Jewish Baseball News

By Scott Barancik, editor

When the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted catcher Sam Finfer out of high school in 2013, nabbing him in the 29th round, the Bellevue, WA, native took a pass. Thus began a collegiate odyssey that took him from Seattle University and Bellevue College to Marshall University.

After a lackluster junior year at Marshall, where Finfer hit .218 with 7 HRs, 27 RBIs and 4 doubles, MLB teams ignored him in the 2016 amateur draft.

Then came 2017. Splitting his time between outfield and catcher, the 22-year-old supersized nearly all of his stats, finishing the season with a .338 batting average in 201 at-bats, 18 HRs (tied for 13th-most among all NCAA Division I players), 51 RBIs, 17 doubles, and 8 thefts in 9 tries. Finfer’s average, on-base and slugging percentages (.338/.410/.692) were even better with runners in scoring position (.393/.500/.714).

Sam Finfer’s senior year at Marshall University upped his profile for the June 2017 MLB draft

The 6’2″, 205-pounder was even more of a home-run threat in 2017 than his overall total suggests. Finfer ranked 8th among D1 players in HRs per game (0.35), thanks in part to three multi-homer outings. No wonder he was named All-Conference First Team last week by Conference USA.

How high Finfer will go in next month’s draft is unclear. Baseball America did not include him in its recent ranking of of top 200 draft prospects. But the Dodgers are starting to look pretty smart.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Another shvach day for the fellas.

Ryan Braun reacts after striking out with runners at second and third during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday, May 23, 2017, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)" width="359" height="239" data-reactid="131" /> Ryan Braun

Bad news for Ryan Braun: He left the Milwaukee Brewer’s 4-0 loss to the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks with a recurrence of that calf injury which put him on the disabled list. Looks like he’s heading back there. He was 0-for-1 before coming out in the fourth. The Brewers are 25-22.

Danny Valencia was 1-for-3 with a walk and committed his third error as the Seattle Mariners (21-27) beat the host Washington Nationals, 4-2.

Ian Kinsler singled in five at-bats for the Detroit Tigers (22-24) ,who lost a tight one to the Houston Astros (32-16), 7-6. Alex Bregman was 0-for-4 for the winners.

The LA Dodgers (28-20) placed Joc Pederson on the concussion DL following his outfield collision with Yasiel Puig. They beat the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, 7-3.

No games for Craig Breslow (Minnesota Twins), Kevin Pillar (Toronto Blue Jays) or Richard Bleier (Baltimore Orioles). The game between Scott Feldman‘s Cincinnati Reds and the host Cleveland Indians was postponed.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Now that’s more like it. The boys went for a combined 7-for-18 yesterday with two doubles, two homers, and four runs scored.

Kevin Pillar was one of four Toronto Blue Jays (21-26) who posted round-trippers in an 8-4 win over the host Milwaukee Brewers (25-21). His seventh of the season — and his only hit in five at-bats —  came in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1. Ryan Braun did not appear in the game for the Brewers.

Alex Bregman launched his third homer of the year to go along with his 10th double and a single, but it all went for naught as his Houston Astros (31-16) lost to the visiting Detroit Tigers (22-23), 6-3. His poke came with two outs in the ninth. Bregman also displayed a “fine defensive effort,” hauling in this foul pop for an out. The Tigers’ Ian Kinsler was 2-for-5, including his sixth double, and scored twice.

Danny Valencia was 1-for-4 in the Seattle Mariners’ (20-27) 5-1 loss to the host Washington Nationals.

Joc Pederson did not appear for the LA Dodgers (27-20) in their 6-1 loss to the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, suffering from the aftereffects of his outfield collision with Yasiel Puig in a 2-1 loss the night before. That game just happened to be Joc Pederson Bobblehead Night in which his brother, Champ, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Neither Craig Breslow nor Richard Bleier appeared for their respective teams as the former’s Minnesota Twins (25-18) outlasted the latter’s host Baltimore Orioles (25-20), 4-3.

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (22-24) in their 4-3 win over the host 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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

By default, the best performance of the day came from Richard Bleier, who made his second appearance in two days to pitch the final two innings as the Baltimore Orioles (25-19) were shut out by the visiting Minnesota Twins, 2-0. Bleier was perfect in his stint, striking out two. Craig Breslow did not appear for the Twins (24-18).

So much for 18 being a lucky number. The MOTs managed just one hit in 18 official trips to the plate yesterday, courtesy of a Kevin Pillar single in five at-bats as the Toronto Blue Jays (20-26) beat Ryan Braun (0-for-3 with a walk) and the Milwaukee Brewers (25-20), 4-3.

MLB continues to look into Pillar’s use of a homophobic slur, which cost him a two-game suspension last week. Frankly I don’t understand the need for that. He admits he said it and has expressed remorse, which I believe is genuine. Is there more he can do towards redemption? Perhaps, but it’s time to move on.

As for the rest of the guys…

• Ian Kinsler, 0-for-3 in the Detroit Tigers’ (21-23) 6-2 loss to the Houston Astros (31-15)
• Alex Bregman, 0-for-4 for the ‘Stros
• Joc Pederson, 0-for-3 for the LA Dodgers (27-19), who managed just three hits in 13 innings but still managed a 2-1 win over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. He was involved in a frightening collision with rightfielder Yasiel Puig on this play in the top of the 10th, taking an apparent elbow in the head before hitting the wall. Pederson came out of the game for a pinch hitter and will most likely be observed to see if there are any lingering effects.

