Jewish Baseball News

Mitch Glasser

By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

Getting drafted isn’t easy for NCAA Division III ballplayers. Only 12 were selected in Major League Baseball’s 2012 amateur draft.

But Chicago native and Macalester College alum Mitch Glasser beat the odds when the Chicago White Sox, his childhood favorite, chose him in the 39th round, or 1,191st overall.

Dubbed a renaissance man by the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the second baseman struck out just three times in his first three years of college ball, and in 2011 was the hardest to strike out of any Division III player.

Glasser majored in psychology and minored in religious studies at Macalester.

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

And now, mid-week updates from the world of baseball.

Kalish, Lavarnway blast Pawtucket Red Sox to victory

Boston Red Sox prospects Ryan Kalish and Ryan Lavarnway provided a one-two punch Tuesday (6/4/2012) to power the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA) to a 13-2 drubbing of the Indianapolis Indians.

In his first appearance at Pawtucket since beginning a rehab stint with the Salem Red Sox (High-A) last month, Kalish reached base all 5 times Tuesday. The 24-year-old outfielder started off by crushing a HR (see video) and finished the game with a single, three walks, 3 RBIs, and a stolen base. Kalish is hitting .348 with 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, and a .500 on-base percentage since returning to play from neck and shoulder surgery.

Not to be outdoneTuesday, Lavarnway went 4-for-5 with a HR (see video), double, two singles, and 3 RBIs. The 24-year-old catcher has been on fire lately, hitting .432 with 2 HRs and 9 RBIs over his past 10 games. For the season he is hitting .301 with 4 HRs, 21 RBIs, and an on-base percentage of .389.

Both players have had cups of coffee in Boston and expect to be called-up at some point this season.

Satin returns to New York

Josh Satin, a New York Mets prospect who batted .200 during a September call-up last season, made his 2012 MLB debut with a pinch-hit appearance Tuesday (6/4/2012).

The 27-year-old second baseman struck out with two men on base in the 8th inning of a 7-6 loss to the Washington Nationals. Satin was hitting .274 with the Buffalo Bisons (AAA) when he was recalled to replace outfielder Mike Baxter, who injured himself making a phenomenal catch that helped preserve P Johan Santana’s recent no-hitter.

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Max Fried (ESPN.com)

By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

Max Fried, an 18-year-old southpaw from southern California, was the No. 7 pick in the first round of the 2012 amateur draft Monday night (6/4/2012), selected by the San Diego Padres. (See video.)

A 6’4″ curveball specialist who modeled his pitch on hero Sandy Koufax‘s, Fried has committed to UCLA but is expected to sign with the Padres.

“Honestly, it’s all a blur,” he told the Los Angeles Times after the draft. “It’s an unbelievable feeling.”

The last player picked so early in an MLB draft was fellow southern California native Ryan Braun, who was the 5th overall selection in 2005. Braun was named N.L. Rookie of the Year just two years later.

Analysts say Fried has the whole package: smarts, athleticism, and a strong worth ethic. One scout called him “perhaps the best left-handed pitching prospect to come out of Southern California in the last 10 years.”

“Fried is cerebral and determined,” Baseball America observed. “His late-season dip notwithstanding, he projects as a potential No. 2 starter in the big leagues with a chance to be a No. 1.” Baseball America says Fried has three good pitches, including a fastball that tops out at 95 mph. But having studied tape of Koufax’s delivery since age 12, “his best pitch is a tight downer curveball in the 74-78 range that rates conservatively as a plus pitch and flashes plus-plus.”

Fried transferred to Harvard-Westlake High in Studio City this year after his prior school eliminated its athletic program. Teamed with fellow first-round draftee Lucas Giolito, Fried went 8-2 with a 2.02 ERA and struck out 105 batters in 66 innings while walking 29. He also hit cleanup, which could come in handy given that National League pitchers bat.

In 2011, the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame named Fried its male high-school athlete of the year.

Fried’s younger brother, Jake, just finished his freshman year at a nearby high school, where he too plays baseball.

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CLICK TO ORDER

Authors: Peter Ephross, Martin Abramowitz

Published: 2012

Pages: 227

Price: $35 (Amazon.com or McFarland Publishing/800-253-2187)

Our rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Reviewed by Stuart M. Katz for Jewish Baseball News

Overview

In Jewish Major Leaguers in Their Own Words, authors Peter Ephross and Martin Abramowitz present oral histories of 23 of the Jewish players who were on Major League rosters between 1918 and 2005. Beginning with Bob Berman, who played for the Washington Senators in 1918, and ending with Adam Greenberg, who played one fateful game for the Chicago Cubs in 2005, the book provides an unusual window into America’s pastime.

