Jewish Baseball News

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights for the week of June 3-9, 2019:

Kelly

Hitter of the Week: Ty Kelly (Angels)

2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees) hit .300 (6-for-20) with 3 doubles, 2 triples, an RBI, and a .391 OBP.

Rosenberg

Pitcher of the Week: Kenny Rosenberg (Rays)

Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/AA/Montgomery Biscuits) improved his record to 5-1 on June 5 with an impressive 6-inning outing, yielding one run on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9. He also was chosen to play in the Southern League All-Star Game.

Mazel tov

• At least 16 Jewish players were selected in last week’s MLB draft, including one each in the 1st and 2nd rounds. Particularly excited was Astros rookie Garrett Stubbs, whose younger brother CJ Stubbs was selected by Houston in Round 10.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/AA/Arkansas Travelers) was chosen to play in the California League All-Star Game.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) homered again on June 7. He has 2 HRs in 7 at-bats this season.
• 2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees) pitched a scoreless inning of relief on June 8, yielding one walk and no hits. It was only his second time on the mound since being drafted in 2009.

Other highlights

• RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/AA/Harrisburg Senators) hit .400 (4-for-10) with a double, 4 RBIs, and a .500 OBP.
• 2B Michael Wielansky (Astros/A/Quad Cities River Bandits) hit .316 (6-for-19) with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, and a .409 on-base percentage.
• OF Blake Gailen (Dodgers/AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers) came off the disabled list to hit .400 (2-for-5) with a double and a .500 OBP.
• 2B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/Inland Empire 66ers/High-A) hit .261 (6-for-23) with a HR, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, and a .370 OBP.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/AA/Arkansas Travelers) was nearly perfect in his Double-A debut on June 28, pitching 2 scoreless innings, yielding no hits and one walk, and striking out 5. So far this season, Delaplane is striking out an astonishing 49.6% of batters, #1 among all minor-league pitchers with 30 or more innings under their belt.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) earned a no-decision on June 7, yielding 3 earned runs, 7 hits and a walk over 6 innings while striking out 5.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/AA/Tennessee Smokies), normally a reliever, pitched well in his first start of the season June 8, tossing 5 shutout innings on 4 hits and no walks to earn the win.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA/Akron RubberDucks) was strong in his first game back at Double-A, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings on one hit and no walks while striking out 5.

Transactions

• C Ryan Lavarnway (Yankees/AAA/Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders) was placed on the injured list June 8.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) returned from the temporarily inactive list on June 7.
• P Kenny Koplove (Rockies) was reassigned to the Boise Hawks (A-short-season) on June 4 and then released on June 7. In 18 innings this season, mostly with the Lancaster JetHawks (High-A), Koplove was 2-1 with a 3.50 ERA, 21 strikeouts, one blown save, and just 1.11 walks/hits per inning.
• C Mitchell Kranson (AA/Pensacola Blue Wahoos) was released on June 6. In his final 10 games with the team, Kranson hit .333 (12-for-36) with a HR, 2 doubles, 6 RBIs, and a .385 OBP.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians) was reassigned from the Columbus Clippers (AAA) to the Akron RubberDucks (AA) on June 5.
• OF Blake Gailen (Dodgers/AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers) came off the injured list on June 5.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners) was promoted from the Modesto Nuts (High-A) to the to Arkansas Travelers (AA) on June 4.
• P Zack Weiss (Twins) was reassigned from the Rochester Red Wings (AAA) to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (AA) on June 4.

Free agents

• Players believed to be seeking employment include Danny Valencia, RC Orlan, Brad Goldberg, Mitchell Kranson and Kenny Koplove.

Injured list

• C Ryan Lavarnway (Yankees/AAA/Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders), since June 8.
• P Jeremy Bleich (Red Sox/AAA/Pawtucket Red Sox), since May 30.
• SS Zack Kone (Pirates/A/Greensboro Grasshoppers), since May 12.
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/A/Lake County Captains), since May 7.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Rays/AAA/Durham Bulls).

