Jewish Baseball News

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Did your parents throw out the box of baseball cards you left in the attic or basement — including the ones of your favorite Jewish ballplayers?

Have no fear. With help from two nonprofit groups, author Bob Wechsler has just published the The Jewish Baseball Card Book, a hardcover history of original cards issued for each of the 169 Jews who played major-league ball from 1871 to 2016.

Click image to order book

“What began as a tribute to the history of Jews in baseball through their cards evolved into a history of baseball cards itself,” said Martin Abramowitz, whose not-for-profit Jewish Majors Leaguers helped produce The Jewish Baseball Card Book, with assistance from Jewish Baseball Museum.

The coffee-table book also includes images of Jewish umpires, team owners, general managers and broadcasters. Wechsler, a retired sports editor, calls the tome “a collector’s Bible.” Old Testament, of course.

Copies can be purchased for $49.95 apiece by clicking here.

(Note: Scott Barancik, the editor of Jewish Baseball News, sits on the board of the not-for-profit Jewish Major Leaguers but receives no compensation from sales of The Jewish Baseball Card Book.)

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

(Note: This entry covers just the last weekend of the 2017 regular season.)

Well, this was a letdown. Only three JMLs participated in their teams’ final games on Sunday: Max Fried, Joc Pederson and Alex Bregman.

Fried started the game for the Atlanta Braves. He pitched — mixed. On the one hand, he struck out seven batters in just 4.1 innings. On the other hand, he pitched just 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on six hits. But just two of those were earned and the Braves (72-90, third in the NL East) beat the host Miami Marlins, 8-4. But Because Fried threw just 4.1 innings, he did not qualify for the win. He was 0-for-2 at the plate. P.S. Giancarlo Stanton did not homer in the finale, so he ended the season with 59. Kudos just the same.

Pederson entered the game for the LA Dodgers (104-58, first in the NL West) in their 6-3 win over the host Colorado Rockies as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the third. He had pair of RBI doubles in three-at bats.

Bregman was a pinch-runner in a 4-3 win by the Houston Astros (101-61, first in the AL West) over the host Boston Red Sox. He was 0-for-2 as he stayed in the game for the DH, Carlos Beltran. On Thursday, Bregman singled, doubled, and homered, driving in all three of the Astros’ runs in their 3-2 win. He was o-for-4 in a 6-3 loss but in his last seven games, Bregman was 12-for-31 (.387) with three home runs and 11 RBI. Fun fact: These two teams ended the regular campaign with a four-game series and will now play each other in the first round of the post-season, setting up the possibility for nine straight games. I’m guessing that’s never happened before in pro-sports.

As for those who did not appear in Sunday’s season finales:

• Ian Kinsler did not appear Sunday night for the Detroit Tigers (64-98, last in the AL Central and tied for the worst record in MLB; the worst team gets the first pick in the following year’s amateur draft, so it will probably be a coin flip) in their 6-4 loss to the host Minnesota Twins. That’s because outgoing skipper Brad Ausmus named him “manager for a day,” a practice sometimes given as a show of respect for veterans. Kinsler’s last game as a player came in Friday’s 6-3 loss; he was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a walk. Also worth noting: Kinsler reached 600 plate appearances, so his option for 2018 kicks in. Don’t know what that means as far as where he’ll actually be playing. (Bonus Fun Fact: on Saturday, Detroit’s Andy Romine became the fifth Major Leaguer to play all nine positions in a single game. Makes for an interesting line in the box score.)
• Kevin Pillar had a great reason for missing the last three games for the Toronto Blue Jays (76-86, fourth in the AL East): the birth of his child. The Jays dropped two of three to the host NY Yankees.
• Ryan Braun did not play Sunday night as the Milwaukee Brewers (86-76) beat the host St. Louis Cardinals, 6-1. He doubled twice in five at-bats the previous night in a 7-6 loss, driving in a run. On Thursday, Braun was hitless in four trips to the plate, grounding into two double plays in a 5-3 win. The Brewers just missed a wild card slot, finishing second in the NL Central.
• Ryan Sherriff appeared for the Cardinals (83-79, third in the NL Central) in their 7-6 win Saturday over the Brewers. He picked up his second win of the year, tossing one scoreless inning, giving up a hit, and striking out one. Sherriff did not pitch on Sunday or Thursday.
• Richard Bleier threw 1.2 innings of scoreless relief on Friday in the Baltimore Orioles’ 4-3 loss to the host Tampa Bay Rays. Bleier gave up a hit and struck out one for the O’s, who finished last in the AL East with a record of 75-87. That outing was enough to push his ERA down to 1.99. He did not play Sunday or Thursday
• Danny Valencia missed the Seattle Mariners’ 6-2 loss to the host LA Angels on Sunday. He was 0-for-3 with a walk in their 6-5 loss on Friday and did not not appear in Saturday’s 6-4 win. The Mariners finished 78-84, tied for third in the AL West.
• Craig Breslow did not appear for the Cleveland Indians (102-60, first in the AL Central) in their 3-1 in over the visiting Chicago White Sox on Sunday. In fact. he did not pitch in any of the three final games. One has to wonder if he has a place on the post-season roster.
• Ausmus got his fair share of criticism, but could he end up as the Mets manager next year? Stay tuned.

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 just one of the 17 hits by the Houston Astros (99-60), but it went for his 18th home run in a 12-2 pasting of the host Boston Red Sox, a possible opponent in the post-season. The shot over the Green Monster was good for two runs in the second inning. Bregman also walked and scored an additional run.