What’s Jewish about it

Some interesting and common themes emerge in the book. Most of the players from the first half of the 20th century identify themselves as traditional Jews, say they experienced anti-Semitism (although not as virulent as the discrimination they saw African-American players suffer), and typically didn’t play on the High Holidays. Jews who played more recently were more likely to be from mixed marriages and less likely to take the High Holidays off.

Jesse Levis, who played for the Indians and the Brewers, recalls playing on Yom Kippur in 1996. He explains that because he wasn’t a superstar, he didn’t feel he had a choice, although he did fast that day. “I’m not Sandy Koufax…I’m a Major League player trying to make a living,” he says. As it happened, Levis didn’t get a hit that day — or for that matter, he says, the rest of the season. “God punished me anyway.” Former 1st-round draft pick Ron Blomberg recalls playing in a game in 1973 that lasted into the first night of Rosh Hashanah. “The game was tied with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but we had a man on third base. I had to make the decision: quit the game for Rosh Hashanah, or get a base hit….I got a clutch base hit to win the game – the biggest hit of my career. I cherish that at-bat more than anything else in my life.”

Regardless of the era, Jewish pride resonates throughout many of the interviews. Hank Greenberg, who died in 1986, said that when a Jew hears about a gifted Jewish athlete, statesman or artist, “you take a certain pride in the fact that one of your own people (has) made good.”

My take

Although much has been written about Greenberg and Koufax, far less is known about the careers of others featured in the book, men like Sam Nahem, Cy Block and Mike Epstein. Their stories as non-superstars are no less interesting. Among the most compelling chapters are the ones devoted to Elliott Maddox and Jose J. Bautista, whose Judaism was less obvious because they are African-American and Hispanic, respectively.

The obstacles that Jewish ballplayers faced in the 20th century resembled the assimilation struggles that most American Jews faced during that era. But as these oral histories reveal, maintaining Jewish traditions remained extremely important to the players. I look forward to a future volume featuring interviews with Braun, Youkilis, Breslow, Ian Kinsler, Gabe Kapler and other more recent players. I wonder if they will describe their connection to Judaism as clearly and proudly as those who blazed the trail for them.

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Stuart M. Katz is a die-hard Yankees fan. An attorney at Cohen and Wolf in Bridgeport, Conn., he chairs the firm’s Employment & Labor Group and represents employers as well as executives.
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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

Is it Monday already? Then sprinkle these tidbits in your morning coffee:

• Michael Schwimer is back with Philadelphia Phillies after a four-week stint in AAA, and yesterday (6/3/2012) the move paid off. In his second relief stint since returning to the bigs, the gentle giant from Fairfax, Va. (6’8″, 240 lbs.) pitched a perfect 8th inning in a 5-1 loss to the Miami Marlins. Schwimer fills a void left by reliever Jose Contreras, who suffered a season-ending injury Friday (6/1/2012).
• Kevin Youkilis continued to show progress since returning from the disabled list. In 11 games, the venerable third baseman is hitting .289 with 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, and a .372 on-base percentage. Meanwhile, trade rumors persist.
• Speaking of Beantown, catching prospect Ryan Lavarnway is showing renewed vigor at the plate while he bides his time with the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA). In his last 10 games, the Yale alum is hitting .415 with 1 HR, 6 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .528.
• Ryan Braun may never quash rumors that he took performance-enhancing drugs last season, but the 2011 N.L. MVP is letting his bat doing the talking. With one-third of the 2012 season complete, the 6th-year player is among N.L. leaders in multiple categories, despite some nagging injuries. Braun ranks 1st in range factor among left fielders, 1st in power-speed factor, 2nd in HRs (14), 3rd in total bases (36), 5th in slugging percentage (.600) and on-base percentage plus slugging (.993), 6th in wins above replacement (2.5), and 7th in RBIs (36). The only areas where the 28-year-old has seen some slippage are doubles (8) and batting average (.308).
• Jason Marquis has a new home with the San Diego Padres. Recently released by the Minnesota Twins, the 33-year-old pitcher signed a minor-league contract with the Padres last week and promptly won his first start with the San Antonio Missions (AA), giving up 5 hits and 2 walks over 7 innings while striking out 5. The Padres are Marquis’ 8th franchise in 13 years.
• Washington Nationals prospect Cameron Selik, a 22nd-round pick in the 2010 draft, is making the Potomac Nationals (High-A) look like geniuses for switching him to the bullpen. In 18 appearances this season, the San Diego native is 2-1 with 8 saves and a 3.68 ERA. Even more impressive are his strikeouts: he is averaging 1.5 per innings, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio is a phenomenal 34/3. As a starter for Potomac last season, Selik was 4-9 with a 4.52 ERA.
• Cross your fingers for New York Yankees prospect Jeremy Bleich, who hasn’t pitched since a shoulder injury sidelined him during the 2010 season. A 1st-round draft pick in 2008, Bleich is pitching in extended spring training and expected to return as a reliever.