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of June 3-9, 2019:

Mazel tov

• At least 16 Jewish players were selected in last week’s MLB draft, including one each in the 1st and 2nd rounds.
• Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit his 332nd career home run to surpass Tigers legend Hank Greenberg as the all-time Jewish leader.

Stats to share

• P Max Fried (Atlanta) isn’t just delivering on the mound. In his three most recent appearances, the 6’4″ stringbean went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Fried’s .208 batting average ranks #8 among all MLB pitchers with at least 20 at-bats.

• Two MLB Jews are among league leaders in home runs, with 18 apiece. Alex Bregman (Astros) ranks #4 in the A.L., and Joc Pederson (Dodgers) is tied for #6 in the N.L. Meanwhile, Pederson’s slugging percentage (.616) ranks #5 in the N.L.
• Among all Major Leaguers with at least 200 at-bats, Bregman is one of just 7 players to have more walks (44) than strikeouts (37). His .389 on-base percentage is tied for #7 in the A.L.

At the plate

• 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres) had at least one hit in 5 of 6 games. He hit .350 (7-for-20) with 3 doubles, 2 RBIs, and a .381 on-base percentage. Kinsler also turned a double-play with a veteran move.

• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .304 with a HR and 5 RBIs. The strong week lifted his batting average to .273, one-thousandth of a point ahead of Alex Bregman to take the Jewish lead. Braun also made a slick sliding grab.

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .296 (8-for-27) with a HR, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, a stolen base, and a .367 OBP. He leads Jewish players in home runs (18/tie), RBIs (44), and OBP (.389).
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) hit .286 (2-for-7) with a .375 OBP in his second week as a big-leaguer.
• CF Kevin Pillar (Giants) hit .174 (4-for-23) with a double and 2 RBIs. He leads all Jewish players with 14 doubles.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .083 (1-for-12).
• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .067 (1-for-15) with a .125 OBP.

On the mound

• Richard Bleier (Orioles) — the only MLB reliever to record sub-2.00 ERAs each year from 2016 to 2018 — continues to struggle with consistency this season. On June 4, he yielded 3 earned runs on 4 hits over just 1/3 of an inning. He bounced back on June 5 and June 7, pitching a total of 3.1 scoreless innings while yielding 3 hits and no walks.
• Max Fried (Braves) went 0-0 in two starts. On June 4, he yielded 5 earned runs over 4 innings on 9 hits and 2 walks. In a 6-inning stint on June 9, he pitched well enough to win but didn’t, giving up 3 earned runs on 6 hits and a walk while striking out 7. Fried is on a 3-game winless streak after winning 3 games in a row.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Ryan Braun hit career home run #332 on Friday (6/7/2019) to surpass Detroit Tigers legend Hank Greenberg as the all-time Jewish leader (see list).

The three-run homer was suitably majestic. Coming off a 92-mph fastball tossed by Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Nick Kingham, the 6th-inning shot traveled 419 feet to dead center and helped secure a 10-4 Milwaukee Brewers victory at home.

Home run #10 of the season didn’t come easily. After tying Greenberg’s record on May 14, Braun went homerless for 18 games before breaking the spell Friday.

Now 35, Braun has spent his entire career with Milwaukee and is the franchise’s career HR leader. His total ranks #6 among active players and is only 6 HRs behind #5 Curtis Granderson.

The California-born son of an Israeli-born father and a Catholic mother, Braun was a prized recruit out of the University of Miami. Selected by the Brewers in the 1st round of the 2005 draft (#5 overall), he spent just two full seasons in the minors before making his MLB debut on May 25, 2007 and hit his first Major League home run the next day. By season’s end, Braun was hitting .324 with 34 HRs and 97 RBIs, good enough to earn Rookie of the Year honors.

