Jewish Baseball News

By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Ryan Braun was 1-for-5 as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the host St. Louis Cardinals, 5-4, in 10 innings. He also tossed out a hitter trying to stretch a double into a triple (see below). According to ShepherdExpress.com, “Braun needs five more runs batted in to become the 285th player in MLB history, the ninth active player and just the second Brewer with 1,000 in their careers (Robin Yount had 1,406).”

Ryan Sherriff is on the DL for the Cards with a fractured toe.

Kevin Pillar was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored as the Toronto Blue Jays (7-4) defeated the host Baltimore Orioles, 7-1. Danny Valencia was 0-for-3 as the DH for the Orioles and came out for a pinch-hitter in the eighth. Richard Bleier did not pitch for the O’s (4-7).

Alex Bregman was 0-for-2 with two walks for the Houston Astros (9-2) in their 2-0 blanking of the host Minnesota Twins.

Joc Pederson and the LA Dodgers (3-6) were off.

Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies (4-5) outlasted the visiting Cincinnati Reds, 6-5.

Ian Kinsler was eligible to come off the DL for the LA Angels (8-3) today, but that might not happen.

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

Crazy weekend for the boys.

How about Alex Bregman‘s game-winning “hit” on Saturday for the Houston Astros (8-2)?

Bregman’s single gave the team a 1-0 win in 10 innings. He had two of the Astros’ six hits, but they were his only ones in 13 at-bats from April 6-8 as Houston took two of three from the host San Diego Padres.

Richard Bleier picked up his second win of the year on Sunday as the Baltimore Orioles (4-6) overcame a first-inning, 5-0 lead by the host New York Yankees to take the contest in 12 innings, 8-7. Bleier tossed three shutout frames, giving up three hits, a walk, and striking out one. It was his longest outing since May 3, 2017. On Friday, Bleier earned his first hold of 2018 on the strength of 1.2 innings in which he allowed one hit and a walk in a 7-3 victory, giving the O’s three out of the four games in the Bronx.

Danny Valencia — serving as DH — hit his first home run of the year in Sunday’s win, cutting the Yankees lead to 5-4. It was his only hit in four at bats (he also walked), scoring twice. He came out of the game for a pinch-hitter in the 12th. He was 0-for-4 in Friday’s contest.

Kevin Pillar broke up a no-hit bid by the Texas Rangers’ Mike Minor’s on Friday with a one-out triple in the fifth. It was one of two hits Pillar had in 12 at-bats in the series for the Toronto Blue Jays (6-4), who took two of three from the host Rangers.

Ryan Braun continues to struggle early on for the Milwaukee Brewers (5-5). He managed just one single in 12 at bats (plus one walk), striking out six times from Friday to Monday against the visiting Chicago Cubs. The Brewers lost two of three over the weekend, adding to a Thursday loss to the Cubbies. Overall, Braun is just 5-for-32 with two home runs and six RBIs.

Joc Pederson has had minimal opportunities for the LA Dodgers (3-6). He sat out Friday’s game and had three plate appearances over the next two games, going 0-for-2 plus a walk.

Ian Kinsler is scheduled to come off the disabled list tomorrow (April 10) for the Los Angeles Angels (7-3), but the St. Louis Cardinals (4-5) put pitcher Ryan Sherriff on the DL. Sherriff was hit in the right foot in Thursday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks and x-rays revealed a fracture. He had appeared in three games (2.2 innings) with an 0-0 record, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out one. No timetable on his return.

On the bright side, the Reds today called up reliever Zack Weiss, who hopes to make his Major League debut shortly.

Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies (3-5) walloped the visiting Florida Marlins 20-1 on Saturday. That shut up his detractors for about five minutes; they’re already clamoring for his ouster. Kapler is handling it with grace.

Missed this one, but Nate Freiman announced his retirement about a month ago. According to cbssports.com, the 6’7″ first baseman “appeared in 116 big-league games over the course of his career, all coming with Oakland from 2013-14, when he slashed .256/.309/.408 with nine home runs and 39 RBI. The 31-year-old stated that he will be returning to Duke University this fall to pursue an MBA.” Zei gezunt, Nate.

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

Ryan Braun had his first double and first stolen base of the season as the Milwaukee Brewers (4-3) lost to the visiting Chicago Cubs, 8-0. He basically walked to second against Jon Lester, who is notoriously bad at holding runners on. But when Braun tried stealing third, Lester threw a well-practiced bounce pass to retire him.

Ryan Sherriff allowed one hit in 0.2 innings as the St. Louis Cardinals (3-4) lost to the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-1.

Neither Richard Bleier nor Danny Valencia appeared for the Baltimore Orioles (2-5), who ruined the Yankees’ home opener with a 5-2 win.

Maybe that will shut them up (for the moment): Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies won their home opener, shutting out the Miami Marlins, 5-0. (See his post-game interview, below.)

