Jewish Baseball News

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of May 21-27, 2018:

Barash

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Michael Barash

C Michael Barash (Angels/AA) hit .471 (8-for-17) last week with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, 6 walks and a .583 on-base percentage. This is his second straight Hitter of the Week award.

Kremer

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Dean Kremer

• P Dean Kremer* (Dodgers/High-A) struggled in a May 22 start, but the dual U.S.-Israeli citizen returned with a phenomenal win on May 27, pitching 6 no-hit innings while striking out 10 and walking just one. His relievers sustained the no-hitter until yielding a home run with two outs in the 9th inning (see article). Had they held on, it would have been the first no-hitter in Rancho Cucamonga Quakes history.

Mazel tov

• Former college pitcher Jason Bell is the new manager of Tri-City ValleyCats, the short-season team of the Houston Astros. At 27, he is among the youngest managers in minor-league baseball.
• Richard Stock, a former Cleveland Indians prospect and the brother of San Diego Padres prospect Robert Stock, recently finished his degree at Nebraska University and won its English department’s fiction award. He is working on a semi-autobiographical novel about a baseball player; check out his blog here.
• Speaking of Robert Stock, MiLB.com says he’s on the cusp of reaching the Major Leagues.
• Former San Francisco Giants prospect Adam Sonabend is working in the front office of the Atlanta Braves, where he serves as an advance scouting trainee.

Other highlights

• C Nick Rickles (Phillies/AAA) hit .364 (4-for-11) with 2 HRs, 4 RBIs and a .417 OBP last week.
• After 2 weeks on the disabled list, C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA) returned to hit .375 (3-for-8) with a home run, 2 RBIs and a .500 OBP.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays/AAA) hit .290 (9-for-31) with a homer, stolen base, 9 RBIs and a .353 OBP.
• 1B Cody Decker (Diamondbacks/AAA) hit .200 (2-for-10) with a homer, double and 4 RBIs. Thanks to 4 walks and 2 HBPs, he had a .444 on-base percentage.
• RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/High-A) went 3-for-4 on May 21 with 2 HRs and 3 RBIs. It was the second multi-homer game this month for Wiseman, who leads all Jewish minor leaguers with 9 HRs.
• C Mitchell Kranson (Angels/High-A) hit .300 (3-for-10) with a double and an RBI.
• In his first week of the 2018 season, 2B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/A) hit .316 (6-for-19) with a triple, 2 RBIs and 2 walks.
• P Jeremy Bleich* (Athletics/AAA) pitched 5 shutout innings over 2 games, yielding 3 hits and a walk while striking out 6. After recording a 3.97 ERA in April, Bleich has a 0.84 ERA in May.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/AA) was perfect in three one-inning relief appearances, yielding zero hits or walks while striking out 4 and earning his first save of the season.
• P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/High-A) pitched three shutout innings over 3 games, yielding just one hit and no walks while striking out 5. He has a 0.87 ERA in May.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/High-A) pitched 2.2 shutout innings across 2 games, yielding one hit and 2 walks while striking out 2 and earning his sixth save in six chances, tops among Jewish minor leaguers.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/A) pitched 4 innings of one-run ball over 3 games, yielding 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8. The 2017 draftee is averaging 14.9 strikeouts per 9 innings.
• P Jordan Scheftz (Indians/A) made his 2018 debut on May 27, striking out the lone batter he faced.

Transactions

• C Mitchell Kranson (Angels/High-A) came off the disabled list on May 23.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA) came off the disabled list on May 23.
• SS Scotty Burcham* (Rockies/AA) came off the disabled list on May 22.
• 2B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/A) was assigned to the franchise’s Single-A club on May 22.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Cardinals/AAA) entered the disabled list on May 18.

Free agents

• Former major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Scott Feldman, Elliott Barzilli, Dalton Blumenfeld, Mike Meyers*, Troy Neiman*, Maxx Tissenbaum and Jeremy Wolf.
• Ike Davis*, a former major leaguer who tried to reinvent himself as a pitcher in 2017, is rumored to have retired, but this is unconfirmed.

Disabled list

• P Ryan Sherriff (Cardinals/AAA), since May 18.
• 2B Adam Walton (Diamondbacks/High-A), since May 14.
• P Craig Breslow (Blue Jays/AA), since May 2.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AAA), since early May.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A), since April 9.
• P R C Orlan* (Indians/AA).
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA), since April 5.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

Members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad are marked with an asterisk.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Ian Kinsler was 1-for-5 with his seventh double of the year as the LA Angels (28-22) crushed the host Toronto Blue Jays, 8-1. Kevin Pillar was o-for-2 with a walk for the Jays (23-27), who have lost seven of their last nine games.

Neither Danny Valencia nor Richard Bleier appeared for the Baltimore Orioles (16-34), who beat the hist Chicago White Sox, 9-3, behind a complete game from Dylan Bundy.

Ryan Braun was back for the Milwaukee Brewers (31-20), batting third and playing left field as they were shut out by the visiting NY Mets, 5-0. Braun — just reinstated from the disabled list with back tightness — singled in his first at bat and was 1-for-4.

