The Career of Julien Henri - A look back in time

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We earned 4 Recognition Awards this season. I was awarded a Silver Slugger Award.

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Le Diamant with a good spring showing.

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Pitching better than hitting

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The Diamonds open the season on the road in France against Fountain Bleu, a team that has never qualified for the post-season. The Anciens Combattants had a 17-13 S.T. record good for first place in the France League. With three of the top four prospects in their system, they are a team of the future, and the future may not be far off.

Herve DeLage opened the second inning with an opposite field homer to tie the game at 2-2. THREE dropped fly balls by the usually sure handed center fielder doomed the Anciens Combattants to an opening day loss. Cosman earns the W for Le Diamant.

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With most of the Diamond power coming from the bottom of the line up, Le Diamant owns first place with the 5 game winning streak.

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The following article appeared in french newspapers earlier today.

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Last season it was 2b Steve Green coming to Le Diamant and getting off to a super slow start. Green rebounded fora stellar year with a 5.3 WAR rating (below 5.8 of the previous year).
This year it's Jean-Pierre Pierson who is off to the slow start. Jean Pierre had a 6.3 WAR and took home the LCS MVP last year while playing in Marseille. A former two time GG winner, he was virtually handed the LF position this year.

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The Diamonds are on fire. Eleven straight. Piersol has put together a 6 game hitting streak. Julien Henri has worked 17 innings, yielded 17 hits, 2 walks, and fanned 16 while going 2-0.

Le Diamant is now 2nd in attendance trailing only Montreal.

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The early buzz from the college and university setting is focused on 21 year old Steve Barreau who pitches for Angers College Judges.

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Le Diamant goes 6-1 and extends the division lead. Currently, a 6 game winning streak that would have been 18 had Anse d'Arlet not won the Sunday game. Herve is hitting out of the #4 hole and doing a great job.

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Le Diamant loses the last four games while Le Morne Rouge Toucans win their last four, adding some 'drama' to the regular season. The Diamonds still have a sizable lead, while posting the best numbers in the Martinique Division in offense, defense, and pitching.

The Expedition are in Le Diamant for 2 more games. This is the team that appears to be the early favorite to win the championship. And, why not? They are the reigning champs, playing .679 ball, and will be getting a few of their injured pitches back later in the season. An experienced proven winner, so it's only natural that Le Diamant play well the next two games.

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From the Journal of Julien Henri

I was out pitched in the game last night. The Expedition, with their offense and experienced bats, proved a bit much for me. I had been averaging just over 1 BB per 9 IP, but, last night I gave up 3 free passes. 5 K's for the night and 7 hits yielded in just 5.2 IP.

The team is going to throw the kitchen sink at them the next two games. These two are probably more important to us, then them, as we'd like to send the message that we are the favored team.

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Never to be confused with a control picture, Picot does have other weapons and he was handsomely rewarded this week with a big contract extension.

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From the Journal of Julien Henri

Skip started me in CF batting lead-off. I guess he had a good feeling about starting me. It payed off. I tripled in the tying run, and with the bases juiced, and the infield in, singled in the winning run. I could get used to this. All against the Expedition, too. Series tied at 1-1.

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He's 29 years old. Some say that is the peak age of performance for a baseball player. When he was 27 he hit .268/.313/.370. When he was 28 he hit .252/,310/.365. Now that he is 29 his numbers are:

.368/.393/.500

The Scouting Report actually took Marc Guedon down a notch. The problem was, no one told him about it. Or, he wasn't listening. He has helped Saint-Michel to a 15-14 record and a solid foothold on second place in the French Canadian League.

Joe Coleman, MGR., you remember him? Fired from the Le Diamant system, is still batting him in 7 hole. Clearly, Coleman has little faith in Guedon's ability to sustain his torrid pace. Yet, the temperamental skipper does not have a rep for being a big believer in his players.

Said Guedon, "You know I've been around long enough to know that people can say or think whatever they want and it won't make a bit of difference at the end of the day. All that matters is the bottom line. So, yeah, let the doubters doubt. I love flying under the radar."

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For the 22,986 fans who paid to see the final game between the Expedition and the Diamonds, they were not disappointed. Brophy entered the game for the Expedition with a 3-0/ 1.39 ERA. For the Diamonds, it was Cosman with a 5-1 record.

An error by Herve LeVage and Matthieu Michel paved the way for 3 unearned runs. At the same time it was Herve's double that jump started the run 4th inning for Le Diamant and it was Michel's single to CF that ended the game in the bottom of the 9th. The Final Score was 6-5.

Le Diamant improves to 22-8 while Chicoutimi-Jonquiere falls to 19-11. Both teams occupy first in their division.

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Le Diamant has inserted Julien Henri into the starting line up in CF, of late. The move has evoked a positive response from the young two way player as he has upped his batting average to .435.

On the mound Henri boasts a 5-1 with a 2.98 ERA.

Highly popular team leader Laurant Mercier leads the team with six homers (tied with Lorenzo), which puts him on pace for 24, a career high.

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The batting numbers for Julien Henri.

[BirdWatcher]

Originally Posted by stevem810

The batting numbers for Julien Henri.

Well, an awfully nice start to the season at the very least.

[stevem810]

Originally Posted by BirdWatcher

Well, an awfully nice start to the season at the very least.

Agree. The two free agent signings the past 2 years and the young stars coming of age add up to a high probability that Le Diamant will win a title(s), soon.

Julien is starting to develop, especially with the bat, at least for now. He's 5 years in to his career and maybe on the cusp of a big breakout. Of course, we've seen it go the other way, too. Antoine LeRoux (AAA) looked for all the world to be the future ace of the league. Now, several injuries later, he can't find the plate.