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Daily Pitch: Games played April 12, 2017

By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Ian Kinsler was 0-for-3 with a walk as the Detroit Tigers (6-2) beat the visiting Minnesota Twins, 5-3. But Kinsler did make a nice grab of this line drive.  Prior to the game, he received his Gold Glove Award. Mazel of the day goes to Craig Breslow, who pitched a perfect eighth inning for Minny (5-3) in his second appearance of the year, striking out two of the three batters he faced.

Ryan Braun took an oh-fer-4, but the Milwaukee Brewers (4-5) beat the host Toronto Blue Jays anyway, 2-0. Kevin Pillar was 1-for-3 for the Jays (1-7) and made this sparkling grab.

The LA Dodgers (5-4) used the same score to beat the host Chicago Cubs. Joc Pederson was 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.

The Houston Astros (6-4) dropped Alex Bregman from second to sixth in the lineup. He responded with a single and double — a tie-breaking shot in the 7th inning — in four at-bats and drove in a run to help his teammates to a 10-5 win over the host Seattle Mariners. Bregman also walked and struck out. Danny Valencia did not appear for the Mariners.

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (7-2), who beat the host Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-2. The Reds now have a better record than the World Champion 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 the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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Daily Pitch: Games played April 11, 2017

By Ron Kaplan, contributor

A lot of MOT-on-MOT action last night.

Alex Bregman singled twice in five at-bats, striking out the other three times. He drove in the sixth run of the game for the Houston Astros (5-2), who beat the host Seattle Mariners, 7-3. Danny Valencia was 1-for-4 for Seattle with two strikeouts.

Ryan Braun was 1-for-4 with a walk in the Milwaukee Brewers’ (3-5) 4-3 win over the host Toronto Blue Jays. Kevin Pillar — who has signed an endorsement deal with Powerade — was hitless in four at bats for the Jays, who have lost six of their first seven games. Pillar did contribute on defense, however, charging in and laying out to rob Jesus Aguilar of a hit in the top of the eighth:

Ian Kinsler was 0-for-3 with a walk as the Detroit Tigers (5-2) beat the visiting Minnesota Twins, 2-1. Craig Breslow did not appear in the game for the Twins. Originally, I thought this piece was about Kinsler being a mensch…

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds in their 6-2 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates. The score matches the Reds’ record for the season.

Joc Pederson and the LA Dodgers had the day off.

In other (former) JML news, congrats to a couple of alumni of Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic (HT to Jeff F. for these):

Image result for <a href=

Nate Freiman, Cody Decker" width="537" height="354" /> Team Israel’s Cody Decker hugs the Mensch on a Bench

And meow-zal of the day:

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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Daily Pitch: Games played April 10, 2017

By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Mazel of the Day: Ian Kinsler hit his second home run of the young season to tie the Detroit Tigers’ game against the visiting Boston Red Sox at 1-1. The blow came in the six inning of the Tigers’ 2-1 victory and was his only hit in three official at-bats; he also walked. “At this rate,” as the pundits like to say, Kinsler will hit 27 homers this year. The Tigers improved to 4-2. Manager Brad Ausmus discussed the home run post-game:

Meanwhile, the cameras caught Kinsler doing a rally dance after teammate Miguel Cabrera got his first hit of 2017:

Danny Valencia was 0-3 with an RBI coming on a sacrifice fly as the Seattle Mariners (2-6) shut out the visiting Houston Astros, 6-0. Alex Bregman was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts for Houston.

Joc Pederson was 1-for-3 with a run scored, but the LA Dodgers (4-4) lost to the host Chicago Cubs, 3-2, on a walk-off single by Anthony Rizzo. It was a great way for the Cubs’ to celebrate their home opener.

I know they’re doing all sorts of things to tweak the game, but this?

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (5-2) in their 7-1 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ryan Braun‘s Milwaukee Brewers, Kevin Pillar‘s Toronto Blue Jays, and Craig Breslow‘s Minnesota Twins all had the day/night 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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Minor-League Monday (April 3-9, 2017)

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from April 3-9, the opening week of the 2017 season.

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week

3B Mitchell Kranson (Twins/A), a 2016 draftee, started the season strong, going 4-for-9 (.444) with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, a walk, and only one strikeout.

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week

P Dean Kremer (Dodgers/High-A), a 2016 draftee and dual Israeli-American citizen, rocked his first High-A start, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings on 2 hits, one walk, and 5 strikeouts.

Other highlights

LF Jake Thomas (Blue Jays/A) went 2-for-5 with a triple, 3 walks, an RBI, and a .625 on-base percentage.

C Ryan Lavarnway (Oakland/AAA) went 4-for-9 (.444) with 2 doubles and an RBI.

P Corey Baker (Cardinals/AA) ended 2 relief appearances with a 0.00 ERA and a save. Over 2 innings, he yielded 3 hits and no walks while striking out one.

P Richard Bleier (Orioles/AAA) struggled in his first relief appearance of 2017 but bounced back April 9 with a 3-inning gem, yielding only one hit and no walks while striking out 3.

P Joey Wagman (Athletics/High-A) pitched 3 nearly-perfect innings on April 7, yielding just one hit and walking none while striking out 3.

P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/A), a 2016 draftee, pitched a perfect inning of relief in his Single-A debut, striking out 2. Playing on rookie-league teams last year, Rosenberg was 1-2 with a 2.54 ERA and 2 saves, holding opponents to just 1.02 hits or walks per inning and striking out 33 batters in 28.1 innings while walking only 6.

Transactions

  • The Rockies released Maxx Tissenbaum. The 25-year-old catcher had been assigned to the Hartford Yard Goats (AA), whose new manager is Team Israel manager Jerry Weinstein.

Free agents

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Daily Pitch: Games played April 9, 2017

By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Joc Pederson struck out as a pinch hitter last night but stayed on to single twice and drive in a run as the LA Dodgers (4-3) beat the Colorado Rockies, 10-6.

Mazel of the weekend: Scott Feldman pitched six shutout innings on Sunday for the Cincinnati Reds (4-2) in an 8-0 win over the host St. Louis Cardinals. Feldman, who had a poor showing as the Reds’ opening day pitcher, allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out six for his first victory of the season.

Honorable mensch-en: Ryan Braun missed Saturday’s game for the Milwaukee Brewers (2-5) with a bad back, but he came back strong on Sunday, making a fine defensive play in the top of the third and following it up with a three-run homer in the bottom of the frame. That accounted far 75 percent of the Brewers’ runs as they lost to the host Chicago Cubs, 7-4.

Ian Kinsler was 4-for-11 with two runs scored and two RBIs this weekend for the Detroit Tigers (3-2), who took two of three from the visiting Boston Red Sox. Is Kinsler working on his post-baseball career?