Alex Bregman hit a three-run home run to give the Houston Astros (33-18) a 3-2 lead over the host Cleveland Indians in the fifth inning. He added an RBI double (#17) in the the eighth to close out the scoring in an 8-2 Astros win.

Joc Pederson and the LA Dodgers had the day off, as did Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Alex Bregman was 1-for-2 with two walks, his fifth stolen base, and a caught stealing as the Houston Astros (32-18) beat the visiting San Francisco Giants, 4-1.

Danny Valencia was 1-for-4 with a run scored as the DH for the Baltimore Orioles (15-34), who were crushed, 11-1, by the host Chicago White Sox. Richard Bleier did not appear for the O’s.

Ian Kinsler took an 0-for-5 collar as the LA Angels (27-22) beat the host Toronto Blue Jays, 5-4, scoring four runs in the top of the ninth. Kevin Pillar was 0-for-3 with a walk for the Jays (23-26). Funny how there are articles about Pillar’s “sustaining his strong start” (when he’s having difficulties at the moment) and Kinsler’s struggles on the the same day.

Speaking of Kinsler, he recently was interviewed about his decision to go to college in 2000 rather than accept a draft offer from his home-state Arizona Diamondbacks:

Joc Pederson had a pinch-hit double in the seventh as the LA Dodgers (22-27) shut out the visiting Colorado Rockies, 3-0. Pederson remained in the game in left field without another at-bat.

The Milwaukee Brewers (31-19) are 7-2 since putting Ryan Braun on the disabled list on May 17 (retroactive to May 14), Last night, they beat the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, 9-2. Braun is eligible to come off the DL today.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (28-19) beat the visiting Atlanta Braves, 4-0.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Alex Bregman had two RBI doubles (14, tied for fourth in the American League) and a walk in five plate appearances along with a stolen base (#4) to help the Houston Astros (31-18) beat the visiting San Francisco Giants, 11-2. As per CBSSports.com, “Bregman extended his hitting streak to six games (8-for-23, four extra-base hits) and has reached base safely in 17 of 19 games during the month of May. That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise as it was during May when he started to bust out last season. He’s slashing .286/.383/.529 this month, raising his season line to .270/.381/.427. The Albuquerque native may be one of those players whose bat heats up as the weather does.”

Click to watch

Richard Bleier had his worst outing of the season for the Baltimore Orioles. He entered the game against the visiting Chicago White Sox in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and one out and allowed two of the runners to score (sacrifice fly and single) before being lifted, earning him his first blown save. Danny Valencia did not appear for the O’s (15-33).

Ian Kinsler remained in the leadoff spot and was 0-for-3 with an RBI on a sacrifice fly as the LA Angels (26-22) lost to the host Toronto Blue Jays (23-25), 5-3. Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4. Kinsler’s batting average dropped to .197 while Pillar has seen his batting average drop from .322 on May 3 to .287, which seems to be following a pattern over his career: a really hot start followed by so-so production. His 18 doubles are second in the AL.

Joc Pederson entered the game for the LA Dodgers (21-27) as a defensive replacement in their 5-3 win over the visiting Colorado Rockies. He did not come to bat.

Ryan Braun remains on the disabled list for the Milwaukee Brewers (30-19), who shut out the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, 1-0. He is eligible to come off the DL on Thursday.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (27-19) fell to the visiting Atlanta Braves, 3-1. According to a PhillyVoice contributor, “It’s pitching – and Gabe Kapler’s positivity – that are making the Phillies believers.”

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Richard Bleier picked up his second hold in a row for the Baltimore Orioles (15-32), who held off the host Chicago White Sox, 3-2. He allowed one hit in one inning of work. Danny Valencia was 0-for-4 as the starting third baseman (batting fifth).

Joc Pederson was 0-for-4 as the leadoff batter and starting left fielder in the LA Dodgers’ (20-27) 2-1 loss to the visiting Colorado Rockies.

Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies (27-18) shut out the visiting Atlanta Braves, 3-0. Kap discussed the win in a post-game interview:

Ryan Braun remains on the disabled list for the Milwaukee Brewers (29-19), who beat the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-2. But he’s still managing to keep busy via volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity.

No game Monday for Kevin Pillar and the T0ronto Blue Jays, or Ian Kinsler and the LA Angels.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of May 14-20, 2018:

Barash

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Michael Barash

C Michael Barash (Angels/AA), a 2016 draftee out of Texas A&M, hit .500 (5-for-10) last week with a home run, 5 RBIs, 3 walks and a stolen base.

Fishman

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Jake Fishman

• P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/High-A), a 2016 draftee out of Union College, pitched 2.2 perfect innings across 2 games last week, yielding no hits or walks while striking out 4. After surrendering a 5.40 ERA and 1.80 hits/walks per inning in April, Fishman has a 1.23 ERA in May and is giving up just 0.68 hits/walks per inning.

