Jewish Baseball News

By Rob Isbitts, correspondent

Blake Gailen’s go-ahead home run this September helped propel Team Israel into the World Baseball Classic’s main tournament. It also introduced Jewish fans to a 31-year-old journeyman many didn’t know.

Gailen is hardly unknown in the baseball world. Like the Johnny Cash song goes, he’s been everywhere, man. Excluding his recent stint with Team Israel, the Los Angeles area native has played on at least 11 pro teams in three countries since graduating from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas with a communications degree in 2007.

Gailen is a baseball lifer. From the time he was crouched in front of the TV at age 3, telling his father he was “giving signs” while watching his home town Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, his love of the game and playing it the right way has been his north star.

“I won’t stop playing baseball until I absolutely have to,” he said in a recent interview with Jewish Baseball News.

Gailen was not drafted by an MLB team out of college, but he knew he could play pro ball. His first stop was an independent-league team in Anderson, S.C., where the clubhouse had no air conditioning or showers. He’d routinely pass up the opportunity to hose himself down near the field, instead leaving the ballpark to shower at home.

The South Coast League soon folded. But Gailen — who led all players with a .368 average that season and even did a little pitching, going 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA — moved on, his sights set on finding an MLB-affiliated team open to an undersized outfielder (5’9”) with an oversized heart and batting average.

In a three-year stretch from 2009-2011, Gailen compiled legendary numbers on independent-league teams, hitting a combined .382, reaching base at a .467 clip, clubbing 20 home runs, and stealing 50 bases.

Not surprisingly, Major League teams noticed. Gailen got his first crack at affiliated ball when the Los Angeles Angels inked him mid-season in 2011 and assigned him to their Double-A team. Gailen underperformed, and over the next five years, the lefty experienced the familiar yo-yo that pro players often do, alternating between MLB affiliates at the Double-A and Triple-A levels and the independent Atlantic League, host to the most competitive pro baseball outside the MLB universe.

Nowhere has Gailen had a greater impact than with the Atlantic League’s Lancaster Barnstormers, an aptly-named team for an athlete who has traveled as far as Mexico and Venezuela for the chance to play. In 2012, he hit .338 with 22 home runs and 25 stolen bases for the Barnstormers, leading Baseball America to name Gailen its Independent League Player of the Year. During multiple stops in Lancaster, he has become a fan favorite, team leader, and mentor to younger players.

Certainly, playing for Team Israel in the 2016 WBC qualifiers was a career highlight. Gailen learned about the team from Lancaster teammate and Team Israel veteran Charlie Cutler, and when he made the roster, it reunited him with former major leaguers Josh Satin and Ryan Lavarnway, who he had played with growing up in Southern California. “Josh Satin and I have been friends since we were kids. I attended his Bar Mitzvah,” Gailen said.

Gailen says his ability to achieve on the field despite many setbacks with MLB-affiliated teams is due to his mental approach. “I always had the thought process that when it comes to the Major Leagues, it is not about me. It’s about what the team needs,” he said. “I hit .400 with the Rockies in [minor-league] spring training one year, but they just didn’t have a spot for an outfielder because of decisions they made about promoting and demoting other players.”

That numbers game is a harsh reality for players in all pro sports, but Gailen has had a unique ability to push through. His admirers include many ex-Major Leaguers who have played alongside him in the Atlantic League and witnessed his raw talent and effort.

If Gailen has his way – and if we’re lucky — he’ll continue to play for years. Because as he says on his Twitter feed, he’s “Living the proverbial dream.”

# # #

Rob Isbitts pitches in for Jewish Baseball News as contributing writer. The Founder and Chief Investment Strategist for Sungarden Investment Research, he manages a mutual fund and private accounts, writes an investing column for MarketWatch.com, and has written two books on investing. Rob is a happily married father of three and lives in Weston, FL. He hopes to visit as many ballparks as he and his son can.

By Scott Barancik, Editor

A total of 146 seasons have passed since Lip Pike became the first Jewish player to homer. Now, we have a new milestone to celebrate.

Joc Pederson‘s game-tying, 2-run blast last night was the 113th Jewish home run of the season, tying the mark set in 2012. Pederson’s home run, his 25th of the year, left his bat at a blistering 110.6 mph, tops in the MLB for the night.

Less than half an hour later, Ian Kinsler crushed a 2-run, go-ahead shot for the record-breaking 114th round-tripper of the year. Kinsler’s 27th home run traveled 410 feet to left-center and left him one behind Lou Whitaker (28) on Detroit’s all-time list of most HRs in a season by a second baseman. The 3rd-inning blast almost didn’t count: despite heavy rain, umpires allowed the Tigers and Cleveland to complete the 5th inning before calling a delay and, eventually, the game.

Both players likely were unaware they were making history. Earlier this month, Alex Bregman smashed the 3,000th Jewish home run in Major League history.

Although rookie Lip Pike led the National Association with four home runs in 1871, his rookie season with the Troy Haymakers, Jewish players and home runs have not always been so prolific.

In 49 of the past 146 season, Jewish players did not hit a single dinger. During the five seasons from 1986 to 1990, in fact, there was not a single Jewish at-bat.

Aside from Pike, the concept of a Jewish power hitter is, historically speaking, a relatively new one. No Jewish player had hit even 10 HRs in a season until a Detroit Tigers rookie named Hank Greenberg stroked 12 in 1933. This helps explain why Jewish fans went so crazy over Greenberg, who went on to hit a then-N.L. record 58 home runs in 1938, two short of Babe Ruth’s then-Major League record of 60.

By comparison, today is a golden age for Jewish baseball fans. Three players have 25 or more home runs — Ryan Braun (30), Ian Kinsler (27), and Joc Pederson (25) — an accomplishment matched only once before, in 2010.

Jewish HRs by season

Year	AB	HR
1990	0	0
1989	0	0
1988	0	0
1987	0	0
1986	0	0
1899	4	0
1887	4	0
1902	9	0
1881	18	0
1985	22	0
1901	26	0
1903	27	0
1920	31	0
1882	41	0
1919	47	0
1991	51	0
1910	56	0
1908	58	0
1927	74	0
1895	74	0
1916	76	0
1918	81	0
1909	91	0
1911	92	0
1907	95	0
1906	99	0
1905	111	0
1904	118	0
1964	164	0
1976	238	0
1875	312	0
1917	433	0
1900	0	0
1898	0	0
1897	0	0
1896	0	0
1894	0	0
1893	0	0
1892	0	0
1891	0	0
1890	0	0
1889	0	0
1888	0	0
1886	0	0
1885	0	0
1884	0	0
1883	0	0
1880	0	0
1879	0	0
1984	63	1
1957	204	1
1874	234	1
1913	249	1
1876	282	1
1878	419	1
1965	237	2
1925	286	2
1983	132	3
1981	223	3
1959	302	3
1936	490	3
1921	637	3
1871	134	4
1958	225	4
1877	266	4
1873	285	4
1963	315	4
1924	355	4
1930	598	4
1942	680	4
1914	422	5
1926	614	5
1929	701	5
1923	949	5
1962	257	6
1982	263	6
1993	311	6
1912	524	6
1872	285	7
1915	436	7
1961	481	7
1922	576	7
1992	424	8
1931	898	8
1960	378	9
1977	395	9
1943	535	9
1975	714	9
1928	757	9
1932	1,160	9
1994	471	10
1941	809	11
1944	699	13
1967	752	13
1956	695	16
1978	875	18
1933	1,261	18
1980	851	19
1995	965	21
1974	1,221	21
1966	506	22
1979	793	23
1949	557	26
1996	1,322	26
1934	1,189	27
1948	579	30
1968	1,122	31
1973	1,705	34
1955	1,060	35
1971	1,335	36
1945	1,348	37
1947	897	39
1970	1,485	40
2003	1,805	40
1935	1,287	41
2005	1,641	41
1997	1,718	45
2013	2,006	47
1969	1,437	50
1998	1,527	50
1946	1,304	54
1940	1,471	54
1972	1,907	54
2006	2,414	55
1954	1,614	56
2014	2,295	56
1939	1,874	57
2000	1,991	60
1952	1,879	62
2004	2,045	63
1937	1,957	64
1950	1,194	65
2002	1,868	66
1951	1,902	69
2001	1,709	73
1953	1,710	77
2010	2,309	78
1938	2,456	81
2015	2,827	81
2007	2,444	84
2011	2,162	94
2008	2,223	100
2009	2,277	101
1999	2,089	102
2012	2,598	113
2016*	2,730	114
Total*	107,315	3,012

