After a reserve matchday « Cougars – Cometz », the D1 championship resumes and could be seen as a turning point, where several teams risk, in case of further setbacks, fueling those who find the championship as unbalanced as a one-legged tightrope walker.
As of today, four clubs have yet to secure a win: Group A: Metz (0-2) and Paris (0-4). Group B: Stade toulousain (0-2) and Nice (0-6). One can also lament the dominance of a single, colossal club that has succeeded its own titles (16) for years, with only three exceptions… But who will come to the rescue of the suspense of the final phases?
« Last week »
To celebrate their late entry into the « Show », the Cometz missed two steps. They faced a more consistent opponent. One can easily imagine the pleasure of the Cougars wishing their empty-handed opponents a good return. Not out of meanness, but rather because Metz was questioning their recruits. After an 8-0 and another 8-3, the picture is clear. But who can we count on to have the right to thrill a bit longer than until the semifinals? The Cavigals and the PUC? Almost tone-deaf… The Stade toulousain, Paris, and Metz are struggling to get past the first inning; we must hope they can get past the second… We’ll see.
« Fluctuat nec mergitur ».
There are still the mid-table values, with the Boucaniers (even better this year), the Cougars (even better this year, 2018 finalists), the Barracudas, the Lions of Acuna, and the Templiers leading the way (without Belisle, Holland, Paz, or Paula, but with Velasquez and Greely), currently superior. One could almost think that the scramble among these five teams creates more suspense than knowing who will face Rouen in the final. The Huskies, a prodigious team that sways without ever breaking, monopolize and even freeze the D1.
« Let’s play ball! » Upcoming matches:
Huskies (3-1 vs Montigny, Metz) – 16 titles // Cometz (0-2) (vs Cougars).
The Messins should have gained momentum in the first « difficult climb » in Île-de-France because another one is on the horizon: the green Normandy, on May 8th, in Moselle. There will certainly be some neutral innings or even some in favor of the locals, but… The Cometz (.115 avg and 5.06 ERA), despite being filled with great individual talents, will probably cross the skies of victory subreptitiously without being able to stay there. So that the Normans can hoard a bit more before the final phases… We would like to think otherwise, as the Cometz have character and the group will gain in complicity. But the Huskies are the Huskies, with a .315 avg and an ERA of only 1.75… The stats speak. In case of a double defeat, it’s a 0-4 for Metz… The battle is on.
Montigny le Bretonneux (5-1 vs Rouen, Metz, PUC) // Savigny (2-2 vs PUC, Rouen).
A highly interesting confrontation with a beautiful Cougars vs Lions. Savigny must recover from their second matchday where they left the Huskies two victories. To do this, they must take at least one match from the Ignymontains, a difficult task. The Cougars (.271 avg – 1.59 ERA) are the only ones so far to have defeated the French champions. And they dominated the Cometz, twice. The Lions (.265 avg – 3.38 ERA) defended themselves well against the Rouen pack… A split is plausible.
Montpellier (3-1 vs La Rochelle, Nice) // Toulouse (0-2 vs Sénart)
Above, the immense Ozanich. 0.96 ERA. 11 K, 1 BB. Photo credit Benjamin Witte
The « Tigers » are traveling. Kovacs and Soriano will find Soliveres, always Occitan but in red and white this time. A few adjustments are needed by the Barracudas, a team with great inertia that has not yet developed all its potential but will become increasingly dangerous. The tenants of Veyrassi remain « catchable » in a match (as the Boucaniers took advantage of) despite an impressive mound (ERA of 2.50) (Ozanich, Canelon, and Nayral are at 1.48 combined) and an explosive lineup (avg .283, 6 2b, 4 3b, 1 HR). Toulouse, on the other hand, has been searching for a solid result for several seasons (7th/11 in 2021, 2nd/11 in the French Summer League 2020, 8th/12 in 2019). What about team cohesion? A leader? Positive points: Esposito Garcia and Cespedes have hit well. Garcia John Will worked very well against Sénart despite his defeat (ERA 3.38, 7 K, 5 BB). It would be more than problematic for Toulouse to fall twice again. A split between the two teams? This would allow the players of the Argoulets (avg .131 and ERA 6.00) to reconnect with victory. But the Barracudas are strong, and 10 of their players have not missed any appointment so far. A « complicada » day for the Toulousains… So, will the cabin fall on the dog?
Above: Opening day in Toulouse. Photo credit Julien Barrio
Without hope, no hope.
Boucaniers (3-1 vs Montpellier, Nice) // Templiers (4-0 vs Nice, Toulouse)
The Boucaniers of Canadian Kirk Mac Nabb, rather accustomed to mid-table positions, are certainly dreaming of a day in May when they would take two matches from the vice-champions of France, regulars in all kinds of finals, multiple finalists against the Huskies, in European scenes… Nothing is less certain…
However, we remember a Challenge de France semifinal where the Templiers, supported by the great Jamel Boutagra, were in difficulty at Boucan’s Field… It’s hard to imagine Sénart handing in a blank report next weekend. Too much power, regularity, experience. The players have passed many milestones together. To top it off, a legend of Caribbean baseball has joined the Templiers: Orestes Kindelán, “El tambor Mayor”, one of the dominant sports figures of post-revolutionary Cuban sport, will come to challenge La Rochelle. Sénart is third in avg (.292) and first in ERA (a « frightening » 0.79), only 3 earned runs in four matches! La Rochelle presents itself with a good batting potential, second in avg (.313) and sixth in ERA (3.48). There’s a chance for the Rochelle mound with Nieves, De La Rosa, and Antoine.
Above: in 2021, De La Rosa for Stade toulousain.
The Templiers, without Paz, have lost an important axis. The Rochellais seem stronger than last year in all sectors. But they will have to hit the « made in Sénart » mound… What about Crowford, Lakmeche, Torres, Esteban, or Lot, against Priest, the mound ogre? With already 22 K in 14 innings and a 0.00 ERA (118 K and a 2.78 ERA in 2021), Shane will certainly open the ball…
Above, the enormous Shane Priest for the Cologne Cardinals.
Come on, let’s go for a split! Great spectacle under the Rochellais sun and live on Baseball TVF!
Vincent Picard