• Danny Valencia did not appear for the Seattle Mariners (20-26) in their 10-1 drubbing at the hands of the host Washington Nationals. He was expected to play but was a last-minute scratch as he continues to deal with a sore wrist.

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (21-24) in their 8-7 loss to 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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Mazel of the Day: Looks like we got the Jekyll version of Scott Feldman last night. He picked up his third win for the Cincinnati Reds (21-23), going six strong innings in a 5-1 victory over the visiting Cleveland Indians. Feldman allowed just four hits, including a homer by Jason Kipnis (whose father is Jewish) that accounted for the Indians’ lone run. He walked two and struck out a season-high nine batters, including three in a row to start the game. It’s his highest K-count since the 10 he enjoyed while pitching for the Houston Astros in a May 10, 2015, win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Craig Breslow and Richard Bleier  each pitched for their respective teams as Breslow’s Minnesota Twins (23-18) beat Bleier’s Baltimore Orioles (25-18), 14-7. Breslow, appearing in his 17th game, tossed an inning of scoreless relief, allowing one hit and striking out one while lowering his ERA to 1.72. Bleier faced two batters, allowing one hit and fanning the other.

Another game pitted two MOTs against each other: Alex Bregman, who was lowered to the ninth spot in the batting order, went 1-for-3 as the Houston Astros (30-15) beat Ian Kinsler (0-for-4) and the Detroit Tigers (21-22), 1-0.

The teams with the remaining JMLs — Ryan Braun, Joc Pederson, Kevin Pillar, and Danny Valencia — all had the day off.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of May 15-21, 2017. It was a particularly good stretch for members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad, who we’ve marked with an asterisk:

Borenstein

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Zach Borenstein*

LF Zach Borenstein* (Diamondbacks/AAA) had a modest 7 hits in 26 at-bats last week (.269) but made them count, stroking 3 home runs and 2 doubles while knocking in 8 runs and walking twice.

Sherriff

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Ryan Sherriff

• P Ryan Sherriff (Cardinals/AAA) had three perfect relief outings, yielding no hits or walks across 3.1 combined innings while striking out 3 and earning his third save in three attempts.

Other highlights

• 1B Ike Davis* (Dodgers/AAA) hit .400 (4-for-10) with a double, 4 RBIs and a walk. Since coming off the disabled list May 11, he’s lifted his average from .111 to .220.
• 1B Cody Decker* (Mets/AA) hit .538 (7-for-13) and did most of his damage over the weekend, going a combined 6-for-9 with 2 HRs and 4 RBIs. The offensive outpouring raised his average from .191 to .267.
• C Ryan Lavarnway* (Athletics/AAA) hit .300 (3-for-10) with 2 HRs, 5 RBIs and 3 walks.
• 2B Adam Walton (Diamondbacks/A) went 2-for-9 (.222) with a double but drove in 3 runs and drew 3 walks in his 2017 debut.
• P Gabe Cramer* (Royals/High-A) lowered his season ERA to 1.54 with a sterling 2.2-inning appearance on May 17, yielding one hit and no walks while fanning 4.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/A) earned a win May 15 with his best start of the season. The 2016 draftee yielded 5 hits, 2 earned runs and no walks over 5 innings while striking out 6 batters.
• P Brad Goldberg* (White Sox/AAA) earned two saves and two perfect relief appearances last week, yielding no walks or hits over 3.1 combined innings and striking out one.
• P Marc Huberman (Cubs/High-A) held opponents scoreless in two one-inning relief appearances, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out 3.
• P Dean Kremer* (Dodgers/High-A), a 2016 draftee, came into his May 18 start with a hefty 8.14 ERA…and pitched his best game of the season. Kremer yielded one hit, 3 walks and one earned run over 4.1 innings while striking out 7.
• After struggling May 16 (1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K), P Troy Neiman* (Rockies/AA) was dominant on May 21, yielding 2 hits and no walks over 2.2 innings while fanning 5.
• P Jason Richman yielded just one earned run in 6.2 combined innings of relief, giving up 6 hits and a walk while striking out 6.
• P Joey Wagman* (Oakland/High-A), fresh off the disabled list and pitching for the first time this month, struck out 4 of the 5 batters he faced in a hitless relief gig May 19.

Transactions

• Great news for P Alex Katz*, who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox by the Baltimore Orioles and promoted to High-A. From the Baltimore Sun: “He has a good fastball and excellent strikeout record,” executive vice president Dan Duquette said of Katz, who has struck out 10.1 per nine innings in his minor league career. “A lot of guys like him and they project him to be a major league reliever.”
• C Tim Remes (Tigers/AA) came off the disabled list and was promoted to Double-A.
• C Nick Rickles* (Nationals/AA) made his 2017 debut.
• C Adam Sonabend (Giants/AA) came off the disabled list, went 1-for-5 in two appearances, and then returned to the disabled list.
• 2B Adam Walton (Diamondbacks/A) made his 2017 debut.
• P Jeremy Bleich* (Dodgers/AA) was demoted to Double-A after going 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in four games at Triple-A.
• P Joey Wagman* (Oakland/High-A) came off the disabled list.
• Former minor-league 2B Mason Katz signed with the independent Winnipeg Goldeyes. He is listed as a catcher/infielder.
• Former minor-league C Steven Pollakov signed with the independent Joliet Slammers.
• IF Ryan Lashley signed with the independent Southern Illinois Miners.