Ryan Braun was 1-for-4 and with an RBI in a must-win game for the Milwaukee Brewers (84-75), 4-3, over the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

For his second straight outing, Cleveland Indians reliever Craig Breslow was the victim of poor relief. He came in for the top of the ninth with one out and gave up a single to Max Kepler for the Minnesota Twins (who secured a Wild Card spot the night before despite losing to the Indians). Breslow then struck out Robbie Grossman before being replaced by Nick Goody who hit the next batter and then gave up a triple. So Breslow gets charged with an earned run, pushing that stat — undeservedly — to 5.09. (By the way, the Indians came out on top of this one anyway, 5-3, picking up their 100th win.) Two days earlier, Breslow retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth inning before giving up a double. His replacement gave up an RBI single and, again, the run was charged against Breslow. So he gets the punishment for other relievers not doing their jobs? Where’s the justice in that? Have to get back to Keith Law’s engaging book, Smart Baseball: The Story Behind the Old Stats That Are Ruining the Game, the New Ones That Are Running It, and the Right Way to Think About Baseball.

Ryan Sherriff allowed one hit and struck out one in an inning of scoreless relief for the St. Louis Cardinals (82-77), who lost to the visiting Chicago Cubs, 2-1, in 11 innings.

Posting late and getting ready for Yom Tov so I’ll just say that no other MOTs played last yesterday.

For those of you who observe, have an easy fast.

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 singled, doubled (#38), and drove in a run as the Houston Astros (98-60) once again roughed up their intrastate rivals, the Texas Rangers, this time by a score of 12-2.

Richard Bleier gave up a hit in one scoreless inning of relief as the Baltimore Orioles (75-84) lost to the host Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-3.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4 as the Toronto Blue Jays (75-84) fell to the visiting Boston Red Sox, 10-7.

Ryan Braun was 0-for-4 as the Milwaukee Brewers (83-75) were shut out, 6-0, by the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

Ian Kinsler was 0-for-4 with a walk and a run scored as the Detroit Tigers (62-96) lost to the host KC Royals, 7-4.

Joc Pederson flied out as a pinch-hitter as the LA Dodgers (102-57) beat the visiting San Diego Padres, 10-0. He remained in the game as the centerfielder.

Danny Valencia did not appear for the Seattle Mariners (77-82) in their 6-5 walk-off loss to the host Oakland As.

Ryan Sherriff did not appear for the St. Louis Cardinals (82-76) in their 5-1 loss to the visiting Chicago Cubs.

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (71-87) in their 7-1 loss to the host NY Mets.

Craig Breslow did not appear for the Cleveland Indians (99-59) in their 4-2 win over the visiting Minnesota Twins.

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

A Danny Valencia sighting! He got the start in right field and was 1-for-2 with his 15th home run, a a three-run blast to center in the seventh that helped the Seattle Mariners (77-81) beat the host Oakland As, 6-3. It was Valencia’s first home run in almost a month (8/28), but that’s mostly because his playing time has been cut so deeply since the arrival of Yonder Alonso.

Alex Bregman was 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBIs as part of an 18-hit attack by the Houston Astros (97-50) in a 14-3 romp over the host Texas Rangers. Bregman has hit safely in eight of his last nine games.

Kevin Pillar also was 3-for-5 as the Toronto Blue Jays (75-83) beat the host Boston Red Sox, 9-4.

Ian Kinsler was 2-for-4 and drove in the only run for the Detroit Tigers (62-95) in their 2-1 loss to the host KC Royals. He was also caught stealing.

Ryan Braun was 0-for-4 with a walk, but the Milwaukee Brewers (83-74) kept their Wild Card hopes alive with a 7-6 win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds. They trail the Colorado Rockies by a game and a half for the second NL spot.

Joc Pederson had a pinch-hit walk and remained in the game in centerfield for the LA Dodgers (101-57) in a 9-2 win over the visiting San Diego Padres.

Craig Breslow gave up one run on one hit (and one strikeout) in 0.2 innings as the Minnesota Twins scored four in the final two frames for an 8-6 win over the host Cleveland Indians (98-59). I may be biased, but I don’t know how they can expect a pitcher to stay sharp when he’s used so infrequently. Minnesota is one game ahead of the LA Angels for the final Wild Card spot in the American League

Richard Bleier did not appear for the Baltimore Orioles (75-83) in their 10-1 loss to the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (71-86) in their 4-3, walk-off loss to the host NY Mets.

Ryan Sherriff did not appear for the St. Louis Cardinals (82-75) in their 8-7 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs.

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

Max Fried made his third start and didn’t do badly. He gave up one earned run (two total) on seven hits in 5.1 innings, striking out two and walking one while taking the first loss of his Major League career as the Atlanta Braves (71-85) fell to the host NY Mets, 3-2, in the nightcap of a doubleheader. Fried was 0-for-2 at the plate.

Ryan Sherriff fared well in his relief outing for the St. Louis Cardinals, giving up a hit and striking out two in two frames. Unfortunately, the Cards (81-75) were clobbered by the visiting Chicago Cubs, 10-2, falling two-and-a-half games back in the standings for the second Wild Card spot.

Alex Bregman was 2-for-3 with his 37th double as the Houston Astros (96-60) beat the host Texas Rangers, 11-2. Bregman also scored a run and drove one in on a sacrifice fly. That put the Astros on the scoreboard and got the ball rolling in an 8-run 4th inning.

Kevin Pillar was o-for-4 as the Toronto Blue Jays (74-83) beat the host Boston Red Sox, 6-4.