* Through games played 9/28/2016
Note: The 3,012 Jewish home runs hit through 9/28/2016 were slugged by these Major League players. The tally includes home runs hit by David Newhan before 2000, when he began identifying as a Messianic Jew. It excludes home runs hit by Jim Gaudet, who converted to Judaism after his playing career ended.
Source: JewishBaseballNews.com


As great a season as Jewish players are having collectively, 2016 isn’t close to the most prodigious in terms of home-run frequency.

Through games played 9/28/2016, Jewish players are homering once every 23.95 at-bats, or 13th-best on the home-run frequency chart. The best year came way back in 1950, when Jewish players such as Al Rosen (37 HRs) and Sid Gordon (27 HRs) homered a total of once every 18.37 at-bats.

Jewish home-run frequency, by season

Year	AB/HR
1950	18.37
1948	19.30
1999	20.48
1949	21.42
1953	22.21
2008	22.23
2009	22.54
2012	22.99
1966	23.00
1947	23.00
2011	23.00
2001	23.41
2016*	23.95
1946	24.15
1940	27.24
1951	27.57
2002	28.30
1969	28.74
1954	28.82
2007	29.10
2010	29.60
1955	30.29
1952	30.31
1938	30.32
1998	30.54
1937	30.58
1935	31.39
2004	32.46
1939	32.88
2000	33.18
1871	33.50
1979	34.48
2015	34.90
1972	35.31
1968	36.19
1945	36.43
1971	37.08
1970	37.13
1997	38.18
2005	40.02
1872	40.71
2014	40.98
1960	42.00
2013	42.68
1962	42.83
1956	43.44
1982	43.83
1977	43.89
2006	43.89
1983	44.00
1934	44.04
1980	44.79
2003	45.13
1995	45.95
1994	47.10
1978	48.61
1973	50.15
1996	50.85
1993	51.83
1992	53.00
1944	53.77
1958	56.25
1967	57.85
1974	58.14
1943	59.44
1915	62.29
1984	63.00
1877	66.50
1961	68.71
1933	70.06
1873	71.25
1941	73.55
1981	74.33
1963	78.75
1975	79.33
1922	82.29
1928	84.11
1914	84.40
1912	87.33
1924	88.75
1959	100.67
1931	112.25
1965	118.50
1926	122.80
1932	128.89
1929	140.20
1925	143.00
1930	149.50
1936	163.33
1942	170.00
1923	189.80
1957	204.00
1921	212.33
1874	234.00
1913	249.00
1876	282.00
1878	419.00
1990	na
1989	na
1988	na
1987	na
1986	na
1899	na
1887	na
1902	na
1881	na
1985	na
1901	na
1903	na
1920	na
1882	na
1919	na
1991	na
1910	na
1908	na
1927	na
1895	na
1916	na
1918	na
1909	na
1911	na
1907	na
1906	na
1905	na
1904	na
1964	na
1976	na
1875	na
1917	na
1900	na
1898	na
1897	na
1896	na
1894	na
1893	na
1892	na
1891	na
1890	na
1889	na
1888	na
1886	na
1885	na
1884	na
1883	na
1880	na
1879	na
Total*	35.63

* Through games played 9/28/2016
Source: JewishBaseballNews.com

# # #

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Israel’s first two wins in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers were fairly close affairs, but the team crushed Great Britain 9-1 in the finals Sunday night to sweep the tournament and earn its first-ever trip to the main WBC event, which will take place in March 2017.

Israel dominated equally from the mound and the plate. Starter Jason Marquis and reliever Josh Zeid maintained a perfect game until one out in the 7th inning, and a no-hitter until two outs in the 8th. Zeid, who notched the win, led all qualifier pitchers with 9 strikeouts in the series. Dean Kremer, a 20-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers prospect who this summer became the first Israeli to be drafted by a Major League team, held Great Britain scoreless in the 9th despite yielding 2 hits.

Israel’s bats thundered, beginning with two 2-run home runs in the 5th inning. Blake Gailen, a 5’9″ outfielder making his first appearance in the tournament and batting last in the order, crushed the first round-tripper. Next was C Ryan Lavarnway, who later in the game stroked an RBI single.

3B Cody Decker, the San Diego Padres’ all-time minor-league home run leader, added a solo shot in the 7th inning. RF Zach Borenstein — who made a diving catch in the 5th to preserve Israel’s perfect game — contributed an RBI triple, and DH Charlie Cutler delivered a 2-run double. SS Scotty Burcham led Israel with three hits.

“This is very emotional. Highly emotional,” Decker told MLB.com. “More emotional than I’m letting on.”

In 2012, Israel lost a heartbreaker to Spain in the 10th inning of the qualifying final. That team was managed by Brad Ausmus, who went on to become manager of the Detroit Tigers.

Israel’s win Sunday earned it the 16th and final berth in the 2017 WBC tournament, which will begin in Seoul, South Korea. The team likely will add a few current Major Leaguers and high-level prospects to its roster, given that MLB will still be in off-season mode then.

# # #

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

It took Israel’s bats a while to come alive Thursday at Brooklyn’s MCU Park, but a four-run rally in the 7th inning drove the team to a come-from-behind, 5-2 win over Great Britain.

C Ryan Lavarnway led the way with three hits and a walk, and five Team Israel players shared RBI duties, including RF Zach Borenstein, whose 7th-inning single gave Israel a 3-2 lead, and Ike Davis, whose bases-loaded, pinch-hit single brought the score to 4-2. Also plating runs were 3B Cody Decker, CF Mike Meyers, and LF Rhett Wiseman.

Starter Jason Marquis limited Great Britain to one run over three innings, and reliever Josh Zeid kept the game close with 3.2 strong innings, striking out 6 batters while yielding one run.

Israel’s batters ended up with as many hits as its pitchers had strikeouts (11), although the team left the bases loaded in two consecutive innings.

Craig Breslow earned the win despite a shaky inning of pitching, and Brad Goldberg earned the save.

Today at 12pm EST, Israel faces Brazil, which beat Pakistan 10-0 on Thursday. Check out the live stream.

For more details on yesterday’s game:

• Video recap
• Box score
• Ike Davis, Back in New York, Leads Israel Past Britain in World Baseball Classic Qualifier (New York Times, 9/23/2016)
• Israel rallies past Great Britain with 4-run 7th (MLB.com, 9/23/2016)
• Israel off to great start in Baseball Classic Qualifier tournament in Brooklyn(Jerusalem Post, 9/23/2016)
• Israel Claims Win Over Great Britain In World Baseball Classic Qualifier Game 2 (Scout.com, 9/23/2016)

# # #

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Israel’s entry in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers has 15 pitchers on its roster. And for tonight’s opener against Great Britain, manager Jerry Weinstein will hand the ball to the very oldest: 38-year-old Jason Marquis.

