The project of returning baseball to Montreal came to an abrupt end in 2022

(Montreal) The year 2022 may have sounded the death knell for the return of baseball to Montreal, the same year when on the field, there seems to be a resurgence of Quebec players within Major League Baseball teams.

Shared custody and Montreal sacrificed

The news fell at the very beginning of the year, on January 20 precisely: the MLB rejected without appeal the project of sister cities that Stephen Bronfman and Stuart Sternberg, majority owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, cherished for Montreal and St. Petersburg. .

Commissioner Robert Manfred did not justify his decision at the time, but several people familiar with the matter consulted by The Canadian Press have since suggested that this was the price to pay to ratify the new collective agreement. Locked out at the time, the players used this project as leverage to ratify the new agreement, which had until then delayed the start of the camps.

A new contract was finally ratified in the second week of March, allowing MLB to play a full 162-game season — albeit starting a week later than planned — and an extended playoff to 12 teams.

As for Bronfman and his Montreal Baseball Group, he was betting so much on joint custody with St. Petersburg that he will admit that no plan B had been considered. When the rejection of the project was announced, the group was finalizing the presentation of its development project for the Bridge-Wellington sector, including the model of its baseball stadium.

Bronfman has not given an interview since.

The project that had timidly emerged with a press conference by Warren Cromartie in December 2013 was most likely relegated to oblivion some eight years later.

In an interview with RDS a few weeks ago, businessman Mitch Garber, one of the partners of the Montreal Baseball Group, did not want to say that the return of baseball was dead, but he admitted that it was moving. very little in this sense.

Leblanc Breakthrough

On the diamonds, the year 2022 was that of Charles Leblanc’s accession to the formation of the Miami Marlins. And it’s safe to say he made sure to get noticed all over MLB.

Leblanc, a 26-year-old infielder, was recalled at the end of July by the Marlins. He played his first game on July 30, hitting a double in three appearances against the New York Mets. The next day, he added another double, in addition to hitting his first home run, against Taijuan Walker.

The Laval baseball player will hit a hit in 11 of his first 12 games, going on a seven-game hitting streak. He hit the trails in his first 13 Major League games.

In the end, Leblanc was used in 48 games by manager Don Mattingly, maintaining very respectable averages of .263/.320/.404 with four homers, 10 doubles and 11 RBIs. Defensively, he was used most often in the second sack, playing 26 games there. He also played third (13 games) and first (eight times). He had just one error in 142 chances for a .993 save percentage.

Toro will have to pull himself together

The “veteran” Abraham Toro has had a difficult season with the Seattle Mariners.

In his fourth season in the Majors, Toro, 25, still isn’t able to make a permanent spot on the roster.

Prior to the season, the Mariners had made a deal to add second baseman Adam Frazier and third baseman Eugenio Suarez – Toro’s two favorite positions – to the roster. Confined to a role of reservist, he was unable to convince his manager Scott Servais, his averages of .185/.239/.324 bringing him few arguments. There’s a limit to what being an ambidextrous hitter can do. Moreover, if he was registered in the formation of the 26 players for the playoffs, he was not used in the five games of his team.

The Mariners traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers in the trade that moved second baseman Kolten Wong to the West Coast. His situation will be no different: he will have to fight for his playing time.

In four seasons with the Astros and Mariners, Toro only hit .206. Clearly, the 2023 season will be decisive for the rest of his career.

Lopez waits his turn

On the side of the Jays, Otto Lopez made a very good impression in the very short time that we called on him with the big club.

Lopez appeared in eight late-schedule meetings, recording nine at-bats. The 24-year-old Dominican-born Montrealer did his best, getting no less than six hits and driving in three runs.

At the AAA level with the Buffalo Bisons, Lopez has been excellent, maintaining offensive averages of .297/.378/.415. Of his 101 hits, 28 were for more than one base. He drove in 34 points and scored 53.

Lopez is something of a victim of infield congestion for the Jays. It will be interesting to see what kind of side he will experience and if he will be able to force the organization’s hand.

Julien next?

Of the dozen Quebecers playing in the minor leagues, Édouard Julien seems the closest to breaking into the formation of the Majors.

The Minnesota Twins prospect just had his name added to the 40-man roster, meaning he can be recalled at any time.

After having had an excellent season at the AA level in Wichita (.300/.441/.490, 120 hits, including 17 homers, and 67 RBI), Julien, ranked 14^e Twins prospect by MLB.com, was invited to take part in the Arizona Fall League, where he broke everything.

He averaged .400/.563/.686 in this league reserved for the brightest prospects in all of baseball. His .563 base attendance average is the league’s third-highest all-time. He was also a finalist for the title of league MVP.

His inclusion on the list of 40 players will earn him a first invitation to the Major camp, which will open in a few weeks in Florida.