Kevin Pillar was a combined 3-for-11 as the Toronto Blue Jays (1-5) were swept by the host Tampa Bay Rays. To add insult to insult, Pillar — one of the top glovemen in the Majors — had to watch as the Rays’ Kevin Keiemaeir was presented with the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year award prior to one of the games. On the brighter side, SportsNet predicts Pillar “will flirt with .300 for most of the season.”

Alex Bregman was 2-for-12 as the Houston Astros (4-3) dropped two of three to the host Kansas City Royals.

Danny Valencia was also 2-for-12 for the Seattle Mariners (1-5), who lost all three games against the host LA Angels. The last was particularly ugly: the Mariners held a 9-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, only to see the Halos come all the way back for a 10-9 win.

Craig Breslow did not appear for the Minnesota Twins (5-1) over the weekend. Minny won two of their three meetings against the host Chicago White Sox.

Paul Goldschmidt, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ All-Star first baseman, practices Catholicism, but his father is Jewish. He told MLB.com that his paternal grandfather’s family fled Nazi Germany for the United States. “We know our Jewish history and we respect those beliefs,” Goldschmidt said. “We had both sides of it as kids. My dad’s side, my mom’s side. We were exposed to all of it.”

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

Games played April 8

Joc Pederson was 0-for-1 with a walk before being lifted for a pinch hitter last night. His Dodgers (3-3) lost to the Colorado Rockies, 4-2, with L.A. starter Clayton Kershaw yielding back-to-back HRs for the first time in his career.

Ian Kinsler was 1-for-4 with an RBI single as the Detroit Tigers (3-1) beat the Red Sox, 4-1. He was tossed out trying to stretch that single — the 1,700th hit of his career — into a double. Kinsler helped turn two double plays, including an inning-ending one with the bases loaded.

Kevin Pillar was 1-for-4 for as the Toronto Blue Jays (1-4) lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in 11 innings, 3-2.

Danny Valencia was 1-for-4 with a double as the Seattle Mariners (1-5) lost to the Los Angeles Angels, 5-4.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-4 as the Houston Astros (3-3) were defeated by the Kansas City Royals, 7-3. He made a diving catch in the 7th to rob Paulo Orlando of a hit:

Ryan Braun was scratched from the lineup due to tightness in his lower back. His Milwaukee Brewers (2-4) lost to the Chicago Cubs, 11-6.

Craig Breslow did not play as the Minnesota Twins (4-1) lost their first game of the year, a 6-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (3-2) in their 10-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Games played April 7

Joc Pederson was 1-for-3 as the Los Angeles Dodgers lost to the Colorado Rockies, 2-1.

Ian Kinsler was 1-for-4 and was hit by a pitch as the Detroit Tigers beat the Red Sox, 6-5.

Kevin Pillar was 2-for-4 and raised his batting average to .333, but the Toronto Blue Jays lost to the Tampa Bay Rays, 10-8.

Danny Valencia was 1-for-4 as the Seattle Mariners lost to the Los Angeles Angels, 5-1.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-3 with a walk as the Houston Astros lost to the Kansas City Royals, 5-1.

Ryan Braun was 1-for-4 with a walk, and he scored the winning run in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 11-inning, walk-off win over the Chicago Cubs, 2-1. Braun had led off the inning with a single.

Craig Breslow did not play as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox, 3-1.

Scott Feldman did play as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-0.

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Daily Pitch: Games played April 6, 2017

By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Joc Pederson left a total of five men on base for the LA Dodgers last night. He was 0-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, and two strikeouts. The Dodgers (3-1) prevailed without his services, however, beating the visiting San Diego Padres, 10-2.

Ian Kinsler was 0-for-2 with a walk as the Detroit Tigers (1-1) were crushed by the host Chicago White Sox, 11-2. He came out of the game for a defensive substitution in the seventh inning.

Kevin Pillar was 1-for-4 for the Toronto Blue Jays (1-2) in their 5-2 win over the host Tampa Bay Rays.

Danny Valencia was 0-for-3 with a walk as the Seattle Mariners (1-3) won their first game of the year, 4-3, over the host Houston Astros (3-1). Alex Bregman served as a pinch-runner for the ‘Stros.

Ryan Braun flied out as a pinch hitter to end the game for the Milwaukee Brewers (1-3) in their 2-1 loss to the visiting Colorado Rockies.

Craig BreslowCraig Breslow made his first appearance of the year and wasn’t exactly sharp, retiring one batter while giving up a hit and a walk as the Minnesota Twins (3-0) swept their opening series against the visiting Kansas City Royals with a 5-3 win. Breslow pitched for the Twins in 2008 and 2009.

Scott Feldman did not appear for the Cincinnati Reds (2-1) in their 7-4 win over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.

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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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The 19 Jews of Spring Training

By Scott Barancik, editor

With Team Israel’s surprising run at the World Baseball Championship behind us, Jewish Baseball News turns to that beloved annual rite: Spring Training.

A total of 19 Jewish players were invited to MLB Spring Training camps this year, either as part of their teams’ active roster, 40-man roster, or non-roster invitee list. Here is how they’re doing through games played March 17.

Danny Valencia (Mariners)

  • In the first Spring Training with his new team, 32-year-old Valencia is hitting .184 with 1 HR, 3 RBIs, and 5 walks in 38 at-bats. Although he’s a career .321 hitter against righties (and .246 vs. lefties), he has struggled equally against both so far.
  • Seattle has Valencia playing first base almost exclusively. Last season with Oakland, Valencia had no errors at first base, one in the outfield, and 13 at third base.

Richard Bleier (Orioles)

  • Traded to Baltimore by the Yankees last month, Bleier has performed well this Spring, delivering a 1.50 ERA across four outings and six innings overall, and yielding six hits and one walk while fanning four.
  • Bleier is among several pitchers still fighting for a spot in the Orioles’ bullpen.

Max Fried (Braves/minors)

  • A 1st-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres in 2012, Fried — who missed the entire 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery — was impressive in his first MLB Spring Training, yielding a hit and three walks in three outings (and four innings overall) while striking out five.
  • Atlanta not only has promoted Fried to Double-A but added him to the Braves’ 40-man roster, meaning he will be eligible for call-up during the regular season.

Ryan Braun (Brewers)

  • Braun has seen limited action in Spring Training, going 3-for-11 with a HR, double, three RBIs and a walk while striking out three times. Nevertheless, the 33-year-old has remained something of a lightning rod for criticism, most recently for his complaints that Spring Training lasts too long.

Kevin Pillar (Blue Jays)

  • Pillar has been hot this Spring, hitting .355 with six extra-base hits, one RBI, and a .444 on-base percentage. He’s also been batting leadoff, a privilege largely denied him in past seasons due to a dearth of walks.
  • In prior Springs, Pillar’s average has ranged from .111 to .264.

Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays/minors)

  • A non-roster invitee with a reputation for power — he hit .297 with 23 HRs last season at Double-A — Tellez has hit .259 this Spring with no home runs, two doubles, two RBIs, four walks, and 10 strikeouts.
  • No word yet on which minor-league team Tellez will be sent to after Spring Training ends.