Joc Pederson struck out as a pinch hitter and remained in the game at centerfield as the LA Dodgers (100-57) finally won their 100th game, beating the visiting San Diego Padres, 9-3. There was a time when it looked like they had a chance to break the all-time ML win record of 116, set by the Chicago Cubs in 1906 (in a 154-game season, although they actually played 155 that year) and tied by the Seattle Mariners in 2001.

Danny Valencia did not appear for the Seattle Mariners (76-81), who beat the host Oakland As, 7-1. If the Ms win their remaining five games, they will finish at the .500 mark. Hey, it’s better than my Mets can do.

All other Jewishly-populated teams had the day off.

Sure enough, the Yom Kippur “dilemma” is starting to make the rounds in the Jewish media. Here’s a story from the LA Jewish Journal on how Sandy Koufax’s decision in 1965 continues to impress.

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

Can it really be that we’re down to the last week of the regular season? Where did the time go?

Ian Kinsler picked a bad time to get hot. Over the weekend, the second baseman was 4-for-13 with a double (#35), two home runs (#22), four RBIs and three runs scored. But the Detroit Tigers (62-94) remained true to form for the season and dropped all three games to the visiting Minnesota Twins. Friday’s shot was another solo blast but his most recent came yesterday with two out in the bottom of the ninth, a — gasp — two-run shot to make the final score 10-4. Was this Kinsler’s last hurrah in a Tigers uni?

Oh, and that talk about Brad Ausmus returning in 2018? Forget it; he’s out. But the NY Mets will be looking for a new skipper… Just sayin’. Can’t really blame Detroit’s front office. Ausmus was given a good team a few years ago but things never really gelled, between poor performances and injuries. Of course, those happen to every team. The evidence of a good manager is dealing with it and still managing to win. Ausmus did a nice thing here by defending Kinsler’s disappointing season.

Alex Bregman was 2-for-10 with his 17th home run, a two-run blast in yesterday’s game that gave the Houston Astros (95-60) a temporary 2-1 lead in a game they would lose to the visiting LA Angels, 7-5. It was their only loss in the three-game set.

Ryan Braun was 4-for-13 with two doubles (26), two runs scored and an RBI as the Milwaukee Brewers (82-74) hurt their post-season chances by dropping two of three to the visiting Chicago Cubs. What does the future hold for him?

Kevin Pillar was 2-for-11 with his 37th double and 15th stolen base as the Toronto Blue Jays (73-83) took two of three from the visiting NY Yankees, winners of one of the AL Wild Card spots.

Joc Pederson was 1-for-1 with two walks as the LA Dodgers (99-57) beat the visiting San Francisco Giants yesterday, 3-1, taking two of their three games. It was his only outing on the weekend. Pederson also stole his fourth base of the year.

Danny Valencia entered the Saturday game between his Seattle Mariners (75-81) and the visiting Cleveland Indians as a pinch runner, remaining in the game to play right field and first base (not at the same time). He was 0-for-1 with a walk in the 11-4 loss, his only appearance in the series, which concludes today

Richard Bleier appeared in back-to-back-to-back games for the Baltimore Orioles in their series against the Tampa Bay Rays, combining for 2.1 innings, two runs (unearned), three hits, and two strikeouts as the Os (75-82) lost two of three.

Ryan Sherriff‘s appeared briefly in a 4-3 win for the St. Louis Cardinals (81-74) over the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 22. The rookie southpaw faced three batters, striking out one and giving up a double and an RBI single.

Craig Breslow did not appear for the Cleveland Indians (98-58) in their weekend set against the Mariners. He did get into a game on September 20th, walking the only batter he faced against the Angels. Prior to that, Breslow had not been on the mound since Sept. 9.

Max Fried gets the start tonight for the Atlanta Braves in an away game versus the Mets. He has not pitched since Sept. 16, when he struck out two of the three batters he faced in a perfect inning against the Mets in Atlanta.

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 two singles and a walk as the Milwaukee Brewers (81-70) once again shut out the host Pittsburgh Pirates, this time by a score of 1-0 thanks to a Domingo Santana home run in the fourth inning. The Brewers are now one game behind the Colorado Rockies for the second NL Wild Card spot.

Alex Bregman hit his 36th double to drive in what proved to be the winning run as the Houston Astros (92-58) beat the visiting Chicago White Sox, 3-1. It was his only hit in three at-bats in a game that was played in a tidy two hours and forty-seven minutes. As JBN reader Ethel Hilsenroth points out, Bregman leads all MLB third baseman with 16 stolen bases.

Ian Kinsler hit his MOT-leading 20th home run to put the Detroit Tigers (62-89) on the scoreboard in what would be a 9-8 loss to the visiting Oakland A’s. No surprise, it was another solo shot. Wonder where he’ll wind up next year?

Kevin Pillar matched Bregman by hitting his 36th double — his only hit in three at-bats — as the Toronto Blue Jays (71-80) beat the visiting KC Royals, 5-2. Pillar also scored one of the Jays’ runs.

Danny Valencia was 0-for-1 with a walk as the Seattle Mariners (74-77) lost to the visiting Texas Rangers, 3-1. Valencia came out of the game for a pinch-hitter in the seventh. Wouldn’t be too surprised if he wound up playing for his eighth team in nine years in 2018.

Ryan Sherriff allowed a hit, a walk and a hit batter in 1.1 scoreless innings of relief for the St. Louis Cardinals, who beat the host Cincinnati Reds, 8-7, in 10 innings.