Other highlights

• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays/AAA) hit .316 (6-for-19) with a double, 2 RBIs and a walk.
• C Ryan Lavarnway* (Pirates/AAA) hit .286 (4-for-14) with 3 RBIs and a walk.
• P Robert Stock (Padres/AAA) pitched 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding just one hit and no walks while striking out 4. Since his promotion to Triple-A, Stock has recorded a 2.25 ERA and given up just 0.75 hits/walks per inning.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/A) pitched 2.2 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 3.
• P Brad Goldberg* (White Sox/AA) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 4.
• P Dean Kremer* (Dodgers/High-A) pitched 6 innings of one-run ball on May 16 en route to his second win. Kremer yielded 3 hits and 3 walks, and his 7 strikeouts gave him 60 for the season, #2 in the California League.

Transactions

• SS Scotty Burcham* (Rockies/AA) was placed on the disabled list.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA) was placed on the disabled list.
• 2B Adam Walton (Diamondbacks/High-A) was played on the disabled list.
• C Jason Goldstein (Athletics/High-A) was placed on the disabled list May 9 and then removed on May 13.
• Former San Francisco Giants prospect Adam Sonabend is working in the front office of the Atlanta Braves, where he serves as an advance scouting trainee.

Free agents

• Former major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Scott Feldman, Elliott Barzilli, Dalton Blumenfeld, Mike Meyers*, Troy Neiman*, Maxx Tissenbaum and Jeremy Wolf.
• Ike Davis*, a former major leaguer who tried to reinvent himself as a pitcher in 2017, is rumored to have retired, but this is unconfirmed.

Disabled list

• SS Scotty Burcham* (Rockies/AA), since May 15.
• 2B Adam Walton (Diamondbacks/High-A), since May 14.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA), since May 11.
• P Craig Breslow (Blue Jays/AA), since May 2.
• C Mitchell Kranson (Twins/High-A), since April 15.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A), since April 9.
• P R C Orlan* (Indians/AA).
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA), since April 5.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

Members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad are marked with an asterisk.

Get your Jewish baseball news via e-mail

By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Joc Pederson, batting leadoff and playing left field, was 2-for-5 with a triple (#3) and a run scored as the LA Dodgers took the first game of a doubleheader against the host Washington Nationals on Saturday, 4-1. He also threw out a runner at second base, his second outfield assistant in four days. Pederson had the same role in the nightcap (necessitated by a rainout the day before), doubling (#5) in three at-bats plus a walk and another run scored in a 5-4 win. He came out of the game in the ninth for pinch-hitter Matt Kemp, who doubled in the winning runs. On Sunday, Pederson entered the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth. He doubled (#6) in his only at-bat, driving in a run and later coming around to score as the Dodgers (20-26, fifth in NL West) swept the Nats with a 7-2 win.

After sitting out Friday’s 8-3 loss by the LA Angels to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, Ian Kinsler had a double (#6) in three at-bats with a run scored in a 5-3 loss. He returned to the lead-off spot on Sunday, going 0-for-4 with a walk and his fifth stolen base as the Angels (25-21, third in the AL West) salvaged the last game with a 5-2 win.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts on Friday as the Toronto Blue Jays lost 3-1 to the visiting Oakland A’s. The next day, he was 0-for-2 with a walk and an RBI in a 5-4 loss. In Sunday’s finale, Pillar was 0-for-2, coming out of the game for a defensive replacement in the eighth as the A’s completed a sweep of the Jays (22-25, fifth in AL East).

Alex Bregman was 1-for-4 as the Houston Astros beat the visiting Cleveland Indians, 4-1, on Friday, making this nifty play for the first out of the game.  He hit his fourth homer in a 5-4 loss the next day, his only hit in four at-bats. Bregman was 2-for-4 on Sunday in a 3-1 Astros win (30-18, first in the AL West).

Danny Valencia was 1-for-3 with a run scored on Friday as the Baltimore Orioles (14-32, last in the AL East) beat the host Boston Red Sox, 7-4. He sat out Saturday’s 6-3 loss and was 1-for-4 in Sunday’s 5-0 loss. Richard Bleier earned a hold on Friday, although he did allow an inherited runner to score, giving up two hits in 2/3 of an inning. It was his only appearance in the three games.

Ryan Braun remains on the disabled list for the Milwaukee Brewers (28-19), who took two of three from the host Minnesota Twins.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (26-18, second in NL East) dropped two of three to the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. The team’s recent success has changed some minds about Kap.

Just sayin’: The NY Mets are hurting for outfielders, so much so that they’re experimenting with Dominic Smith, playing him in the pasture when he’s always been a first baseman. Why not give Zach Borenstein — a member of the Israeli team at the World Baseball Classic — a chance?

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Kevin Pillar was 2-for-4 with his MLB-best 18th double of the year as the Toronto Blue Jays (22-22) lost 10-5 to the visiting Oakland A’s. He drove in a run with a sac fly and scored another. Sadly, there are some who see his strong start in a less-than-charitable light.