Brad Goldberg (White Sox/minors)

  • In addition to playing for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Championship, Goldberg pitched well for Chicago during Spring Training. In four appearances and 4.2 innings overall, he delivered a 0.00 ERA and earned a save while yielding two walks a hit and striking out one.
  • Earlier this week, the White Sox sent Goldberg back to Triple-A but placed him on the Major League club’s 40-man roster. He’s likely to make his MLB debut this season.

Ian Kinsler (Tigers)

  • Normally a strong Spring Training performer — through games played March 17, his career average was .328 with 30 HRs and 117 RBIs — Kinsler has hit .263 this year, with one HR and one RBI in 19 at-bats.
  • Kinsler also has played for Team USA in the WBC, hitting .294 in 17 at-bats.

Craig Breslow (Twins/minors)

  • Breslow, who has adjusted his pitching form in a data-driven bid to revive his stalled career, earned a minor-league contract with the Twins and an invitation to Spring Training. So far, so good: in five appearances and 4.1 innings overall, Breslow has yielded no earned runs and just one hit while striking out four. On the down side, he’s walked five.
  • Breslow is likely to begin the 2017 regular season in Triple-A.

Alex Bregman (Astros)

  • In addition to playing for Team USA in the WBC, Bregman has hit .304 in Spring Training, stroking two doubles and a walk while striking out once in 23 at-bats.

Garrett Stubbs (Astros/minors)

  • A non-roster invitee who hit a combined .304 in High-A and Double-A last season, Stubbs didn’t get a chance to play with Houston this Spring due to a problem with his throwing arm. He was later assigned to minor-league camp, but manager A.J Hinch said the Astros were “excited” about Stubbs, whom he called “really good behind the plate.”

Michael Barash (Angels/minors)

  • Barash, a 2016 draft pick, was perhaps the most unlikely non-roster invitee this Spring, having topped out at Single-A his rookie season (and hitting .240 there after batting .314 in rookie-league ball). The 22-year-old catcher went a perfect 2-for-2 with the Angels, singling and doubling in two pinch-hit at-bats.

Ryan Lavarnway (Athletics/minors)

  • Despite a non-roster invite, former major leaguer Lavarnway has seen limited play during Spring Training, having instead spent his time starring for Team Israel in the WBC. The 6’4″ catcher went 2-for-3 with a double for the Athletics before joining Team Israel.

Scott Feldman (Reds)

  • Signed to a one-year deal during the offseason, the 34-year-old Feldman is 0-1 this Spring with a 4.50 ERA. In eight innings spread across the starts, he’s yielded seven hits (including 3 HRs) and two walks while striking out seven.
  • Feldman has secured a spot as a starter in Cincinnati’s rotation and might start the team’s Opening Day game.

Jared Lakind (Pittsburgh/minors)

  • A non-roster invitee, Lakind has recorded one save this Spring and held opponents scoreless over three relief appearances. He has yielded two walks and two hits over three total innings while striking out two.
  • Lakind also played for Team Israel in the WBC.

Corey Baker (Cardinals/minors)

  • A non-roster invitee, Baker made his MLB Spring Training debut before playing for Team Israel in the WBC. In a 2.2-inning relief stint, he gave up 2 hits and a hit batsman but struck out one and yielded no runs.

Ryan Sherriff (Cardinals/minors)

  • A non-roster invitee, Sherriff has made the most of his first MLB Spring Training, going 0-1 with a 1.35 in six appearances and 6.2 innings overall. The 28th-round 2011 draft pick yielded six hits and one walk while hitting one batter and striking out an impressive eight.

Joc Pederson (Dodgers)

  • In a familiar pattern, Joc Pederson is hitting .242 this Spring with both a lot of home runs (4) and a lot of strikeouts (10). But that’s not giving him credit for advances he made in 2016, his second full season in the Majors. Pederson raised his batting average 36 points last year (to .246) while reducing his strikeouts, hitting more doubles, and slightly improving his home-run frequency.

Ike Davis (Dodgers/minors)

  • Davis, a former major leaguer who signed a minor-league contract with Los Angeles during the offseason, went 2-for-2 as a non-roster invitee before joining Team Israel in the WBC. He has been assigned to the Dodgers’ Triple-A team.

Ty Kelly (Mets/minors)

  • Kelly, who played for Team Israel in the WBC but does not identify exclusively as Jewish, is 2-for-8 this Spring with two RBIs and a .500 on-base percentage. He made his MLB debut in 2016.

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By Scott Barancik, editor

You had to rise at 4:30pm ET today to watch underdog Team Israel play Korea live in the 2017 World Baseball Classic opener, but seeing Israel triumph 2-1 in 10 innings was worth missing some sleep.

There were a few ulcer-inducing moments. Israel — which knocked out 8 hits and drew 10 walks — squandered multiple scoring opportunities, including leaving the bases loaded three times.

But the highlights were far more memorable.

Starting pitcher Jason Marquis, 38, got Israel off on the right foot with three scoreless innings, yielding 2 hits and a walk while fanning 3. He stayed below 50 pitches, which under WBC rules means he can pitch again in 2 days.

Sam Fuld was rock-solid in center field, including a diving catch in the 4th to rob Dae-Ho Lee of extra bases. He also contributed two sharply-hit singles while batting leadoff.

Second baseman Tyler Krieger drew a bases-loaded, full-count walk in the 2nd to put Israel up 1-0.

Ike Davis hit a pinch-hit double in the 8th inning, and his 9th-inning walk helped set up the winning run. After the base on balls, the not-fleet-of-foot Davis somehow hoofed it from first to third on catcher Ryan Lavarnway‘s soft liner to center. Mike Meyers came in as a pinch-runner and scored the go-ahead run two batters later.

Scotty Burcham, who starred for Israel in the September qualifiers, struck out three times but was stellar at shortstop and stroked two singles, including a two-out infield hit with a 1-2 count in the 10th that proved to be the game-winner.

Burcham, Krieger, and first baseman Nate Freiman completed two double plays together, including an inning-ending one with 2 men on base in the 6th inning.

With two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning, the score tied 1-1, and a man on first, Lavarnway’s laser throw to second base erased a stolen-base attempt and sent the game into extra innings.

While Marquis opened the game with three scoreless innings, reliever Josh Zeid did the same at the end, yielding one hit and 2 walks while fanning 4, including a game-ending strikeout of slugger Dae-Ho Lee.

Israel plays Chinese Taipei tonight (Monday, March 6) at 10pm ET on the MLB Network cable station.

