio Keurinck, who’s become a point-producing machine in two seasons. With this talented lot, coach Teixidor has plenty to work with, plenty to win games, even if we’re a bit more concerned about the Pirates’ JFL mound, which lacks experience. The depth of some D1 lineups may pose problems for the young Biterrois arms. But overall, Béziers will never be an easy opponent to beat. We wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them fighting for a top-4 spot and making a strong run in the Challenge de France.
Before proving it on the field, the Pirates have already shown this winter that they’re among the best in terms of communication. They’ve done truly remarkable work presenting their roster, player by player. A perfectly executed serial that demonstrates their desire to reach out to the public, to baseball fans, and to their supporters, who are also one of their strengths.
F.C. Photo Credits: RS Pirates