Free agents

• Players actively seeking employment include former major leaguer Sam Fuld* and minor leaguers Michael Fagan, Alec Grosser, Henry Hirsch, Raul Jacobson, Kenny Koplove and Zack Thornton*.

Disabled list

• C Adam Sonabend (Giants/AA)
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Elbow.
• P Jake Drossner (Brewers/A).
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA).

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Ryan Braun returned to action from the disabled list on Sunday against the host Chicago Cubs, going o-for-5 with an RBI on a ball hit softly to the pitcher. The Milwaukee Brewers (25-19) lost this one, 13-6, after beating the Cubs on Friday, 6-3. The Saturday game was postponed by rain.

Kevin Pillar also returned to action, but from his two-game suspension for a homophobic slur. He singled twice in five at-bats on Saturday, stole his seventh base of the season, and scored twice in a 7-5 loss to the host Baltimore Orioles. He was 1-for-3 with a walk in Sunday’s 3-1 win. The Jays (19-26) lost to Os on Friday in 11 innings, 5-3.

Richard Bleier earned his first hold for the Orioles (25-17) on Saturday, even though he gave up two runs (one earned) in one-third of an inning, walking one, striking out another, but not allowing a hit.

Ian Kinsler was 1-for-5 as the Detroit Tigers  (21-21) lost, 5-4, to the visiting Texas Rangers on Friday; 2-for-3 with two runs scored in a 9-3 win on Saturday, coming out of the game in the fifth inning when his hamstring tightened up on him; and hit his fourth home run to lead off Sunday’s game , a 5-2 loss. It was the 42nd time Kinsler opened a game with a round-tripper.

Alex Bregman bobblehead

Alex Bregman was 1-for-3 with his ninth double as the Houston Astros lost to the visiting Cleveland Indians on Friday, 5-3. On Saturday, the Astros managed just three hits — none by Bregman in three at-bats — in a 3-0 loss. He cracked his second home run of the year (and his first in Houston) on Sunday to end the scoring in an 8-6 loss to complete the sweep. The Astros had trailed 8-1 at one point. Their 29-15 record is still the best in the Majors.

Joc Pederson was 0-for-2 on Friday, coming on as a defensive replacement as the LA Dodgers beat the visiting Miami Marlins, 7-2. He was hitless in three at-bats in Saturday’s 10-6 loss but hit his second homer of the year on Sunday to help the Dodgers (26-19) to a 6-3 win. He also walked and scored two runs.

Danny Valencia

Danny Valencia hit his second triple of the year and scored the only run of the game for the Seattle Mariners (20-25) in their 2-1, 10-inning loss to the visiting Chicago White Sox on Friday. He did not appear in their 16-1 blowout loss the next day after injuring his wrist on a slide in Friday’s contests. He also sat out Sunday’s 8-1 loss.

Craig Breslow pitch 1.2 scoreless innings on Sunday, striking out one and walking one, in the first game of a doubleheader between his Minnesota Twins and the visiting Kansas City Royals, a game necessitated by a rain out on Saturday. The Twins (22-18) lost 6-4 but won the nightcap, 8-4. It was Breslow’s only appearance over the weekend, lowering his season ERA to 1.84.

Scott Feldman gets the start tonight for the Cincinnati Reds (20-23) in their intrastate series against the visiting Indians. Which Feldman will we see this time?

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Amidst his batting woes, Joc Pederson was 1-for-3 with a walk, a strikeout, and two runs scored as the LA Dodgers (24-18) beat the visiting Miami Marlins, 7-2.

Ian Kinsler singled in four at-bats as the Detroit Tigers (20-19) beat the visiting Baltimore Orioles, 6-5. Richard Bleier did not appear for the Os.

Danny Valencia was 0-for-4 with a strikeout as the Seattle Mariners (20-22) beat the visiting Chicago White Sox, 5-4, on a walk-off single by Guillermo Heredia.

Kevin Pillar is serving a two-game suspension handed down by the Toronto Blue Jays (18-24) for yelling a homophobic slur at Atlanta Braves pitcher Jason Motte on Thursday in an 8-4 win. Toronto beat the Braves yesterday, 9-0. According to the New York Times:

Pillar was angry because he thought Motte had quick-pitched him to get a strikeout that ended the seventh inning…After what he described as a sleepless night, Pillar acknowledged wrongdoing. “I regret saying it,” Pillar told reporters at SunTrust Park a few hours before the final game of a four-game series against the Braves. “I’m going to use myself as an example of how there are words out there you can’t use. It’s not a word I use ever.”

Ryan Braun remains on the disabled list and so did not appear in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 4-2 win over the host San Diego Padres. The Brewers(24-18) have gone 6-2 since Braun last played on May 10. From Rotoballer.com:

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun said that he will meet with the media on Saturday to discuss his timeline for returning to the Brewers lineup. It was reported that he would be back in the Brewers lineup right after his 10-day stay on the disabled list ended, and this fact will be confirmed this weekend. Braun has been hampered by a calf injury and missed time with a forearm injury earlier this season. He has a .941 OPS and four stolen bases this season, clubbing seven home runs, but he has not played more than 140 games since 2012 and is an injury risk. 