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Armed with a new delivery, <a href=

Craig Breslow is fighting for a roster spot with the Twins" width="153" height="233" /> Armed with a new delivery, Craig Breslow is fighting for a roster spot with the Twins

By Scott Barancik, editor

When Team Israel announced its 28-man roster for the World Baseball Classic a couple weeks ago, Craig Breslow was on the list. The veteran Major League hurler would anchor Israel’s bullpen during the March tournament in South Korea, equipped with a nearly side-armed delivery he honed during the off-season.

But now that he’s legitimately fighting for a bullpen spot with the Minnesota Twins, Breslow feels he can’t afford to leave Spring Training for the WBC. It’s great news for the 11-year MLB veteran, if not so much for Team Israel. But this is what happens when Major League Baseball — which owns the World Baseball Classic — schedules the tourney during Spring Training. Several other Jewish prospects turned down Team Israel’s invite this year because, like Breslow, they expected to be fighting for a roster slot.

New York Mets prospect <a href=

Zack Thornton will replace Breslow in Team Israel's bullpen" width="180" height="270" srcset="http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/thornton-mug.jpg 180w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/thornton-mug-100x150.jpg 100w" sizes="(max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px" /> New York Mets prospect Zack Thornton will replace Breslow in Team Israel’s bullpen

Alex Jacobs, Team Israel’s director of player personnel and a scout for the Houston Astros, says he and his colleagues were neither shocked nor upset by Breslow’s dcision.

“We’re extraordinarily excited for Craig wish him nothing but the best of luck in his endeavors to make the Minnesota Twins’ opening day roster,” Jacobs said. “Was this a surprise to us? No, Craig was very forthcoming with us on his intentions, and although he is disappointed he can’t play for Israel, he felt this was the best for his career, and we agree. If we advance far enough in the WBC and Craig’s comfortable enough to join us later, we’ll certainly welcome his talents.”

The good news for Team Israel is that Zack Thornton, a newly-identified Jewish player with the New York Mets’ Triple-A club, has agreed to replace Breslow on the WBC roster.

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A ‘Kelly’ representing Israel? Yep!

Ty Kelly and his mother Diane, who is Jewish, traveled to Israel in January 2017 with a group of Jewish-American ballplayers

Ty Kelly and his mother, Diane, who is Jewish, traveled to Israel in January 2017 with a group of Jewish-American ballplayers

By Ron Kaplan, correspondent


“Slide, Kelly, Slide!” was usually heard in association with the great 19th-century player King Kelly, who played for several Major League teams and was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.

But fans of the Israeli team that will be participating for the first time in the upcoming World Baseball Classic hope to shout it out for perhaps the most unlikely-sounding member of the roster: Tyler Patrick “Ty” Kelly.

The 28-year-old outfielder, who made his MLB debut last May with the New York Mets, will represent Israel in the upcoming WBC in Seoul, South Korea, beginning March 6.

Kelly spoke with Jewish Baseball News while driving to his parents’ home in Northern California prior to reporting to the Mets’ spring training camp in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Just hours after the February 9 conversation, the Mets designated him for assignment. He will begin the 2017 season with the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas.

The first question that comes to mind when hearing that a player named Kelly wound up on Team Israel is, how on earth did this happen?

“Well, there are two sides to every story,” he said. “And there are two sides to my name, I guess. My dad’s side of the family is Catholic, and my mom’s side…is Jewish, so I got the privilege of experiencing two religions growing up.” Kelly said his family didn’t attend church or synagogue much. “When my mom’s side of the family was over, we were learning about the basic Jewish stuff… and when my dad’s side was over it was all about Christianity and everything. It was a good mix of both.”

Kelly’s first taste of international competition began with an e-mail from Peter Kurz, president of the Israel Association of Baseball. Kurz had heard the Stockton, CA, native might have Jewish roots, so asked if Kelly had at least one Jewish grandparent, which would qualify him to join Team Israel. In fact, Kelly’s mother, Diane, is Jewish, so he was in.

“I really had no idea how the World Baseball Classic worked,” said Kelly, who made his Major League debut on May 24 and ultimately appeared in 39 games for the Mets in 2016, finishing with one home run, seven RBIs, and a slash line of .241/.352/.345.  “But [Kurz] said I was eligible, and he asked if I wanted to play. It’s an amazing opportunity, and it’s really cool that so many different guys can play on different teams.” Kelly had never even considered playing for Team Israel. “I thought if there was a Team Ireland or Team Germany…”

Because Kelly was with the Mets last September, he was unable to play for Israel in the WBC qualifiers, where the team swept all three games to move on to the actual Classic for the first time. (Israel lost in its first attempt at the qualifiers, in 2013.) Since the tournament takes place during spring training, however, Major Leaguers have the option to play. Ian Kinsler and Alex Bregman have committed to playing for Team USA, while Kevin Pillar, Ryan Braun (whose father is Israeli), and Joc Pederson declined the Israeli invitation as well.

“It’s hard to say why anyone doesn’t want to play [for Team Israel]. I think that having to go to Korea and back and miss part of their spring training for two weeks, maybe that’s what it is; it’s a big commitment. It’s such a great opportunity for everyone, but everybody has their own stuff going on.”

Most members of Team Israel will participate in a mini-camp in Arizona from February 24-26 and then leave for South Korea on February 27 to get in a week of practices and exhibition games with local teams. If Israel advances beyond the first round, the team will go to Tokyo for the second. The championship round will take place at Dodger Stadium from March 20-22.

‘Heading Home’ to Israel

In early January, Kelly was part of a contingent of Jewish-American ballplayers — including Sam Fuld, Ike Davis, Ryan Lavarnway, Josh Zeid, Cody Decker, Jon Moscot, Corey Baker, Jeremy Bleich, and Gabe Kapler — who traveled together to Israel. The purpose of the visit was two-fold: introduce Israel to baseball, and introduce the players to Israel.

“Everybody was very welcoming to us,” Kelly said. “They were thanking us for representing them in the World Baseball Classic. There are a lot of people that have lived in America or have family members in America, so there are a lot of people who are baseball fans there and can connect with us.” MLB.com reporter Jonathan Mayo came along with a film crew to gather footage for a forthcoming documentary about Team Israel, titled Heading Home.

Kelly said he keeps up with the news — including what’s going on in the Middle East — via CNN. “That’s the most easily consumable media for me. Things are so complex in the world, it’s easier for me to see and hear about it than read about it.”

“Just being over there was amazing,” he said. “It was a lot different than the way the Middle East is represented [in the U.S.]. There are so many complex problems that it’s hard to conceptualize everything, so getting to go over there see how they go about their lives on a day-to-day basis [was educational].”

The group began in Tel Aviv before moving on to Jerusalem and other locales. “We bused around a bunch of different places. We saw so much and it was packed into the first four or five days. By the end of it, everyone was just exhausted. We saw tons of stuff and I know there was more that we didn’t have time to see.”

The players participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new baseball complex in Beit Shemesh. One of the problems of the short-lived professional Israel Baseball League in 2007 was the lack of adequate facilities in a country that seemed to have little knowledge of the game. With Israel’s recent success on the diamond, the time seemed right for an upgrade.