Have any good news about Jewish athletes? Send it to sbarancik@jewishbaseballnews.com.

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

Because Monday was Memorial Day, dontcha know:

• Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler broke out of a 27-game HR slump on Sunday (5/27/2012) with a HR, double, and four RBIs in a 12-6 triumph over the Texas Rangers. Despite the drought, Kinsler leads the majors with 41 runs scored. Sunday’s two-hit game was his fifth in six starts.
• After an impressive debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2010, neck and shoulder surgery sidelined LF Ryan Kalish for the better part of the past year. But in the first game of a rehab stint with the Salem Red Sox (A-advanced) last week, the 24-year-old celebrated his return with a HR and a single, and yesterday (5/28/2012) he even stole a base. Way to go, Ryno.
• Success has split up the power duo of San Diego Padres sluggers Nate Freiman and Cody Decker. While playing for the San Antonio Missions (AA) this season, the pair led the Texas League with 14 HRs apiece. Alas, Decker was promoted to AAA last week. So far he’s earned his keep: through 6 games and 22 at-bats, he is hitting .364 with a HR, three doubles, two RBIs, and an OPS of 1.098.
• Ryan Sadowski led the Lotte Giants of the Korean Baseball Organization to victory Saturday (5/26/2012) with a 3-hit, complete-game performance. The 6’4″ hurler, whom Korean fans call “Dow,” is enjoying his third season with the team after completing one of the more unusual MLB careers. Called up in 2009 by the San Francisco Giants, the University of Florida alum promptly delivered two shutouts, followed by four less-impressive outings that led him back to AAA. Rather than try returning to The Show in 2010, Sadowski indulged his wanderlust by signing with the “other” Giants. At age 29, he’s young enough to revisit American baseball, but so far the iconoclastic Florida native is staying put. To learn more about this clever young man, see these 2011 and 2012 interviews.
• It’s no fun being sent down to the minors, but Minnesota Twins 3B Danny Valencia is making the best of an opportunity to retool his mechanics. The 27-year-old started out slow with the Rochester Red Wings (AAA) but has hit .325 with 2 HRs and 9 RBIs in his past 10 games.
• Second-year player Jack Marder of the High Desert Mavericks (A-advanced) is tearing up the California League. The Seattle Mariners prospect ranks among league leaders with a .368 batting average (2nd), .413 on-base percentage (3rd), and .566 slugging percentage (7th), to go along with 4 HRs and 24 RBIs in 136 at-bats. On Sunday (5/27/2012), Marder’s two-run single with two outs in the 12th inning earned the Mavericks a 3-2 win over the Modesto Nuts.
• Released last week by the Minnesota Twins, P Jason Marquis is a free agent. Could the Twins’ loss be Team Israel’s gain?
• Tampa Bay Rays OF Sam Fuld may be on the disabled list, but that didn’t stop him from appearing as a sabermetrics expert on a recent Rays broadcast. The Stanford alum is a former STATS Inc. intern who applied for the position after reading Michael Lewis’ book Moneyball.
• And now our favorite headline of the week, from the San Francisco Chronicle: All Eyes are on Ryan Braun’s Groin. San Francisco’s reputation notwithstanding, the headline concerned a recent injury suffered by the reigning N.L. MVP.

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

The Minnesota Twins designated P Jason Marquis for assignment on Tuesday (5/22/2012), effectively removing him from the club’s active roster as well as its 40-man roster.

Marquis, 33, has been largely ineffective in his first season with the Twins, going 2-4 with a 8.47 ERA, 12 strikeouts, and 14 walks in seven starts. Opposing batters have hit a blistering .371 against the eight-year veteran.

The Twins have 10 days to either add Marquis back to the club’s 40-man roster or waive, trade, or release him. The Columbus Dispatch said manager is trying to arrange a trade but will likely release Marquis if that fails.