No doubt, the Staten Island native has the experience edge. A first-round pick in the 1996 amateur draft, Marquis — who was raised in a Conservative Jewish household and is the grandson of Holocaust survivors — went on to enjoy a 15-year Major League career with nine teams. Notable stats include a 124-118 career record, an All-Star nod (2009, though he didn’t play), a Silver Slugger award (for a pitcher, the man can hit), five playoffs, and a World Series (2004, with St. Louis).

Putting Marquis on the mound is not without risk. The 6’1″ right hander didn’t play in the Majors in 2014, struggled in 2015 (3-4, 6.46 ERA with the Reds), and has had limited opportunity to play since.

“Of the four teams, ours has the most experienced talent,” he told the Staten Island Advance. “But you still have to go out there and prove it.”

Tonight’s game begins at 7:00pm EST and will take place at MCU Park in New York, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, a New York Mets farm team.

Israel’s second game takes place tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 23) at noon, with at least one more game to follow. It is competing against Great Britain, Brazil, and Pakistan to advance to the first round of the World Baseball Classic tournament in March 2017. The winner will play Chinese Taipei, Korea, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Seoul, South Korea.

Check out these articles about Team Israel and the WBC qualifiers:

Good Bat? Cannon Arm? Jewish? Sign Him Up! (New York Times, 9/22/2016)

Israel’s Baseball Team is Ready to Rock Coney Island — and Maybe Shock the World (Tablet, 9/21/2016)

Jason Marquis Pitching for Team Israel in WBC Qualifier Thursday (Staten Island Advance, 9/21/2016)

Missing from Israel’s Baseball Team: Israelis (Tablet, 9/20/2016)

# # #

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

In 1871, Lip Pike was considered a slugger. An outfielder with the Troy Haymakers, the 5’8″ rookie led the National Association that season with four home runs, which also happened to be the first four round-trippers ever hit by a Jewish baseball player.

Flash forward 145 years to Sept. 10, 2016 — also known as last Saturday — when another red-hot Jewish rookie came to the plate. Host Houston and the Cubs were tied 0-0 in the bottom of the third when the Astros’ Alex Bregman took a 92mph two-seam fastball from Chicago’s John Lackey and parked it in the right-center seats. Houston never squandered the lead, finishing with a 2-1 win.

Bregman’s 384-foot shot wasn’t just a clutch hit for a playoff-hungry club in front of a hometown crowd. It was the 3,000th Jewish homer in Major League history.

The numbers continue to swell.

In fact, Jewish players are on pace to set a single-season record in 2016. Through games played September 14, they hit a combined 106 home runs, just seven short of the 113 hit in 2012. Three players — Ryan Braun (27), Ian Kinsler (26), and Joc Pederson (22) — have more than 20 apiece, while Danny Valencia is within striking distance at 16.

Jewish HRs, by year

Year	HRs
2016*	106
2015	81
2014	56
2013	47
2012	113
2011	94
2010	78
2009	101
2008	100
2007	84
2006	55
2005	41
2004	63
2003	40
2002	66
2001	73
2000	60
1999	102
1998	50
1997	45
1996	26
1995	21
1994	10
1993	6
1992	8
1991	0
1990	0
1989	0
1988	0
1987	0
1986	0
1985	0
1984	1
1983	3
1982	6
1981	3
1980	19
1979	23
1978	18
1977	9
1976	0
1975	9
1974	21
1973	34
1972	54
1971	36
1970	40
1969	50
1968	31
1967	13
1966	22
1965	2
1964	0
1963	4
1962	6
1961	7
1960	9
1959	3
1958	4
1957	1
1956	16
1955	35
1954	56
1953	77
1952	62
1951	69
1950	65
1949	26
1948	30
1947	39
1946	54
1945	37
1944	13
1943	9
1942	4
1941	11
1940	54
1939	57
1938	81
1937	64
1936	3
1935	41
1934	27
1933	18
1932	9
1931	8
1930	4
1929	5
1928	9
1927	0
1926	5
1925	2
1924	4
1923	5
1922	7
1921	3
1920	0
1919	0
1918	0
1917	0
1916	0
1915	7
1914	5
1913	1
1912	6
1911	0
1910	0
1909	0
1908	0
1907	0
1906	0
1905	0
1904	0
1903	0
1902	0
1901	0
1900	0
1899	0
1898	0
1897	0
1896	0
1895	0
1894	0
1893	0
1892	0
1891	0
1890	0
1889	0
1888	0
1887	0
1886	0
1885	0
1884	0
1883	0
1882	0
1881	0
1880	0
1879	0
1878	1
1877	4
1876	1
1875	0
1874	1
1873	4
1872	7
1871	4
TOTAL*	3004

* Through games played 9/14/2016
Source: JewishBaseballNews.com

The 3,004 home runs hit through 9/14/2016 were slugged by these Major League players. The tally excludes home runs hit by David Newhan after 1999, when he began identifying as a Messianic Jew. It also excludes home runs hit by Jim Gaudet, who converted to Judaism after his playing career ended.

# # #

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of August 29 – September 4, 2016.

New additions

Jewish Baseball News welcomes three more players to its list of professional ballplayers. All three will play for Team Israel later this month in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers in Brooklyn.

• P Tyler Herron (Mets/AAA) is a 30-year-old right-hander out of Florida. Herron was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals out of high school in the 1st round of the 2005 amateur draft. The Mets are his fourth MLB franchise.
• CF Braden Bishop (Mariners/High-A) is a 23-year-old California native who attended the University of Washington. Seattle drafted him in the 3rd round in 2015.
• P Troy Neiman (Rockies/High-A) is a 25-year-old right-hander out of California. Colorado signed the Cal-State Chico alum as an undrafted free agent in 2013.

Another player on the roster for Team Israel, CF Ty Kelly, was called-up by the Mets on September 1 and therefore is unlikely to be available for the WBC qualifiers. Although his mother was raised Jewish, Kelly does not identify as Jewish, so Jewish Baseball News does not track his statistics.

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week

RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/A) hit .346 with 3 HRs, a double, 7 RBIs, and 2 stolen bases. He’s hitting .249 with 13 HRs, 25 doubles, 5 triples, 73 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases.

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week

P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA) earned 2 wins last week, pitching 7.1 innings of one-run ball on August 29, and 7 innings of 3-run ball on September 3. A 1st-round pick of the Cardinals in the 2013 draft, Kaminsky is 11-7 this season with a 3.28 ERA. He went 5-0 in August with a 1.78 ERA.

Other highlights

3B Scotty Burcham (Rockies/A) had a strong week, hitting .545 with a double, triple, 3 RBIs, 2 walks, and 2 stolen bases. The 2015 draftee had three multi-hit games, including one with 4 hits and another with 3.

1B Nate Freiman (Red Sox/AA) hit .273 with a home run, double, 5 RBIs, and 3 walks.

LF Zach Borenstein (Diamondbacks/AAA) hit .294 with 2 home runs and a double.

C Michael Barash (Angels/A), a 2016 draftee, went 4-for-10 with a home run, a walk, and 3 RBIs.

3B Mitchell Kranson (Twins/rookie), a 2016 draftee, went 3-for-5 on September 4 with 2 singles, a double, and 4 RBIs.

LF Mike Meyers (Red Sox/High-A) hit .333 with 2 doubles, a walk, 3 RBIs, and a stolen base.

C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AA) hit .385 with 2 doubles, a walk, on RBI, and a stolen base.

In the first Triple-A start of his 8-year minor-league career, P Tyler Herron (Mets/AAA) earned a win September 1, giving up 2 earned runs on 3 hits and 3 walks over 6.2 innings while striking out 7.

P Corey Baker (Cardinals/AA) bounced back from a tough outing on August 30 to earn a win on September 4, pitching 5 shutout innings on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. Baker also went 1-for-2 at the plate.

P Dean Kremer (Dodgers/A), a 2016 draftee, held opponents scoreless in two separate 3-inning relief appearances, yielding a total of 2 hits and no walks while striking out 9. Since being promoted to Single-A, Kremer is 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA, yielding just 4 hits over 15.1 innings while striking out 22.

