Samuel Meurant

From BR Bullpen

S meurant headshot.jpg

Samuel Meurant

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 6' 1", Weight 176 lb.

Biographical Information[edit]

Samuel Meurant has been on the French national team in three different decades, spanning 23 years. His twin brother Anthony Meurant and his brother David Meurant have also been on the team. His nephews Tanguy Meurant and Mathis Meurant have also played in France. He played in Hoofdklasse in 2003.

Meurant went 2-0 despite a 12.08 ERA in the 1993 European Championship. He was also 1 for 1 with a walk and a run on offense. He tied Oswald Boermans, Massimiliano Masin, Rubén Garcia, Patrick Klerx, Geoffry Kohl and Mikael Aho for the tournament lead in wins.

He was 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA in the 1993 Intercontinental Cup at age 20. He allowed 20 hits (5 homers) and 10 walks in 12 innings. In the 1994 Baseball World Cup, he was 0-2 with a 9.98 ERA, 28 hits allowed and 10 walks in 15 1/3 IP. In the 1995 European Championship, the right-hander was 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA though he walked 13 in 18 innings. Meurant walked 13 in 15 innings in the 1997 Intercontinental Cup but went 1-2 with a 4.80 ERA and got France's only win in 7 games, beating Spain and future AA hurler Manny Olivera, 9-4. He pitched 3 2/3 hitless innings in the 1999 European Championship, saving one game.

In the 2001 Baseball World Cup, the 28-year-old excelled. He allowed no earned runs (and four runs altogether) in 15 2/3 IP, walking only two and going 0-1. He even singled in his only at-bat for a team that hit .171. He tied Jose Contreras, Chung-Nan Tsai, Brett Gray and Jose Colon for the best ERA in the competition. He was 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in the 2001 European Championship, failing to stop the powerful Dutch national team in the semifinals.

Meurant played for Belgium's Brasschaat Braves in 2001, going 6 for 15 at the plate while turning in a 5-2, 1.65 record with 7 saves and 56 K in 54 2/3 IP.

Meurant was 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA in the 2003 European Championship, only giving up eight hits in 15 innings. Joining the Tornado's of Hoofdklasse, he was 7-4 with two saves. He tied for 9th in the league in saves and tied Jeroen Deken for sixth in wins. He had a 0-1, 9.00 record in the 2003 Baseball World Cup for France.

In the 2005 European Championship, Meurant had the best ERA (0.00 in 17 2/3 innings) of the competition though France failed to win a medal. Meurant did not make the tourney All-Star team as Xavier Civit was picked as the top right-handed hurler. Meurant's record was 1-1, 3.94 in the 2007 European Championship. In the 2007 Division Elite, Meurant was 10-2 with a save and 120 1/3 IP and was named Pitcher of the Year.

Meurant was a key hurler for the Templiers de Sénart in the 2008 European Cup in Regensburg. He went 2-0 and allowed only one run (unearned) in 18 innings, striking out 21 and allowing 10 hits and 2 walks. He led the Cup in wins, ERA and strikeouts. He hurt his team in their final game when he pinch-ran for Ian Young and was caught stealing third base.

In the 2008 Division Elite season, Meurant went 14-5 with 2 saves and a 2.16 ERA, striking out 176 and walking 24 in 158 IP. Meurant was 0-2 with a 3.46 ERA in the 2009 European Cup in Matino with 12 strikeouts in 13 innings, one K behind Homer Baez for the tourney lead. He was hindered by a Sénart "offense" that hit only .140 for the Cup.

Samuel won the award for Best Pitcher at the 2009 Challenge de France de baseball, playing for the Templiers de Sénart. In the 2010 European Championship, he had a workhorse effort (134 pitches), allowing one unearned run (6 H, 5 BB, 6 K) to beat the Czech national team. He struggled in a loss to Sweden, though (11 H, 3 R in 5 2/3 IP).

He broke his wrist during a playoff game between France and Sweden on September 1, 2010, when he was hit in the arm by a ball from the Swedish batter. He would throw one more pitch before stopping due to the pain (the pitch would turn into a homerun for the Swedish team). Samuel would require surgery to correct the fracture, and he announced that he would no longer play in international competitions after the accident. [1] He returned to pitch for the Templiers, but announced that 2012 would be his last season.

After not pitching for several years, he announced his comeback for 2016 and joined France for the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers. Their older player at age 43, he played a role in France's first win ever in a World Baseball Classic qualifier. He relieved Esteban Prioul with a 5-2 lead, two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 6th against 2013 WBC entry Spain. He got Oscar Angulo to escape danger. In the 7th, he allowed only one baserunner, on a Yunesky Sanchez single, retiring former major leaguer Engel Beltre to end the frame. In the 8th, the old-timer walked Jesús Golindano, retired Blake Ochoa and allowed a hit to Yasser Gómez before Dan Camou relieved; one inherited runner would score as France pulled out a 5-3 win.

Personal Info[edit]

Samuel and his partner Emmanuelle became parents when their daughter Lili-Rose was born on April 6th, 2009. [2]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ http://www.rouenbaseball76.com/Samuel-Meurant-le-coup-dur-1298.html
  2. ↑ http://www.baseball-france.com/index.php?id=10&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=13&tx_ttnews[backPid]=9&cHash=9bc3367b3c

Sources[edit]

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