Asked to pick one thing he will never forget about his visit, Kelly replied, “One thing is tough. I’ve been telling everyone there were two favorite things: Going to the Western Wall; that experience was amazing. We were there on Shabbat so there were tons of people out there. Tons of people up at the Wall, praying and singing and dancing…. I don’t think we have anything like that in America, religion-wise.  It was almost like being at a sporting event with the people cheering and singing and praying together.

“My other favorite thing was being at Independence Hall and listening to the recordings of the national anthem [and] just being in the room where all this history happened.”

Back in the U.S.

Kelly is a bit of a renaissance man. He has many interests outside the game, including writing and music, and he even co-hosted a food blog for a time. And while he enjoyed the local delicacies in Israel, “by the end of it, I was happy to come back to familiar food. Everything was great, all the food I could have asked for. It was almost too much. I almost felt like I had to eat too much pita bread, and that probably wasn’t the best decision, nutrition-wise,” said Kelly, who’s listed at a trim 6-feet tall and 180 pounds.

So how does he see Israel’s odds for success in its first World Baseball Classic? “I think that everybody feels like they’re going into the tournament with a chance to at least get out of the first round,” he said. “Everyone loves March Madness because you never know what’s going to happen…. You just have to be good at the right time.”

Despite the fact that he will be representing the Jewish State and has a Jewish mother, Kelly hesitated to call himself solely Jewish, which is why Jewish Baseball News and similar websites currently don’t list him on their ‘roster’ of Jewish players.

“It is a tough question, because at any other point in my life if I was asked that, I would just have said ‘Catholic’ because I went to a Catholic high school and that’s what I studied…. It’s really hard and I haven’t thought of a good answer for this question. I respect all of the religions and it’s hard to make a case — at least to myself — that I should just pick a religion, you know what I mean?

“I guess my best answer would be, I feel happy that I was able to experience both of the religions the way that I did growing up.”

# # #

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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MLB.com reporter Jonathan Mayo is making a documentary about Team Israel, but donations are needed to send his film crew to the World Baseball Classic in South Korea

By Jonathan Mayo, special to Jewish Baseball News

I never thought the two sides of my life would ever come together. Baseball and Israel. I mean, for most of my life, that would be like peanut butter and tomato sauce.

Jews and baseball, now that’s long been a thing. That “Great Jews in Sports” pamphlet they joke about in the movie Airplane? I had that book. There was the documentary Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story, written by the great sportswriter Ira Berkow. Throughout my career covering baseball – two decades’ worth at this point – I’ve long sought out Jewish players and talked to them about their background. I vividly remember standing behind the batting cage at Shea Stadium talking to Shawn Green about how he grew up calling his grandparents Bubbe and Zayde without totally understanding why.

But baseball and Israel? My favorite sport that I’ve been lucky enough to turn into a career, and the Jewish homeland where I studied for a year before college? The American national pastime, combined

with the nation my sister calls home (on Kibbutz Lotan)? No way, no how.

There has been some baseball in Israel over the years, mostly brought over by Americans who moved there. There was an ill-fated attempt at a professional Israel Baseball League that lasted just one season in 2007, but the country wasn’t ready.

But now, maybe it is, which is unbelievable to say. I recently returned from a life-changing trip to Israel with professional baseball players. There were 10 in total – 9 active and one retired – on the trip, along with significant others, children and friends. About two weeks’ worth was crammed into six days of touring. Historical sites, meeting dignitaries, floating in the Dead Sea, a lot of good food and even a little baseball-related activity. The players soaked up every bit of it.

kickstarter heading home

Click here to see a video about Heading Home and become a supporter

They weren’t just ambassadors of the game, which was the most important objective in many ways. They were ambassadors of American Jewry. Many of these players suited up for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic qualifier, held in Brooklyn last fall (Israel won). They all had spoken how proud they were to play because they were Jewish.  Now, after this trip, the connection, their bond to Israel, is exponentially stronger. All of them spoke of wanting to come back (7 of the 10 had never been before).

They also spoke of the impact they could have on the growth in Israel of the sport they have loved so long. They made two baseball stops on this whirlwind tour. One was at Baptist Village, where the country’s only real baseball field stands. The players took some batting practice, and then they took questions from the crowd, mostly kids eager to hear every word.

Then there was a groundbreaking at Beit Shemesh for what will be the first full-fledged baseball facility in the country. There were a few hundred, again largely from the younger set, on hand to get autographs and pictures with these Jewish ballplayers. Many of them were American, or their parents were American, and having baseball to play was painted as a way to help them ease into life in a new country and culture.

I was lucky enough to witness all of this first-hand. And I have Jewish sleepaway camp to thank. I went on the trip – organized by the Israel Association of Baseball and Jeff Aeder, who founded the website JewishBaseballMuseum.com – to help make a documentary film about the trip, about Team Israel, and maybe a little bit about these players exploring their Judaism and building a bond with the Jewish homeland. It’s called Heading Home, and the professional filmmakers are from Ironbound Films. Ironbound’s CEO is Jeremy Newberger, who I met at Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake some 30 or so years ago. We’re embarking on a KickStarter fundraising campaign to raise money so we can follow the team’s exploits in the World Baseball Classic in South Korea in March and include that footage in the film.

Baseball in Israel is still very much in its infancy. There won’t be a coda to the film with an Israeli in the Major Leagues.  Playing in international competition this March might help push it closer to toddlerhood, but there is still a long way to go. The touring players understood this wasn’t going to happen overnight, that it could take 15-20 years to take hold.  Whether the end game was to produce professional-level players from the country was beside the point. Just growing the game, helping people – their people – learn to play it and love it, that would be the biggest Dayenu for all of them.

But players saw a fit there, no matter how foreign the game might seem right now. Baseball, one of them told me, is a game of failure. It will knock you down repeatedly, and success comes to those who keep getting back up. It requires a resilience few people have, a trait the players all saw in the Israelis who welcomed them warmly.

# # #

Jonathan Mayo has been a reporter for MLB.com since 1999, covering Minor League prospects and the Draft. He spends his spare time trying to make sure he knows who every Jew in baseball is. Follow him on Twitter or at MLB.com.

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Revealed: Israel’s final WBC roster

By Scott Barancik, editor

At 6:00pm ET today, Israel released its final, 28-man roster for the World Baseball Classic in South Korea this March.

The list includes a number of players who have never before represented Israel, and a handful who did so both in the 2013 and 2016 WBC qualifiers.