P Joey Wagman (Athletics/High-A) was near perfect in two relief appearances, yielding no hits and one walk across a combined 5 innings while striking out 8.

P Gabe Cramer threw 3 shutout innings over two appearances, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out 2.

P Max Fried (Braves/A) didn’t get a decision on September 3, but he did strike out 10 batters over 4.2 innings. It was his second consecutive 10-strikeout game.

P Brad Goldberg (White Sox/AAA) shut out his opponents in two one-inning relief appearances and earned his 10th save of the season.

P Raul Jacobson (Mets/A-short-season) pitched 6 shutout innings to earn a win on September 3, yielding 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 1.

Transactions

• The Pirates promoted P Henry Hirsch to Double-A. It is his first time playing at that level.
• The Mets promoted P Tyler Herron to Triple-A.
• The Rays promoted P Kenny Rosenberg, a 2016 draftee, from the rookie Gulf Coast League to the rookie Appalachian League.
• The Pirates released 23-year-old C Nate Irving, a 2014 draftee who hit .276 in 2015 but hasn’t played since then.
• P Jake Drossner (Brewers/A) came off the disabled list.
• LF Jake Thomas (Blue Jays/A) went on the disabled list.

Disabled list

• LF Jake Thomas (Blue Jays/A).
• C Adam Sonabend (Giants/A).
• P Alec Grosser (Dodgers/High-A).
• LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA).
• 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA).
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of August 22-28, 2016.

New additions

Jewish Baseball News welcomes two more players to its list of professional ballplayers.

The first is P Joey Wagman (Athletics/High-A), a 25-year-old reliever out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The second is 3B Scotty Burcham, a 23-year-old Sacramento State alum. Both are on Team Israel’s roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classific qualifying tournament in Brooklyn. Welcome, gentlemen!

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week

1B Nate Freiman (Red Sox/AA) hit .273 with a home run, 3 doubles, 6 walks, and 9 RBIs last week. The highlight came August 24, when the former Oakland Athletic went 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI double, and a three-run, walk-off bomb in the 9th inning (see video above). Freiman leads the Portland Sea Dogs with 55 RBIs.

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week

P Raul Jacobson (Mets/A-short-season) was dominant on August 23. In only his fourth start of the season, the second-year pro allowed just 3 hits and one earned run over 6 innings, walking none and striking out 8. Jacobson is 2-1 at the short-season level, with a 2.09 ERA, 2 saves in 2 chances, 41 strikeouts, and only 7 walks in 38.2 innings.

Other highlights

After being selected by the Marlins in the sixth-round of the 2015 draft, Marlins prospect Justin Cohen got off to a quick start last year, hitting .321 with 2 HRs and 12 RBIs in 56 at-bats before landing on the disabled list. Last week, the 19-year-old DH returned to the lineup after a hiatus of more than 12 months, going 4-for-15 with an RBI and two walks.

C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AA) hit .313 with a double, triple, stolen base, and a walk. In 28 games since being promoted to Double-A, the 2015 draftee is hitting .318 with 4 HRs, 15 RBIs, a .398 on-base percentage, and .514 slugging percentage.

1B Jeremy Wolf (Mets/rookie) hit .258 last week with 2 doubles, a home run, 2 walks, and 6 RBIs. A 2016 draftee, he is hitting .291, and he leads the Kingsport Mets in HRs (4/tied), RBIs (31), and slugging percentage (.448).

In two six-inning starts last week, P Max Fried (Braves/A), Fried won one and lost one, yielding a total of 10 hits, 4 walks, and 6 earned runs. He also struck out 16 batters, including 10 alone on August 28. The 22-year-old has 102 strikeouts in 98.1 innings this season.

P Brandon Gold (Rockies/A-short-season), a 2016 draftee, pitched 3 shutout innings on August 26, yieldings 2 hits and no walks while striking out one.

P Brad Goldberg (White Sox/AAA) held opponents scoreless in two relief appearances, stretching his streak to 5. In 3 combined innings, he yielded one hit and one walk while striking out 4.

In four games since being promoted to Single-A, P Dean Kremer (Dodgers) is 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA. He has given up just 2 hits and 4 walks over 9.1 innings while striking out 13.

P Jared Lakind (Pirates/AA) was nearly perfect in three relief appearances, yielding just one hit and no walks while striking out 2 in a combined 4 innings.

Transactions

• The Mets promoted P Josh Zeid to Triple-A.
• The Marlins activated second-year DH Justin Cohen (rookie) from the disabled list
• The Brewers activated C Tim Remes (A) from the disabled list.

Disabled list

• P Jake Drossner (Brewers/A).
• C Adam Sonabend (Giants/A).
• P Alec Grosser (Dodgers/High-A).
• LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA).
• 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA).
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

When Team Israel steps onto the field September 22 for the World Baseball Classic qualifying round in Brooklyn, the roster will feature well-known names and a few surprises.

Because the qualifying round takes place during the Major League season, current MLB players like Toronto’s Kevin Pillar, Houston’s Alex Bregman, and Detroit’s Ian Kinsler aren’t available. But if Israel makes it to the final WBC tournament, which takes place during the MLB’s offseason, we’re likely to see many such stars participate.

Here are some things you should know about the just-announced 28-man roster:

• Nine of the 28 players have MLB experience, and another 10 have reached as high as Triple-A.
• Twenty players are currently playing minor-league ball for an MLB franchise. They include three prospects each with the Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals and New York Mets. (Our chart shown at left incorrectly lists Toronto Blue Jays farmhand Ryan Lavarnway as a Boston Red Sox prospect.)
• The athletes range in age from 20 (Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Dean Kremer) to 38 (retired 15-year pro Jason Marquis).
• Six are players never before mentioned on the pages of Jewish Baseball News, men who may or may not identify as Jewish but inherently qualify for Team Israel because they have at least one Jewish grandparent. They include SS Scott Burcham, OF Blake Gailen, P Tyler Herron, P Troy Neiman, P Joey Wagman, and 2B Ty Kelly, who made his MLB debut earlier this year with the New York Mets. In coming weeks, Jewish Baseball News hopes to determine which, if any, of these players identifies as Jewish, and then share that information with you.
• Only two players are Israeli citizens, and both spend most the year in the United States. They are 37-year-old pitcher Shlomo Lipetz, and Dodgers prospect Dean Kremer, who has starred for the Israeli national team and, earlier this year, became the first Israeli citizen ever drafted by an MLB team. (Ryan Braun’s father is Israeli, but Braun is not an Israeli citizen.)

A number of promising Jewish prospects were left off Israel’s roster, and for a variety of reasons. Some were prohibited from playing by their MLB club because they are a potential September call-up (e.g., Richard Bleier), are starring for a playoffs-bound minor-league team, or are at risk of fatigue (especially pitchers). Some chose not to play or had conflicts, such as Fall school plans.

As the qualifying round draws closer, Israel’s roster is likely to undergo some additional revisions. Team Israel has assembled an informal ‘reserve’ list of talented players.

Team Israel’s qualifying round opponents include Pakistan, Brazil, and Great Britain. Its first game will take place September 22 against Great Britain. You can purchase tickets to that game and others online.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league updates from the week of August 15-21, 2016.

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week

C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AA) hit .545 (6-for-11) with 2 HRs, a double, 4 RBIs, 2 walks, 2 stolen bases, and no strikeouts. Since his promotion to Double-A on July 4, the 2015 draftee — part of the same draft class as fellow Astros pick Alex Bregman — is hitting .337 with 4 HRs, 15 RBIs, more walks (13) than strikeouts (9), and an .972 OPS.