Joc Pederson did not appear for the LA Dodgers (96-55) in their 6-2 loss to the host Philadelphia Phillies.

Richard Bleier did not appear for the Baltimore Orioles (73-79) in their 1-0, 11-inning loss to the visiting Boston Red Sox.

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (67-82) in their 4-2 loss to the visiting Washington Nationals.

Craig Breslow did not appear for the Cleveland Indians (94-57) in their 6-3 win over the host LA Angels.

Here’s a bit of catching up with former Detroit Tiger and WBC Team Israel pitcher Josh Zeid, via author Bob Wechsler:

The Durham Bulls are my hometown team, so I’m glad they won the Triple-A championship game against the PCL champion Memphis Redbirds on Tuesday night.

The win came at the expense of Josh Zeid.

Memphis led 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth when Zeid came on to pitch his one inning. All three outs were strikeouts, but in between he hit a batter, gave up a single and a walk and then a two-out grand slam to Kean Wong.

Zeid (9-5, 5.49) had a long season, beginning with Team Israel in the WBC and ending in late September in the playoffs.

Lastly, I will not be posting during Rosh Hashana so I’ll see you all on Monday as the regular season winds down. Shana tova to all, and to all a good year.

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

Only two Jewish hitters were in action yesterday, and both hit home runs.

Ian Kinsler blasted his MOT-leading 19th (another solo job), but the Detroit Tigers (62-88) fell to the visiting Oakland As, 8-3. Kinsler drove in another run with his 24th double, so he accounted for 67 percent of his team’s scoring.

Ryan Braun gave the Milwaukee Brewers (80-70) the only run they would need as they shut out the host Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-0. Braun’s 17th came in the fourth inning. He also singled and stole his 12th base.

Things were not so bright for Richard Bleier, who gave up a hit and was charged with a run without retiring a batter as the Baltimore Orioles (73-78) lost in 11 to the visiting Boston Red Sox, 10-8.

Joc Pederson did not appear for the LA Dodgers (96-54) in their 4-3 loss to the host Philadelphia Phillies.

Everyone else had the day off.

Just FYI, the Cleveland Indians (Craig Breslow) and Houston Astros (Alex Bregman) have clinched their divisions (AL Central and West, respectively), while the Dodgers, despite their MLB-best record, have just secured a spot in the post-season (NL West). Mathematically, the Brewers (Ryan Braun), Orioles (Richard Bleier), Toronto Blue Jays (Kevin Pillar), and St. Louis Cardinals (Ryan Sherriff) are all still alive for a Wild Card berth.

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

Star honors for the weekend go to Ryan Braun, who was 5-for-13 with his 16th homer. He also had two doubles (24) and his second triple of the year. He drove in two, scored three, and walked twice as the Milwaukee Brewers (79-70) took two of three from the host Miami Marlins.

Ian Kinsler was 3-for-11 with two walks and two runs scored and his 14th stolen base as the Detroit Tigers (62-87) split their four-game series with the visiting Chicago Cubs. Among the hits was his 23rd double of the year.

Kevin Pillar had just one hit in nine at-bats for the Toronto Blue Jays (70-80), but it was a home run (#16) and put his team on the scoreboard in an eventual 4-3 win over the host Minnesota Twins. Pillar also walked twice in that one and scored another run. All told, he struck out four times over the weekend. Now, I haven’t seen every great defensive play of the year, but I have a hard time believing none of Pillar’s web-gems were not worthy for consideration in this made-up award orgy. Getting a bit tire of every single thing being “brought to you” or sponsored by some business entity.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-14, but the Houston Astros (91-58) nevertheless swept the visiting Seattle Mariners. Perhaps he’s still hobbled by that nagging hamstring injury. Danny Valencia‘s only appearance came as the starting first baseman in the middle game; he was 0-for-1 with a walk before being lifted for a pinch-hitter.

Speaking of Kinsler, Pillar and Bregman: only 24 Major Leaguers have 16+ home runs this season combined with 14+ stolen bases. Guess which three Jewish players are on that list?

Joc Pederson struck out two of the three times he came to bat between Friday’s and Saturday’s games. The LA Dodgers (96-53) won two of their three games against the host Washington Nationals.

Richard Bleier had a so-so weekend for the Baltimore Orioles (73-77), who lost three of four to the host NY Yankees. Bleier appeared twice, tossing two scoreless innings on Friday (two hits, including a home run, and two strikeouts) and retiring the only batter he faced on Sunday to earn his third hold.

Ryan Sherriff retired the only batter he faced for the St. Louis Cardinals (77-72) against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. The Cubs swept the three-game series.

The Cleveland Indians saw their winning streak stopped at 22 at the hands of the visiting KC Royals on Friday. Craig Breslow did not appear in that one. In fact, he hasn’t pitched since Sept. 9. Which is kind of surprising, given that Breslow is second among active Major League southpaws in total games pitched, with 573.

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (67-81), who dropped two of three to the visiting NY Mets.

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

Ian Kinsler hit home run #18, but the Detroit Tigers (60-86) nevertheless lost to the visiting Chicago White Sox, 17-7. Kinsler, who served as DH in this one, clubbed his shot in the ninth inning for his only hit in five at-bats. Prior to the game, Kinsler was presented with the 2017 Heart and Hustle Award by former Tigers favorite Willie Horton. I remember Horton from when I was a kid and was amazed to see how small he looked next to Kinsler. I don’t know if I’m just sensitive when it comes to JMLs, but it seems Kinsler is the target of more than his share of antagonism within the local sports media.