Craig Breslow did not appear on either end of a doubleheader between the host Minnesota Twins and the Colorado Rockies. The teams split, with the Rockies winning the opener, 5-1, and the Twins (20-17), taking the nightcap, 2-0.

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (19-21) in their 9-5 loss to the host Chicago Cubs.

Alex Bregman and the MLB-best Houston Astros had the day off.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Not a great night for the boys, a collective 3-for-21 and a poor pitching performance.

Ian Kinsler‘s RBI single in the second inning gave the Detroit Tigers (19-19) a 2-1 lead over the host Baltimore Orioles (23-15) in a game they would go on to win 5-4. Kinsler added another single and was caught stealing for the second time this year in the victory. Richard Bleier came on to get the final out in the seventh and gave up a lead-off double in the eighth before he was removed.

Alex Bregman contributed  a single and a run scored for the Houston Astros (29-12), who beat the host Miami Marlins, 3-0.

Joc Pederson was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, but the LA Dodgers (23-18) still beat the host San Francisco Giants, 6-1. Looks like his “promotion” to the leadoff spot didn’t pay off.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4 for the Toronto Blue Jays (17-24) in their 8-4 loss to the host Atlanta Braves.

Danny Valencia was 0-for-4 as the Seattle Mariners shut out the host Oakland As, 4-0.

Remember when I asked if Scott Feldman could put up three good outings in a row for the Cincinnati Reds? Turns out he couldn’t. He was roughed up for seven runs (five earned) on five hits and three walks (he also struck out four) in just 2.2 innings. The Reds (19-20) would go on to lose to the host Chicago Cubs, 7-5.

The game between Craig Breslow‘s Minnesota Twins (19-16) and the visiting Colorado Rockies was postponed.

Ryan Braun remains on the disabled list for the Milwaukee Brewers (23-18) who beat the host San Diego Padres, 3-1.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Co-mazels of the day: Kevin Pillar doubled (#12) and homered (#6) in five at-bats, but the Toronto Blue Jays (17-23) lost to the visiting Atlanta Braves, 9-5. According to a flattering profile by SportsNet, Pillar “lives the way he plays: spontaneously, without fear and confident in what he can do.”

Richard Bleier pitched the last 1.2 innings for the Baltimore Orioles (23-15) to pick up his first win of the year, beating the host Detroit Tigers (18-19), 13-11, in 13 innings. Bleier allowed one hit, issued an intentional walk, and struck out one. On the other side of the diamond, Ian Kinsler had two singles — one of them against Bleier — and a double (#5) in eight at-bats, scoring twice and driving in one for the Tigers.

Alex Bregman grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth and remained in the game at second base as the Houston Astros (28-12) beat up on the host Miami Marlins, 12-2. Click here to read about Bregman’s hero — and how he hit a grand slam in front of him.

Craig Breslow struck out one in 1.2 innings of scoreless relief but his Minnesota Twins (19-16) lost to the visiting Colorado Rockies, 7-3.

Danny Valencia was 2-for-3 with a walk and was caught stealing in the Seattle Mariners’ (18-22) 9-6 loss to the visiting Oakland As.

Joc Pederson was 0-for-4 as the LA Dodgers (22-18) were eked out by the host San Francisco Giants, 2-1.

Ryan Braun remains on the disabled list as the Milwaukee Brewers (22-18) beat the host San Diego Padres, 6-2.

Scott Feldman has had back-to-back good starts. Can he make it three tonight when the Cincinnati Reds take on the Cubs in Chicago?

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Kevin Pillar was 1-for-5 with a run scored as the Toronto Blue Jays  (17-22) fell to the visiting Atlanta Braves, 10-6. The latest article to comment on the defensive wizard’s recent prowess at the plate refers to him as a “somewhat surprising Pillar of strength.”

Alex Bregman hit his eighth double in three at-bats as the Houston Astros (27-12) beat the host Miami Marlins, 7-2. Bregman came out of the game in a double-switch in the sixth inning.

Danny Valencia drove in the first run of the game for the Seattle Mariners on a bases-loaded walk. He was hitless in two official at-bats (plus another walk) as the Mariners (18-21) held on for a 6-5 win over the visiting Oakland As.

Joc Pederson hit his sixth double and drew a walk as the LA Dodgers (22-17) were doubled up by  the host San Francisco Giants, 8-4.

Ryan Braun remains on the disabled list for the Milwaukee Brewers (21-18), who lost to the host San Diego Padres, 6-5, in 10 innings.

All other MOTs and their teams had the day off.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Mazel of the weekend: Kevin Pillar was 2-for-3 with stolen base No. 5 on Friday as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the visiting Seattle Mariners, 4-0. Saturday was even better: 3-for-4 with his 11th double, two runs scored, one RBI, and his sixth stolen base in a 7-2 win. But Sunday was the best. He had just one hit but it was a big one: a walk-off home run to give the Blue Jays a 3-2 win and the series sweep. He also made another sensational grab off the bat of Danny Valencia. Toronto has won five in a row and is 17-21 after a awful start. Pillar — whom the Toronto Sun says may be headed for an All-Star spot — is hitting .314, 9th-best in the American League.