Speaking of Pillar, his mom threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Mother’s Day:

Danny Valencia — starting at third and batting seventh for the Baltimore Orioles (13-30) — had two of his team’s five hits in a 6-2 loss to the host Boston Red Sox. Richard Bleier did not appear for the O’s.

Ian Kinsler was 0-for-4 as the LA Angels (25-19) lost to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, 7-1.

Joc Pederson was 0-for-1 after entering the game as a defensive replacement as the LA Dodgers (17-26) shut out the host Miami Marlins, 7-0.

Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros had the day off.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (25-16) beat the host St. Louis Cardinals, 6-2. In case you haven’t noticed, the Phillies are just a half game out of first place in the NL East.

Was this trip really necessary? The Atlanta Braves called up Max Fried to start yesterday’s game against the visiting Chicago Cubs. But when the game was cancelled, Fried was returned to the minors.

As I was sayin’: The Milwaukee Brewers have put Ryan Braun on the 10-day disabled list. All I can think of is the Mets’ David Wright. He’s seen an outstanding career sidetracked the past few years due to injuries.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Kevin Pillar was 2-for-5 with an RBI (and two strikeouts) as the Toronto Blue Jays (22-21) beat up on the host NY Mets in a rain-soaked game, 12-1.

Joc Pederson had a double (#5) in five at-bats as the LA Dodgers fell to the host Miami Marlins, 6-5. He had a couple of good defensive plays, including a tumbling catch and an assist, throwing out a runner at third base.

Click for video

Alex Bregman picked up his 14th double, his only hit in four at-bats, and scored a run as the Houston Astros (28-17) beat the host LA Angels, 2-0. Ian Kinsler was 1-for-3 for the Angels (25-18).

Make that two games in a row in which the previously stingy Richard Bleier has allowed the opposition to score. This time it was one run on two hits in 0.2 innings as the Baltimore Orioles (13-29) lost to Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies (24-16), 4-1. Danny Valencia did not appear for the O’s.

Ryan Braun missed another game as the Milwaukee Brewers (26-18) beat the host Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-1. Braun has been plagued by back issues and may end up on the disabled list.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Sorry no post on Monday, but just my luck that my street lost power during the storms that hit the area. Won’t get it back until tonight at the earliest but since I have the day off, I’m writing remotely from my local library. So without further adieu…

Alex Bregman was 1-for-3 with his 28th walk on Tuesday, scoring two runs and making a flashy play at third as the Houston Astros (27-17) beat the host LA Angels (25-12), 5-3. His .381 on-base percentage is tied for #1 on the Astros. Ian Kinsler had a double in four at-bats for the Halos.

Ryan Braun (back tightness) did not appear for the Milwaukee Brewers (25-18), who lost to the host Arizona Diamondbacks, 2-1. Is he heading into that portion of an athlete’s life where every little knick and ping is a big deal?

Joc Pederson flied out as a pinch-hitter in the fifth for the LA Dodgers (16-25), who lost to the host Miami Marlins, 4-2. Pederson remained in the game in center and was 0-for-1 in a subsequent trip to the plate.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4 as the Toronto Blue Jays (21-21) lost their interleague scrimmage with the host NY Mets, 12-2.

The game between the Philadelphia Phillies (Gabe Kapler) and Baltimore Orioles (Danny Valencia, Richard Bleier) was postponed by rain. But you can check out these 10 questions with Bleier.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

MOT of the Weekend honors go to Danny Valencia, who was 4-for-5 on Sunday with his fifth home run, three runs scored, and four RBIs to help the Baltimore Orioles (13-28, last in the AL East) annihilate the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, 17-1. The solo shot came in the second inning and gave the woeful O’s a 1-0 lead. Valencia drove in another on a force out in the third, another on an infield hit in the fourth, and the last on a bloop hit in the seventh. He was 0-for-3 in Saturday’s 10-3 loss and did not play in Friday’s 9-4 win.

As for Richard Bleier, well, you knew his streak of scoreless appearances couldn’t go on forever. He gave up two runs on three hits and a walk on Friday — his only appearance for the weekend — and saw his ERA “soar” from 0.44 to 1.17. Before that, he had gone 14 straight appearances without yielding a run.

Kevin Pillar was 3-for-13 with his AL-leading 17th double and his eighth stolen base (tied for fifth in the A.L.) as the Toronto Blue Jays (21-20, third in AL East) lost two of three to the visiting Boston Red Sox.

Alex Bregman was 3-for-8 with two doubles and three walks as the Houston Astros (26-16, first in the AL West) took two of three from the visiting Texas Rangers.

Ryan Braun had a double and walk in three plate appearances in Friday’s 11-10, 10-inning win by the Milwaukee Brewers over the host Colorado Rockies. He also scored one run and drove another in. Braun was 0-for-8 for the rest of the weekend, including striking out four times in yesterday’s contest. The Brewers (24-17, first in NL Central) took two of the three games.

Ian Kinsler was 2-for-10 but walked four times as the LA Angels (24-16, second in AL West) dropped two of three to the visiting Minnesota Twins.