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week

P Dean Kremer (Dodgers/A), a 2016 draftee and the first Israeli citizen in MLB history to be drafted, pitched three perfect innings of relief on August 17 in only his second appearance since being promoted to Single-A. The 20-year-old struck out 4 batters en route to his first career win.

Other highlights

LF Mike Meyers (Red Sox/High-A) hit .350 with a double and 3 RBIs. He ranks first among Jewish minor-leaguers in stolen bases (24) and second in RBIs (63).

C Mitchell Kranson (Twins/rookie), a 2016 draftee, went 3-for-5 with a solo HR in his only game of the week.

OF Jeremy Wolf (Mets/rookie), a 2016 draftee, hit .263 with a HR, a double, 4 RBIs, and 3 walks.

C Andy Yerzy (Diamondbacks/rookie), a 2016 draftee, hit only .182 but made the most of it, driving in 5 runs with a HR and a double.

In three appearances last week, P Gabe Cramer (Royals/A) earned 2 saves and pitched 3.1 scoreless innings, yielding 3 hits and no walks while fanning 5.

P Gabe Effross (Cubs/High-A) pitched 5 scoreless innings across 3 relief appearances, yielding 4 hits and no walks while striking out 3. Effross was promoted from Single-A on August 12.

P Brad Goldberg (White Sox/AAA) was perfect in two one-inning relief appearances, yielding no hits or walks, striking out three, and earning his ninth save.

P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/A-short season), a 2016 draftee, pitched 3 innings of relief on August 20, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out 4 and earning his first career save.

P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA) pitched 7 innings of one-run ball on August 19, giving up 6 hits and one walk while striking out 4 to earn his fourth straight win.

P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/rookie), a 2016 draftee, pitched 2 perfect innings of relief on August 17, striking out 4 to earn his second career save.

Transactions

• The Cubs promoted P Scott Effross to High-A.
• The Blue Jays promoted P Jake Fishman to the Bluefield Blue Jays (rookie). The 2016 draftee hasn’t pitched since July 27.
• The Pirates placed P Henry Hirsch (High-A) on the temporary inactive list.

Disabled list

• P Jake Drossner (Brewers/A). Added last week.
• C Tim Remes (Tigers/High-A). Added last week.
• C Adam Sonabend (Giants/A). Added last week.
• P Alec Grosser (Dodgers/High-A).
• LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA).
• 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA).
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league updates from the week of August 8-14, 2016.

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week

1B Cody Decker (Red Sox/AA) hit .333 last week with 3 HRs, 5 RBIs, and 2 walks. The highlight came August 10, when Decker went 3-for-6 with 2 HRs and 3 RBIs.

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week

In his first game since being promoted, P Alex Katz (White Sox/High-A) pitched 2.1 no-hit innings, yielding one walk and striking out 2.

Other highlights

1B Nate Freiman (Red Sox/AA) hit .400 with an RBI and a walk.

OF Adam Walton (Diamondbacks/A-short season), a 2016 signee, hit .273 with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, and a walk.

OF Jeremy Wolf (Mets/rookie), a 2016 draftee, hit .350 with 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, and a walk. He ranks third on the Kingsport Mets with a .304 average, second with a .452 slugging percentage, and fourth with 21 RBIs.

In a 2.1-inning relief appearance August 11, P Brandon Gold (Rockies/rookie) yielded 2 hits and struck out 6. Gold has fanned 16 and walked just 2 over a combined 11.1 innings this season.

In two appearances, P Henry Hirsch (Pirates/High-A) yielded 2 hits and 2 walks over 4.1 innings while fanning 5. He also improved his season record to 6-3.

P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA) continues to improve, anchoring an 18-2 win on August 12 after yielding 7 hits and 2 earned runs over 6 innings while striking out 5. After going 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in April, Kaminsky has gone 0-0 with a 3.55 ERA in May, 1-3 with a 4.15 ERA in June, 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA in July, and 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in August.

Since being reassigned from the rookie Appalachian League to the slightly less competitive rookie Gulf Coast League, 2016 draftee Kenny Rosenberg (Rays) has gone 1-0 with an 0.57 ERA, yielding 12 hits over 15.2 innings, walking just 3, and striking out 21, with a WHIP — walks and hits per innings — of just 0.89.

Transactions

• P Dean Kremer (Dodgers) was promoted from rookie ball to Single-A.
• P Alex Katz (White Sox) was promoted from Single-A to High-A.
• P Max Fried (Braves/A) came off the disabled list.
• P Josh Zeid (Mets) was reassigned from Triple-A to Double-A.
• P Raul Jacobson (Mets) was reassigned from Single-A to A-short season.
• 1B Ike Davis (Yankees/AAA) was released.
• P Craig Breslow (Rangers/AAA) was released.

Disabled list

• P Alec Grosser (Dodgers/High-A).
• LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA).
• 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA).
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league updates from the week of August 1-7, 2016.

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week

C Andy Yerzy (Diamondbacks/rookie), a 2nd-round pick in the 2016 draft, hit .400 last week with a double, 5 RBIs, and a walk. The highlight was a 4-for-5 game on August 5.

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week

P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA) earned his sixth win on August 5, tossing 5 shutout innings. July was Kaminsky’s best month of the season, with the fourth-year going 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA and yielding just 1.12 walks/hits per inning.

Other highlights

On August 5, 1B Ike Davis (Yankees/AAA) went 3-for-4 with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. Davis went hitless the rest of the week.

1B Cody Decker (Red Sox/AA) hit .348 last week with a double, triple, home run, 3 RBIs, and a walk.

C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/rookie) went 4-for-8 a double, 2 RBIs, a walk, and an intentional walk. The 2016 draftee is hitting .347 over 18 games.

C Ryan Lavarnway (Blue Jays/AA) hit .421 with a home run, 4 RBIs, and 2 walks.

LF Mike Meyers (Red Sox/High-A) hit .304 with 1 double, 5 RBIs, three walks, and three stolen bases. For the season, he’s hitting .278 with 4 HRs, 60 RBIs, 23 stolen bases in 26 attempts, and a .339 on-base percentage.

OF Jeremy Wolf (Mets/rookie) hit .316 with a double, home run, 5 RBIs, and 3 walks.

In a start on August 5, P Corey Baker (Cardinals/AA) pitched 5 dominant innings, yielding one earned run on 2 hits and no walks while striking out 7 for the win.

Through August 5, reliever Henry Hirsch (Pirates/High-A) had 10 straight scoreless appearances. The last time he yielded an earned run was June 29.

Reliever Alex Katz (White Sox/A) delivered three scoreless appearances last week. In 5 combined innings, he yielded just one hit and two walks while striking out three.

Transactions

P Craig Breslow (Rangers/AAA) was placed on the team’s temporary inactive list. However, WEEI.com reported that the Rangers actually released Breslow from his minor-league contract.

Disabled list

• P Max Fried (Braves/A).
• P Alec Grosser (Dodgers/High-A).
• LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA).
• 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA).
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league updates from the week of July 25-31, 2016.

Jewish Baseball News Player of the Week

LF Zach Borenstein (Diamondbacks/AAA) hit .600 last week with a home run, triple, 3 doubles, 4 RBIS, and a walk. This is his second straight Player of the Week award. In his first full season at Triple-A, the 26-year-old Illinois native is hitting .293 with 7 HRs, 4 triples, 21 doubles, 49 RBIs, and a .838 OPS.

Other highlights

CF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/A) hit .333 with 2 HRs, a triple and a double, 7 RBIs, and 4 walks.

In his first full week since being promoted to Single-A, 2016 draftee Michael Barash (Angels) went 4-for-10 with a home run, double, and 3 RBIs.

OF Jeremy Wolf (Mets/rookie), a 31st-round draft pick in 2016, hit a scorching .615 last week with a triple, double, walk, 3 RBIs, and no strikeouts. He has a six-game hitting streak going.