No games for the LA Dodgers (Joc Pederson), LA Angels (Ian Kinsler), Toronto Blue Jays (Kevin Pillar), or Houston Astros (Alex Bregman).

Best wishes to former Major Leaguer (and hero of Team Israel’s 2017 World Baseball Classic run) Josh Zeid, who announced his retirement from baseball.

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 gave the Houston Astros (6-1) the 3-2 win with his tie-breaking single in the seventh over the visiting Baltimore Orioles (1-5). It was his sole hit in three at-bats (plus a walk). Danny Valencia got the start, playing left field and batting sixth. He was 0-for-2 with a walk and scored a run. Richard Bleier did not appear in the game for the O’s.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as the Toronto Blue Jays (4-3) fell to the visiting Chicago White Sox, 4-3.

Joc Pederson did not appear for the LA Dodgers (2-5) in their 3-0 loss to the host Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ryan Braun did not appear for he Milwaukee Brewers (4-2) in their 6-0 shutout loss to the visiting St. Louis Cardinals (3-3). Ryan Sherriff did not appear for the Cards.

Ian Kinsler remains on the DL for the LA Angels (5-2), who beat the visiting Cleveland Indians, 3-2 in 13 innings.

Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies (1-4) lost again to the host NY Mets, 4-2.

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

Mazel Tov of the day goes to Ryan Braun, whose solo home run provided a 5-4 walk-off win for the Milwaukee Brewers (4-1) over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals (2-3), who took a 4-0 lead going into the fifth. The blast — Braun’s second of the season — came with two outs in the final frame. It was also his third home run in four career at-bats against Cardinals pitcher Dominic Leone and the fourth walk-off of the Hebrew Hammer’s career.

Ryan Sherriff earned his first hold of the year for the Cards, tossing 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, walking one and striking out one.

Kevin Pillar was 2-for-5 with his second double, two runs scored, and second RBI to help the Toronto Blue Jays (4-2) wring out the visiting Chicago White Sox, 14-5.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-3 with two walks to help the Houston Astros (5-1) beat the visiting Baltimore Orioles, 11-6. He also made a nice defensive play for the second night in a row. Neither Richard Bleier nor Danny Valencia appeared for the O’s (1-4).

Joc Pederson did not appear for the LA Dodgers (2-4) in their 6-1 loss to the host Arizona Diamondbacks. According to “sources,” he would have come in to pitch in the Dodgers’ 8-7 15-inning loss to the D’backs the night before.

Ian Kinsler remains on the DL for the LA Angels (4-2), who beat the visiting Cleveland Indians, 13-2. Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani — who stars both as a pitcher and a batter — served as the Angels’ DH and homered in his first home at-bat. It was one of three hits he had in the game so looks like the hype was right, so far at least. Fun.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (1-3) were shut out by the host NY Mets, 2-0. Of course, Kapler’s early-season breaking-in period was a topic of discussion in the Mets’ broadcast booth, as it was in this lengthy profile in yesterday’s New York Times.

And finally, I don’t know about you — and it might just be me as a grumpy old man — but even though I’m obviously on Facebook, I’m not too thrilled that the only way to watch the Mets-Phillies game today is via FB.

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 a double in three at-bats, drove in a run, and walked twice to help the Houston Astros beat the visiting Orioles, 6-1, on April 2. Baltimore reliever Richard Bleier gave up a run on two hits and struck out one in one inning. Fellow Oriole Danny Valencia did not appear in the game.

Batting in the leadoff spot and playing left field, Joc Pederson was 2-for-7 with a double, RBI and a walk, but the LA Dodgers lost to the host Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-7, in 15 innings

Ryan Braun was o-for-5 as the Milwaukee Brewers fell to the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, 8-4. Braun was in left field, batting third. Ryan Sherriff did not appear for the Cards.

Kevin Pillar (see article) was 0-for-3 as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the visiting Chicago White Sox, 4-2. Meanwhile, Toronto assigned pitcher Craig Breslow to their Double-A affiliate, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

Ian Kinsler remains on the disabled list for the LA Angels, who were shut out, 6-0, by the visiting Cleveland Indians.

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 first weekend of the season saw an interesting mix of drama. Mostly ups, thank goodness, but a couple of downs.

Let’s get the downs out of the way…

The Cincinnati Reds demoted pitcher Zack Weiss before he had a chance to make his Major League debut, sending him to the Louisville Bats on March 31.