In their previous game, the Tigers saw their catcher and manager ejected for arguing balls and strikes by Home plate umpire Quinn Walcott. Shortly thereafter, Walcott was hit by a pitched ball when the replacement backstop, John Hicks, failed to catch the throw. There was some speculation by sports pundits — including those on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption — that it was a deliberate play. This reminded me of a scene in Philip Roth‘s underrated baseball book, The Great American Novel, in which Mike “The Mouth” Masterson, a home plate umpire, was intentionally hit in the throat by a fastball thrown by vindictive pitcher Gil Gamesh, thus ending the careers of both men. As Casey Stengel used to say, “You can look it up.” Needless to say, Brad Ausmus denies the accusations.

Getting back to yesterday, Kevin Pillar singled and doubled (#35), but the Toronto Blue Jays (68-79) fell to the host Minnesota Twins in 10 innings, 3-2.

Alex Bregman also notched his 35th two-bagger. It was his only hit in five at-bats as the Houston Astros (88-58) beat the host LA Angels, 5-2. Bregman also scored a run and drove one in.

The Cleveland Indians (91-56) set a new record for consecutive wins when they beat the visiting KC Royals, also 3-2 in 10. Craig Breslow did not appear for the Tribe.

Ryan Sherriff did not appear for the St. Louis Cardinals (77-69) in their 5-3 win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (66-79) in their 5-2 loss to the host Washington Nationals.

Richard Bleier did not appear for the Baltimore Orioles (72-75) in their 13-5 loss to the host NY Yankees. Danny Valencia did not appear for the Seattle Mariners (74-73), who beat the host Texas Rangers, 10-4.

Ryan Braun and the Milwaukee Brewers had the day off, as did Joc Pederson and the LA Dodgers.

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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Ian Kinsler was 0-for-5 as the Detroit Tigers (60-85) gave the host Cleveland Indians (90-56) their A.L. record 21st-straight win, 5-3. Craig Breslow did not appear for the Indians.

St. Louis Cardinals’ rookie pitcher Ryan Sherriff had the first rough outing of his young career. He allowed two inherited runners to score, along with two of his own, by giving up a grand slam to the Cincinnati Reds’ Eugenia Suarez in the fifth inning of a 6-0 loss. The Cards are 76-69.

Danny Valencia was 1-for-4 and drove in a run on a sac fly as the Seattle Mariners (73-73) beat the host Texas Rangers, 8-3. He also made his 11th error of the season.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-4, splitting his time between third base and second base defensively, as the Houston Astros (87-58) lost to the host LA Angels, 9-1.

Kevin Pillar was 1-for-4 as the Toronto Blue Jays (68-78) lost to the visiting Baltimore Orioles (72-74), 2-1. He struck out with the tying run on base to end the sixth inning and was smart not to throw the bat in disgust, thereby earning himself an ejection. Richard Bleier did not appear for the Orioles.

Ryan Braun did not appear for the Milwaukee Brewers (77-69) in their 8-2 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Joc Pederson did not appear for the LA Dodgers (92-56), who beat the host San Francisco Giants, 4-1.

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (66-78) in their 8-2 win over the host Washington Nationals.

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

Ian Kinsler hit his 22nd double in four at-bats, but it didn’t matter: the Cleveland Indians (89-56) won their 20th in a row by beating the Detroit Tigers (60-84), 2-0. Craig Breslow did not appear for the Indians.

Meanwhile, the Tigers still talking about whether or not to bring Brad Ausmus back as manager next year.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-3 as the Houston Astros (87-57) made the one run they scored in the second inning stand up for Justin Verlander, who threw eight shutout  innings in the 1-0 win.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-3 but scored the game-tying run in the bottom of the ninth following a lead-off walk. The Toronto Blue Jays (68-77) beat the visiting Baltimore Orioles (71-74), 3-2. Richard Bleier did not appear for the Orioles.

Ryan Braun was o-for-4 but scored one run and drove in another to help the Milwaukee Brewers (76-69) beat the host Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-3. Braun also stole his 11th base.

Joc Pederson did not appear for the LA Dodgers, who broke their 11-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over the host San Francisco Giants.

Max Fried did not pitch for the Atlanta Braves (65-78), who defeated the Washington Nationals, 8-0.

Danny Valencia did not appear for the Seattle Mariners (72-73) in their 10-3 win over the host Texas Rangers.

Ryan Sherriff did not appear for the St. Louis Cardinals (76-68), who beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds, 13-4.

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

Only two MOTs in action last night. Both of their teams were involved in streaks of one sort or another.

Craig Breslow pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Cleveland Indians (84-56), who won their 15th in a row by beating the lowly Chicago White Sox, 11-1. Breslow worked the ninth, giving up a walk and striking out one in what was obviously a non-save situation.

Not even the great Clayton Kershaw could prevent the LA Dodgers (92-48) from dropping their seventh straight, succumbing to the visiting Colorado Rockies, 9-1. Joc Pederson was 0-for-1 with a walk before coming out for a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

Richard Bleier did not appear for the Baltimore Orioles (71-69) in their 9-1 loss, to the visiting NY Yankees.

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (62-77) in their 6-5 win over the visiting Miami Marlins.

Ryan Sherriff did not appear for the St. Louis Cardinals (72-68) in their 3-0 shutout loss at the hands of the host San Diego Padres.