The players are:

  1. Dylan Axelrod, P (free agent)
  2. Corey Baker, P (Cardinals/minors)
  3. Jeremy Bleich, P (free agent)
  4. Zach Borenstein, OF (Arizona/minors)
  5. Craig Breslow, P (Twins/minors)
  6. Danny Burawa, P (free agent)
  7. Scotty Burcham, IF (Rockies/minors)
  8. Gabe Cramer, P (Royals/minors)
  9. Ike Davis, 1B (Dodgers/minors)
  10. Cody Decker, IF (Brewers/minors)
  11. Blake Gailen, OF (independent)
  12. Nate Freiman, 1B (free agent)
  13. Sam Fuld, OF (free agent)
  14. Tyler Herron, P (Mets/minors)
  15. Jake Kalish, P (Royals/minors)
  16. Alex Katz, P (White Sox/minors)
  17. Ty Kelly, IF (New York Mets)
  18. Dean Kremer, P (Dodgers/minors)
  19. Tyler Krieger, IF (Indians/minors)
  20. Ryan Lavarnway, C (Athletics/minors)
  21. Shlomo Lipetz, P (Israel)
  22. Jason Marquis, P (free agent)
  23. Mike Meyers, OF (Red Sox/minors)
  24. Troy Neiman, P (Rockies/minors)
  25. R.C. Orlan, P (Nationals/minors)
  26. Nick Rickles, C (Nationals/minors)
  27. Joey Wagman, P (Athletics/minors)
  28. Josh Zeid, P (free agent)

All but one of the 28 — Shlomo Lipetz — have at least some minor-league experience, and 11 have played in the Majors. Two key additions are Ty Kelly and Sam Fuld. During the qualifiers in September, Kelly was playing for the New York Mets, while Fuld, then with the Oakland Athletics, was on the disabled list.

A number of top Jewish players that general manager Peter Kurz had hoped to attract turned down the offer, and for a variety of reasons. Key among them were Danny ValenciaJoc PedersonRyan BraunKevin Pillar and Jon Moscot. Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros and Ian Kinsler of the Detroit Tigers have committed to play for Team USA.

Israel’s first game will take place March 6 against South Korea, followed by games against Chinese Taipei and the Netherlands. If Israel wins that first-round pool, it will be allowed to replace up to two pitchers on its roster. Options include Scott Feldman and Richard Bleier, among others.

Under WBC rules, athletes can play on Team Israel as long as they are eligible for Israeli citizenship. That means having at least one Jewish grandparent or being married to someone Jewish. Almost all the players on Israel’s roster personally identify as Jewish.

# # #

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

The latest athlete to join the ranks of Jewish ballplayers is a 6-foot-4-inch first baseman with prodigious power and a promising future with the Toronto Blue Jays.

California native Rowdy Tellez, 21, turned down a roster spot at USC in 2013 when the Blue Jays offered him an $850,000 signing bonus out of Elk Grove High School, an eye-popping figure for a 30th-round draft pick. In its pre-draft scouting report, Baseball America had called Tellez the “best lefthanded power bat” in the 2013 class with a “patient approach at the plate and excellent hand-eye coordination.” A year earlier, he’d won the Perfect Game National Showcase home run derby.

It appears Toronto’s talent spotters knew what they were doing.

Except for a rough start in rookie-league ball, Tellez has paid off for the Jays, shaking off injuries to earn a spot in the prestigious Arizona Fall League in 2015, reach #9 on MLB.com’s list of Toronto’s top minor-league prospects in 2016 (see video), and earn an invitation to the Blue Jays’ 2017 major-league Spring Training camp in Dunedin, FL.

Tellez’s 2016 season was his finest yet. Playing for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA), the son of Lori Bernick Tellez and Greg Tellez hit .297 with 23 home runs (tied for 4th most in the Eastern League), 81 RBIs (5th), a .387 on-base percentage (2nd), .530 slugging percentage (3rd), and .917 OPS (3rd).

Tellez is not alone on the farm. Other Jewish prospects in the Toronto system include OF Jake Thomas, P Jake Fishman, and C Ryan Gold. And of course, at the Major League level there’s Superman himself, star centerfielder Kevin Pillar.

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

# # #

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Israel’s WBC roster taking shape

By Scott Barancik, editor

The roster of players set to represent Israel in the World Baseball Classic in South Korea this March is taking shape.

Team Israel general manager Peter Kurz, whose squad of former Major League and current minor-league athletes guided Israel to a qualifying-round win in September, said Tuesday that 15 ballplayers had already committed to play in the main tournament in Seoul. The list includes:

  1. Ty Kelly, IF (New York Mets)
  2. Sam Fuld, OF (free agent)
  3. Jason Marquis, P (free agent)
  4. Ike Davis, 1B (free agent)
  5. Ryan Lavarnway, C (Oakland Athletics/minors)
  6. Cody Decker, IF (Milwaukee Brewers/minors)
  7. Josh Zeid, P (free agent)
  8. Nate Freiman, 1B (free agent)
  9. Tyler Krieger, IF (Cleveland Indians/minors)
  10. Nick Rickles, C (Washington Nationals/minors)
  11. Dean Kremer, P (Los Angeles Dodgers/minors)
  12. Corey Baker, P (St. Louis Cardinals/minors)
  13. Jeremy Bleich, P (free agent)
  14. Jake Kalish, P (Kansas City Royals/minors)
  15. Alex Katz, P (Chicago White Sox/minors)

Two key additions are Ty Kelly and Sam Fuld. During the qualifiers in September, Kelly was playing for the New York Mets, while Fuld, then with the Oakland Athletics, was on the disabled list. Also new are minor leaguers Tyler Krieger and Jake Kalish.

Roster spots have been offered to at least seven additional minor leaguers who played for Team Israel in September : Zach Borenstein (Arizona Diamondbacks), Brad Goldberg (Chicago White Sox), Blake Gailen (independent), Scotty Burcham (Colorado Rockies), Tyler Herron (New York Mets), R C Orlan (Washington Nationals), and Joey Wagman (Oakland Athletics). None has provided a final answer yet.

Kurz told Jewish Baseball News that Danny Valencia of the Seattle Mariners and Craig Breslow, who is seeking to return to the Major Leagues, are possible future additions to Israel’s roster. Team Israel also is pursuing Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Jason Kipnis of the Cleveland Indians.

Several prominent pros politely declined Team Israel’s invitations due to injury, family commitments, Major League aspirations, or other concerns. They include Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, Kevin Pillar and Scott Feldman of the Toronto Blue Jays, Richard Bleier of the New York Yankees, Jon Moscot of the Cincinnati Reds, and minor-league prospect and Ryan Sherriff of the St. Louis Cardinals. Sherriff played for Team Israel in the September qualifiers.

Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros and Ian Kinsler of the Detroit Tigers have committed to play for Team USA rather than Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic.

Under WBC rules, athletes can play on Team Israel as long as they are eligible for Israeli citizenship. That means having at least one Jewish grandparent or being married to someone Jewish. Nearly all the players on Israel’s roster personally identify as Jewish.