One of the big early stories is the difficulties Gabe Kapler seems to be having in is first big-league managing gig. Almost downright bizarre in his decision-making. For example, on Thursday, he pulled starter Aaron Nola after just 68 pitches with a 5-0 lead. The Phillies ended up losing that one as the Atlanta Braves came back to score six runs in the last two innings, including a three-run walk-off homer by Nick Markakis. The Phils won the next day, 5-4 in 11 innings but were crushed on Saturday, 15-2. This time, Kapler gaffed when he called in a pitcher from the bullpen who wasn’t warmed up. According to the USA Today story, “Kapler was coming out to pull starter Vince Velasquez, who had allowed seven runs — four earned — in 2⅔ innings. After calling for reliever Hoby Milner, Kapler was made aware the left-hander wasn’t ready to enter the game. Kapler then stalled to give Milner more time to get loose.” Inexplicably, the team was not scheduled for a game on Sunday. A typical headline represents the sentiment: “Gabe Kapler’s bullpen usage with Phillies is becoming a soap opera.” I know the Philadelphia sports fan is tough, but guys, come on, give the man a chance. (It bears repeating, so I can add another link: give Kapler a chance.)

The Los Angeles Angels placed Ian Kinsler on the disabled list with that sore groin.

Now, on to the good.

Ryan Braun drove in five runs on Friday, including a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers an 8-6 win. The blast — #303 for his career — is his only hit of the young season. Braun did not play in the finale (the Brewers, 3-0, also didn’t play on Sunday. Who makes up these schedules?)

After Kevin Pillar homered against the NY Yankees on Thursday, accounting for the only run in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 6-1 loss, he almost literally stole the show on Saturday. In the eighth inning, he singled, then proceeded to steal second, third, and home. Must tie a record or something. In the Jays’ first four games, Pillar is 6-for-14 with the homer, a double, four runs scored, and those three steals.

And the in-between…

The St. Louis Cardinals (1-2) brought up reliever Ryan Sherriff for Saturday’s game against the host NY Mets. Sherriff looked a bit shaky, walking one and giving up a hit in 1/3 of an inning. He was charged with a run so his early ERA is 27.00.

Richard Bleier pitched 1.1 hitless innings on Sunday as the Baltimore Orioles (1-2) were shut out by the visiting Minnesota Twins, 7-0. Danny Valencia doubled as a pinch-hitter in Saturday’s 6-2 loss for his first hit of 2018.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-5 on Sunday as the Houston Astros (3-1) beat the host Texas Rangers, 8-2. It was just his second hit of the year in 16 at-bats.

Joc Pederson popped out to the catcher as a pinch-hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday in the ninth inning, the second straight game he brought to a close. He did not appear in the final two games of the series. He got his first start Sunday night, playing left field, batting seventh, going 0-for-4 with an RBI, but not striking out, so moral victory.

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

Let the games begin!

Richard Bleier picked up the win for the Baltimore Orioles, who beat the visiting Minnesota Twins, 3-2, in 11 innings thanks to a walk-off home run by cleanup hitter Adam Jones. Bleier gave up one hit in his single inning of work. Danny Valencia appeared as a pinch hitter for the Orioles, drawing a walk. He remained in the game and was o-for-1 as the DH.

Kevin Pillar homered in three at-bats, accounting for the only run (and half the hits) for the Toronto Blue Jays in their 6-1 loss to the visiting NY Yankees. Giancarlo Stanton homered twice for his new club. Before the game, the Jays paid tribute to Roy Halladay, who died in the off-season in a plane crash.

Alex Bregman (see article) doubled and walked in three official at-bats as the Houston Astros beat the host Texas Rangers, 4-1.

Ryan Braun (see article) was 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout as the Milwaukee Brewers also won in extras, 6-5, over the host San Diego Padres in 12.

Joc Pederson grounded out as a pinch-hitter to end the game as the LA Dodgers were shut out by the visiting San Francisco Giants, 1-0.

Ian Kinsler sat out the first game of his LA Angels career, due to a groin injury. The Angels lost to the host Oakland As, 6-5, in 11 innings. Kinsler is expected to play tonight.

Gabe Kapler lost in his first game as an MLB skipper when Nick Markakis hit a three-run walk-off homer to give the host Atlanta Braves an 8-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Cincinnati Reds saw their home opener with the Washington Nationals postponed by weather, so we didn’t get a chance to see the possible debut of the newest JMLer, pitcher Zack Weiss, who was a last-minute addition to the club. Weiss was 9-16 but had a 2.66 ERA in four minor league seasons (he missed the 2016 campaign due to injuries). Welcome aboard.

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

Welcome back, faithful readers.

The baseball season is upon us. Not only is this the earliest Opening Day in history, it’s the first time all 30 teams have debuted on the same day.

So without further ado…

The JML (Jewish major leaguer) roster to start the 2018 season includes:

1. Richard Bleier, P, Baltimore Orioles
2. Ryan Braun, OF-1B, Milwaukee Brewers
3. Alex Bregman, 3B, Houston Astros
4. Ian Kinsler, 2B, Los Angeles Angels
5. Joc Pederson, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
6. Kevin Pillar, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
7. Danny Valencia, Utility, Orioles

Still hanging on for a possible roster spot:

• Zack Weiss, P, Cincinnati Reds

Players who had MLB playing time in 2017 but are starting 2018 in the minors include:

• Craig Breslow, P, Blue Jays
• Max Fried, P, Atlanta Braves
• Brad Goldberg, Chicago White Sox
• Ryan Lavarnway, C, Pittsburgh Pirates
• Ryan Sherriff, P, St. Louis Cardinals

In addition, Scott Feldman — who was 7-7 for the Cincinnati Reds in 2017 — remains a free agent.