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

Ian Kinsler hit home run #15 to break a four-way tie for most among MOTs. It was one of the few highlights for the Detroit Tigers (59-80), who were pummeled by the visiting KC Royals, 13-2. The solo shot — his only hit in three at-bats (he also walked) — came in the fifth inning. It tied the game at the time, but the Royals scored four in the seventh and seven more in the eighth. In case you were wondering, Kinsler’s lifetime total is 227, fourth on the all-time Jewish list behind Hank Greenberg, Shawn Green, and Ryan Braun, who was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as the Milwaukee Brewers (72-68) fell to the host Cincinnati Reds, 7-1.

Alex Bregman hit his 33rd double — his only safety in five at-bats as the Houston Astros (86-53) beat the host Seattle Mariners (69-71), 5-3.  Danny Valencia did not appear for the Mariners.

Joc Pederson returned to Major League action last night, batting eighth and stroking a single in two at-bats as the flailing LA Dodgers (92-47) lost to the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-1. He came out of the game for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, but he did make this nice catch up against the centerfield wall to save at least one run.

Ryan Sherriff picked up his first Major League win by tossing two innings of scoreless relief for the St. Louis Cardinals (72-67), who beat the host San Diego Padres, 3-1. Sherriff did not allow a hit, walked two, and struck out two.

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (61-77), who split a doubleheader with the Texas Rangers. Fried will become a full-time starter, at least for the remainder of the season, as the Braves go to a six-man rotation. I’m waiting for the time some maverick manager decides to start a different pitcher for each game, bringing someone up from the minors as the need arises. Think of the confusion for the opposing teams. What kind of scouting reports will there be? Plus you’re paying some of these guys the ML minimum. Anyway, Fried takes the ball on Saturday against the visiting Miami Marlins.

Kevin Pillar did not appear for the Toronto Blue Jays (64-76), who lost to the host Boston Red Sox, 6-1.

Craig Breslow did not appear for the Cleveland Indians (83-56), who won their 14th in a row by beating the host Chicago White Sox, 5-1.

Richard Bleier and the Baltimore Orioles (71-68) saw their game against the visiting NY Yankees postponed by rain.

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 a single and double (#34) and scored a run in seven at-bats as the Toronto Blue Jays (64-75) lost to the host Boston Red Sox, 3-2, in 19 innings. The winning single was hit in Pillar’s direction, but there was no superhuman effort in this story, and his throw failed to nab the game-winner at the plate. I was actually watching the last several innings, the product of insomnia.

Alex Bregman got the Houston Astros (85-53) on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly in the third inning and was hitless in three official at-bats. The outfield fly didn’t miss being a grand slam by much in Justin Verlander’s debut for the Astros, who held off the host Seattle Mariners (69-70), 3-1. Danny Valencia did not appear for the Ms.

Ian Kinsler was 1-for-4 with a run scored as the Detroit Tigers (59-79) crossed the plate seven times in the second inning en route to a 13-2 drubbing of the visiting KC Royals. He came out for a pinch-hitter in the seventh. Kinsler’s future with the Tigers is up in their air. Reports are that he wants to be back in 2018, but the team seems to be willing to part with the 35-year-old second baseman as they rebuild. On the other hand, they could use his veteran leadership as they do. One also has to wonder about the future of manager Brad Ausmus, who has not had great success since he was hired.

Same box score line (1-for-4) for Ryan Braun with a different result: the Milwaukee Brewers (72-67) lost to the host Cincinnati Reds, 9-2. He also walked and stole his ninth base. Braun remains one home run shy of the 300 mark.

Richard Bleier gave up an unearned run due to an error by CF Adam Jones as the Baltimore Orioles (71-68) came back from a 6-1 deficit to beat the visiting NY Yankees, 7-6, on Manny Machado’s two-run, walk off homer. It was Machado’s second long-ball of the night in a game that was delayed by rain for more than two hours.

Craig Breslow did not appear for the Cleveland Indians (82-56), who beat the host Chicago White Sox, 9-4, for their 13th consecutive victory.

Ryan Sherriff did not appear for the St. Louis Cardinals (71-67) in their 8-4 win over the host San Diego Padres.

The meeting between the Texas Rangers and host Atlanta Braves was postponed by rain so nothing for Max Fried, who’s already being touted as the next Tom Glavine? Please.

The LA Dodgers (92-46) recalled outfielder Joc Pederson yesterday. They lost, 3-1, to the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, their fifth straight defeat and ninth in their last 10.

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, folks. Hope you had a great Labor Day holiday despite weather conditions and sundry global events.

Since most teams begin a new series on Mondays, I’m going to dispense with the usual long-weekend wrap. Too complicated.

Max Fried's 5-1 win over the Cubs (9/3/2017)" width="300" height="220" srcset="http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/fried-mlb-debut-start-vs-cubs-box-300x220.jpg 300w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/fried-mlb-debut-start-vs-cubs-box-120x88.jpg 120w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/fried-mlb-debut-start-vs-cubs-box.jpg 433w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> Box score from Max Fried’s 5-1 win over the Cubs (9/3/2017)

However I just wanted to give a shout-out to Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried. He returned to the team after the September 1 call-up by which Major League rosters can expand to 40. Fried won his big-league first start by pitching five strong innings on Sunday against the first-place host Chicago Cubs, who were averaging 6.7 runs per game since August 1 and had won six straight. He gave up one run on a homer, one of four hits he allowed to go along with three walks and four strikeouts in a 5-1 victory (see video).

Now on to our regularly scheduled program..

Ryan Braun had three hits, including his 14th home run (and 299th of his career), as the Milwaukee Brewers (72-66) fell to the host Cincinnati Reds on a walk-off home run by Billy Hamilton. That puts Braun one shy of the 300 milestone.

