French Baseball League - Julien Henri

[stevem810]

Julien Henri is having an excellent start to his pitching season while his batting woes continue hamper those numbers. Julien's 1.67 ERA (2.49 FIP) is an FBL best. He is second in K's with 38,

Le Diamant and Cap Chevalier continue to impress.

The Ottawa Expedition have entered the pennant race in Canada as they are closing in on Quebec and Montreal. Even St. Michel at 12-12 is within striking distance.

[stevem810]

The Assistant Manager experiment has ended. Amazing display of a lack of baseball smarts. Still can't believe it.

[stevem810]

"I'm just glad this ordeal is over. I'm off waivers, I'm not going to another team, and now I want to focus on Artist baseball", commented Henri after the last ball game. "I have no idea why Mr. Blondel did what he did, and it really doesn't matter. I'm glad ownership stepped in when they did before too much damage was done. And, that, is all I'm going to say about it."

Herve Delage was more open, "Blondel doesn't belong in baseball. I don't know who he knew who gave him this opportunity but he clearly showed he was in over his airhead. I mean, waiving the face of the franchise, are you serious?"

Ilies Blondel was reached and had this to say, "Ah, c'mon, I would have pulled him back. I had a plan. Just gauging interest. What, I have to share that plan with the players, now? And, another thing, I did go 13-13 with team so let's give me a little respect."

[stevem810]

Here are some of the top pitchers of the FBL and their season/career stats. Le Diamant's Vic Cosman has bounced back to be one of the top pitchers in the league, again. How much is that BABIP having to do with it?

Pitcher of Year last season Burke, no longer with Le Diamant, is helping the Snake Eyes to a big season.

Henri may have his first losing season although that is a function of the teams poor play as more than his stats.

Robert Bour consistently puts up great numbers and this year is no different. Look at those lifetime Wins vs. Loses.

One thing they all have in common is that they came out of the Le Diamant system.

[stevem810]

It was near the end of April that Asst GM Blondel was relieved of duties which coincides approximately with the time that Henri and the team began their descent from first place to as low as third. It's been a struggle for highly irritated Henri, but, he is beginning to regain the form he's displayed throughout most of his career. At least, his stellar outing against the reigning champs has the Paris faithful hoping its true.

Currently the whole organization is working to rebuild the components that made the Artist organization what it was, a first place team in France.

[stevem810]

The Paris Artists had their most productive week in recent memory as they handled the Waves all three games completing a stunning week that leaves them just one game out of first place.

Bigger news is Le Diamant, who has no shortage of stellar arms, registered a no hitter.

[stevem810]

Just 13 more runs scored than opponents but the Artists have managed to win all seven of the games. This last one took a huge 9th inning on the road.
Willie Ruiz does not speak much French but he's finding the FBL to his liking. His bases clearing double with 2 out in the 9th made the W possible.
South Korean Kim has not dominated at any level but is working on carving out a career with Paris as a starting pitcher. With control an issue, Su-kyung is slotted in the #5 spot.

[stevem810]

Some games just have to be observed batter by batter. Julien Henri coming 'home' to Le Diamant to face the ace of the Diamonds, Vic Cosman is just too good.

Henri was near perfect until he issued his second walk of the game in the 9th. Mathew Michel made sure he would pay for it as Le Diamant put a run on the board to tie it at, 1-1.

Vic Cosman had his Cy Young stuff working to perfection, too. He even ripped a base hit off of Henri.

In the end neither pitcher figured into the decision as Le Diamant won 2-1 when the last batter of the game was HBP, forcing in the winning run.

Quite a game.

note: Sweet and Michelet (the keystone combo) are the two players in the Henri/Delage trade that came over from Paris to Le Diamant.

[stevem810]

Yesterday's game illustrated what baseball was like when pitching and defense are at their best. Today's game shows us what it looks like when the batters have their way at the dish.

Acquired the evening before, Julien Dubois (SS) had an immediate impact in the slug fest on Martinique. He had one miscue in the field, but his 4 ribbies more than made up for it.

[stevem810]

It's no secret the best teams are located in Martinique and Eastern Canada, but the race for first place in France has been exciting for all French fans of the game of baseball. The three teams, all within 1 game of each other, scrapped their way to one run wins today.

[stevem810]

After the disaster month of May (10-18) the Artists finished off the month with two straight over Le Diamant as Julien Henri singled in two runs to account for the difference in the 4-2 win. So, Paris goes 14-11 and has a game in hand over the Orchids and the Soleis.

[stevem810]

We've passed the half may mark of the FBL and our home run leader has a margin of 7 over the second and third place hitters. Guiraud has an undistinguished career but 1970 is anything but common for the first baseman playing for the Saint-Michel Nobels.

[stevem810]

The two 'friends' were a formidable duo as Herve provided the extra base hit power and Julien took care of business on the hill.

Delage went 3 for 3 with a single, triple, and home run. He scored two runs and batted in four. Herve may be on his way to his best season at the plate. The two time platinum stick 3b is batting .316 playing primarily second base. That's the thing about Delage, he can give you gold glove fielding from third or second base.

[stevem810]

Julien Henri fanned three times at the plate as the starting LF. When he wasn't striking out, he was busy singling and going yard. His 3 rbi's were enough to propel the Artists to another win by a score of 7-5.

Paris is now in first place just one game under .500 as they gave the Nobels the full broom treatment.

[stevem810]

Henri's OPS actually dipped below .600 on July 6 but he's been slowly coming out of the funk that coincided with the waiver. He picked up 3 hits today as the Artists won an extra inning game against Anse d'Arlet.

The bookend graphic of the stars of the day depict two of the all time great French Baseball League starting pitchers. Cosman and former Le Diamant Burke are about as consistent as a pitcher can be.

The Artists have opened up a 3 game lead over the Nice Orchids and are now 2 games over .500. Herve Delage has blossomed as a batter since his arrival last year in Paris. We are used to Herve grabbing the GG at third base, but always happy to do what's best for the team, Delage is playing second base. His bat and glove have been two consistent factors in a year of uncertainty in the city of lights.

[stevem810]

Here are the standings.

[stevem810]

Julien Henri went the distance as he kept the Cap Chevalier Caps off balance all day long with his array of pitches. Gerard Durand is a tough guy to outpitch on any given day, but Julien limited the Caps to 5 hits and 2 walks.
Henri had 3 base hits and Herve Delage went 2 for 5 including a double. That is 6 straight for Paris.

[stevem810]

Herve Delage has now hit in 19 straight ball games and clearly is carrying the load at the plate for Paris. Herve's .412 w/OBA is the highest of his career.

[stevem810]

Herve's hitting streak is a career best 22. He's the type of hitter who is capable of putting together a 20+ streak. He gets the bat on the ball, good eye, spray hitter who hits line drives. Delage is not easy to defend.

[stevem810]

Curiously, Henri has his own hitting streak going concurrently with Delage. 1970 is clearly not one of Julien's remarkable years at the plate but who knows what the stress of the early season did to his performance. It does make you wonder about the timing of Henri getting 'angry' and not performing and then doing better as he has settled into the 'unhappy' mode. Julien has always been a player who has been upbeat and positive. Of note, the Chemistry overview for the Artists lists all the players as being happy. Of course, logically the only area that Henri is disturbed with is TRANSACTIONS.
To the surprise of no one Ilies Blondell remains unemployed.