Photo credit Glenn Gervot.
Featured image: Greely Thomas .324 avg, Templiers de Sénart.
Oh! Funnel, my beautiful funnel…
While the European rearguard battles (B Cup) reached their final conclusion, in D1, four clashes were scheduled across the hexagon with the final standings in each group (A and B) in sight. The noose tightens painfully for some teams, who see their playoff hopes slip away behind the « fence » of the regular season. But there are still 3 matchdays and two games in arrears (Metz vs PUC);
As Yoda might say: « Out of reach, the playoff qualification has become for you… »
For Cometz (3-7, who still have to face Rouen and Savigny among others), PUC (0-10), Stade Toulousain (2-8), and Cavigal de Nice (0-12), the cause is sealed, barring a miracle..
Above: the « Men of the North » will be tough to beat again this season…
In short, the season, which is gaining speed in the funnel it has plunged into, remains as merciless as ever. One unknown, however: (well, it’s an open secret, so we’ll pretend we don’t know what’s next) who will win this D1 championship? But as Thomas Aquinas might have said, « I only believe what I see. » If you know what I mean… Given that this championship has become so predictable, let’s focus on what’s happening in the background…
Group A (tough luck, you’re in the Huskies’ group)
Savigny (7-3), one of the four favorites for the playoff spot, shakes off its mane and devours PUC 10-2 (17 hits for Savigny, including two doubles, against 5 and one double for PUC, Win Coste) and 14-5 (11 hits for Savigny to 5 for PUC, one double each, Win Orozco). Or 24-7, however you look at it. Paris’ spine is broken. Move along, nothing to see here (but not faster than 30 km/h… 18.64 mph, here it’s Paris)… The Lions confirm their position as runners-up, even if it’s tough to grow in the shadow of such a towering big brother… Speaking of which, it’s against the enormous Huskies (recently crowned European B champions) that the big cats will have to battle on June 18th and 19th.
Above: Coste, Lions de Savigny sur Orge. ERA 3.24, 19 K, 13 BB (regular season).
Alright, a nice Cometz vs Cougars (8-4):
In the east, the big cats of Montigny (third in Group B) conceded 9 innings to the home team (in the second match), who, as expected, are regaining ground, painfully admittedly, but… Let’s admit that taking a win from the Cougars is still a fine performance. A weekend that started badly for Metz, stripped bare by the Montigny team 0-12 with 14 hits conceded (including four doubles) to 5. Mastre (4-1) takes his fourth win. It took a lot of grit to eventually split the difference. Second match won 15-7 (Trevor Rogers’ victory). A mound story? The Cougars used five pitchers and allowed 10 base hits, including a home run to Rodriguez (SS). The Challenge de France experience has paid off. Another home run for Montigny by Fanhoni.
Above: Montigny (.243 avg) will have to hit often and hard in this final stretch.
Group B (lucky you, you’re not in the Huskies’ group)
Templiers (10-2) vs Toulouse, no stats « right now »
Beni, vedi, but not vici…
Esposito’s men suffered in Sénart. Defeated twice, 11-0 (and 15-1 or 26-1… Like Metz, Toulouse, who have only managed to take two wins against Nice, are among those teams with strong potential but not enough to impose themselves against the Sauropods of their respective groups. The Templiers, the first to reach the 10-win mark this season, have every interest in swinging the bat all week if they hope to upset the Roanne machine that grinds suspense to a halt… The Temple, however, seems well positioned to stay in command of Group B… It’s just behind that things are heating up for second place. Let’s take a look…
Nice (0-12) vs La Rochelle (9-3), no stats « right now »
This is the first time the Buccaneers have appeared in second place. Beating Nice was the least the Rochellais team, which is living up to its semifinal ambitions, could do. Montas and his men battled without giving an inch, only bending in the first match by 2 points, 4-6. In the second, it’s 5-9. A mixed bag for the maritime team. Not in terms of final result, but rather in terms of the incisive habit the Buccaneers have taken to matches. More dominance was expected from the visitors. Caught between two powerhouses, the Rochellais can’t afford to lose any more.
Prospects:
Group A
Rouen (8-2), who pretends to lose matches (humor), has found its cruising speed and won’t slow down. Radiant at home after their recent European victory, the team of the « Killer B’s » (Brainville, Bert, Blondel, Bastien D…) will be very tough to surpass. Only the Lions (who lost 8-3 and 4-2 on the road) seem able to divert the Huskies’ trajectory.
Savigny (7-3) still has a big challenge ahead, in addition to the « Men of the North, » that of the Cougars (8-4). They split at Stade Jean Maréchal in May, 0-1 and 4-3. Quite limited scores. It’s going to get heated for second place next Sunday. Every pitch, every call will be important…
Above: the Rouen team has a defensive record of .955 (fourth in D1 – 10 games) in the regular season.
The Cougars are having a very dense season. It’s an emotional rollercoaster. Having dropped their pursuers, they are hot on the heels of the Lions with 12 games played but one more win and one more loss. The big challenge, as we’ve said, will be in early July against Savigny. What a shame about that defeat to Rouen in early May, 1-2! And that 0-1 against the Lions!… You can never say enough that every swing or pitch is important.
Group B
The Temple: Two clashes in sight. Even if the promised land of the semifinals is in sight for Orestes Kindelan, there are some big hits to make on the way. La Rochelle, who can’t afford any mistakes, and Montpellier: It’s hard to see Mayeur and his Barracudas losing a « game » in the coming weeks. Having also, like the Huskies, been exposed to high-level competition in the European Cup in recent days. Only the battle against the Templiers in Veyrassi could potentially slip into a split, or worse…? And then, there are two away games, Nice and Toulouse…
La Rochelle: more dominance was expected from McNabb’s players in Nice. With the kind of result against the bottom team last Sunday, we can expect to suffer against Sénart in early July, even if in May, the Rochellais had secured a split 1-3 and 10-2. Overconfidence is a merciless enemy. The Rochellais must win everything to hope for the next round, and not the playdowns… Toulouse to manage, like a formality?..
Above: Esteban at bat. La Rochelle hits .272 in the season, the third-best average. They must now win everything.
Instead of a mirror or a funnel, the answer this Sunday live with BaseballTVFrance the boyzzz… And girlzzz… To find out who is the fairest for the playoffs!
Vincent Picard