At the time, Braun’s 34 HRs tied for the 10th-highest rookie total in Major League history. Among those ahead of him on the list was Al Rosen, who clubbed 37 for the Indians in 1950.

Some may quarrel with Braun’s status as the all-time Jewish leader in home runs. For example, while Braun took 6,165 at-bats to hit his 331st home run, Hank Greenberg took just 5,184. Others point out that Greenberg skipped nearly 4 full seasons during the prime of his career to serve in the military.

And although Braun is Jewish under the broad criteria adopted by Jewish Baseball News, a small minority of fans complain that he is not halachically Jewish. Meanwhile, Jewish Baseball News recently vowed to mark Braun’s home-run total with an asterisk due to questions raised by his 2013 suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy.

But the Braun/Greenberg debate can tip the other way. For example, one Jewish Baseball News reader recently pointed out that because of Major League Baseball’s color barrier, Greenberg never faced an African-American pitcher. (Greenberg played his final game less than a month after the debut of Dan Bankhead, MLB’s first black pitcher.)

No matter how you look at it, Braun has had an admirable career so far, earning 6 All-Star selections as well as Rookie of the Year and MVP honors.

In honor of Braun’s latest achievement, we leave you with some lesser-known facts about his home-run prowess:

• Exactly half (166) of Braun’s home runs have come at Milwaukee’s Miller Park, with the other half coming on the road
• Braun has had two 3-HR games and thirty 2-HR games
• Braun’s favorite inning is the 1st (77 HRs), and his favorite count is 0-0 (69 HRs)
• More than 64% of Braun’s home runs have come either with the score tied or the Brewers behind
• 161 of his home runs have come with the bases empty, and 6 with the bases full
• 69% of his home runs have come against righties
• Cincinnati has given up the most Braun home runs (42), and Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo has given up more Braun home runs than any other MLB pitcher (5)
• Exactly which home run is Braun’s longest is not entirely clear. The defunct website hittrackeronline.com claimed Braun hit a 476-foot shot on September 24, 2007 (see article). Meanwhile, Statcast says the massive shot Braun hit out of Miller Park on May 25, 2015 traveled 474 feet (see video)

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

The 2019 draft was a strong one. Our colleagues at Jewish Sports Review have identified at least 16 Jewish draftees so far and may yet find more. The class includes 9 pitchers, 4 outfielders, 2 catchers and a shortstop. Three players were selected in the first 5 rounds, all but one were drafted out of college, and three have brothers in professional baseball.

Hunter Bishop was the #10 overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft

Here are brief bios on the 16 players:

Hunter Bishop (OF), Giants (Round 1, #10 overall pick)

• As a junior at Arizona State University this year (see bio), Bishop hit 22 HRs in 54 games, tying him for #6 among among NCAA Division I athletes. He also hit .342 and drove in 63 runs, an ASU record. Bishop is the younger brother of Mariners CF Braden Bishop, who has converted to Christianity.

Josh Wolf (P), Mets (Round 2, #53)

• A 6’3″ right-hander out of a Catholic high school in Texas, Wolf throws a fastball in the mid-90s as well as a curve and slider. He pitched a no-hitter in the 2019 playoffs, and his 2-hit shutout in the semis moved his team to the state title game.

Evan Kravetz (P), Reds (Round 5, #144)

• A 6’8″ southpaw out of Rice University, Kravetz was 6-2 with a 3.24 ERA senior year, his first as a starter. He struck out 108 batters in 80.2 innings and allowed just 1.12 walks/hits per innings.

Ben Gross (P), Twins (Round 10, #299)

• A Princeton University alumnus who joined the Duke University team as a graduate student, Gross was 7-4 with a 4.09 in 2019, tying him for the team lead in wins. The 6’1″ righty also was drafted in 2018, but not until Round 34.