Alex Bregman drove in two runs with his 32nd double to help the Houston Astros (84-53) beat the host Seattle Mariners (69-69), 6-2. It was his only hit in five at-bats. He also scored a run. Danny Valencia was 0-for-3 for the Mariners and came out of the game for a pinch-hitter in the ninth.

Kevin Pillar was 1-for-5 with an RBI (#38), as the Toronto Blue Jays (64-74) beat the host Boston Red Sox. This clip erroneously credits him with a double, a solid blast off the Green Monster hit so hard it rebounded right to the leftfielder who was able to hold Pillar at first.

The Detroit Tigers (58-79) scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to keep from losing to the visiting KC Royals, 7-6. Ian Kinsler was 0-for-4.

Craig Breslow did not appear for the Cleveland Indians (81-56), who beat the host Chicago White Sox, 8-5.

Richard Bleier did not appear for the Baltimore Orioles (70-68) who lost to the visiting NY Yankees, 7-4.

Ryan Sherriff did not appear for the St. Louis Cardinals (70-67) who shut out the host San Diego Padres, 2-0.

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 Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of August 28 – September 3, 2017:

Gurwitz

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Zane Gurwitz

2B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/rookie), a 2017 draftee, hit .500 (8-for-16) with 2 HRs, 7 RBIs and a walk last week. His .386 average is tops among all Arizona Rookie League players with at least 90 plate appearances.

Weiss

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Zack Weiss

• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA) pitched 4 no-hit innings across 2 appearances last week, yielding just one walk while striking out 7 batters. Since his promotion to Double-A, Weiss is 2-4 with a 3.00 ERA, 9 saves in 12 chances, and 37 strikeouts in 27 innings. He gives up an average of 1.19 walks/hits per inning.

Awards and other recognition

• Braden Bishop (Mariners/AA) has been selected to play in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, where many franchises send their top prospects for additional competition and seasoning. MLB.com ranks him Seattle’s #6 prospect.
• Max Fried (Cubs) has been selected to play in the Arizona Fall League. Given his growing inning count, however — he currently is pitching in the Majors — it’s unclear whether he will end up playing during the offseason.
• Tyler Krieger (Indians/AA), who played for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic but does not identity exclusively as Jewish, has been selected play in the Arizona Fall League.
• C Andy Yerzy (Diamondbacks/rookie), ranked Arizona’s #24 prospect by MLB.com, was the subject of two articles about his improved performance (Baseball America, MiLB.com). A 6-foor-3-inch tall catcher, he is hitting .295 with 11 HRs (#7 in the Pioneer Rookie League) and 41 RBIs (#12/tied).

Other highlights

• LF Zach Borenstein* (Diamondbacks/AAA) hit .320 with 2 home runs, 2 triples, 8 RBIs and 2 walks last week. He’s hitting .280 this season, with 24 HRs, 7 triples, 26 doubles and a .928 OPS. Fingers crossed that he gets a call-up this month.
• CF Blake Gailen* (Dodgers/AA) hit .400 (8-for-20) with 4 RBIs, 4 walks and one stolen base.
• SS Scotty Burcham* (Rockies/High-A) hit .357 with 2 doubles.
• 2B Adam Walton (Diamonbacks/A) hit .462 (6-for-13) with 2 doubles, 4 RBIs and a walk.
• C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/rookie) hit .500 (4-for-8) in the first two games of the Appalachian Rookie League playoffs, including a home run, double, 3 RBIs and a walk.
• OF Justin Cohen (Marlins/rookie) hit .333 (3-for-9). After hitting just .091 in June and .042 in July, Cohen hit .360 in August.
• P Robert Stock (Reds/AA) pitched 2.2 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding no hits and 2 walks while striking out 3 and earning a win. Since his promotion to Double-A, Stock is 8-2 with a 2.98 ERA.
• P Troy Neiman* (Rockies/AA) pitched a perfect inning of relief on September 1, yielding no hits or walks while striking out one.
• P Spencer Kulman (Padres/High-A), a 2017 draftee, performed well in his first two appearances in High-A, tossing 2 scoreless innings on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 2. On San Diego’s rookie-league team, Kulman was 1-0 with a 1.21 ERA and 4 saves in 5 chances, holding opposing batters to a .160 batting average.
• P Jared Lakind* (Marlins/High-A) pitched well in his first game since being promoted to High-A, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings on one hit, no walks and a strikeout on September 2.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/High-A) pitched 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out 3. In the past 10 games, Effross is 0-0 with a 1.45 ERA and 5 saves.
• P Marc Huberman (Cubs/High-A) pitched a perfect inning on August 31, yielding no hits or walks while striking out one batter.
• Last week, we neglected to mention a rather notable achievement by P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/A). In an August 26 relief appearance, Fishman struck out 7 batters in 2 innings, a rare feat. The first batter he fanned did so on a wild pitch and made it safely to first base.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/rookie), a 2017 draftee, pitched 2 scoreless innings on August 31, yielding one hit and one walk while striking out 3 and earning his second win of the season. Delaplane is averaging 13.65 strikeouts per nine innings, #3 among all Arizona Rookie League pitchers with 30-plus innings.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/High-A) pitched 2.2 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 2 hits and 2 walks while fanning 2.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Red Sox/A-short-season) pitched 3 scoreless innings on September 1, yielding one hit and 2 walks while striking out 4.
• P Kenny Koplove (Marlins/A-short-season) pitched a scoreless inning on August 30, giving up no hits and one walk.
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/rookie), a 2017 draftee, pitched 2 scoreless innings on August 29, yielding a walk and a hit while striking out 3.
• P Jordan Scheftz (Indians/rookie), a 2017 draftee, pitched 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 3 hits and no walks while striking out 2.
• P Ike Davis* (Dodgers/rookie) pitched a scoreless inning on August 31, giving up one hit and no walks while striking out one. It was the first baseman’s sixth consecutive scoreless appearance since moving to the pitcher’s mound on August 6.