Joc Pederson was 2-for-12 with two RBIs as the LA Dodgers (16-24, fourth in NL West) lost three to the visiting Cincinnati Reds, who swept the four-game series.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (23-16, second NL East) split a two-game series with the visiting NY Mets. The second game was rained out.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of May 7-13, 2018:

Rickles

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Nick Rickles*

C Nick Rickles* (Phillies/AAA) hit .714 (5-for-7) last week with 2 HRs, 2 RBIs and a walk, with both home runs coming on May 9. He is hitting .314 this season and was the subject of two recent articles: one on his improved hitting, and another on his social-media prowess.

Effross

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Scott Effross

P Scott Effross (Cubs/AA) pitched 4 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 7.

Other highlights

• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA) hit .444 (4-for-9) with a double, triple and 2 RBIs. He is hitting .358 this season and has thrown out 7 of 14 attempted base-stealers.
• C Ryan Lavarnway* (Indians/AAA) hit .571 (4-for-7) with 3 doubles and a walk. So far this season he has retired 3 of 4 attempted base-stealers.
• SS Scott Burcham* (Rockies/AA) went 3-for-4 on March 10 with a home run, double and 2 RBIs. Since making his Double-A debut on May 5, he is hitting .375 with a .474 on-base percentage and 1.161 OPS.
• 2B Adam Walton (Diamondbacks/A) hit .556 (5-for-9) with a double, 2 RBIs and 2 walks.
• C Scott Manea (Mets/A) hit .533 (8-for-15) with a home run, 2 doubles, 5 RBIs and a walk. He leads the Columbia Fireflies in batting average (.319), on-base percentage (.484) and slugging percentage (.528) and has thrown out 11 of 17 attempted base-stealers.
• RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/High-A) hit .286 (6-for-21) with 2 HRs, a double, 5 RBIs and 2 walks. Both home runs came on May 10.
• P Jeremy Bleich* (Athletics/AAA) pitched 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 3 hits and a walk while striking out one.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/A) pitched 2 scoreless innings on May 10, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out 3.
• P Alex Katz* (Orioles/A) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding one hit and 3 walks while striking out 6.

Transactions

• P Ryan Sheriff (Cardinals/AAA) was optioned to Triple-A.

Free agents

• Former major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Scott Feldman, Elliott Barzilli, Dalton Blumenfeld, Mike Meyers*, Troy Neiman*, Adam Sonabend, Maxx Tissenbaum and Jeremy Wolf.
• Ike Davis*, a former major leaguer who tried to reinvent himself as a pitcher in 2017, is rumored to have retired, but this is unconfirmed.

Disabled list

• P Craig Breslow (Blue Jays/AA), since May 2.
• C Mitchell Kranson (Twins/High-A), since April 15.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A), since April 9.
• P R C Orlan* (Indians/AA).
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA), since April 5.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

Members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad are marked with an asterisk.

Get your Jewish baseball news via e-mail

By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Maybe moving down in the lineup helped: Ian Kinsler was 3-for-4 with his second homer of the year as the LA Angels (23-14) beat the visiting Minnesota Twins, 7-4 (see article). The two-run blast put the Angels on the scoreboard in the second inning.

Kevin Pillar hit his A.L.-leading 16th double of the year and scored a run as the Toronto Blue Jays (20-18) lost to the visiting Seattle Mariners, 9-3. It was the only hit in three at-bats for Pillar, who came out for a pinch-hitter in the ninth.

Ryan Braun was 0-for-5 as the Milwaukee Brewers (22-16) topped the host Colorado Rockies, 5-2.

Joc Pederson was 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored as the LA Dodgers (16-21) lost 4-1 to the suddenly-improved Cincinnati Reds. He came out of the game for a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

Neither Richard Bleier nor Danny Valencia appeared for the Baltimore Orioles (10-27) in their 11-6 win over the visiting KC Royals.

Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros had the day off.

Gabe Kapler’s resilient Philadelphia Phillies improved to 22-15 by sweeping their series against the visiting San Francisco Giants with a 6-3 victory.

By the way, Pillar and Bleier (middle and far right in the photo below) were named in MLB.com article titled “Here are 5 unsung heroes in the AL East.” As Jack R. noted in an email, “40% Jews!”

Here’s the lowdown for both MOTs:

Blue Jays OF Kevin Pillar
Why you should know about him: Despite never having won a Gold Glove Award, Pillar is generally regarded as one of the top defensive outfielders. His Superman dives have become his own personal trademark across Canada, and he makes frequent appearances on the highlight reels.

Why you don’t: Pillar has never really offered much beyond his glove. Entering Wednesday, he had a career on-base percentage of .306, but surprisingly enough, it’s his bat that deserves some praise during the early stages of 2018. Pillar has moved into the heart of Toronto’s lineup, and he entered Wednesday tied for the Major League lead with 15 doubles. He also led the Blue Jays in hits (42), average (.309) and slugging percentage (.537).

