The European Cup kicks off. Savigny and Rouen will represent France in Karlovac. Time to dream big?
Rouen and Savigny traveled together, sharing a bus. Between 15 and 20 hours on European roads, that builds character. Choosing public transport shows they can get along off the field. But it also highlights their limited resources. There have been plenty of delays and format changes in recent seasons. The CEB seemed to mess around before, it seems, finding some semblance of organization. The French teams will compete in the ‘European Cup,’ the second-tier European competition behind the Champions Cup. Facing them: Brno, Karlovac, Brasschaat. Names that evoke June’s emotions, epic battles, hard-fought victories against stiff competition.
But let’s not get carried away. The European Cup hasn’t been a joyous occasion for French baseball. They’re not invited to the Champions Cup. The last appearances of a French club at this level ended in merciless 0-5 defeats in 2023 and 2021 with the Huskies. The last French victory at the highest European level dates back to 2019, a 5-4 win by Rouen against the Belgians from Deurne, snatched in the final at-bat. Otherwise, French clubs battle it out in the second-tier European competition, whether it’s called the European Cup or the Confederation Cup. A few podium finishes here and there: Sénart 2nd in 2021, Savigny 2nd in 2023, Montpellier 2nd last year. The common thread? You’ve guessed it: they don’t win the finals. There’s always a Spaniard or a Czech to spoil the fun. In total, over the last 5 European seasons, France stands at 20-23. In their place, well-positioned, but in the second division.
Should we hope for better this year?
The format doesn’t cut any slack. A single pool of 5 teams (they were supposed to be 6, but the Spanish representative withdrew) and a final between the top two. That’s 36 or 45 innings to play. That’s the first concern: bullpen depth. Savigny has relied mainly on 4 arms: Coste and Pena (mostly as starters) and Orozco and Chevet (in relief). That’s a bit thin for such a packed schedule. Same at Rouen. Esposito’s return will help. But what about Prioul’s health? There are the two Japanese players, Taido and Ito, Magnien and Manaranche. There’s a clear lack of personnel. The coaches might have to pick their battles, sacrificing one or two matches to prioritize others.
Savigny will need to rely on their offensive power, notably a starting lineup of European caliber, and try to limit defensive errors, even if the absence of a professional shortstop might be felt at this level. The Huskies, who are 4-6 in their last 10 games, will try to recapture some of the magic from the Challenge playoffs, relying on their speed and hoping their defense holds up. Because it’s often the glove that makes the difference in these competitions.
That said, the two national representatives will have their work cut out to secure first place. It’s impossible not to give favorite status to the Czech league leader, Hrosi Brno, who can rely on heavy hitters like the recently naturalized Ryan Johnson (.346, 6 HR, 26 RBI), and also has the best ERA in the competition, which is no small feat given the level of the Extra League.
The Belgians from Brasschaat seem more approachable; they only hold the 3rd place in their championship, but they have the best batting average and the 3rd ERA. But it’s never a walk in the park for French clubs to face Belgians, and the duels will likely come down to pitching. Making the day’s opponent the target to avoid last place could, for the three teams, be a winning strategy.
Finally, the local team, Karlovac, a veteran of European competitions, who last season faced the Champions League without winning a single match. Croatian baseball has been progressing for several years, the national team took 8th place in the last European championship, and Karlovac is a very solid, complete team that won’t make life easy for anyone.
So, will Croatia be the land of triumph where a French club overcomes all obstacles, wins the title, and joins next season’s table with the Germans, Dutch, and Italians? Or, conversely, will nothing work, and one of our representatives face the infamy of relegation to the federation cup’s swamp? Let’s say if neither scenario comes to pass, and the French save face while fighting to the end against the powerful Czechs, we’ll already be happy. Don’t get too carried away these days.
F. Colombier
