A look at the early effects of the JFL regulation from the pitching perspective.
• After 3 matchdays, the four pitchers with the most innings pitched are JFL: C.Esteban, Laot, Coste, Brelle. You have to go back to 2017 (J.Mottay, 2nd) to find a JFL in the top-4 most used pitchers. It remains to be seen if the trend will hold, but it’s the most obvious sign so far of the importance of the new regulation.
• Another point directly linked to the notion of JFL, the appearance on the mound of very young French pitchers: Hugo Py (15 years 6 months), Nathan Chevet (15 years 6 months), Elliot Davy (16 years 2 months), Louis Benemacher (16 years 4 months) Jordan Ouanyou (16 years 6 months), Quentin Scheurer (17 years 4 months), Axel Kurzenne (17 years 1 month), Louis Perrois (17 years 4 months). It’s great to have young arms, but it’s not necessarily ideal to pitch in the big leagues, facing sometimes very experienced hitters, such young prospects. It’s a bit risky, physically and mentally. French baseball lacks a real junior championship for these young players to progress at their own pace and level.
• The closer role has never really been in vogue in the French championship, due to the calendar format. Apart from Thomas Meley, who was often used in this strategic role by the Barracudas, notably from 2009 to 2015, there has never really been a specialist. Daniel Orozco (Savigny) has also filled this role effectively in recent years. But is there a JFL effect in the fact that two teams have decided to give the mission of finishing games to foreign pitchers since they have to start a JFL? In any case, Escorchia did it with a lot of talent for La Rochelle, in often perilous situations (game 1 against Montigny, 1-1, runner on 3rd, one out, game 2 against 2 Rouen, 2-1, bases loaded, two outs), as did Garcia for Toulouse, with already 4 appearances and 2 saves.
• The effects on strategy are evident in the starting matches. Let’s take a look at the pitchers with the most starts between 2023 and 2024. La Rochelle: Nieves / Lopez vs Esteban / Izquierdo; Metz: Sigiura / Priest vs Launay / Ten Eyck; Montigny: Lopez / Mastre vs 4 different starters; Montpellier: Couvreur / Gosselin vs Couvreur / Canelon; Rouen: Moulin / Leal vs Igami / Prioul; Savigny: Perdomo / Amoros vs Coste / Romero; Sénart: Hvrytishvili / Giraud vs Brelle / Kurima; Toulouse Garcia / Rojas vs Laot / Rojas. The landscape is really different… On the other hand, during the game, we have only seen one change dictated directly by the new rule, when Montpellier had to take out Canelon after 6.1 innings of the second game against Sénart and bring in Scheurer to meet his JFL quota. In the rest of the games, the coaches have anticipated and not found themselves in difficulty.
The situation club by club.
La Rochelle
The Buccaneers have pulled off a good move by signing C.Esteban to compensate for N.Antoine’s departure. The pitcher, systematically lined up in game 1, seems capable of holding his own for 7 innings each weekend, which leaves a lot of possibilities for P.Ossandon to manage the rest of the events, which he has done with quite a bit of success so far. However, a 2nd JFL is missing to deal with any eventuality, but if everything goes well in terms of injuries or loss of form, La Rochelle will have well managed the first JFL season.
Metz
The Cometz, who relied heavily on foreign pitching in recent seasons, have taken their responsibilities by starting all their games with JFL. They are giving a chance to Mathéo Launay, who didn’t have it in Sénart, and with success so far. As for young Elliott Ten Eyck, he has not yet exceeded three innings of work, but keeps his team in the game. The strategy seems to be to take the lead with JFL and let Paredes – Priest finish the job, while waiting for Paula’s reinforcement. It works, and Metz is one of the good surprises of the new JFL era.
Montigny
Already 9 pitchers used in just 4 games, the Cougars clearly haven’t found the ideal solution. For several seasons, Montigny has suffered from the lack of a French starter who can get through a lineup three times, and this season Lopez and Mastre won’t be able to do it all. The French vice-champions won’t have any problem filling their JFL quota, but they seem to be among the teams most penalized by the rule change.
Montpellier. A lot will depend on the health of Ben Couvreur, because if his elbow forces him to stay off the field for a while, the situation will become very complicated for the Barracudas, who were counting mainly on him (and a few innings in relief from Pontiac) to meet the requirements. If all goes well, Montpellier will be well armed on the mound, with the duo Canelon – Ozanich as insurance behind the French. Otherwise, the season could be long on the side of Veyrassi.
Rouen
Without Quentin Moulin, with Mercadier who will be absent at least during the Capitales de Québec training camp, the JFL bullpen of the Huskies raises some concerns, all the more so as Prioul is coming back from a season ruined by injuries and will therefore probably be spared. Rouen has always known how to give the ball to JFL pitchers, even in complicated situations, but the Huskies seem today less at ease with the new rule than they used to be in the past.
Savigny
The Lions have decided to trust G.Coste to bring them the JFL starting and innings quota, and it’s working very well at the start of the season. L. Amoros can also play a very useful role and Joss Neyraud is finding his place as a reliever. Savigny won’t have any trouble this season with the JFL. It’s not quite the same picture for Romero, but that’s another story.
Sénart
When Nayral and Meurant put their spikes on the mound of the Templiers, everything will be better on the side of the JFL Sénartais. They will even be one of the best forces in the championship at this level, all the more so as Émile Brelle is gaining experience and showing great qualities that will be even better exploited when he no longer has to bear all the responsibility that weighs on him today, with the more than average performances of the Japanese Kurima. The second half of the season for Boutagra’s men will be interesting to follow.
Toulouse
Not necessarily easy to do without K.Esposito and M.Lacombe. N.Laot finds himself with a lot of pressure on his shoulders to fill the JFL quota, even if E.Duquenoy can provide some relief services. It’s a bit fragile to hope to last the whole season.