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

It’s been nearly 5 years since Shawn Green hung up his cleats, marking an end to a Major League career in which the tall slugger with the elegant swing hit .283, smashed 328 HRs, and drew a respectful 80 intentional walks.

Since then, the two-time All-Star has penned a book, created a social media site, and expanded his charity work.

But Green’s retirement is over. Former Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Brad Ausmus, who has agreed to coach Team Israel in the upcoming World Baseball Classic qualifiers, confirmed Monday that the Tustin, Calif., native will be on the roster.

It’s exciting, if nerve-wracking, news. Reflexes and eyesight degrade quickly, and few ballplayers have successfully returned from so long an absence. Green could be a hero; he also could embarrass himself.

Green has several things going for him. Because he skipped college to turn pro, the 15-year MLB veteran is just 39 years old. He also won’t be facing MLB-type pitching, or at least not right away; Israel’s opponents in the WBC qualifiers are baseball-weak Spain, France, and South Africa. If the outfield proves too difficult, he is an experienced first baseman. And though it’s not clear how fit he is, Green has not let his weight balloon since retiring, as this 2011 video shows.

Joining Green on the Team Israel roster will be former Major League outfielder Gabe Kapler, a fitness fanatic who last played for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010 and undoubtedly remains in great condition.

One thing is for sure: we’ll be rooting for these guys to succeed.

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

Mondays can be painful. For relief, take two of these:

1. Regular readers of this column may not be surprised to learn that San Diego Padres prospect Nate Freiman, a power-hitting 1st baseman with the San Antonio Missions (AA), leads the Texas League with 14 HRs. What may surprise them is that teammate Cody Decker, who shares the league HR lead with Freiman, is Jewish, too. Together, the two sluggers comprise what is likely the greatest home run duo in Jewish baseball history. Decker, a 25-year-old UCLA alum, is hitting a HR in every 9.2 at-bats this season, and a recent tear of long balls has led the Texas League to name him its Player of the Week both last week (May 14-18) and the week before (May 7-11). The Israel Association of Baseball recently uncovered Decker’s faith amidst an effort to find Jewish players for the 2012 World Baseball Classic qualifying tournament in November.
2. New York Mets prospect Josh Satin and Philadelphia Phillies prospect Michael Schwimer are among those who have committed to play for Team Israel in the qualifiers, according to an article in Haaretz. Both young players have MLB experience. Meanwhile, former Los Angeles Dodgers C Brad Ausmus, who is playing a big role in Team Israel’s development, has arrived in the country for a 10-day trip. Ausmus is scheduled to appear at a news conference tomorrow (5/22/2012).
3. One player’s blessing can be another’s misfortune. Take the Milwaukee Brewers’ 16-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday night (5/20/2012). Ryan Braun was among the Brewers who teed off of Diamondbacks starter Jason Marquis, hitting a bases-loaded double that helped oust Marquis early. Braun, the reigning N.L. MVP, ended up going 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs. Marquis gave up 2 HRs and 8 earned runs overall in just 1-and-2/3 innings. For the record, it was the second-worst start in all of baseball this season, exceeded only by a 1-inning, 8-run start by Detroit Tigers P Rick Porcello.
4. One pitcher having better luck right now is Craig Breslow. In his first season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Breslow’s 1.31 ERA is 4th among National League relievers with at least 20 innings pitched. Opposing batters have managed an anemic .155 average against the 31-year-old Connecticut native.
5. Former minor-league pitcher Alex Kaminsky has found new life with the Gateway Grizzlies of the independent Frontier League. And speaking of second chances, David Kopp — a pitcher recently released by the St. Louis Cardinals’ organization — signed a minor-league contract with the Detroit Tigers last week.
6. Yasher koach to Jewish Baseball News contributor Zev Ben Avigdor, who has created a Twitter feed devoted exclusively to the ups and downs of Jewish minor-leaguers. The feed complements JBN’s regular Twitter feed.

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

You can’t buy beer or Crackerjacks at the Columbus Baseball Invitational in Ohio. But you can see six high-school teams from five states battle it out in an annual tournament immodestly dubbed the ‘Jewish World Series.’

Beginning today (5/17/2012), the 4-day round robin will feature host Columbus Torah Academy, Ramaz School (New York, NY), Kushner Hebrew Academy (Livingston, NJ), Yeshiva Atlanta, Yeshiva Ohr Israel (Atlanta, GA), and reigning champion Ida Crown Jewish Academy (Chicago, IL).

Participants, their families, and coaches are invited to provide updates and highlights from the tournament via the ‘Comments’ section of this post.