The Mariners’ Danny Valencia had a double in four at-bats on Friday; 1-for-4 with a run scored, and an error on Saturday; and again 1-for-4 on Sunday.

Mixed mazel of the weekend: He wasn’t up very long and he wasn’t down very long. The Baltimore Orioles (22-14) promoted pitcher Richard Bleier on Sunday and put him to work immediately. Not to the good, unfortunately. He was the loser in a 9-8 decision against the host Kansas City Royals. Bleier allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk, including a solo home run, in two innings. I wouldn’t be surprised if they send him back down soon.

Bad mazel: Scott Feldman pitched another great game — seven innings, seven hits, two runs, a walk, and two strikeouts. But the game between his Cincinnati Reds (19-18) and the host San Francisco Giants went another 10 innings and ended in a 3-2 loss for the visitors.

Very bad mazel: The Milwaukee Brewers placed Ryan Braun on the disabled list on Friday with a strained left calf. Turns out they didn’t need him, sweeping the suddenly terrible again NY Mets. In Sunday’s game, the Brewers (21-17) overcame a 7-1 deficit, scoring 10 runs over the sixth, seventh, and eighth inning for an 11-9 win.

Alex Bregman got to play against the NY Yankees on the day his hero, Derek Jeter, had his number retired. (That does it for the single digits for the Bronx Bombers. All that’s left is a big fat zero, literally.) The teams had to play a doubleheader on Sunday since Saturday’s contest was a washout. Bregman was hitless in four at-bats in the opener, a 10-6 loss. In the nightcap following the ceremonies, he hit his first career grand slam (see below), his sole hit in four at-bats as the Astros (26-12) earned a split with the 11-7 win. He was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, and his third stolen base in Friday’s 5-1 Astros win.

Joc Pederson hit his fifth double and also singled in five at-bats, scoring a run and driving in another as the LA Dodgers beat the host Colorado Rockies, 6-2. He entered Saturday’s game as a pinch-runner in the sixth and was 0-for-1 the rest of the way in a 4-0 win. On Sunday he was 0-for-3 with a walk and came out of the game for a pinch hitter in the eight as the Dodgers (22-16) lost the finale, 9-6. Pederson is even dangerous when he doesn’t put the ball in fair territory.

Ian Kinsler was 0-for-4 on Friday as the host LA Angels trounced his visiting Detroit Tigers, 7-0. He was 1-for-3 with a walk on Saturday and was caught stealing for the first time this year in . He was 1-for-4 on Sunday with just his fourth double in a 4-1 loss (18-18). Brad Ausmus got a mention other than for managing the team.

Craig Breslow threw one scoreless inning for the Minnesota Twins ( 19-15) on Sunday in an 8-3 loss to the host Cleveland Indians, his only appearance for the weekend.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of May 8-14, 2017:

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Rowdy Tellez

• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays/AAA) began the week with a four-game hitting streak, during which he hit .375 (6-for-16) with 3 doubles, 6 RBIs, 2 walks (one of them intentional) and his first stolen base of the season.

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Corey Baker

• P Corey Baker (Cardinals/AA) pitched a total of 4.1 scoreless innings, giving up 5 hits but zero walks while striking out 2. So far this year, the Team Israel alum is 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA and is 2-for-2 in save opportunities.

Other highlights

• Coming off the disabled list, 1B Ike Davis (Dodgers/AAA) hit .307 (4-for-13) last week with a home run and 3 RBIs.
• C Mitchell Kranson (Twins/High-A) went 4-for-5 on May 12 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs. The 2016 draftee (9th round) ranks among the leaders of his Cedar Rapids Kernels team in doubles (10/2nd), average (.292/3rd), on-base percentage (.348/3rd), RBIs (15/4th-tied) and slugging (.462/5th).
• LF Jake Thomas (Blue Jays/A) had hits in all three games he played last week, raising his hitting streak to seven games. The 2015 draftee (27th round) has an incredible .545 on-base percentage, tops among all minor leaguers with at least 80 plate appearances; the next highest rate is .488. One blogger recently commented that Thomas’s on-base percentage would “make Wade Boggs blush.”
• P Gabe Cramer (Royals/High-A) wasn’t perfect in his lone appearance last week, a 3-inning stint on May 10. An undrafted free agent signed out of Stanford, Cramer yielded an earned run on 2 hits and a walk. But pitching alongside Team Israel teammate Jake Kalish, Cramer struck out 8 of the 9 players he retired and earned the win. The only player to drive in a run off him? Nationals prospect Rhett Wiseman, who also struck out against Cramer.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/High-A) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings over two appearances, yielding 2 hits and a walk while striking out 4.
• P Troy Neiman (Rockies/AA) didn’t fare terribly well in his Double-A debut on April 9, yielding 2 earned runs over one inning for a plump 18.00 ERA. Since then, the Team Israel alum has trimmed his ERA to a slim 3.10. Over a combined 3.2 innings last week, Neiman yielded one earned run.

Transactions

• P Richard Bleier (Orioles) was called-up from Triple-A for the second time this season.
• 1B Ike Davis (Dodgers/AAA) came off the disabled list.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/A) came off the disabled list.
• The independent-league Joliet Slammers released former minor leaguer Steven Pollakov.
• Former minor leaguer Mike Schwartz re-signed with the independent Joliet Slammers, joining fellow Jewish ex-minor leaguers Sean Bierman and Nate Irving on the roster.