Earlier this month, eight players on the WBC roster visited Israel for a week to learn about the country, meet Israeli fans, and break ground on a new baseball stadium. MLB.com reporter Jonathan Mayo and Ironbound Films co-founder Jeremy Newberger plan to create a documentary about the trip, titled Heading Home.

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Trailed by a documentary film crew, 10 Jewish ballplayers will be touring Israel from January 3-10, 2017

By Stuart M. Katz, correspondent

When centerfielder Sam Fuld and nine other Jewish athletes head to Israel on January 3 for what might be dubbed a ‘Baseball Birthright’ trip, they won’t be alone.

Wives, parents, sons, and a fiancée will be traveling with this minyan of Major League players and prospects, all of whom plan to represent Israel at the World Baseball Classic taking place in South Korea in March 2017. Team Israel qualified for the quadrennial contest by winning a qualifying tournament in September.

Also coming along for the ride? A film crew.

MLB.com reporter Jonathan Mayo (Twitter) and Ironbound Films co-founder Jeremy Newberger (Twitter) plan to create a documentary titled Heading Home about the one-week trip. For most of the players, it will be their first visit to the Jewish homeland.

“The idea for the film came first,” Mayo told Jewish Baseball News. “It wasn’t originally planned around the WBC, but after Team Israel qualified, it all came together.”

Mayo said he and Newberger, childhood friends from camp Young Judea, are getting a lot of help. Driving forces behind the project include the Jewish National Fund’s Project Baseball, JewishBaseballMuseum.com founder Jeff Aeder, and Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to the United States.

Although plans for the film have not been finalized, Mayo expects the documentary will be screened at film festivals and air on MLB.com.

Fuld, who sat out the Oakland Athletics’ 2016 season with a rotator-cuff injury, will be joined on the trip by Ty Kelly of the New York Mets, Josh Zeid of the New York Mets’ organization, Ryan Lavarnway of the Athletics’ farm system, Jon Moscot of the Cincinnati Reds’ system, free agents Ike Davis and Cody Decker, former MLB outfielder Gabe Kapler (now director of player development for the Los Angeles Dodgers), St. Louis Cardinals prospect Corey Baker, and former MLB prospect, Jeremy Bleich, currently playing in the Dominican Winter League. Danny Valencia of the Seattle Mariners planned to come but had to drop out for family reasons.

A key motivation behind the trip and documentary is to build support for baseball within Israel, where soccer and basketball are king. The Israel Association of Baseball, hopes to recruit new players as well as raise funds to expand the country’s meager baseball infrastructure.

In addition to visiting Masada, the Dead Sea, an Israeli Air Force base, the Old City in Jerusalem and Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, the 10 ballplayers will conduct public practices and meet local dignitaries and ballplayers.

# # #

Stuart M. Katz is a die-hard Yankees fan. An attorney at Cohen and Wolf in Bridgeport, Conn., he chairs the firm’s Litigation Group, practicing mainly employment law, and represents employers as well as executives.

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Minor-League Monday: 2016 archives

2016 archives

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How they built Team Israel’s roster

By Sam Brief, Correspondent

In September’s qualifying round for the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC), Colorado Rockies prospect Scotty Burcham tallied a .455 batting average, the best on Team Israel and among the top 15 for all teams.

If not for Facebook, Burcham might never have swung a bat in Brooklyn.

Since anyone who is Jewish or has a Jewish parent, grandparent or spouse can play for Team Israel, volunteers like Alex Jacobs, a Houston Astros scout, were asked to help find such players. Jacobs often employed creative methods.

Jewish baseball fans didn't know that Colorado Rockies prospect Scotty Burcham was Jewish until a volunteer scout for Team Israel 'discovered' him

Jewish baseball fans didn’t know Colorado Rockies prospect Scotty Burcham was Jewish until a volunteer scout for Team Israel ‘discovered’ him

“It’s Facebook stalking,” said Jacobs, who recently was named Team Israel’s director of player personnel. “I researched Scotty Burcham, and I found his Facebook. When I research these kids, I look for their parents, and I see if their parents have any Jewish in them. His mother was from New York, I believe. So I checked one box. Then, I looked at a picture of her and thought she looked kind of Jewish.

“So I called [Team Israel manager] Jerry Weinstein and said, ‘How about Scotty Burcham?’ And he said ‘Scotty Burcham? What do you have on him?’ And I’m like, ‘He plays shortstop. He’s Jewish. His mom looks like she’s Jewish.’ So Jerry called Scotty’s manager, and the manager asked Scotty if he was Jewish, and Scotty said, ‘Yeah, I am. Why do you ask?’ And the rest is history. He played really well for us.”

Burcham filled a gaping roster hole in the middle infield and helped Team Israel win the WBC qualifiers for the first time. Israel took down Great Britain and Brazil and then crushed Great Britain, 9-1, in the championship game, to advance to the March 2017 WBC games in Seoul, South Korea.

Houston Astros scout Alex Jacobs (left) and Los Angeles Dodgers scout Jonah Rosenthal (right) volunteered to help Team Israel build its roster for the World Baseball Classic

Houston Astros scout Alex Jacobs (left) and Los Angeles Dodgers scout Jonah Rosenthal (right) volunteered to help Team Israel build its roster for the World Baseball Classic

Israel’s 28-man roster in Brooklyn included former Major League Baseball players such as Ike Davis, Jason Marquis and Josh Satin, who skipped the final game to fly to California for the birth of his child. But Israel’s Law of Return made the roster-building process unlike any other, as the team would venture outside of the database of ballplayers already identified as Jewish.

The WBC’s rules state that a player can join a country’s team if he is eligible for citizenship within that country. Per Israel’s Law of Return, citizenship can be granted to anyone who has a Jewish parent, grandparent or spouse.

“We’re looking for ballplayers who can meet the Law of Return for the land of Israel and become Israeli citizens,” said Peter Kurz, the president of the Israeli Association of Baseball. “That’s a much wider interpretation than the actual Jewish law, which says that you have to have a Jewish mother in order to be considered as a Jew. We were able to make it a little broader.”

Kurz added that Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks, whose father is Jewish, doesn’t qualify since he is devoutly Christian.

“We don’t want people who don’t feel Jewish heritage,” Kurz said.

Volunteers like Houston’s Jacobs, Jonah Rosenthal of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Guy Stevens of the Kansas City Royals, and baseball veterans Adam Gladstone and Ty Eriksen uncovered some previously-unknown gems, such as Burcham. But MLB’s rules require proof of eligibility. That was Kurz’s job. Jacobs, Rosenthal and the others gave Kurz the names, Kurz reached out to the players and proved a Jewish connection, and Weinstein managed the team.

“I would get the emails or numbers of their parents, and in almost every case, the parents were totally thrilled that their sons would compete for Team Israel,” Kurz said. “They would send in their son’s Bar Mitzvah certificate, or a birth certificate or a bris certificate. In some cases, I would need a birth certificate of the father. And in other cases, I would have to go to a grandparent.”

