JUMPIN’ JP FRANCE

JP France is having early success out of the bullpen for the Tri City ValleyCats

TROY » Taking his run from the left field bullpen at Joseph L. Bruno, JP France rocked his all white cleats in just his second appearance at home as a ValleyCat Tuesday night against the Auburn Doubledays.

“I actually just got them yesterday,” said France on the bright white cleats. “The guys were giving me a bunch of trash about a pitcher wearing white cleats and all that. I was telling them they’re just mad because they don’t have them.”

White cleats make you faster. It’s not a science, it’s fact, but France noted another difference.

“I can definitely jump higher,” said France. “It’s all a joke now.”

Absurd cleat choices aside, France is doing something that should get people talking more about his play, and less about his cleats.

In three appearances out of the bullpen, France has yet to allow any sort of run cross the plate. Granted, just a three and third innings pitched, France has racked up five strikeouts and just a walk as a ValleyCat. The highlight of his ValleyCat career thus far was working out of a bases loaded jam with no outs in the tenth inning against the Doubledays tuesday.

“That’s what we are here for, as a team, just to come in and save each other,” said France of his inning relief of pitcher Tim Hardy Tuesday. “In that situation I know I can’t mess up and that’s usually when my best stuff comes out.”

France continued by saying he loves high pressure situations.

France was a four year pitcher with Tulane. Hemissed the 2015 season due to injury, giving himself one more season of eligibility, where he went to Mississippi State to finish out his college career. France ap-