CJ Stubbs (C), Astros (Round 10, #316)

• The younger brother of Astros rookie (and fellow catcher) Garrett Stubbs, redshirt junior CJ Stubbs hit .285 at USC with 6 HRs, 35 RBIs and a .378 on-base percentage. He also erased 13 attempted thefts, tops in the Pac-12. Stubbs started his USC career as a pitcher but turned to catching after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

David Vinsky (OF), Cardinals (Round 15, #455)

• A junior outfielder at Northwood University, Vinsky is the best hitter in school history and its first player ever drafted by an MLB team. In 2019 he hit .367 with 12 HRs, 49 RBIs and a .476 on-base percentage.

Davis Vainer (P), Astros (Round 21, #646)

• A 6’1″ southpaw out of the University of Alabama, Vainer was 1-1 with a 3.34 ERA his junior year, striking out 43 batters in 29.2 innings.

Alex Segal (P), Braves (Round 22, #667)

• A 6’4″ southpaw out of Wichita State, Segal was 1-2 with 2 saves and a 5.50 ERA as a redshirt junior, but he held opposing batters to a .195 average.

Jakob Goldfarb (C), White Sox (Round 24, #710)

• A fifth-year senior at the University of Oregon, Goldfarb hit .304 with 2 HRs, 18 RBIs and a .407 on-base percentage. As an outfielder, he set a school record for assists.

Justin Friedman (P, White Sox (Round 26, #770)

• A 6’3″ righty out of Hope International University, Friedman had a 5.63 ERA as a senior and struck out 53 batters over 48 innings. Hope was his fourth school in four years.

Kyle Molnar (P), Angels (Round 26, #781)

• A 6’3″ right-hander out of UCLA, Molnar was a freshman phenom in 2015, leading the team in wins and ERA and becoming Baseball America’s #53 prospect for the 2015 draft. But due to injuries and Tommy John surgery, he has thrown only one inning since 2016.

Matt Woods (CF), Angels (Round 29, #871)

• As a senior at Rowan University, Woods hit .421 with 12 HRs and a .743 slugging percentage. He ranked among Division III leaders in several offensive categories.

Greg Leban (P), Braves (Round #31, #937)

• The twin brother of Marlins prospect Zack Leban, Greg was 3-0 with a 3.50 ERA as a senior at Austin Peay State University. The 6’3″ righty struck out an impressive 64 batters in 34 innings.

Josh Shapiro (P), Brewers (Round 34, #1033)

• A 6’0″ southpaw out of Marshall University, Shapiro was 5-3 with a 3.61 ERA in 2019.

Keaton Weisz (SS), Angels (Round 36, #1081)

• As a redshirt junior at Coastal Carolina University in 2019, Weisz hit .187 with 3 HRs and 13 RBIs in 75 at-bats.

Matthew Kanfer (RF), Dodgers (Round 36, #1091)

• Kanfer hit .301 with 3 HRs and 36 RBIs his senior year at Pepperdine University.

If additional draftees are identified, Jewish Baseball News will post their names on our social-media pages and in our weekly Minor-League Monday column.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights for the week of May 27-June 2, 2019:

Decker

Hitter of the Week: Cody Decker (Diamondbacks)

1B Cody Decker (Diamondbacks/AAA/Reno Aces) hit .346 (9-for-26) with 3 HRs, 2 doubles, 6 RBI, and a .433 on-base percentage. What’s more, Decker’s May 28th round-tripper was his 200th in the minor leagues, #1 among all active minor leaguers.

Gold

Pitcher of the Week: Brandon Gold (Rockies)

Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) was almost unhittable in a June 1 start, pitching 6 scoreless innings on just 2 hits and no walks while striking out 5 to earn his 6th win against 3 defeats. For the season, Gold has struck out 49 batters in 56 innings and walked just 7.

Mazel tov

• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) made his MLB debut on May 28.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AAA/Columbus Clippers) was promoted to Triple-A for the first time in his 7-year pro career.