A few notes: Braun will spend some time playing first this year, at least when facing certain lefties. Kinsler, of course, begins the year with a new team and might begin it on the bench due to an injury. And Gabe Kapler, helming the Phillies, gets his first shot as a manager.

The big surprises — to me, at least — were Fried, Valencia, and Pederson. The Braves were considering using Fried as part of their rotation, but he begins the season in the minors. Valencia signed with the Orioles and made it to the opening-day roster. And Pederson, who’s had his ups and down, was looking at not being in LA when the bell rang, especially given his poor spring. Also, I have a soft spot for the ivy league-educated Breslow, so I hope he makes it back soon. Lavarnway was an invitee to the Pirates’ camp and did not make it.

No surprise that Bregman is the new big deal.

Hope I didn’t miss anyone.

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

Major League Baseball’s 2018 Spring Training ended yesterday. So how did the 19 Jews who were invited to play perform?

Here are the batting highlights:

• A total of 12 Jewish position players collectively hit .272 with 12 HRS and 53 RBIs in 372 at-bats.
• Alex Bregman’s 12 walks tied for #5 among all MLB players. His .418 on-base percentage was among the A.L.’s best.
• Kevin Pillar hit .438, #4 among A.L. players with at least 40 at-bats. He struck out only twice.
• Ian Kinsler drew 9 walks and struck out just twice.

The table below shows their complete batting stats.

2018 MLB Spring Training stats: Batting

And now, the pitching highlights:

• Jewish pitchers did not have a sparkling Spring. Collectively, the seven hurlers went 1-2 with a 6.31 ERA and one save in four opportunities.
• Zack Weiss, a Double-A alum who is still fighting for a spot on Cincinnati’s opening-day roster, went 0-0 with one save in two chances and a 4.32 ERA.
• Richard Bleier went 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA and held opposing teams to an average of just one walk or hit per inning.

Below are complete pitching stats.

2018 MLB Spring Training stats: Batting

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Seattle Mariners prospect Braden Bishop

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Braden Bishop, Jewish Baseball News’ 2017 Minor-League MVP, is a player to watch.

Selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 3rd round of the 2015 amateur draft, the California native hit .320 in his first season of professional ball. He has continued to impress. In 2017, Bishop was named MVP of the California League’s 2017 All-Star Game and finished the 2017 season with the franchise’s Double-A team, where he hit .336. He narrowly lost a roster spot to Sam Fuld when Team Israel played in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. And through March 17, 2018, he was hitting .400 for the Mariners at Spring Training.

It’s no wonder Bishop — the son of two Jewish parents — is ranked Seattle’s #4 prospect by MLB.com. The 24-year-old also has earned national kudos for the Alzheimer’s research charity he founded when mom Suzy Bishop was diagnosed with an early-onset case of the disease. His latest fundraising innovation was to donate money for every hit he got during Spring Training, which inspired a number of Major- and minor-league colleagues to follow suit.

Altogether, Bishop is a remarkable young man with a promising future both on and off the field.

But life is change, as the cliche goes, and Bishop has undergone a spiritual transformation. When a Jewish Baseball News reader recently saw photos of the University of Washington alum wearing a crucifix, we contacted the Seattle Mariners’ public-relations office for information. Bishop subsequently confirmed that he now is “non denominational Christian.”

Though Bishop’s conversion may sadden Jewish fans — the universe of professional ballplayers who are Jewish is a small one, after all — we hope this change brings Bishop peace and joy, and we will continue to root both for his professional success and his search for an Alzheimer’s cure.

But Jewish Baseball News will no longer include Bishop on our list of Jewish players. Instead, we will add his name to our list of players with Jewish heritage who don’t identify exclusively as Jewish, a roster that includes such notables as Arizona Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt and Cleveland Indians 2B Jason Kipnis.

This decision may come as a surprise to anyone who assumed Jewish Baseball News employed a halachic definition of Judaism — i.e., the belief that what makes a person “Jewish” is his mother’s religion. We do not. As our About page explains, Jewish Baseball News has three criteria for determining if a player is Jewish, a set of rules developed decades ago by our colleagues at Jewish Sports Review:

1. The player has at least one Jewish parent
2. He/she does not actively practice another religion
3. He/she does not object to being identified as Jewish

Some readers may take issue with our definition of “Jewish,” and fairly so. We are not a religious publication. No one anointed us arbiters of who is, and isn’t, Jewish. As such, others are welcome to develop their own lists. Team Israel, with whom we work closely, abides by the rules of the World Baseball Classic: whoever could technically qualify for Israeli citizenship can be on Team Israel’s roster.