Free agents

• Players actively seeking employment include former major leaguer Sam Fuld and minor leaguers Michael Fagan, Alec Grosser, Henry Hirsch, Raul Jacobson, Kenny Koplove, Steven Pollakov and Zack Thornton. An MLB.com reporter recently predicted the St. Louis Cardinals would “take a flyer on rehabbing free-agent Sam Fuld to fortify their outfield depth.”

Disabled list

• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Elbow.
• P Jake Drossner (Brewers/A).
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA).
• P Joey Wagman (Oakland/High-A).
• C Tim Remes (Tigers/High-A).

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Mazel of the Day: Ian Kinsler returned to action after some hamstring problems and went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored to help the Detroit Tigers (17-16) to a 7-1 decision over the host LA Angels. He also made his first error of the season, but we won’t dwell on that, especially in light of this play.

Alex Bregman singled and doubled in four at-bats as the Houston Astros held off the host NY Yankees, 3-2. The Astros own the best record in the Majors at 24-11. There was a nice story in the NY Daily News about why Bregman wears #2 on his jersey.

Kevin Pillar was 1-3 with a walk and scored twice as the Toronto Blue Jays (14-21) beat Danny Valencia and the visiting Seattle Mariners (17-18), 7-1. Valencia was 1-for-3 in defeat. Will Pillar have to compete for the title of Superman with Sam Fuld? This story indicates the St. Louis Cardinals are showing interest in Super Sam. (H/T to Ephraim Moxson).

Joc Pederson led off once again for the LA Dodgers (20-15), who fell to the host Colorado Rockies, 10-7. Pederson was 1-for-4 with a walk.

Ryan Braun did not appear for the Milwaukee Brewers (18-17), who lost to the visiting Boston Red Sox, 4-1. After missing several games due to an arm problem, he’s now on the shelf because of a calf issue which may be serious enough to warrant a stint on the disabled list.

Craig Breslow did not appear for the Minnesota Twins (17-14) in their 7-6 win over the host Chicago White Sox.

Scott Feldman — coming off one of the best games of his career — takes the hill for the Cincinnati Reds (19-15) as they visit the San Francisco Giants.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Mazel of the day: Danny Valencia was 4-for-6 with two singles, a double (#5), and a home run (#4), two runs scored, and two RBI as the Seattle Mariners reached the .500 mark (17-17) with an 11-6 win over the host Philadelphia Phillies. That’s the second time this month Valencia has had four hits in a game and he’s still just batting .243.

Ryan Braun was 1-2 with a walk, a run scored, and a strikeout in a 7-4 win for the Milwaukee Brewers (18-16) over the visiting Boston Red Sox. But he had to come out of the game in the fifth inning for a pinch runner because of “calf tightness.” From the MLB.com game report: “The Red Sox tied the game at 2 on an odd-looking play in the fourth that offered the first clue Braun was ailing. With two outs and Vazquez at second base after a double, Mookie Betts singled to left field, where Braun made a second straight start after missing most of the previous week with a flexor strain in his throwing elbow. An MRI over the weekend was encouraging enough to allow Braun to return to action, but when he flipped the baseball back to the infield instead of throwing home for a play on Vazquez, it was clear he was less than 100 percent.” Great.

Alex Bregman was 0-for-4 with a strikeout as the Houston Astros (23-11) beat the visiting Atlanta Braves, 4-2. Thus endeth the 10-game hitting streak.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4 as well as the Toronto Blue Jays (13-21) earned a walk-off 8-7 win against the visiting Cleveland Indians. He did score a run but made no “web gems.” And is this the best they could do re: Pillar action figure? Really?

Joc Pederson  —  batting in the leadoff spot — was also 0-for-4 as the LA Dodgers (20-14) won their fifth in a row, beating the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-2.

Ian Kinsler did not appear for the Detroit Tigers (16-16) in their 7-1 loss to the host Arizona Diamondbacks. Maybe today? You don’t want to bring a guy back too early with an injury like this where the least little thing can send him down a path to sports oblivion. Look what happened to Yoenis Cespedes.

Craig Breslow and the Minnesota Twins saw (16-14) their game with the White Sox in Chicago postponed by rain.

Scott Feldman and the Cincinnati Reds (18-15) had the day off.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Kevin Pillar accounted for one of the Toronto Blue Jays’ four hits in their 6-0 shutout at the hands of the visiting Cleveland Indians. Sorry, no highlight reel defensive plays in this one, but here he talks about Monday night’s stellar grab. The Jays are 12-21.

Ryan Braun doubled (#6) in four at-bats and scored a run for the Milwaukee Brewers (17-16) in an 11-7 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox. Here’s an interesting story about the new 10-day disabled list (it used to be 15 days). When a player has a relatively mild injury — not enough to warrant putting him on the 10-day list — how can that affect a team’s make-up?

Alex Bregman hit his first triple of the year for the Houston Astros (22-11), drove in one, and scored another in their 8-3 win over the visiting Atlanta Braves.

Danny Valencia was 0-for-4 with two walks as the Seattle Mariners (16-17) battled back from a five-run deficit to beat the host Philadelphia Phillies, 10-9. He did a great job staying on the bag to complete a double play.