C Dalton Blumenfeld (Angels/rookie) went 4-for-9 (.444) with a double, 5 RBIs, and a walk.

1B Nate Freiman (Red Sox/AA) hit .321 with 2 triples, 3 doubles, and 6 RBIs.

C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/rookie), an 18-year-old draftee out of South Carolina, went 4-for-8 with two doubles.

After nearly a month on the disabled list, 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA) went 2-for-4 on July 25 but then returned to the list. He is hitting .381 with 3 HRs and 7 RBIs in 42 Double-A at-bats this season.

P Gabe Cramer (Royals/A) pitched four no-hit innings over two appearances, striking out 5 and walking 3. He is 3-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 29 innings.

In three relief appearances, P Scott Effross (Cubs/A) gave up just 2 hits and one walk over 5 innings while striking out 7 batters.

P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/rookie), a 2016 draftee, earned his third straight perfect relief appearance last week. In his last three games, he has struck out 10 batters over a total of 6.2 innings while yielding no hits, walks, or runs.

In his last game before being promoted to Single-A, P Raul Jacobson (Mets) pitched 5 shutout innings, yielding just 2 hits and no walks while striking out 4.

P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/rookie), a 2016 draftee, pitched 4 scoreless innings over two appearances, yielding 4 hits and a walk while striking out three. In 5 games with the GCL Rays, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 11 innings.

Transactions

C Michael Barash (Angels), a 2016 draftee, was promoted from rookie league to Single-A.

SS Alex Bregman (Astros) was called-up from Triple-A to the Majors.

P Raul Jacobson (Mets) was promoted from short-season to Single-A.

C Adam Sonabend (Giants/A) came off the disabled list after more than a month.

P Corey Baker (Cardinals) was demoted from Triple-A to Double-A.

Disabled list

• P Max Fried (Braves/A).
• P Alec Grosser (Dodgers/High-A).
• LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA).
• 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA).
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Breaking an 0-for-18 spell that dated back to his MLB debut on July 25, Astros 3B Alex Bregman singled to center field in the 3rd inning of today’s game against Detroit.

The 22-year-old’s first Major League hit came off a 93.6 mph sinker from Tigers starter Mike Pelfrey and advanced a runner to third base, earning a sportsmanlike hug from Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera.

The game was Bregman’s sixth since being called-up from Triple-A. After batting 6th or 7th in the order in his first five games, Bregman batted second in today’s 11-0 loss to Detroit. He finished the day 1-for-5.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league updates from the week of July 18-24, 2016, a period shortened by All-Star games.

Jewish Baseball News Player of the Week

LF Zach Borenstein (Diamondbacks/AAA) hit .353 last week with a home run, 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, and a stolen base.

Debuts

P Marc Huberman (Cubs/rookie), an 18th-round pick out of USC in the 2016 draft, pitched a scoreless inning of relief in his pro debut on July 18, yielding one hit while striking out two batters.

Other highlights

SS Alex Bregman (Astros/AAA) started the week going 8-for-14 before going hitless in his next three games, something he’d done only once before all season. But that didn’t stop Houston from calling-up the 2015 draftee, who’s expected to make his MLB debut tonight against the Yankees. Bregman also was named the minor leagues’ top offensive player at midseason by MiLB.com.

C Ryan Lavarnway (Red Sox/AA) hit safely in all five games last week, going 6-for-17 (.353) with 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, and 4 walks.

1B Ike Davis (Yankees/AAA) hit .333 with a home run and a double, drove in 5 runs, and drew 5 walks against 3 strikeouts.

C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/rookie) went 2-for-5 with his first professional home run on July 23, a three-run shot.

C Mitchell Kranson (Twins/rookie) hit .444 last week, highlighted by a 4-for-5, two-RBI performance on July 18.

LF Mike Meyers (Red Sox/High-A) hit safely in all five games, going 9-for-20 (.450) with a double, 3 RBIs, and 2 walks. Meyuers is hitting .409 in July, and his 52 RBIs are tied for ninth-best in the Carolina League.

C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AA) hit .444 last week with 3 RBIs and a stolen base. Since his promotion to Double-A ball on July 4, the USC alum is hitting .368 with a home run, 7 RBIs, and 7 walks against 2 strikeouts.

OF Adam Walton (Diamondbacks/short season) went 4-for-11 last week with 2 RBIs and a walk.

P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/rookie) tossed three perfect innings of relief on July 22, yielding no walks or hits while striking out 5 batters.

P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA) won his fourth decision in a row on July 21, pitching six innings of one-run ball. He yielded 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6.

P Dean Kremer was nearly flawless in his third pro outing, a three-inning relief stint on July 22 in which he yielded 1 hit and no walks while striking out 3.

P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/rookie) threw three no-hit innings on July 21, yielding one walk while striking out 3.

P Josh Zeid (Mets/AA) pitched eight shutout innings for the win on July 21, yielding 4 hits and 2 walks while fanning 7.

Transactions

C Zach Kapstein (Orioles/High-A) came off the disabled list.

Second-year P Jason Richman (Rangers) was reassigned to Single-A. Across four levels (all the way up to Triple-A), Richman is 2-4 this season with a 2.79 ERA.

The Texas Rangers signed P Craig Breslow to a minor-league contract and assigned him to the franchise’s Triple-A team.

Disabled list

P Max Fried (Braves/A).

P Alec Grosser (Dodgers/High-A).

LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA). Appendicitis.

2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA). Hamstring.

P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.

C Adam Sonabend (Giants/A).

P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Scarcely a year after being drafted by the Houston Astros, red-hot prospect Alex Bregman is being called-up to the Majors. He is expected to make his MLB debut tonight against the Yankees in New York.

A 22-year-old shortstop from Albuquerque, NM, Bregman has made quick work of the minors. After hitting a combined .294 last season with 4 HRs and 34 RBIs in Class A and High-A ball, in 2016 he’s added power, hitting a combined .306 with 20 HRs, 61 RBIs, and a .986 OPS, second-base among all full-season minor-leaguers. Bregman walks more than he strikes out, runs the bases intelligently, can play both shortstop and third base, and has confidence to spare.

It’s no wonder Minor League Baseball recently named him the top offensive player at midseason among all pro prospects. Bregman also has shined in showcase games, falling a home run short of the cycle in the All-Star Futures Games this month and going 2-for-3 in the Texas League All-Star Game. In his first game at Triple-A, he went 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs and a walk.

“It’s a dream come true,” Bregman told MLB.com about the call-up. “And I’m ready to go work, keep my mouth shut and hopefully help contribute.”

With teammate Jose Altuve well settled at shortstop, Bregman is expected to get playing time at third base, left field, and as designated hitter. MLB.com columnist Jim Callis enthused about the LSU alum yesterday:

“Wherever he plays, Bregman is equipped to be a star. There’s no weakness in his offensive game, as he has outstanding bat speed from the right side of the plate and has complete control of the strike zone. He barrels balls consistently, and since he has made an adjustment to attack and turn on pitches on the inner half of the plate since turning pro, he could hit 25 homers per season.

Though he has elicited comparisons to Dustin Pedroia for years because he has similar size and plays with the same chip on his shoulder, Bregman has more speed and defensive versatility. He’s an average runner with excellent instincts on the bases. He’s capable of playing at least an average shortstop, and his solid arm and gift for anticipating plays could make him a plus defender at third base.”

Bregman is the second Jewish player to get a call-up this season. In May, the New York Yankees called up P Richard Bleier, who had spent, by comparison, a biblically long nine seasons in the minors.

Bregman will be the second Jewish player on Houston’s 25-man roster, joining veteran hurler Scott Feldman. Of all 1,215 players drafted in 2015, he will be the first position player (and third player overall) to reach the Majors.