Click here to see a promo video for the tournament.

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Danny Rosenbaum (MiLB.com)

By Zev Ben Avigdor/Jewish Baseball News

More than 50 Jews currently play Major- or minor-league ball, but few are generating more raves this season than award-winning Washington Nationals prospect Danny Rosenbaum.

The 24-year-old hurler is putting up ridiculous numbers for the Harrisburg Senators (AA), compiling a 5-0 record, league-leading 0.71 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and just 4 walks. There’s talk the Nats may call him up during their September roster expansion, pending a solid performance with the Syracuse Chiefs (AAA).

Not bad for a guy from Loveland, OH, who was the 652nd pick in the 2009 draft — a mere 651 places behind fellow Nationals draftee Stephen Strasburg — and began the 2012 season ranked #23 on Baseball America’s list of Nationals prospects.

Rosenbaum is poised off-field as well as on. During a visit earlier this month to Binghamton, N.Y., home of the New York Mets’ AA franchise, the 6’1″ left-hander juggled attention from out-of-town family members, questions from an 8-year-old Jewish fan — including the first three you’ll see below — and still more queries from Jewish Baseball News contributor Zev Ben Avigdor. An edited transcript follows.

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What do you like about being Jewish?

I get asked that a lot. I like the traditions that everyone holds and that we get to celebrate with our families. It’s a very family-oriented religion, and it’s always great to see family like that come in, come watch me play, and just get to be together. I’d say that’s the biggest thing. And also it’s a small group of guys that are playing, and getting to be a role model for little leaguers and young kids. It’s a blessing to feel like that.

What is your favorite holiday?

It used to be Chanukah, when I appreciated presents a lot. But now? I always liked Passover. All the food you get to eat. We always had our family over for Passover every year, and my parents make pretty good food — pretty good matzoh ball soup — and my grandma cooks real well, too. So probably Passover. [During Pesach] I try to watch the yeast stuff and just try not to eat a lot of bread. And I call my family and wish I could be there. It’s tough not being back with them, celebrating it with them.

And who is your favorite baseball player?

I’d have to say, I guess, Sandy Koufax is my favorite Jewish baseball player. He’s always been a role model for me and for a lot of Jewish kids out of Cincinnati. [Note: Rosenbaum grew up in a Cincinnati suburb and played two seasons at Cincinnati’s Xavier University. Koufax went to the University of Cincinnati on a basketball scholarship.] He’s just that huge public figure…Everyone wants to [emulate] what he did and what he did for the game of baseball. My favorite player growing up—like everyone else—was Ken Griffey, Jr.

What would you like the readers of Jewish Baseball News to know about you?

I guess to say I’m getting married this fall, back in Cincinnati. I actually knew her in middle school, but we didn’t start dating until my senior year in high school. My freshman year I went to Indiana, and she went to Morehead State, which is in Kentucky, and I transferred after my freshman year [to Xavier University]. We did the whole long distance thing for five years, six years, and now we’re [still] doing long distance. She’s working back home. It’s tough. It’s a tough lifestyle, but we made a commitment, and we’re ready to be together forever.

You mentioned Jewish kids. Do you get much chance to work with them directly?

Not during the season. During the off-season I did. I went to help out the JCC. I gave lessons out of there. While I was there we volunteered to help out the Orthodox Jewish kids there and made them a little bit better. There’s not a whole lot of them, but it was fun to be a part of it and to learn what their lifestyle is like, because I’ve never really been associated with Orthodox Jews before. So it was pretty cool. It was fun.

Has anywhere you’ve ever played done a Jewish Heritage Night?

I don’t think so. Just that one time we had the Jewish camp that came to our game in Hagerstown. That’s probably the closest we came to that. It’s pretty exciting knowing that you have a whole group of kids that are behind you the whole way. Even though I’m not playing, they’re still cheering for me, so it’s just a good feeling to have.

And finally a baseball question: How do you do it? You don’t have an overpowering 98 mph fastball, but you just seem to get people out.

I just try to stay even-keeled the whole way. It’s like my parents said, ‘Don’t make the highs too high and the lows too low.’ Just go out and battle. Be a competitor. That’s what our manager wants to see and our pitching coach and our organization. That’s all I try to do, is just give my team a chance to win.

(Editor’s note: “Zev Ben Avigdor” is the pen name of a university scholar who writes for Jewish Baseball News. Click here to see more of his interviews.)