But back to the matter at hand: Braden Bishop. Jewish Baseball News has the utmost respect for this young man, and we wish him the very best.

[NOTE: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that Team Israel uses halachic law to determine eligibility for its roster.]

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[updated 3/18/2018]

By Scott Barancik, Editor

At least 19 Jewish players have been invited to MLB Spring Training camp this year via their club’s active roster, 40-man roster, or as a non-roster invitee.

Twelve players with Major League experience are on the list, including 2017 World Series standouts Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros and Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two of the three pitchers who made their MLB debuts in 2017 — Ryan Sherriff of the St. Louis Cardinals and Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves — received formal summons to Major League camp as non-roster invitees.

The nine minor-leaguers on the list include:

• Cincinnati Reds prospect Zack Weiss, a right-handed reliever who was named Most Likely Call-Up (Pitcher) in the 2017 Minor-League Awards.
• San Diego Padres prospect Robert Stock, a 2009 draft pick who switched from catching to pitching in 2012 and earned Best Comeback (Pitcher) honors in the 2017 Minor-League Awards.
• New York Mets prospect Zach Borenstein, a left fielder who was named Most Likely Call-Up (Position Player) in the 2017 Minor-League Awards.
• Los Angeles Angels prospect Michael Barash, a catcher drafted in 2016. He has the least pro baseball experience of the nine minor-leaguers.

Four athletes in MLB Spring Training camp played for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, including Borenstein, Ryan Lavarnway of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland A’s prospect Jeremy Bleich, and Philadelphia Phillies prospect Nick Rickles.

Danny Valencia recently signed a minor-league contract with the Baltimore Orioles and was invited to the club’s Spring Training on 3/4/2018. Scott Feldman remains a free agent.

Some additional Jewish catchers and pitchers who were not formally invited to MLB Spring Training are nonetheless getting a chance to be there prior to minor-league camp. Examples include Cody Decker (who played for Team Israel), Brad Goldberg, Scott Manea, Matthew Gorst and Adam Walton.

And now, the full MLB Spring Training list:

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Cory Jones, a 6-foot-5-inch pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles franchise, is the latest athlete to join the ranks of known Jewish ballplayers.

The 26-year-old California native was plucked out of junior college by the St. Louis Cardinals in Round 5 of the 2012 amateur draft and given a $220,000 signing bonus. Jones shone in 2013, going 8-2 with a 2.04 ERA for the club’s Single-A team.

Injuries have bedeviled him ever since, the biggest being a ligament problem that required Tommy John surgery. Baltimore’s front office wasn’t put off, however. The team nabbed Jones in the Triple-A phase of the 2015 Rule 5 draft.

His most recent season was typically frustrating. Jones played just two games for the Frederick Keys (High-A ) in 2017 before reinjuring his right shoulder. Four months later, he completed a seven-game rehab assignment with the Orioles’ rookie-league team, going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and giving up just 0.86 walks/hits per inning.

Other Jewish prospects in Baltimore’s farm system  include Zach Kapstein and Alex Katz, both of whom played for the Keys in 2017. Richard Bleier pitches for the Major League team.

Please join us in welcoming Cory to the family, and follow him on Twitter.

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2017 archives

• Games played August 28 — September 3, 2017
• Games played August 21-27, 2017
• Games played August 14-20, 2017
• Games played August 7-13, 2017
• Games played July 31-August 6, 2017
• Games played July 24-30, 2017
• Games played July 17-23, 2017
• Games played July 10-16, 2017
• Games played July 3-9, 2017
• Games played June 26-July 2, 2017
• Games played June 19-25, 2017
• Games played June 12-18, 2017
• Games played June 5-11, 2017
• Games played May 29 – June 4, 2017
• Games played May 22-28, 2017
• Games played May 15-21, 2017
• Games played May 8-14, 2017
• Games played May 1-7, 2017
• Games played April 24-30, 2017
• Games played April 17-23, 2017
• Games played April 10-16, 2017
• Games played April 3-9, 2017

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Sometimes, a player slips through the cracks. And it can take quite a while for us to find them.

Manea

Thanks to our friends at Jewish Sports Review, we now know about another athlete selected in the 2016 MLB draft: Scott Manea, a 40th-round pick of the New York Mets. (Yes, I said 2016.)

The right-handed catcher didn’t have a ton of college experience to point to before the draft. A Massachusetts native, he had just three plate appearances at N.C. State before spending a season at St. Petersburg College, a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association. He did hit .377, however, and drove in 46 RBIs in 175 at-bats.