Joc Pederson was 1-for-5 as the LA Dodgers (19-14) beat the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3, in 10 innings. Dodgers’ starting pitcher Jose Urias no-hit the Pirates for six innings.

Contrary to expectations, Ian Kinsler did not return to the Detroit Tigers  (16-15) on Tuesday. They beat the host Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-3.

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (18-15) in their 5-3 win over the visiting NY Yankees.

Craig Breslow did not make it into the Minnesota Twins’ 7-2 win over the host Chicago White Sox. The Twins are 16-14.

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 the forthcoming 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,  but it’s quality, not quantity.

Joc Pederson drove in the first run for the LA Dodgers (18-14) against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates with a single in the first. He also drove in the 10th run on a double in the fourth en route to a 12-1 victory. Pederson added another single and scored twice. It was his first three-hit game of the season.

Kevin Pillar had a nice game, too, although he didn’t get any hits (0-for-three with a walk and a run scored) as the Toronto Blue Jays (12-20) beat the visiting Cleveland Indians, 4-2. His contribution was another sparkling outfield play that saved two runs. He was in the air a long time, wasn’t he? Sports Illustrated is already pushing it for “catch of the year.”

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (17-15) in their 10-4 loss to the visiting NY Yankees.

Everyone else had the day/night off.

I guess if Ryan Braun hadn’t shot off his mouth about not taking PED, people wouldn’t still be talking about it today. After all, he’s not the only one who did it (not that that’s any excuse). He was expected to return to action today for the Milwaukee Brewers, as was Ian Kinsler for the Detroit Tigers.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of May 1-7, 2017:

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Jake Thomas

• LF Jake Thomas (Blue Jays/A) hit .375 (3-for-8) last week and drew two walks in each of the three games he played. Thanks to his prodigious walking — Thomas is drawing a base on balls 34.2% of the time he comes to the plate — he leads all minor-leaguers with a .553 on-base percentage. The next best OBP among players with at least 70 plate appearances is .491. Thomas also is batting a healthy .319.

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Kenny Rosenberg

• Maybe P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/A) is better off in the bullpen at this point in his career. After three rough starts followed by a decent one on May 2 (4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K), the 21-year-old plowed through his opponents in a May 7 relief appearance, pitching 4 shutout innings on 6 strikeouts while yielding just 2 hits, walking none, and earning his third career save in three chances.

Other highlights

• CF Braden Bishop (Mariners/High-A) hit .333 (9-for-27) with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs and 3 walks. For the season, he’s hitting .331 with a .414 on-base percentage.
• 1B Cody Decker (Mets/AA) made the most of his few plate appearances, hitting .286 (2-for-7) with a home run, double, 3 RBIs and 4 walks.
• P Jeremy Bleich (Dodgers/AAA), a recently-signed free agent, was masterful in his first two relief appearances of the year. The 29-year-old pitched a total of 5.33 scoreless innings, yielding just 2 hits and no walks while striking out 6.
• It’s no fun getting sent back to the minors, particularly after making just one appearance, but P Richard Bleier (Orioles/AAA) made no waves last week. On May 7, his first game back at Triple-A, the 30-year-old pitched 3 near-perfect innings, yielding just one hit and no walks while striking out 2. In six minor-league appearances this season, Bleier has a slim 0.75 ERA, a save, and 13 strikeouts against zero walks.
• P Max Fried (Braves/AA) continued his up-and-down pattern this season, losing big on May 1 but bouncing back May 7 with a solid 6.33-inning win, yielding 6 hits, 3 earned runs and a walk while striking out 10, tying his career high.
• P Alex Katz (White Sox/A) trimmed his ERA a bit with two scoreless one-inning outings, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out 3.
• P R.C. Orlan (Nationals/AA) held opponents scoreless in each of three one-inning appearances.
• P Robert Stock (Reds/High-A) was perfect in two short-relief appearances. He yielded no hits, walks or runs in 3 total innings and struck out 3 batters. His season ERA is down to 2.60.

Transactions

• P Marc Huberman (Cubs/High-A) was promoted from Single-A.
• P Richard Bleier (Orioles/AAA) was sent down to the minors after one appearance with the O’s.
• 1B Ike Davis (Dodgers/AAA) was placed on the disabled list.
• C Tim Remes (Tigers/High-A) was placed on the disabled list.
• P Joey Wagman (Athletics/High-A) was placed on the disabled list.
• P Kenny Koplove (Phillies/A) was released.

Free agents

• Players actively seeking employment include former major leaguer Sam Fuld and minor leaguers Michael Fagan, Alec Grosser, Henry Hirsch, Raul Jacobson, Kenny Loplove and Zack Thornton.

Disabled list

• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/A).
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Elbow.
• P Jake Drossner (Brewers/A).
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA).
• P Joey Wagman (Oakland/High-A).
• 1B Ike Davis (Dodgers/AAA).
• C Tim Remes (Tigers/High-A).

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

It’s been a rough few days for the boys, several of whom have been hit by the injury bug.

Ian Kinsler and Ryan Braun missed all of the Detroit Tigers’ and Milwaukee Brewers’ games, respectively, over the weekend. Kinsler is suffering from a slightly pulled hammy (anathema to the MOTs) while Braun is dealing with a sore wing. Neither were put on the disabled list, which meant their ball clubs have been short a player during this time. The Tigers (15-15) lost two of three to the host Oakland A’s while the Brewers (15-17) dropped two of three to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Braun might be back as early as Tuesday, the same “prognosis” as Kinsler.