The Astros play the Yankees tonight at 8:10 ET, with Houston’s Dallas Keuchel facing Michael Pineda. Houston (54-44) is in second place in the A.L. West, 2.5 games behind Texas.

 

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league updates from the week of July 11-17, 2016, a period shortened by All-Star games.

Jewish Baseball News Player of the Week

For the third time this season — and the second week in a row — our Player of the Week is LF Mike Meyers (Red Sox/High-A). Meyers hit .375 with a double, 2 triples, 4 walks, and 5 RBIs. His 8 triples are tied for #1 in the Carolina League.

Debuts

Two recent draft picks made their debut last week.

C Jason Goldstein (Mariners/rookie), a 9th-round pick, was perfect in his pro debut on July 14. The 22-year-old University of Illinois alum had an RBI single in his only at-bat and threw out an attempted base-stealer who had been a perfect 8-for-8 in thefts up to that point.

In two relief outings, P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/short-season) held batters scoreless, yielding 1 hit and 2 walks over 2.2 innings.

Other highlights

CF Rhett Wiseman hit safely in all five games last week, going 8-for-23 (.348) with a triple, 3 RBIs, and 1 stolen base in 3 attempts.

1B Ike Davis (Yankees/AAA) went 4-for-12 last week with a HR, 2 RBIs, and 2 walks.

1B Cody Decker (Boston/AA) went only 3-of-13 record at the plate and struck out six times, but he made his hits count, stroking two HRs and a double while driving in 4 runs.

C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/rookie), a 2016 draftee, went 5-for-14 (.357) with a triple, RBI, and 3 walks.

P Gabe Cramer (Royals/A) pitched 4 scoreless innings across two appearances, striking out 6 batters while yielding 2 hits and a walk. He’s averaging 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings

Transactions

Second-year P Jason Richman (Rangers) was promoted to Triple-A.

P Josh Zeid (Mets) was demoted to Double-A.

The Miami Marlins released former MLB P Craig Breslow.

The Philadelphia Phillies released P Jeremy Bleich (AA).

Disabled list

• LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA). Appendicitis.
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA). Hamstring.
• C Adam Sonabend (Giants/A).
• C Zach Kapstein (Orioles/High-A). Forearm.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.
• P Alec Grosser (Dodgers/High-A).

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By Sam Brief, Correspondent

Josh Satin forcefully flipped his blue New York Mets helmet to the ground, extended both of his arms outward, and jumped onto an ecstatic Scott Hairston.

The rest was lost in a sea of blue-and-white pinstriped uniforms—jubilant Mets teammates mobbing Satin, who just seconds before hit a pinch-hit, walk-off single against closer Sergio Romo and the defending world-champion San Francisco Giants.

Minutes later, a shaving cream pie welcomed him in the dugout. Satin was riding high. He finished the day with two hits, a sacrifice fly, and three RBIs.

“Pretty much everything that could have gone right was going right,” Satin said of his career-best 2013 campaign, in which he hit .360 over the first month of the season. “I got to play a lot, and I played great.”

————————

Two years earlier, Josh Satin stood uneasily on the Mets’ on-deck circle at Citi Field—about to make his major league debut in the bottom of the 8th inning against the Marlins.

“I thought I was going to pass out,” Satin said. “My heart was pounding so much. I didn’t know what to do. I’ll never forget how nervous I was.”

With two outs in the bottom of the 8th, shortstop Jose Reyes was at-bat with a full count. He flied out. Satin walked back to the dugout—his first MLB plate appearance would have to wait for another day. He would eventually single in his debut three days later—September 4, 2011—against the Nationals in Washington.

Satin’s pro baseball career began back in 2008, when he was selected by the Mets in the 6th round of the draft, and included stops with the Reds and Padres organizations as well. But in June of this year, he decided to retire because of debilitating symptoms from a concussion he suffered last year in a pop-fly collision with a teammate from the Louisville Bats, the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate.

The concussion cheated Satin of his ability to put bat to ball—the skill that elevated the infielder from high-school stardom to a prolific yet up-and-down college career at Cal-Berkeley to the major leagues.

“I just hadn’t been as good,” Satin said. “My depth perception was off. Balls that I would drive into right-center, I would all-of-a-sudden just tap. And I would be like, ‘What the heck was that? That never happens.’ And it happened over and over and over again.

“I felt like I wasn’t the same and I wasn’t going to be the same. … It’s hard enough to hit a little baseball when a guy is chucking it at you 95 miles an hour. But when you can’t really lock in on it like you used to, it makes it 20 times harder—maybe a thousand times harder.”

Satin was in-and-out during the rest of the 2015 season before deciding to take the year off, spending his time working with concussion therapists. He returned in 2016.

“I came back this year with San Diego hoping it would be different after the treatment,” Satin said. “And it wasn’t. So, basically, it was a choice of, ‘Do I want to wait this out again or do I want to start the rest of my life?’ And I chose to start the rest of my life.”

Satin announced his retirement on June 10 via Twitter, writing, “I have decided to retire from the game of baseball. Injuries especially head injuries diminished my skills and it’s time for me to move on.”

In spite of his retirement, Satin isn’t quite done with baseball. This September, he will represent Team Israel in the qualifying round of the fourth World Baseball Classic. Games will take place at MCU Park in Brooklyn, the same field where Satin got his start with the Mets organization for the Class-A Brooklyn Cyclones.

“It’s going to be full-circle for me,” Satin said. “I have great memories there. It’s where I started my professional career, and I’ll play my last game at that field. It’ll be nice to have gotten away from the game and come back in this kind of setting and have one last hurrah.”

Team Israel’s manager is Jerry Weinstein, who was the Colorado Rockies’ catching coach in 2013 and now works as the team’s director of player development.

“He will go full cycle,” Weinstein said. “That shows this is meant to be.”

Satin has never been to Israel, but he first played for Team Israel in the 2012 World Baseball Classic qualifiers, in which the team lost to Spain in the final round.

Weinstein, who preaches the World Baseball Classic as an opportunity to jumpstart baseball in Israel, commended Satin’s skillset.

“He’s an upper-level baseball player,” Weinstein said. “Even though he’s retired right now, he still has a skill level that’s better than most of the guys who will be on the team. And he occupied a position of need—there are very few Jewish infielders. We’re hoping he can play third base for us.”

Team Israel’s first qualification game is on September 22, which may pose an issue for Satin. He and his wife, Allyson, are expecting a baby girl on September 25. Of course, Satin is hopeful the dates don’t conflict. The opportunity to play with Team Israel—a chance given to Jewish players from any country—means baseball without the stress.

“No fans know this, but professional baseball is really, really stressful,” Satin said. “No matter who you are—no matter if you’re the worst guy in the minor leagues, or if you’re me or if you’re Mike Trout. It’s stressful. There’s expectations people have, and you want to set yourself up for your future. Every day is stressful.

“Playing for team Israel will be the first time in a long time where I will go and have some fun. I’m not playing for my future. I’m playing to enjoy myself and to help the team win. I’m excited about that.”

# # #

 

Sam Brief is a rising 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.

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league updates from the week of July 4-10, 2016.

Jewish Baseball News Player of the Week

LF Mike Meyers (Red Sox/High-A) had another strong week, hitting .409 with a HR, double, 3 RBIs, 2 stolen bases, and his sixth triple of the season. He ranks second on the Salem Red Sox in RBIs (44), and fourth in stolen bases (18).

Debuts

Two 2016 draftees made their pro debuts last week.

C Andy Yerzy (Diamondbacks/rookie) went 3-for-4 in his pro debut on July 6 and finished the week 6-for-15 (.400) with 5 strikeouts.

P Brandon Gold (Rockies/short season) had a rough go of it in his first pro game, yielding 3 hits, a walk, a wild pitch, a grand-slam HR, and 3 earned runs without retiring a batter on July 6. (One batter reached base on an error.) But Gold was golden in his second appearance, striking out 2 batters in a perfect inning on July 9.

