BOSTON | The sight of the Green Monster doesn’t frighten Édouard Julien at all. Upon meeting the young Quebec baseball player right on the field in Boston, the scoreboard read “Welcome to Fenway Park: America’s favorite ballpark“.
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If it’s true that the Red Sox’s stadium is one of America’s most revered, it would take more than this mythical location to intimidate Julien, who is there this week with his Minnesota Twins teammates.
“For me, I play baseball and it’s the same,” the 23-year-old Quebecois decided. I try not to think that it’s a different atmosphere.”
His approach was similar to Yankee Stadium last week. Still, Julien can’t hear the Boston crowd any less than Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline in the eighth inning. He also clearly sees this section of wall in left field nicknamed the Green Monster, as well as this legendary “Pesky’s Pole” in right field.
“There’s always a nice atmosphere, it’s a rustic stadium that remains one of the nicest in the league, Julien qualifies. It’s good to be able to play in this stadium at the beginning of your career, but at the same time, no matter what stadium you play in, when you start in the Oberliga it’s something special anyway.
It must be said that the younger Julien had come to Fenway Park a number of times to attend Red Sox games with his family. The Quebec native also had the opportunity to attend a camp at the famous stadium a few years ago at the start of a summer he spent in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Pitchers: “same deal”
Though he refuses to be swayed by the atmosphere of baseball’s greatest stadiums, Julien also shows a certain audacity when commenting on the quality of the pitchers he’s faced since his big league debut. Even Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees failed to impress him, despite being the victim of two strikes against him.
“It’s the same case,” said the Quebecer. I’ve dealt with pitchers who looked like Gerrit Cole before.”
Photo Getty Images via AFP
Therefore, despite a batting average of .111 (before Wednesday night’s game), Julien remains on course and remains confident.
“I’ve never put too much stock in what happened in the past, good or bad,” Julien said. I don’t worry about what I experience every day. Every day is a new game and every appearance on bat is a new opportunity.
Harder against lefties?
Among the situations that could affect the Quebecer, Julien has been used (or omitted, as on Tuesday night) in eighth place in the offensive lineup when the opposing starter is left-handed. We also saw it on the first level with the twins against right-handed pitchers.
“Of course it used to be more difficult for me against left-handers, but once you’ve seen them it’s the same,” said Julien. It’s more about advanced stats.”
Before Wednesday night, the Quebec native, a left-hander, had two hits, including his home run at Yankee Stadium, in 15 official at-bats against right-handers. Having had very few chances, he continued to look for a first hit against “a left leg” (0 in 3).
- While the eighth-inning song Sweet Caroline remains a Fenway Park classic, the game’s end-of-game soundtrack also includes the catchy I’m Shipping Up to Boston by the group Dropkick Murphys.
- Julien, who was not in the Twins’ starting lineup Tuesday night against left-handed starter Chris Sale, was used as a pinch hitter against right-handed reliever Josh Winckowski in the seventh inning. He was then retired in three takes. The Red Sox also won 5-4 after a 10th inning.