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

Mondays blow. So inhale this:

1. Hungering for more Jewish ballplayers? Jewish Sports Review recently uncovered two: Toronto Blue Jays prospect Ian Kadish, and Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Jared Lakind. Kadish, a 23-year-old reliever, debuted last year with the Bluefield Blue Jays (Rookie), going 2-3 with a 2.67 ERA, 7 saves, and 35 strikeouts in 30-and-one-third innings. Lakind, a 20-year-old first baseman, showed impressive run-production last year, contributing 4 HRs and 20 RBIs in just 108 at-bats for the GCL Pirates (Rookie), although his .148 batting average and 43 strikeouts left plenty of room for improvement.
2. Kevin Youkilis, out since April 28, took batting practice and fielded ground balls Sunday (5/13/2012) for the first time since straining his lower back. We hope Youk returns to the Boston Red Sox lineup soon.
3. Chicago White Sox reliever Dylan Axelrod is a practicing Christian. Why mention him? Because Axelrod, who made his Major League debut last month, is one of several current Major Leaguers who have at least one Jewish parent or grandparent — and thus may be eligible to play for Team Israel in the November 2012 qualifying round for the World Baseball Classic. Among others, Axelrod is joined by Cleveland Indians 2B (and Rookie of the Year candidate) Jason Kipnis, and Arizona Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt, each of whom has a Jewish parent but identifies as Christian.
4. Harrisburg Senators (AA) phenom Danny Rosenbaum turned in yet another stellar start on Friday (5/11/2012), pitching 7 scoreless innings in an 8-1 win over the Akron Aeros. A wizard at inducing ground balls, the 24-year-old Washington Nationals caused the Aeros to hit 11 times as many grounders as they did fly balls. So far this season, Rosenbaum is 5-0 with two complete games, a league-leading 0.71 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and just four walks in 50-and-2/3 innings, or less than one per 9 innings.
5. In Milwaukee, Brewers 1B Ryan Braun is known not only as a star baseball player but an emerging restaurateur. His latest opening, a joint venture with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, will be called 8*twelve MVP Bar & Grill. The name is a nod to the two stars’ jersey numbers — Braun’s is ‘8’ –and the fact that each is his sport’s reigning MVP.

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Shawn Green

By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

When Josh Hamilton hit 4 HRs and a double in a single game last week (5/8/2012), it was a rare and spectacular event (see video and box score). The Texas Rangers CF went 5-for-5 with 8 RBIs in the Rangers’ 10-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Only 11 Major Leaguers have hit 4 HRs in a 9-inning game since 1918. Hamilton’s 18 total bases set an American League record.

But his performance still fell short of what arguably was the greatest single-game performance in MLB history: Shawn Green‘s 4-HR barrage in 2002.

In a lopsided 16-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers (5/23/2002), the Los Angeles Dodgers RF went 6-for-6 with 4 HRs, a double, and a single. And while his RBI total (7) fell one short of Hamilton’s, Green recorded 19 total bases, which remains the all-time MLB record (see box score).

Chances are Hamilton will end up with better season totals in 2012 then Green did in 2002 (.285, 42 HRs, 114 RBIs). Through the Rangers’ first 34 games, Hamilton already has wracked up an incredible .402 batting average with 18 HRs and 41 RBIs.

But for the best single-performance performance, Green has our vote.

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

It’s been a tough week for Jewish baseball fans. Two struggling players have been sent down to the minors, and a third may be on his way.

On Wednesday (5/9/2012), the Philadelphia Phillies optioned reliever Michael Schwimer back to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA). Schwimer had struggled since being called up in late April, compiling an uncharacteristic 0-1 record and 8.53 ERA in five appearances.

And today (5/10/2012), the Minnesota Twins optioned 3B Danny Valencia to the Rochester Red Wings (AAA). Valencia hasn’t played in the minors since 2010, when he made the most of a mid-season call-up, hitting .311 for the Twins and finishing 3rd in voting for the A.L. Rookie of the Year award. But the Miami native had a disappointing sophomore season and was hitting just .190 for the Twins in 2012, with just 1 HR and 11 RBIs in 100 at-bats.

New York Mets 1B Ike Davis could face a similar fate if he doesn’t improve significantly on his .179 batting average. He may have earned a brief reprieve Wednesday (5/9/2011) by clubbing a three-run HR and a single in a 10-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

A tip of the cap to Jewish Baseball News contributor Zev Ben Avigdor for the heads-up on Schwimer and Valencia.

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Mica Jarmel-Schneider and his grandfather

By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

A different kind of Jewish baseball documentary is in the works, and its producers need our help to complete post-production work.