What they’re saying: “When you look at him, his pitch selection has been good. He has been laying off some tough pitches and putting the ball in play. You hope he keeps on this run. He’s moved up into the middle of the order, and that’s a good thing. … He was playing pretty well and doing some things in Spring Training that carried into the season. That’s pitch selection and putting the barrel on the ball.” — Blue Jays bench coach DeMarlo Hale

Orioles LHP Richard Bleier
Why you should know about him: It’s tough to envision a reliever having a better start to a year than Bleier, who entered Wednesday with a 0.44 ERA in 20 2/3 innings. He’s allowed one earned run over 16 outings with a 0.92 WHIP, as he has quickly become Baltimore’s most reliable reliever.

Why you don’t: The Orioles are in last place in the AL East and entered Wednesday with the worst record in the Majors. Plus, Bleier doesn’t strike out a lot of guys and isn’t overpowering. Who can forget the bases-loaded spot in which he retired Judge and Giancarlo Stanton at Yankee Stadium last month? Bleier’s entire arsenal is under the radar.

What they’re saying: “He’s still under the radar a little bit, I think, because the strikeouts aren’t glaring at you. When you look at the peripheral stuff and don’t understand how Richard pitches, you may not be that impressed with it. But there’s a lot of parts about it that should get your attention. He’s not an Andrew Miller approach. But you’re seeing a guy really come into, ‘Here’s who I am, and here’s what I need to do to be successful.” — O’s manager Buck Showalter

Mazel tov, boys.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Richard Bleier picked up his third win against no losses as the Baltimore Orioles (9-27) beat the visiting KC Royals, 5-3. Bleier tossed two more shutout innings, giving up two hits and lowering his ERA to an A.L.-best 0.40. Danny Valencia was 0-for-4 as the third baseman, batting seventh. The win broke a seven-game losing streak for the O’s.

Kevin Pillar was 2-for-4 with an RBI as the Toronto Blue Jays (20-17) beat the visiting Seattle Mariners, 5-2. He was thrown out trying to stretch that RBI single into a double:

Click for video

Ian Kinsler — dropped from leadoff to sixth in the lineup — was 1-for-4 with an RBI as the LA Angels (22-14) shut out the host Colorado Rockies, 8-0.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-4 as the Houston Astros (24-15) beat the host Oakland A’s, 4-1.

Ryan Braun did not appear for the Milwaukee Brewers (21-16) in their 6-2 loss to the visiting Cleveland Indians.

Joc Pederson did not appear for the LA Dodgers (16-20) in their 6-3 win over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (21-15) beat the visiting San Francisco Giants, 11-3.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

For the second time in less than a week, an MOT was involved in a no-hitter.

First it was Joc Pederson, in a May 4 game in which four LA Dodger pitchers combined to stymie the San Diego Padres, 4-0. This time on the wrong end was Kevin Pillar, who went 0-for-3 but nearly broke up a no-hitter Tuesday as the Toronto Blue Jays (19-17) met their fate at the hands of Seattle Mariners’ James Paxton (coincidentally, born in Canada). In the 7th inning, Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager — a former Gold Glove winner and the brother of Pederson roommate Corey Seager — robbed Pillar of at least a double with a stellar play. Final score: 5-0.

Alex Bregman hit his third home run as the Houston Astros (23-15) beat the host Oakland A’s, 4-2. The opposite-field blast was his only hit in four at-bats and tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning.

Danny Valencia was the star of the game for the woeful Baltimore Orioles (8-27), who lost to the visiting KC Royals, 15-7. Valencia — playing third and batting seventh — was 3-for-4 with his fourth home run. He also had a sac fly. Richard Bleier tossed another inning of scoreless relief (two hits), lowering his ERA to an American League-best 0.44.

Ryan Braun — playing first base in this one — went 1-for-4 with his eighth double as the Milwaukee Brewers (21-15) held off the visiting Cleveland Indians, 3-2.

Joc Pederson was 0-for-5 with a walk as the Dodgers (15-20) lost to the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-5, in 14 innings

Ian Kinsler, mired in a slump, was 0-for-4 in the LA Angels’ (21-14) 4-2 loss to the host Colorado Rockies.

The St. Louis Cardinals optioned reliever Ryan Sherriff to the minors.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (20-15) beat the visiting San Francisco Giants, 4-2.

Scott Feldman remains a free agent. One writer suggests the NY Yankees sign him. How cool would that be?

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

The usual light schedule for a Monday…

Alex Bregman had two doubles and a walk in six trips to the plate as the Houston Astros (22-15) crushed the host Oakland A’s, 16-2. Bregman drove in the last of his team’s two runs. He also had two more errors, both coming on wild throws. Meanwhile, the MLB Network debated whether Bregman deliberately obstructed a baserunner the day before:

Ryan Sherriff had a tough outing, giving up two runs on four hits over one inning while striking out one as the St. Louis Cardinals (20-13) were shut out by the visiting Minnesota Twins, 6-0.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (19-15) mauled the visiting San Francisco Giants, 11-0.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Alex Bregman hit his second home run of the season yesterday, his only hit in four at-bats and the only run for the Houston Astros (21-15, second in AL West) in a 3-1 loss to the host Arizona Diamondbacks. He also made his fifth error of the season when he was called for obstruction on this play. At first I thought it was a bit unfair to rule it that way, but at the end you can see Bregman stick out his leg. For the rest of the weekend, he was 2-for-7 with a double (#9) and two walks. The Astros — 4-6 in their last 10 games — lost two of three to the D’backs.

