A big thunderstorm that left a lot of rain on the field broke out at 8:10 p.m., not even 10 minutes after the start of the match. The Castors had already scored a point against Venezuelan Carlos Naveda, the result of a solid double from Dave Gauthier. And at 8:42 p.m., while the sky was still threatening and there was lightning, the referees decided to send everyone home.
Jonathan Choquette was disappointed with the decision. Because as soon as the rain had stopped, the one who is having quite a start with the new Granby team set out to help put the infield back in playing condition. He will have done this for nothing.
“I worked all night, I slept very little and I didn’t come here tonight to take only 20 swings in batting practice and catch a dozen groundballs. I wanted to play baseball!” he said when he saw the journalist approaching him.
Because you see, if Choquette took a long time before deciding to embrace the adventure of the Quebec Major Baseball League in Granby, today he is clearly happy to be where he is. And he is fully involved!
“I didn’t know that a new club was coming to Granby,” he continued. I was surprised, I didn’t understand why the Indians (his team, the Vallée-des-Forts Senior League) had not been involved and there, what’s more, I learned that the Castors, with which I have played part-time since 2019, let me go and which the Warriors want to build around me. It was too much at one time for an amateur baseball player who never received any training to dealer with all of that at the same time. I was torn to death!”
But now, Choquette ended up saying yes to François Giasson and the Guerriers. And there’s a reason he said yes.
“When I saw that I could be reunited with Yann Gauvin, Benjamin Savage, Anthony Mirande and my brother Anthony, it was a game changer. These guys are my core, nothing less than a big part of my life. In addition, we were going to be managed by Ben (Gariépy). It changed everything!”
— Jonathan Choquette
After three games, Choquette is hitting for an average of ‚400, with two home runs and five RBIs. He plays big baseball, he who is also pretty much condemned to do it with an expansion team.
“They say that the name of the game is pitching, but it will be even more true at home with Oscar (Nakaoshi, who has already won two victories) and Carlos (Naveda). It’s certain that a big part of our success will come through our international players.”
Not much baseball was played at Stade Napoléon-Fontaine on Wednesday evening. (The Voice of the East)
A dream
But let’s not be afraid of words: at 31 years old, Jonathan Choquette is realizing a dream by playing for the big club in his region. He will recall – and we still feel a bit bitter – that he only got one small appearance at bat (a double hit on the fence, he will point out) with the Junior Elite Warriors.
“Listen, I am given an important role within our home team in the best baseball league in Quebec. It’s clear that it makes me proud. The biggest thing after that is if my number 36 is one day displayed on the stadium fence!”
And he is happy to see that the Granby residents seem to want to give the LBMQ team a chance. By the way, don’t be fooled by the small crowd there was on Wednesday, a weekday evening in May when rain was forecast.
“There is enthusiasm in town, we can feel it. We won two of our first three games, but we should be 3-0. There will be ups, there will be downs, but I sincerely think that we are going to have a great summer.”