Joc Pederson, who rejoined the LA Dodgers (17-14) on Friday following his stint on the DL, was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in his return, an 8-3 win over the host San Diego Padres. On Saturday, Pederson entered the game as a defensive replacement, was hit by a pitch, and scored a run as the Dodgers add a deuce to the previous day’s score, beating the Padres 10-2. The Sunday game was postponed by rain, contrary to the song.

Major Mazel goes to Scott Feldman, who pitched perhaps one of the best games of his career yesterday, blanking the visiting San Francisco Giants for his third career shutout, 4-0. Feldman, who has alternated between decent and terrible starts for as long as I can remember, struck out five and gave up four hits and a walk for his for second win against three losses as the Cincinnati Reds (17-14) completed the sweep. It was their first complete game of the year

Kevin Pillar hit his ninth double and singled twice, with a run scored and an RBI, to help the Toronto Blue Jays (11-20) double up on the host Tampa Bay Rays, 8-4, on Friday. He was 0-for-4 the next day in a 6-1 loss, then finished up the series by hitting his 10th two-bagger and scored the game-tying run in what would end as a 2-1 Blue Jays win. It was his only hit in three official at-bats. He also walked and stole his fourth base.

Danny Valencia was 1-for-6 in the Seattle Mariners’ 3-1, 13-inning loss to the visiting Texas Rangers on Friday. He singled in four at-bats the next day, scoring one run and driving in two in an 8-4 win on Saturday, and he appeared as a pinch-hitter on Sunday, knocking in two more runs to tie the Rangers, 3-3. The M-Men (15-17) went on to win, 4-3, on a Kyle Seager home run in the eighth. Valencia didn’t make the start because of — you guessed it — a slight hamstring issue. He is batting over .350 in his last nine games.

Alex Bregman sat out Friday’s game for the Houston Astros (21-11), a 7-5, 10-inning win over the host LA Angels. He was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Saturday in a 2-1 loss and 1-for-3 with his sixth double and a run scored in a 5-3 win on Sunday. The Astros are tied with the Washington Nationals for most wins in the Majors.

The Boston Red Sox beat up on their host, the Minnesota Twins (15-13), on Saturday, 11-1. Craig Breslow came away unscathed, allowing one hit in an inning of relief. It was his only appearance on the weekend.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Just three MOTs in action last night:

Mazel of the day: is this a turnaround, or a tease? Danny Valencia had four hits, including his third home run of the season — a solo upper deck job —  to lead the Seattle Mariners (13-16) to an 11-3 bludgeoning over the visiting LA Angels. He also had two run-scoring singles.

Craig Breslow pitched two innings in relief for the Minnesota Twins, giving up two hits, including a solo home run. He also struck out two as the Twins (14-12) lost to the visiting Oakland A’s, 8-6.

Alex Bregman singled in three official at-bats and also walked twice for the Houston Astros (19-10) in their 10-4 loss to the visiting Texas Rangers. Bregman also made his third error of the season.

Ian Kinsler and the Detroit Tigers (14-13) saw their game against the visiting Cleveland Indians rained out. Good thing; Kinsler could use the extra rest to get over his hamstring tweak.

Ryan Braun, still nursing a bad back, did not play for the Milwaukee Brewers (15-14) in their 5-4 win over the host St. Louis Cardinals. Seems that the injury has had an effect on his throwing. Too bad the Brewers aren’t in the AL any more.

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (14-14) in their 4-2 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. And by the way, starting pitcher Tim Adelman? Not a Member of the Tribe.

Kevin Pillar #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a soft single in the first inning during MLB game action against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre on April 28, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski\/Getty Images)","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"2017 Getty Images","focal_length":"350","iso":"5000","shutter_speed":"0.000625","title":"Tampa Bay Rays v Toronto Blue Jays","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="050417-674589800-56222224-674589800-W.jpg" data-image-description="<p>Kevin Pillar shoots a flare for a single in the first inning of the April 28 game against the Tampa Bay Rays at the Rogers Centre.</p> " data-medium-file="http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2017/05/tampa-bay-rays-v-toronto-blue-jays.jpeg?quality=75&strip=all&w=300" data-large-file="http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2017/05/tampa-bay-rays-v-toronto-blue-jays.jpeg?quality=75&strip=all&w=620" />Kevin Pillar and the Toronto Blue Jays (9-19) had the day off, as did Joc Pederson and the LA Dodgers (15-14). Pederson is expected to rejoin the team today after a stint on the disabled list with an upper-leg injury. Could Pillar, right,  join Pederson (and Braun) on the trading block? Maybe he should go back to hockey.

The Baltimore Orioles sent Richard Bleier back to the minors yesterday. He made one appearance during his brief time with the team, tossing four innings of relief on Wednesday when starting pitcher Kevin Gausman was ejected for hitting a Red Sox batter. Here Tigers manager Brad Ausmus picks sides in that incident.

In non-JML news, Rabbi Jason Miller, who helped me resurrect (can I use that word?) Kaplan’s Korner after I left the NJ Jewish News in September, conducted this interview with Peter Kurz, president of the Israel Association of Baseball, on that nation’s amazing run at the recent World Baseball Classic.

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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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