Manea struggled a bit in his first pro season, hitting .105 in 38 rookie-league at-bats in 2016. But he made significant improvements with the short-season Brooklyn Cyclones in 2017, hitting .223 — .318 after the All-Star break — with a .380 on-base percentage, one home run and 11 RBIS in 112 at-bats. He also tossed out 11 of 46 attempted base-stealers (24%).

xxxxx Ryan Lavarnway xxxxxxxxx r c orlan xxxx

Sam Fuld xxx Braden Bishop xxx Michael Barash Spencer Kulman Rhett Wiseman Sam Fuld R C Orlan

Ryan Lavarnway

xxx Ryan Lavarnway

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

With 1,215 amateur players chosen in the 2017 MLB draft, it was perhaps inevitable that we’d miss a few.

Tyler Benson

Mea culpa, Tyler Benson.

A 21-year-old from New Jersey, Benson hit .377 his junior year at Bloomsburg University, adding 8 HRs, 41 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, and a sweet .505 on-base percentage.

The San Diego Padres selected the Division 2 left fielder in the 31st round in June, and Benson acquitted himself well. Spending time at three levels — rookie, A-short-season and A — he hit a combined .252 with a .374 on-base percentage, 15 RBIs, and nine stolen bases in 115 at-bats.

Benson’s addition brings the list of known Jewish draftees in 2017 to an even dozen.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Joc Pederson hit a solo home run last night to help the Los Angeles Dodgers earn a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros in Game 6 of the 2017 World Series and force a decisive seventh game. His post-homer celebration was jubilant:

The homer, his third of the Series, set a record for Jewish ballplayers. Two other players — Astros 3B Alex Bregman in the current Series, and Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg in 1945 — have hit two round-trippers in a single Series. What’s even more impressive about Pederson is that he’s hit three HRs in just 16 plate appearances. Bregman will have a chance to tie Pederson’s record when they face off tonight in Game 7.

Pederson’s performance this Series isn’t just notable within the narrow universe of Jewish major leaguers, of which there have been roughly just 170. The 25-year-old’s three homers are tied for the most in Dodger history since the team moved to Los Angeles, according to MLB.com:

With the possible exception of Houston’s George Springer, Pederson is leading all 2017 World Series players in offense. With 3 HRs and 2 doubles in just 16 plate appearances, he is No. 1 overall in slugging percentage (1.143) and OPS (1.580), also known as On Base Plus Slugging.

The Palo Alto native’s output is particularly surprising given that he ended the regular season with 31 straight homerless games, a period during which he hit just .123 and spent time in the minors. It wasn’t even clear he would make the Dodgers’s postseason roster.

Pederson explained his clutch performance after the game:

A recent article in the Jewish Journal delved into the ancestry of Pederson’s mother, Shelly Pederson. Born Shelly Cahn, she descends from Jewish ancestors in France, Russia, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands.

Tied 3-3, the 2017 World Series concludes tonight with Game 7 in Los Angeles.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Game 4 of the the 2017 World Series produced yet another record, says The Jewish Baseball Card Book author Bob Wechsler.

In his team’s 6-2 win yesterday, Los Angeles Dodgers DH Joc Pederson hit a 3-run home run in the top of the 9th to pad a one-run lead. The 410-foot drive to right center came on an 0-1 pitch, a 94.4-mph fastball from Houston’s Joe Musgrove. It was Pederson’s second home run and third extra-base hit in just nine at-bats this World Series.

In the bottom half of the inning, Astros 3B Alex Bregman got in on the fun with a solo home run to dead left. The 352-foot shot came on a 1-2 pitch, an 81.9-mph slider from Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen. It was Bregman’s second home run of the Series.

It was the first game in World Series history that two Jewish players homered.

Pederson and Bregman aren’t just outperforming their Jewish forebears. They’re also outperforming their peers. So far this Series, they are two of only three players to hit 2 home runs. (Houston’s George Springer is the third.)

HR leaders, 2017 World Series (thru Game 4)

Some other facts about Bregman and Pederson in this year’s World Series, as noted previously:

• The last time two Jewish players took the field was the 2011 World Series, when Ian Kinsler and Scott Feldman played for the Texas Rangers.
• The last time two Jewish players were on opposite teams was the 2004 World Series, when Gabe Kapler‘s Boston Red Sox defeated Jason Marquis‘s St. Louis Cardinals in four games.
• When Bregman homered off Cy Young Award candidate Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the current Series, it was the first Jewish home run in a Series since All-Star pitcher Ken Holtzman shocked Athletics fans with a home run in Game 4 of Oakland’s 1974 matchup against the Dodgers.
• When Pederson homered to break up a no-hitter in Game 2 of this year’s Series, it was the first Jewish home run since…Game 1.
• Game 2 was the first time in World Series history that two different Jewish players had RBIs.
• Pederson and Bregman are the first Jewish duo to homer at least twice apiece in a Series.

Here’s what Bregman had to say after last night’s loss about preparing for Game 5:

And here’s Pederson on his home run and getting used to playing DH:

Tied 2-2, the Series resumes tonight with Game 5 in Houston.