Kevin Pillar — one of the “hottest players in baseball” — was 3-for-12 with two more doubles (#15), both coming in yesterdays’ 2-1 win over the host Tampa Bay Rays in which he scored the eventual winning run on a wild pitch. The Jays (19-16, third in AL East) had lost the first two games of the series.

Ryan Braun struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning of Saturday’s game for the Milwaukee Brewers (20-15, second place NL Central), but he redeemed himself the next inning when his two-run double proved to be the winner in a 5-3 decision over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates (see below). The hit came with two out and a 2-2 count. Braun — still hampered with nagging injuries — struck out as a pinch hitter in a 6-4 loss Friday and fanned three times in four at-bats in yesterday’s 9-0 shutout defeat.

Ian Kinsler managed just one single in 16 at-bats for the LA Angels over the weekend . He also walked once and scored twice. His batting average has dropped to .198, but the Angels are in first place in the AL West with a record of 21-13 after taking two of three from the host Seattle Mariners. Mazel tov to Albert Pujols, who got his 3,000th hit on Friday in the Angels’ 5-0 win. He becomes just the fourth player to amass 3,000 hits and 600 home runs, joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez in a very exclusive club.

Joc Pederson entered Friday’s game for the LA Dodgers (15-19, fourth in NL West) against the host San Diego Padres as a pinch-hitter (strikeout) in the sixth. He remained in the game, playing left and center (not at the same time, of course) as four LA hurlers combined for a no-hitter. Pederson was hitless in a subsequent at-bat. He started the next day, playing center and batting sixth, and went 2-for-4 with his fourth double and a run scored in a 7-4 loss. He singled as a pinch hitter yesterday in a 3-0 loss. That run on Saturday came on an unusual play:

Richard Bleier‘s only appearance for the Baltimore Orioles came on Friday in a 6-4 loss to the host Oakland A’s. He allowed one hit and struck out a batter to end the eighth inning, lowering his ERA to 0.46. Danny Valencia started that game, playing third and batting seventh. He was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. He struck out the next day as a pinch-hitter in the 11th inning of a 2-0 loss. He did not appear yesterday. The Orioles — who were swept by the A’s — are 8-26, tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the worst record in the Majors.

Ryan Sherriff — recalled on Friday — tossed two innings on Saturday for the St. Louis Cardinals (20-12, first place NL Central) in their 8-6, 10-inning, walk-off win over the visiting Chicago Cubs. He allowed one run (coming on a homer), one of two hits he gave up. He also struck out a batter. It was his only appearance on the weekend, during which the Cards swept their rivals.

The Atlanta Braves (19-14, first place NL East) — who lost their three-game series to the visiting San Francisco Giants — optioned pitcher Max Fried to the minors on Saturday. He was 0-2 with an ERA of 6.00 in four appearances since his April 24 season debut.

Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies lost two of three to the host Washington Nationals but maintained second place in the NL East with a record of 18-15.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of April 30-May 6, 2018:

Wiseman

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Rhett Wiseman

RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/High-A) hit .357 (5-for-14) with 2 HRs, 2 RBIs, 3 walks and a stolen base. For the season, he is hitting .277 with 5 HRS, 15 RBIs and a .358 on-base percentage.

Gorst

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Matthew Gorst

P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/High-A) held opponents scoreless for 2.2 innings across 2 appearances, earning 2 saves while striking out 6 batters and yielding 2 hits and no walks. He is 0-1 this season with 4 saves, a 1.26 ERA, 20 strikeouts and just 2 walks in 14.1 innings. This is Gorst’s second Pitcher of the Week honor this season.