Transactions

• P Max Fried (Braves) was called up by the Atlanta Braves on September 1 and made his first Major League start on September 3, earning a win over the Chicago Cubs.
• C Michael Barash (Angels/AA) was promoted from High-A to Double-A on September 1.
• LF Mike Meyers (Red Sox/AA) was promoted from High-A to Double-A on August 30.
• P Jared Lakind (Marlins/High-A) was promoted from Single-A to High-A on August 31.
• P Spencer Kulman (Padres, High-A), a 2017 draftee, was promoted from rookie ball to High-A on September 1.
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/A) was activated from the temporary inactive list on August 28.

Free agents

• Players believed to be seeking employment include minor leaguers Corey Baker*, Zack Thornton* and Elliott Barzilli.
• Two knowledgeable sources in the baseball world — an MLB agent and a sportswriter — tell Jewish Baseball News that former major leaguer Sam Fuld* has decided to hang up his spikes. Persistent injuries have diminished Super Sam’s ability to play full out, the only way he knows how.

Disabled list

• 1B Cody Decker (Mets/AAA), since August 24.
• SS Preston Grand Pre (Dodgers/rookie), since July 30.
• P Gabe Cramer* (Royals/High-A), since May 26.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA), since April 19.
• P Jake Drossner (Brewers/A), since April 12.
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA), since April 6.

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

Yesterday was the deadline for trades that would qualify players to appear in the post-season. The Detroit Tigers made a couple of big deals, parting ways with their ace Justin Verlander and outfielder Justin Upton, but Ian Kinsler remains mired with the last-place team, which was idle last night. There’s still a better-than-average chance that Kinsler will be dealt after the season.

Verlander joins Alex Bregman and the first-place Houston Astros (80-53), who beat the visiting Texas Rangers, 5-1. Bregman was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI, and his 15th stolen base. As noted on RotoBaller.com, “Bregman has had an excellent month of August, slashing .339/.392/.587 with three triples, four stolen bases, five home runs, six doubles, 13 runs scored and 19 runs batted in.”

Kevin Pillar drove in a pair with his 32nd double — his second hit of the game — as the Toronto Blue Jays (62-72) beat the host Baltimore Orioles (68-66), 8-6. Richard Bleier saw his eight-game scoreless streak come to an end, but only after he stopped the bleeding in the fifth when the Jays scored five times. He allowed one run on one hit in the sixth, but that was only because Mychal Givens, who relieved him, gave up a homer to Kendrys Morales, so not totally Bleier’s fault.

Ryan Braun joined the RBI parade, plating his ribbie on a sacrifice fly as the Milwaukee Brewers (70-64) beat the visiting Washington Nationals, 6-3. Braun had one hit in three official at-bats and scored a run.

September begins the month where rosters can expand to 40 players, so teams generally promote their top prospects. Joc Pederson is somewhat in limbo and will not be rejoining the LA Dodgers, at least not immediately. On the other hand, the Braves not only are bringing Max Fried back but will have him make his first Major League start on Sunday against the Cubs in Wrigley Field. Maybe the Chicago White Sox, who are in the doldrums, will bring back rookie pitcher Brad Goldberg.

Shameless self-promotion time: My latest interview on the Hank Greenberg book, courtesy Nathan Bierma, host of the Tigers History podcast.

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 hit his 21st double in four at-bats as the Milwaukee Brewers (69-64) held off the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, 6-5. Keon Broxton made a home run-saving catch to end the game, but I think the announcers got a little too enthusiastic. The hit would have given the Cards (66-66) a 7-6 lead, but since the Brewers were the home team, they would have had one more shot at a victory, so calling the effort a “game-saver” is not necessarily so.

Ryan Sherriff did his job for St. Louis, retiring the only batter he faced to end a three-run rally in the sixth that gave the Brewers the lead.

Danny Valencia struck out as a pinch-hitter then struck out again when he remained in the game as the Seattle Mariners (68-66) dropped this one to the host Baltimore Orioles (68-65), 8-7. Richard Bleier retired the only batter he faced, picking up his second “hold” of the year.

Speaking of “holds,” one of these days I’m going to opine on Keith Law’s excellent book, Smart Baseball: The Story Behind the Old Stats That Are Ruining the Game, the New Ones That Are Running It, and the Right Way to Think About Baseball, to let you know how silly some of these categories are.

Craig Breslow completed the fine day by Jewish relievers, giving up one hit in one inning to help the Cleveland Indians (75-56) en route to a three-game sweep of the host NY Yankees, 9-4, in the first game of a regular doubleheader, i.e., not one of those two-admission money grabs that are the norm these days.

Kevin Pillar was 1-for-4 as the Toronto Blue Jays (61-72) lost to the visiting Boston Red Sox, 7-1.

Alex Bregman was o-for-4 for the Houston Astros (79-53), who lost to the visiting Texas Rangers, 8-1. Actually both teams are “visiting” Tropicana field in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Ian Kinsler did not appear for the Detroit Tigers (58-74) in their 6-2 win over the host Colorado Rockies.

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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