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[Updated and corrected 10/26/2017 @ 11:15 am]

By Scott Barancik, Editor

The 2017 World Series is only two games old, but according to stats gathered by The Jewish Baseball Card Book author Bob Wechsler, it’s already making history.

[Revised and corrected] For the first time since the 2011 World Series, when Ian Kinsler and Scott Feldman played for the Texas Rangers, two Jewish players are on the field: 3B Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros, and CF Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The last time Jewish players were on opposite teams was the 2004 World Series, when Gabe Kapler‘s Boston Red Sox defeated Jason Marquis‘s St. Louis Cardinals in four games.

In Game 1, which the Dodgers took 3-1, Bregman homered off Cy Young Award candidate Clayton Kershaw for Houston’s lone run. It was the first Jewish home run in a Series since All-Star pitcher Ken Holtzman shocked Athletics fans with a home run in Game 4 of Oakland’s 1974 matchup against…the Dodgers.

In Houston’s 7-6, extra-inning win last night in Game 2, Bregman drove in the game’s first run with a second-inning single.

Pederson, who started in left field for Los Angeles, broke up Justin Verlander’s no-hitter with a fifth-inning home run to tie the game 1-1. As author Wechsler pointed out, it took 43 years for Bregman to break a Jewish home run drought in the World Series but just one game for Pederson to hit the next one.

But Bregman wasn’t done. In the 8th inning, he scored Houston’s second run of the game after hitting a ground-rule double.

And in the 11th, Bregman helped preserve Houston’s lead with a clutch catch of a screaming liner by L.A.’s Justin Turner.

[Updated] According to author Wechsler, Game 2 was the first time in World Series history that two different Jewish players had RBIs.

“Today’s game was the game that showed what the Astros are all about and it’s one through nine,” Bregman said afterward. “It’s an entire pitching staff coming through. It’s gotta be the greatest game I’ve ever played in and probably everybody in here.”

Tied at one game apiece, the Series now moves to Houston, with Game 3 scheduled for Friday.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

If the 2017 minor-league season were a wine, it would be a good year.

Three pitchers — Ryan Sherriff of the St. Louis Cardinals, Brad Goldberg of the Chicago White Sox, and Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves — made their Major League debuts.

A number of minor-league players — marked with asterisks below — took the field with Team Israel, the feel-good story of the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Not everything went as hoped. Despite going 2-1 with a 2.48 ERA and a perfect 6 saves in 6 tries this season, Team Israel alum Corey Baker was abruptly released by the St. Louis Cardinals in July. P Rob Kaminsky, a promising 1st-round draft pick in 2013 who missed nearly all of 2015 due to injury, managed just one outing in 2017 before again being placed on the disabled list.

Overall, the picture for Jewish prospects was bright in 2017. Below are 11 players we believe stood out from the pack. A hearty Mazel Tov to them all.

P O S I T I O N   P L A Y E R S

Most Valuable: Braden Bishop, CF (Mariners/AA, A+)

Most players see their numbers dip after a promotion, but the 24-year-old Bishop soared after a late-season bump to Double-A, hitting .336, getting on base in 30 of 31 games, and continuing to perform well both on the basepaths and in the field. The 2015 draftee (3rd round) out of the University of Washington finished the regular season with a total of 22 stolen bases in 27 tries, 11 assists in center and left, and just three errors in 1,022 innings, good for a .990 fielding percentage. And while sabremetric stats are scarce for minor leaguers, Bishop finished among the league leaders in Weighted Runs Created Plus (a catch-all offensive metric that adjusts for league and park). No wonder MLB.com ranks him Seattle’s No. 5 prospect.

Most Improved: Andy Yerzy, C (Diamondbacks/Rookie)

Plucked out of high school in the 2nd round of the 2016 draft, Yerzy struggled in his debut season, hitting just .216 in Rookie ball and managing only one home run despite a reputation for power. But 2017 was another story for the 19-year-old Canadian, whose 6’3″ stature is unusual for a catcher. Yerzy hit for average (.298), consistency (.365 on-base percentage), and power (13 HRs, or one in every 17.3 at-bats). Team officials also praised his work ethic and growing knowledge of the game, one reason MLB.com ranks him Arizona’s No. 24 prospect.

Top Rookie: Zane Gurwitz, 2B (Angels/A, Rookie)

A 5’8″ recruit from the University of Texas, Gurwitz wasn’t selected until the 26th round of the 2017 amateur draft. But the Angels had to be pleased with the his first season of pro ball. The 22-year-old hit .386 in the Arizona Rookie League — tops among batters with 90-plus plate appearances — and contributed 2 HRs, 17 RBIs, 7 stolen bases and a .449 on-base percentage. A brief sojourn in Single-A ball didn’t go as well, precipitating his return to Rookie ball.

