May 9, 2023
Vallée-des-Forts Senior Baseball League (LBSVF)
Far from the infirmary, everything will be possible for the Sorel-Tracy Marlins
By: Alexandre Brouillard
The Sorel-Tracy Marlins will begin their 13th season in the Vallée-des-Forts Senior Baseball League (LBSVF) with the same objective: to win top honors.
To do this, the players will have to stay away from the infirmary, while the last season was plagued by countless injuries, especially on the mound.
“We made a big acquisition during the off-season, namely Alex Parent,” says player-coach Francis Simard straight away.
The latter had left training in 2022 to align with the Expos de Varennes, a team that dissolved during the off-season. In 2021, with the Marlins, Parent had collected four wins in eight outings in addition to striking out 41 of the 217 batters he had faced.
The Sorelois will also be counting on the return of gunner Gabriel Morin. The latter had brought in reinforcement in the spring of 2022. However, he had only thrown 14 innings during the season due to an injury.
“If Alex and Gabriel can stay healthy, that’s really promising. There is also Derek Duchesneau who will be back. That way, we will overtax our other pitchers less, ”explains the player-coach.
Finally champions?
“This year, it’s the same tape again! [rires] We’re aiming for the championship,” says Francis Simard bluntly. Remember that the Sorel-Tracy Marlins finished last season in fourth position with 14 wins in 24 games in the LBSVF.
Then, during the playoffs in 2021 and 2022, the Marlins were eliminated by the Granby Indians who subsequently won top honors. “We had to manage without our best pitchers, alleges Francis Simard. It’s simple, we weren’t fighting on equal terms. If we stay healthy, we can win. »
The 2023 campaign will get off to a flying start with three games in five days. The Marlins will face off against the Drummondville Brewers on May 17, at 8 p.m., at the René St-Germain stadium. Then, on May 19, at the same time, they will host the Granby Indians. Finally, on Sunday May 21, they will visit the Saint-Bruno Pirates.
“I think that the intense start to the season will benefit us because we always start the seasons well, supports Francis Simard. We will be well prepared with our gym workouts. We will be ready, there is no doubt. »
Otherwise, for the rest of the lineup, the Marlins will rely on the same players. Receiver Marc-André Champagne will be back to full health after suffering a torn Achilles tendon last summer. Not to mention the power hitter Karl St-Martin who had hit eight long balls in 2022.
“We will still have a good depth with the same core which will be back. We will have an experienced team,” concludes Francis Simard.
2023-05-09 12:23:30
#infirmary #possible..