Got Balz? is the brainchild of San Francisco filmmakers Ken Schneider and Marcia Jarmel, whose son Mica is the focus of the film. Struck by the poverty of children he saw playing baseball with cardboard mitts and rag balls in Nicaragua, young Mica decides his Bar Mitzvah project will be to donate baseball equipment to the poor. His chosen beneficiary is Cuba, the country that sheltered his grandfather, an Austrian refugee, during World War II when the U.S wouldn’t.

The plot thickens when Mica’s plan runs into a logistical brick wall: the American embargo against Cuba. Got Balz? follows the boy’s 3-year battle to deliver the donated equipment, culminating in his visit to the island nation last month.

(Click here to see the trailer.)

“It started as just a short film to remind families and communities that a bar mitzvah is not about parties and DJs,” Schneider told the Jewish News Weekly of Northern California. “It’s an opportunity to look at what it means for a kid to start taking on some responsibility.”

The filmmakers and the not-for-profit Center for Independent Documentary are nearing the end of a 40-day mission to raise a final $40,000; as of this morning (5/8/2012), they had raised $26,720. To make a tax-deductible donation of $1 or more, click here.

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

Mondays bite. So feed yourself something pleasing:

1. Add this name to our ever-growing list of players: Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Joc Pederson. Drafted out of high school in 2010, the 20-year-old outfielder wowed the rookie Pioneer League last year by batting .353 with 11 HRs, 64 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, and a .997 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging) in only 266 at-bats. Now with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (High-A), Pederson is hitting .253 with 1 RBI in 31 at-bats this season. A tip of the cap to Ephraim Moxson for verifying Pederson’s lineage.
2. Aric Weinberg, whose mother hails from Tel Aviv and whose father is a former ESPN and New York Times sports reporter, signed a contract with the Kansas City T-Bones of the American Association, an independent league. The 26-year-old outfielder is assistant coach of the Tarbut V’Torah baseball team in Irvine, Calif., which went 11-2 last season.
3. Washington Nationals prospect Danny Rosenbaum continued his extraordinary season with a 2-1, complete-game victory on Saturday (5/5/2012), facing just two batters over the minimum 27. A 24-year-old starter with the Harrisonburg Senators (AA), Rosenbaum saw his 28-inning scoreless streak end during the 6th inning, but you’d hardly know it by looking at his 0.81 ERA, 4-0 record, and strikeout/walk ratio of 27/3. Local news media variously described Rosenbaum’s Saturday performance as “sparkling,” “outstanding,” and “dominant.”
4. Leadoff hitter extraordinaire Ian Kinsler has scored 28 runs in the Texas Rangers’ first 28 games this season, putting him on pace for 162 if he remains injury-free. The only player since 1939 to reach that plateau is Manny Ramirez, who scored 165 with the Cleveland Indians in 1999.
5. San Diego Padres prospect Nate Freiman continues to dominate Double-A pitching in his first season at that level. The San Antonio Missions first baseman is hitting .313 (5th-highest in the Texas League) with 11 HRs (1st), 26 RBIs (2nd), and a 1.032 OPS (3rd/tie) in 115 at-bats.
6. Baseball America’s most recent Prospect Hot Sheet listed two Jewish players among last week’s hottest 13: Washington Nationals prospect Danny Rosenbaum (see above), and Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Jake Lemmerman, a 23-year-old shortstop who is hitting .316 with the Chattanooga Lookouts (AA). The same Hot Sheet described 6’7″ Padres prospect Nate Freiman (see above) as “monstrous” and a “man among boys.” Both Lemmerman and Freiman are Duke University alums.

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Kevin Youkilis (Providence Journal)

By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

The Boston Red Sox placed 3B Kevn Youkilis on the 15-day disabled list yesterday (5/2/2012) due to a lower-back strain.

“The good thing is they know what’s going on and it’s nothing like a surgery or a major injury,” he told the Boston Globe.

Youkilis, who hadn’t played since April 28, has struggled at the plate so far this season. A career .288 hitter with a lifetime on-base percentage of .389, the 33-year-old Cincinnati native is hitting .219 with 2 HRs, 9 RBIs, and 20 strikeouts in 64 at-bats.

Injuries have been an unfortunate theme recently for Youk. In the past 3 seasons he played only 138, 102, and 122 games, respectively.

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Braun hits the first of 3 HRs (Denis Poroy/Getty Images)

By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

When Ryan Braun smashed three HRs against the San Diego Padres on Monday night (see video), Jewish baseball fans everywhere celebrated.