Best Comeback: Blake Gailen*, CF (Dodgers/AA)

Gailen has spent much of his career as an underdog. Undrafted out of college in 2007, the 5’9″ outfielder started in independent ball and has bounced back and forth between there and the MLB-affiliated minors ever since. He’s picked up plaudits along the way, including being named Independent Leagues Player of the Year in 2012 by Baseball America and starring for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. After the Dodgers signed Gailen to a minor-league contract in late June this year, the 32-year-old rewarded the franchise with a .300 season, contributing 7 HRs and an impressive 35 RBIs in just 150 at-bats and ranking #2 in Weighted Runs Created Plus among Texas League (AA) batters with 150-plus plate appearances.

Most Likely Call-Up: Zach Borenstein*, LF (Diamondbacks/AAA)

In his second full season at the Triple-A level, Borenstein improved in every offensive category but stolen bases. The 27-year-old Illinois native boosted his HR count from 9 to 24, his RBIs from 57 to 91, and his Weighted Runs Created Plus from 104 to 132, or 13th best in the Pacific Coast League (AAA). Though he’s relatively old for a prospect and strikes out in 29.1% of his plate appearances — #3 in the league — another strong season at Triple-A should ensure Borenstein at least a taste of the Bigs in 2018.

P I T C H E R S

Best Starter: Max Fried, LHP (Braves/MLB, AAA, AA)

Through August 1, Fried was not having a great season. The 23-year-old southpaw was 2-11 with a 5.92 ERA in Double-A, a far cry from the high-school phenom who was selected 7th overall in the 2012 amateur draft. Observers couldn’t be faulted for wondering if Fried ever would regain his pre-Tommy John form, an injury that cost him most of the 2014 season and all of 2015. But clearly the Braves’ front office knew better. In two Major League stints beginning with an August 8 debut, the rookie outperformed his minor-league self, going 1-1 with a 3.81 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 26 innings for Atlanta.

Best Reliever: Ryan Sherriff, LHP (Cardinals/AAA)

A 28th-round pick in the 2011 draft, Sherriff has made a career of beating expectations, and 2017 was his time to be rewarded for it. The 27-year-old southpaw spent most of the season in Triple-A, where he went 2-1 with a 3.19 ERA, 6 saves in 7 chances, struck out nearly a batter per inning, and held opposing teams to just 0.99 walks/hits per inning, #4 among Pacific Coast League pitchers with 50-plus innings. After a late August call-up to St. Louis, Sherriff went 2-1 with a 3.14 ERA and 15 walks in 14.1 innings.

Most Improved: Jake Fishman, LHP (Blue Jays/A, A-short season, Rookie)

Drafted out of a Division III college in 2016, Fishman looked like it in his first pro season, going 0-1 with a 4.80 ERA and getting hit at a .328 clip by opposing Rookie-league players. But something clicked in 2017. The 22-year-old southpaw spent most the year in Short-Season ball, where he went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA and a save. During a subsequent six-game stint in Single-A, his ERA was a less-svelte 4.05, but Fishman struck out 15 batters in 6.2 innings and while walking none. Kansas City Royals prospect Gabe Cramer* came a close second for this award but didn’t get quite enough playing time to capture it.

Top Rookie: Spencer Kulman, RHP (Padres/High-A, Rookie)

Kulman went undrafted in 2017, but San Diego apparently got a bargain when it signed him as a free agent. The 22-year-old righty was the top closer on his Rookie-league team, going 1-0 with a 1.21 ERA, earning 4 saves in 5 chances, and limiting opposing teams to a .160 batting average and 1.03 walks/hits per inning. Kulman even closed out the season with two scoreless relief appearances in High-A. Seattle Mariners draft pick Sam Delaplane, whose 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings ranked #2 in the Arizona Rookie League, was runner-up for this award.

Best Comeback:  Robert Stock, RHP (Reds/AA, High-A)

After a frustrating 2015 season that saw him deliver a 7.71 ERA across three levels, Stock spent 2016 playing alongside brother Richard in the independent Can-Am League. But things turned around for the 27-year-old after Cincinnati signed him to a minor-league deal in March 2017. This season, the right-hander went a combined 9-5 with two saves and a 2.82 ERA in High-A and Double-A. This isn’t Stock’s first comeback, either. Selected as a catcher in the 2nd round of the 2009 draft, he moved to the mound in 2012.

Most Likely Call-Up: Zack Weiss, RHP (Reds/AA, High-A)

Weiss was Cincinnati’s top relief prospect entering the 2016 season, but an elbow injury during Spring Training kept him off the mound the entire year and the beginning of 2017. Still, the UCLA alum made a strong return this season, going a combined 4-5 with a 2.63 ERA, 10 saves in 15 chances, and 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings versus 2.9 walks in High-A and AA. Though the Reds’ farm system is stacked with right-handed pitchers, Weiss is an experienced closer at a reasonably young age (25), and he has a good shot of making the Majors eventually.

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