It wasn’t always so straightforward. For one player, a tombstone with a Jewish star had to serve as proof.

“The father went to take a picture of his mother’s tombstone, and sent it to me,” Kurz said. “That was the most extreme.”

In between identifying Jewish players and providing proof of their eligibility to MLB officials, Team Israel had to secure each player’s commitment to play. Some former MLBers, like Davis and Marquis, were tougher gets.

“I called both those guys twenty-something times before I got a return call,” Weinstein said. “Marquis had basically retired in the middle of 2015, when he was playing with the Reds. But he pitched on an alumni team in the [National Baseball Congress] World Series in Wichita, and scouts told me he pitched pretty well. So that sparked my interest in him. … He said, ‘I’m gonna check with my wife,’ then he said, ‘I’ll do it.’ He was a great teammate, and a great pitcher on the team.

“Ike Davis got his release from the Yankees, so he was hanging loose, and the timing was just right.”

Team Israel began with a list of known Jewish players maintained by Jewish Baseball News and Jewish Sports Review. Because certain positions were underrepresented, particularly in the middle infield, Weinstein asked his volunteer scouts to find unknowns.

“A lot of what we did was scouring through systems, like college rosters, to find more,” said Rosenthal, the Dodgers scout. “It was an all-hands-on-deck approach. Some of these guys we hadn’t seen. But we weren’t dealing with the biggest demographic out there. Sometimes it involved calling scouts. Sometimes it involved digging for information.” Roughly half a dozen previously-unknown players were discovered as a result of these efforts.

In March, Team Israel will head to Seoul to face off against Chinese Taipei, South Korea and the Netherlands in Pool A of the WBC, where a total of 16 teams will compete for the title of world’s best.

Unlike the qualifiers, which took place during MLB’s regular season, the WBC will take place during the offseason. Kurz and Weinstein hope to add several Major Leaguers to Israel’s roster, including Joc Pederson (who played for Israel in the 2013 WBC qualifiers), Scott Feldman, Alex Bregman, Ian Kinsler, Ryan Braun, Sam Fuld, and more. Weinstein said Kansas City Royals 3B Mike Moustakas, who is married to a Jewish woman, would be eligible if not for a recent stint on the disabled list.

However the roster pans out, volunteers like Gladstone, Jacobs and Rosenthal hope Israel’s success on the international stage will boosts its popularity within the country, which has been a consistent goal. In early January, players will head to Israel for a team trip.

“When we got that final out in Brooklyn, to know the positives that it would do for growing the game in Israel is amazing,” Gladstone said. “It’s not only the money, but also the equipment and notoriety. You felt like you accomplished something. You had a very small part in growing the game of baseball, and for providing opportunities for young kids in Israel who maybe wouldn’t have that if we didn’t win a baseball game.”

# # #

sam brief mugSam Brief is a sophomore at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, where he is a television reporter, radio producer, play-by-play man and writer. Follow him on Twitter @sambrief and feel free to shoot him an email at briefsam@gmail.com.

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The 16 Jewish Cubs

The first Jewish Cub

The first Jewish Cub

By Scott Barancik, Editor

On September 5, 1927, Lefty Weinert tossed a 6-1, complete-game win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field, yielding 5 hits and no earned runs.

It wasn’t just the 25-year-old southpaw’s Chicago Cubs premiere. It also marked the very first Jewish appearance in this storied franchise’s history.

Another lengthy dry spell would follow. The next Jewish Cub didn’t appear until September 7, 1942, when 23-year-old third baseman Cy Block went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in his Major League debut.

In time, the numbers grew. Through 2016, a total of 16 Jewish players had worn a Cubs uniform. The most recent: outfielder Ryan Kalish, who first played for Chicago in 2014 and earned a .444 on-base percentage in 10 plate appearances during the 2016 regular season.

 

Jewish Cubs

  1. Ryan Kalish, OF (2014, 2016)
  2. Scott Feldman, P (2013)
  3. John Grabow, P (2009-11)
  4. Sam Fuld, CF (2007, 2009-10)
  5. Jason Marquis, P (2007-08)
  6. Adam Greenberg, CF (2005)
  7. Andrew Lorraine, P (1999-2000)
  8. Jose J. Bautista, P (1993-94)
  9. Ken Holtzman, P (1965-71, 1978-79)
  10. Dave A. Roberts, P (1977-78)
  11. Steve Stone, P (1974-76)
  12. Art Shamsky, 1B (1972)
  13. Ed Mayer, P (1957-58)
  14. Hy Cohen, P (1955)
  15. Cy Block, 3B (1942, 1945-46)
  16. Lefty Weinert, P (1927-28)

The roster of Jewish Cubs is dominated by pitchers. Over the decades, a total of 11 hurlers have combined for 165 wins against 156 losses and a 4.07 ERA. Kenny Holtzman tossed two of the franchise’s 10 no-hitters and racked up 80 wins, tying him for 23rd-most in Cub history. Steve Stone, who also pitched for the White Sox, played three seasons with the Cubs before going on to earn a Cy Young Award with the Baltimore Orioles.

A partial box score from <a href=

Lefty Weinert's Chicago Cub debut on September 5, 1927 (click for full box score)" width="300" height="209" srcset="http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/weinert-box-300x209.jpg 300w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/weinert-box-120x84.jpg 120w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/weinert-box.jpg 406w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> A partial box score from Lefty Weinert’s Chicago Cub debut on September 5, 1927 (click image for full box score)

Pitchers are so dominant on the list that they account for 75 percent of all at-bats by Jewish Cubs — and eight of nine Jewish home runs. Position players have hit .253 with a .343 on-base percentage for the Cubs but managed just one home run in 328 combined at-bats, a solo shot by CF Sam Fuld on the last day of the 2009 regular season.

Art Shamsky burned the Cubs twice. In 1969, the outfielder hit .300 with the New York Mets to help deliver Chicago its most devastating late-season collapse. In 1972, in the twilight of his career, Shamsky managed just two hits in his only 16 at-bats as a Cub.

Ryan Kalish played for the Cubs in 2014 and 2016

Ryan Kalish played for the Cubs in 2014 and 2016

Theo Epstein, the Cubs’ president of baseball operations, assembled the roster that led to the team’s 2016 World Series triumph. There were no Jewish players in uniform during the Cubs’ playoff run, however. Kalish, who hit .368 at Triple-A in 2016, was left off the Major League roster and declared his free agency on October 11.

There was one Jewish Cub in a World Series, if only briefly. Cy Block entered Game 6 of the 1945 Series against Hank Greenberg‘s Detroit Tigers as a pinch-runner in the 9th inning with the score tied 7-7. Although he didn’t cross home plate, Chicago went on to beat Detroit 8-7 in 12 innings despite a Greenberg home run.

Detroit, of course, won Game 7, launching what would be a 70-year World Series drought for the Cubs that would finally end, gloriously, in 2016.

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