Other highlights

The latest minor-league player to be identified as Jewish is P Gabe Cramer (Royals/A). A second-year pro out of Stanford, Cramer is 2-1 with one save, a 2.79 ERA, and 23 strikeouts in 19.1 innings against just 9 walks. Last week he was dominant, yielding one hit and 2 walks over a combined 3.1 innings while striking out 8 batters.

In his second week of Triple-A ball, SS Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .316 with 3 HRs and 6 RBIs while striking out just once. He also tripled, doubled, and singled in the All-Star Futures Games on Sunday while playing both shortstop and third base.

C Michael Barash (Angels/rookie), a 2016 draftee, went 4-for-5 on July 8 with 3 singles, a grand-slam HR, and 6 RBIs. The round-tripper was his first as a pro.

C Nick Rickles (Nationals/AA) hit just .231 last week, but two of his three hits were home runs, including a two-run, walk-off shot on July 10.

In his first week of Double-A ball, C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AA) hit .357 with a HR, 4 RBIs, 3 walks, and one strikeout.

P Max Fried (Braves/A) earned his seventh win against five losses on July 4. Entering the game in the second inning, he yielded 4 hits and a walk over 4 shutout innings while striking out 6.

P Brad Goldberg (White Sox/AAA) earned two saves last week and was added to roster of the International League All-Star team, which will face the Pacific Coast League’s All-Stars on July 13.

P Kenny Koplove (Phillies/High-A) pitched a combined 5 scoreless innings in two relief appearances, yielding 3 hits and a walk while fanning 3.

P Jared Lakind (Pirates/AA) was named an Eastern League All-Star. He’s 3-0 this season with 6 saves, a 1.80 ERA, and 45 strikeouts in 45 innings.

P Ryan Sherriff (Cardinals/AAA) earned his first save of the season on July 9, pitching 1.2 perfect innings while striking out 3 batters.

Transactions

P Josh Zeid (Mets) was promoted to Triple-A.

C Garrett Stubbs (Astros), a 2015 draftee, was promoted to Double-A.

The Atlanta Braves traded pitching prospect Alec Grosser to the Los Angeles Dodgers, which assigned him to a rookie-league squad.

The White Sox released OF Kyle Ruchim, a Northwestern alum who signed as an undrafted free agent in May 2016.

Disabled list

• LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA). Appendicitis.
• P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
• 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA). Hamstring.
• C Adam Sonabend (Giants/A).
• C Zach Kapstein (Orioles/High-A). Forearm.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league updates from the week of June 27-July 3, 2016.

Jewish Baseball News Player of the Week

What an incredible week for SS Alex Bregman (Astros). Last year’s #2 overall draft pick homered and went 2-for-3 in the Texas League (AA) All-Star game. He was named to the U.S. roster for MLB’s All-Star Futures Game. He was promoted to Houston’s Triple-A club — and didn’t shrink from the challenge. Oh, no. Bregman went 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs and a walk in his first game with the Fresno Grizzlies. And in the next four games, he homered four times, including twice on July 4. (Yes, we’re cheating a bit here by counting Bregman’s play on July 4. Technically, that’s next week’s news.) All told, Bregman is 10-for-21 (.476) with 4 HRs, 2 doubles, eleven RBIs, and 2 walks since being promoted. Curiously, he’s played all of his Triple-A games at shortstop, even though the Astros had begun moving him to third base in order to speed his ascent to the Majors.

Debuts

Three draftees made their pro debuts last week.

Dodgers draftee Dean Kremer (P/rookie league), the first Israeli citizen to be drafted by an MLB team, started Sunday’s game for the Orem Owlz. He pitched 1.1 innings, yielding 2 hits, 2 walks, and 2 earned runs.

Blue Jays draftee Ryan Gold (C/rookie league), an 18-year-old from South Carolina, went 2-for-8 in his first four games, contributing a single, double, 2 walks, and an RBI.

Rays draftee Kenny Rosenberg (P/rookie league) made his pro debut on July 2, yielding 2 hits and an earned run over 2 innings.

Other highlights

Add one more player to the list of 2016 draftees: OF David Oppenheim of USC.

C Michael Barash (Angels/rookie league) hit .333 with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs. Since his debut, he’s thrown out three of 13 attempted base-stealers.

LF Zach Borenstein (Diamondbacks/AAA) raised his RBI total to 37, but he’s also working on his speed. The 25-year-old added three stolen bases last week to boost his 2016 total to 12, and he has yet to be tossed out. In 2015, Borenstein stole six bases in 10 attempts at the Double-A level and didn’t even try stealing in Triple-A.

P Craig Breslow (Marlins/AAA) has had a rough time since Miami demoted him earlier this season, going 0-for-3 with a 6.85 ERA, two blown saves in four chances, a .343 opponent batting average, and yielding nearly 2 hits/walks per inning. His very first appearance was a doozy: one inning, four hits, three earned runs. But Breslow has trimmed his ERA since then, and on Sunday, he was nearly perfect, yielding just one hit over 3 innings while striking out three.

1B Ike Davis (Yankees/AAA) hit a grand-slam HR in his first game after being sent back down to Triple-A.

Former major-league 1B Nate Freiman (Red Sox/AA) homered twice on July 1. Since signing a minor-league deal with Boston, he’s hitting .270 with a .347 on-base percentage and is leading the Portland Sea Dogs in home runs (8) and RBIs (31).

LF Mike Meyers (Red Sox/High-A) drove in four runs last week to boost his total to 41, second-highest on the Salem Red Sox. He has 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts.

C Nick Rickles (Nationals/AA) went 3-for-4 with a double, two singles, a walk, and an RBI on Sunday. In three games with the Harrisburg Senators, he’s hitting .455.

CF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/A) didn’t hit for average last week (.231), but five of his six hits went for extra bases (2 HRs, 1 triple, 2 doubles) and he drove in 7 runs, boosting his season total to a team-high 44 RBIs (tied).

1B Jeremy Wolf (Mets/rookie league) went 4-for-5 on June 30 with a double, his first professional home run, and 4 RBIs.

P Max Fried (Braves/A) was masterful in a shutout start on June 29, yielding just 2 hits and 2 walks over 6 innings while striking out 9.

P Brad Goldberg (White Sox/AAA) racked up two more scoreless relief appearances, yielding a combined one walk and no hits over 2 innings while striking out 2. He has a 0.77 ERA over his last 10 appearances.

P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA) went 1-1 in two starts last week. In a combined 12.2 innings, he yielded 3 earned runs on 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 13.

P Alex Katz (White Sox/A) held opponents scoreless in two relief appearances. He gave up one hit and no walks over 2.1 innings while striking out 2.

P Jared Lakind (Pittsburgh/AA) held opponents scoreless in two relief appearances, striking out 6 batters over 3 combined innings. For the season, he’s 3-0 with 5 saves in 6 chances, has a 1.74 ERA, 40 strikeouts in 41.1 innings, and has held opposing batters to a .190 average.

P R.C. Orlan (Nationals/High-A) held opponents scoreless three times. In 4 combined innings, he yielded one hit and three walks while striking out four.

Second-year P Jason Richman held opponents scoreless twice. In 2.1 combined innings, he yielded one hit and no walks while striking out one.

P Josh Zeid (Mets/AA) earned his second victory with a strong performance July 3, yielding just 2 hits and 3 walks over 7 innings while fanning 8.

Disabled list

• LF Ryan Kalish (Cubs/AAA). Appendicitis.
• 2B Mason Katz (Cardinals/AA). Hamstring.
• C Adam Sonabend (Giants/A).
• C Zach Kapstein (Orioles/High-A). Forearm.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Shoulder.

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