Other highlights

• 1B Cody Decker* (Diamondbacks/AAA) hit .318 last week (7-for-22) with 2 doubles, a triple, 5 RBIs and 2 walks. His .945 OPS (on-base plus slugging) is tops among Jewish minor-leaguers. Decker’s love affair with the fans of El Paso was rhapsodized in a recent Texas Monthly article.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA) hit .313 (5-for-16) with a walk and one RBI. His .347 average leads all Jewish minor-leaguers.
• SS Scott Burcham* (Rockies/AA) played his first two games of the season, hitting .429 (3-for-7) with a double, 2 RBIs, 2 walks and a stolen base.
• OF Zach Borenstein* (Mets/AAA) hit a 9th-inning, walk-off single on May 2 to give the Las Vegas 51s a 6-5 win over the Sacramento River Cats. He had homered earlier in the game. Borenstein’s 7 HRs and 23 RBIs are #1 among Jewish minor-leaguers.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays/AAA) hit .308 (8-for-26) with a double, 3 walks and a stolen base.
• In the first two Triple-A appearances of his career, P Robert Stock (Padres/AAA), held opponents hitless for a total of 2 innings, yielding one walk while striking out 2.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/A) held opponents scoreless for 2.2 innings across 2 appearances, earning his second win while striking out 5 and yielding 2 hits and a walk. He has 19 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.
• P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/High-A) held opponents scoreless for 3 innings across 2 appearances, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 3.
• P Brad Goldberg* (White Sox/AA) held opponents scoreless for 2.1 innings across 2 appearances, yielding one hit and 2 walks while striking out 2.
• P Jason Richman (Dodgers/High-A) pitched 4.2 scoreless innings across 2 appearances, yielding 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. In his last 10 games, he is 1-1 with a 1.53 ERA and 2 saves.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/AA) pitched 2 scoreless innings on May 3, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out one.
• P Dean Kremer* (Dodgers/High-A) has 44 strikeouts in 31.1 innings, 2nd most in the California League.

Transactions

• P Max Fried (Braves/AAA) was optioned to Triple-A by the Atlanta Braves.
• P Ryan Sheriff (St. Louis Cardinals) completed a Triple-A rehab assignment.
• SS Scotty Burcham (Rockies/AA) was assigned to Double-A.
• P Craig Breslow (Blue Jays/AA) was placed on the disabled list.
• C Jason Goldstein (Athletics/High-A) was activated off the disabled list.

Free agents

• Former major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Scott Feldman, Elliott Barzilli, Dalton Blumenfeld, Mike Meyers*, Troy Neiman*, Adam Sonabend, Maxx Tissenbaum and Jeremy Wolf.
• Ike Davis*, a former major leaguer who tried to reinvent himself as a pitcher in 2017, is rumored to have retired, but this is unconfirmed.

Disabled list

• P Craig Breslow (Blue Jays/AA), since May 2.
• C Mitchell Kranson (Twins/High-A), since April 15.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A), since April 9.
• P R C Orlan* (Indians/AA).
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA), since April 5.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

Members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad are marked with an asterisk.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

The Toronto  Blue Jays (18-14) and host Cleveland Indians played a wild doubleheader yesterday. The Jays won the opener, 13-11, in 14 innings, scoring four times in the last frame. The Indians came up just short, putting two over in their last ups. In the nightcap, though, the Indians prevailed in a more conventional 13-4 win. Kevin Pillar was 2-for-6 in the first game with his MLB-leading 13th double, a run scored, an RBI, and his sixth stolen base. He had a single in four at-bats in the second game.

Ian Kinsler doubled (#3) and walked in five plate appearances, scoring a run as the LA Angels (19-12) beat the visiting Baltimore Orioles (6-23), 12-3. Richard Bleier extended his scoreless streak, adding another 1.1 innings in which he allowed two hits and struck out two. Danny Valencia got into the game as a defensive replacement but did not come to bat. Kinsler was involved in this weird double play.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-3 with a run scored as the Houston Astros (20-13) lost to the visiting NY Yankees, 6-5, thanks to a three-run ninth by the Bombers.

Joc Pederson entered the game for the LA Dodgers (14-17) in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement. He struck out to end the ninth as the Dodgers beat the host Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-2.

Max Fried lowered his ERA to 6.75 based on one inning of work in the Atlanta Braves’ 11-0 win over the host NY Mets. Fried allowed one hit, walked one, and struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth. The Braves now lead the NL East with a record of 19-11, a game and a half over the suddenly struggling Mets.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies had the day off, as did Ryan Braun and the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Kevin Pillar had one-third of the Toronto Blue Jays’ offense Wednesday, going 2-for-3 with a walk in a 4-0 loss to the host Minnesota Twins. It’s been a long time since we were treated to a defensive highlight from Pillar, so here you go:

You just have to hope he didn’t hurt himself on the play. The Jays are 17-13.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-4 as the Houston Astros (20-12) were shut out by the visiting NY Yankees for the second night in a row by the score of 4-0.

Joc Pederson was 0-for-3 with a walk as the leadoff batter in the LA Dodgers’ (13-17) 2-1 win over the host Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ian Kinsler was 0-for-3 with a walk as the LA Angels (18-12) beat the visiting Baltimore Orioles (8-22), 10-7. He came out of the game for a pinch-hitter in the eighth with the Angels leading, 9-4. Baltimore scored five tuns in the ninth to make things a little tense. Danny Valencia was the starting third baseman for the O’s, batting fifth. He was 1-for-3 with a run a scored. Richard Bleier did not appear in the game.

Ryan Braun came out of the game between the Milwaukee Brewers (19-13) and host Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the sixth with calf tightness. He went 0-for-3 in the Brewers’ 3-1 win. Given his injuries over the past few seasons, I guess Milwaukee fans are justified in asking if he’s worth his salary?

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (18-11), who took over first place by beating the host NY Mets, 7-0.

Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies (17-13) beat the host Miami Marlins, 6-0.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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