Other highlights

• 2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees) hit 357 (10-for-28) with a double, 2 RBIs, and a .419 OBP last week.
• C Mitchell Kranson (Twins/AA/Pensacola Blue Wahoos) hit 364 (4-for-11) with a HR, 2 RBIs, and a .417 OBP.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/AA/Portland Sea Dogs) pitched 2.2 nearly-perfect innings across 2 games, yielding no hits and an intentional walk while striking out 3 and earning his first save of the season.
• P Simon Rosenblum Larson (Rays/High-A/Charlotte Stone Crabs) pitched 4 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding one hit and 2 walks while striking out 4. For the year, he is 0-1 with a 1.42 ERA and 4 saves in 4 chances,

Transactions

• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AAA/Columbus Clippers) was promoted to Triple-A on June 2.
• P Jeremy Bleich (Red Sox/AAA/Pawtucket Red Sox) was placed on the injured list on May 30.
• OF Blake Gailen (Dodgers/AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers) was placed on the injured list on May 27.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) was placed on the temporary inactive list on June 2.
• 2B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/High-A/Inland Empire 66ers) was reassigned to High-A on June 1.
• P Keith Weisenberg (Giants/A/Salem-Keizer Volcanoes) was resigned to A-short-season on May 30.
• LF Albee Weiss (Twins/rookie/Elizabethton Twins) was reassigned to rookie league on June 1.

Free agents

• Players believed to be seeking employment include Danny Valencia, RC Orlan and Brad Goldberg.

Injured list

• P Ryan Sherriff (Rays/AAA/Durham Bulls).
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/A/Lake County Captains), since May 7.
• SS Zack Kone (Pirates/A/Greensboro Grasshoppers), since May 12.
• OF Blake Gailen (Dodgers/AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers), since May 27.
• P Jeremy Bleich (Red Sox/AAA/Pawtucket Red Sox), since May 30.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of May 27-June 2, 2019, plus stats for the month of May:

Mazel tov

• Garrett Stubbs (Astros) made his MLB debut on May 28, and it couldn’t have gone much better. The 26-year-old doubled on the second pitch of his first at-bat, stroked an RBI single in his second trip to the plate, and ended the night 2-for-4. Meanwhile, teammate Alex Bregman contributed 2 home runs and 3 RBIs to the 9-6 win. The Houston Hebros? Maybe it’ll catch on…

Stats to share

• Two MLB Jews are among league leaders in home runs. Alex Bregman (Astros) is tied for #2 in the A.L. with 17, and Joc Pederson (Dodgers) is tied for #4 in the N.L. with 18.
• Pederson is homering once every 9 at-bats. If he continues on that pace, he’ll eclipse the Jewish record set by Hank Greenberg in 1938.
• Pederson’s slugging percentage (.667) ranks #4 in the N.L.
• Of all Major Leaguers with at least 100 at-bats, Bregman is one of just 7 to have more walks (41) than strikeouts (36).

At the plate

• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .421 last week (8-for-19) with 3 HRs, a double, 4 RBIs, and a .450 on-base percentage. For the month of May, Pederson hit .323 (21-for-65) with 7 HRs, 3 doubles, a triple, 13 RBIs, and a .405 OBP.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .320 (8-for-25) with 2 HRs, a double, 5 RBIs, and a .393 OBP. For the month of May, he hit .260 (27-for-104) with 12 HRs, 3 doubles, 24 RBIs, and a .363 OBP. Bregman’s 12 HRs were tied for #1 in the Majors and set an all-time Astros record for the month of May.

• CF Kevin Pillar (Giants) hit .217 (5-for-23) with 3 doubles, an RBI, and a .250 OBP. For the month of May, he hit .224 (22-for-98) with a HR, 5 doubles, 6 RBIs, 3 stolen bases in 4 attempts, and a .260 OBP.
• 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres) hit .200 (3-for-15) with a HR, RBI, and a .250 OBP. For the month of May, he hit .254 (18-for-71) with 5 HRs, 4 doubles, 10 RBIs, and a .303 OBP.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) hit .200 (2-for-10) with a double and an RBI.

• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .182 (4-for-22) with 2 doubles and an RBI. Just one round-tripper away from surpassing Hank Greenberg as Jewish career leader, Braun hasn’t homered since May 14. For the month of May, Braun hit .363 (29-for-80) with 4 HRs, 6 doubles, 14 RBIs, and a .427 OBP.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .125 (2-for-16) with a double and a .176 OBP. For the month of May, he hit .247 (22-for-89) with 4 HRs, 5 doubles, 9 RBIs, and a .295 OBP.

On the mound

• Richard Bleier (Orioles) had his best week of the season, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings across 2 appearances and yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 2 and earning his second save. For the month of May, Bleier was 0-0 with a 4.00 ERA, held opposing batters to 1.11 walks/hits per inning, and earned a save.

• Max Fried (Braves) struggled in a May 28 loss, yielding 4 earned runs on 9 hits, 3 walks, and 2 hit batters over 5.2 innings. He redeemed himself somewhat the next day with a pinch-hit single. For the month of May, Fried went 4-2 with a 4.11 ERA and held opposing batters to 1.34 walks/hits per inning.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Ryan Braun is one round-tripper away from eclipsing Hank Greenberg’s career record of 331 home runs. Because of his checkered past — Braun was suspended 65 games in 2013 for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy — Jewish Baseball News asked readers last week to weigh-in on whether the new record should be marked with an asterisk.

To do this, we posted polls on our Twitter and Facebook feeds and e-mailed the same poll to our subscriber list. The results were mixed.

A majority of Facebook readers (54.4 percent) favored placing an asterisk on Braun’s forthcoming record. The vote tally was 49 Yes, 41 No.

By the slimmest majority possible — one vote out of 99, or 50.5 percent — Twitter readers voted in favor of an asterisk. The tally was 50 Yes, 49 No.

Confusingly, e-mail subscribers came out as strongly against the asterisk as Facebook readers came out for it. A total of 90 subscribers (54.5 percent) voted No on the asterisk, while 75 subscribers (45.5 percent) voted Yes.

If you were to combine the votes from all three sources, the No’s would beat the Yes’s by a small margin. But assuming that some readers voted on more than one platform, we don’t consider that a meaningful result.

Several readers offered unsolicited opinions. For example, one e-mail subscriber who voted against the asterisk wrote this:

Although Braun is tarnished with what happened in 2013, there is NO evidence that whatever he did made him a better hitter, a more powerful hitter. After the suspension, he continued to be a power hitter, through injuries and so forth. I don’t think his career totals are padded in the way that Barry Bond’s totals are quite obviously. There was NO physical transformation, and Braun has had some good seasons since without any Performance Enhancing Drugs. (Edited for clarity)

And a Twitter reader who voted against the asterisk wrote this:

Keep the asterisk in ur heart but not on the page. We don’t know which HRs were the result of PEDs & which weren’t, & never will. We can’t scientifically compare performance to what it would have been otherwise. In my heart Hank Aaron is HR king but in the books it has to be Bonds. (Edited for clarity)

So what to do? One luxury of managing a website — or one burden, if you prefer — is the power to have the last word. Jewish Baseball News was prepared to abide the will of the voters on the asterisk issue, and we thank you for sharing your opinion. But in the absence of a clear mandate, we have decided to substitute our own point of view.

Which is this: that Braun’s forthcoming home-run record shall be marked with an asterisk.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights for the week of May 20-26, 2019. Because there were no standout performances, Jewish Baseball News is skipping its regular weekly awards.

Mazel tov!

• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) received his first Major League call-up on May 26, his 26th birthday. Stubbs was in the same draft class (2015) as Astros teammate Alex Bregman.
• LF Zach Borenstein, a former prospect with four MLB franchises, has joined the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League.