Here are a few more reasons to be proud:

• The Milwaukee Brewers right fielder is just the fifth Jewish player since 1918 to homer 3 or more times in a 9-inning game, and the first to do so in nearly 10 years.

Players with 3+ HRs in a 9-inning game, since 1918

• Hank Greenberg, who leads all Jewish players with 331 career HRs, never had a 3-HR game. He did hit two HRs in a game 35 times.
• Thanks to an added triple Monday night, Braun finished with 15 total bases. The last time a major-leaguer had 15 or more total bases in a 9-inning game? Nearly 8 years ago, when Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals hit 3 HRs, a double, and a single against the very same San Diego Padres (7/20/2004).
• Monday night’s game took place in a venue — San Diego’s Petco Park — that is unfriendly to HRs, though much more so to lefties than righties. As this article points out, the Padres as a team hit just 6 HRs in their first 14 home games this season. Braun matched half that number in just one game. (Thanks to Jewish Baseball News contributor Jack W. for the tip.)
• Monday’s performance vaulted Braun into a tie for 2nd-most HRs in the National League this season, behind Matt Kemp’s 12 dingers. The Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder finished 2nd to Braun in last year’s N.L. MVP vote.

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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News

My 8-year-old says Mondays are among her favorite days of the week because she has ‘running club’ after school. For the rest of humanity, Mondays can be hellish. May these tidbits make your day a little easier:

1. Washington Nationals prospect Danny Rosenbaum recently was named the Eastern League’s player of the week, and it’s no surprise why. Although the 24-year-old Harrisburg Senators (AA) starter barely registers a blip on Baseball America’s list of top Nationals prospects, he’s 3-0 with a 0.94 ERA and two shutouts this season and has struck out 18 batters while walking just two. Rosenbaum is adept at getting players to ground out. When he blanked the Altoona Curve last week, a local newspaper said Curve batters spent more time in the sand than former Baywatch star David Hasselhoff. If he continues to excel — Jewish Baseball News named him its top minor-league starter last year — Rosenbaum could be called-up to the Majors this September. Said Washington Nationals director of player development Doug Harris to the Washington Post: “We think he’s a major-league pitcher, without a doubt.”
2. In baseball, pitchers have a reputation for being introspective thinkers, engineers of their own mechanics. But Philadelphia Phillies reliever Michael Schwimer takes the cake. In an interview with FanGraphs — the chosen website for those who prefer here.
3. Not every Jewish player is so left-brained. Baltimore Orioles prospect Tyler Kolodny is known more for turning a wet tarp into a slip-and-slide, doing full splits to snare balls tossed in the dirt, and cutting-up for his teammates. See the full story here.
4. San Diego Padres prospect Nate Freiman is on another power-trip this season. After hitting 22 HRs and driving in 111 runs last year — good enough to earn him an honorable mention in Jewish Baseball News’ most valuable minor-league player award — the 6’7″ first baseman was moved up to AA ball, where he continues to batter the rawhide. Freiman leads the Texas League with 9 HRs and ranks 3rd in RBIs (18), eighth in batting average (.313), and 13th in slugging percentage (.699).
5. Also excelling early in 2012 is Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Jack Marder. Now in his second season with the High Desert Mavericks (High-A), he ranks 4th among California League players in batting average (.360), doubles (7/tie), and runs (18/tie), and  is tied for 7th in RBIs (13).
6. Research by Jewish Baseball News contributor Jack W. shows just how good today’s Jewish MLB stars are. Milwaukee Brewers RF Ryan Braun has the second-best career fielding percentage among left fielders since the statistic debuted in 1954. Among active players, the N.L.’s reigning Most Valuable Player ranks 1st in fielding percentage, 4th in slugging percentage, 9th in OPS (slugging percentage plus on-base percentage), and 10th in batting average. Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler ranks 1st among active second basemen in range factor per game and ranks 6th in career stolen-base percentage of any player since 1951. Boston Red Sox 3B/1B Kevin Youkilis ranks 2nd among active first basemen in career fielding percentage and 13th among all active players in career on-base percentage.
7. Youkilis is no slouch when it comes to recognizability, but he recently married into New England royalty when he wed the sister of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Does that make him Julie Brady’s Giselle Bundchen? If you’ve ever seen Youk’s mug, you’d know he was no supermodel. But definitely a super guy. No word whether a Rabbi presided over the ceremony, though we kind of doubt it.

Have any good news about Jewish athletes and teams? E-mail them to sbarancik@jewishbaseballnews.com.

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