Other highlights

• 1B Cody Decker (Diamondbacks/AAA/Reno Aces) hit .286 (2-for-7) with a home run, double, 4 RBIs, and a .444 OBP.
• C Mitchell Kranson (Twins/AA/Pensacola Blue Wahoos) hit .318 (7-for-22) with a double, 3 RBIs, and a .348 OBP.
• C Scott Manea (Astros/High-A/Fayetteville Woodpeckers) hit .267 (4-for-15) with a solo home run and a .421 OBP.
• P Jeremy Bleich (Red Sox/AAA/Pawtucket Red Sox) pitched 4.1 innings across 2 games, yielding one earned run on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 5 and earning his second win.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/AA/Portland Sea Dogs) pitched 5 innings across 3 games, yielding one earned run on 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA/Akron RubberDucks) pitched 5 innings across 2 games, yielding one earned run on 4 hits and no walks while striking out 6 and earning his 2nd win.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) went 1-1 for the week, pitching 6 innings of 2-run ball for a loss on May 20, and 6 innings of 3-run ball for a win on May 26.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/AA/Tennessee Smokes) pitched 2 scoreless innings on May 25, yielding a hit and no walks while striking out 2.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A/Palm Beach Cardinals) pitched 2.2 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out 2 and earning his first save.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/High-A/Modesto Nuts) pitched 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 3 hits and no walks while striking out 4.
• P Simon Rosenblum Larson (Rays/High-A/Charlotte Stone Crabs) pitched a scoreless inning on May 26, yielding 2 hits and no walks.

Transactions

• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) was called-up to the Majors on May 26.
• SS Scotty Burcham (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) came off the injured list on May 26.
• P Keith Weisenberg (Giants/A-short season/Salem-Keizer Volcanoes) was signed by San Francisco on May 23 and assigned to Salem-Keizer on May 25.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/AA/Tennessee Smokies) was reactivated from the temporarily inactive list on May 24.
• 2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees) came off the injured list on May 22.
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles/AA/Bowie Baysox) was promoted to Double-A on May 21.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/AA/Portland Sea Dogs) was reassigned to Double-A on May 20.
• LF Albee Weiss (Twins/rookie/Elizabethton Twins) was reassigned to rookie league on May 20.

Free agents

• Players believed to be seeking employment include Danny Valencia, RC Orlan and Brad Goldberg.

Injured list

• P Ryan Sherriff (Rays/AAA/Durham Bulls).
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/A/Lake County Captains), since May 7.
• SS Zack Kone (Pirates/A/Greensboro Grasshoppers), since May 12.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of May 20-26, 2019:

Mazel tov!

• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) was called-up to the Majors on May 26, which also happened to be his 26th birthday. Stubbs was in the same draft class (2015) as Astros teammate Alex Bregman.

Stats to share

• Max Fried (Braves) is one of just three N.L. pitchers to record 7 wins this season. If he reaches 20, he’ll be the first Jewish pitcher to do so since 1980, when Steve Stone went 25-7 for the Orioles.
• Two MLB Jews are among league leaders in home runs, with 15 apiece. Alex Bregman (Astros) is tied for #3 in the A.L, and Joc Pederson (Dodgers) is tied for #5 in the N.L.
• Pederson is homering once every 9.53 at-bats. If he continues on that pace, he’ll eclipse the Jewish record set by Hank Greenberg in 1938.
• Pederson’s slugging percentage (.629) ranks #6 in the N.L.
• Of all Major Leaguers with at least 100 at-bats, Bregman is one of just 9 to have more walks (38) than strikeouts (33).

At the plate

• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .500 (8-for-16) with a home run, 2 doubles, a triple, 6 RBIs, and a .579 on-base percentage.
• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .357 (5-for-14) with 2 doubles and a .438 OBP. He also was ejected for arguing a called strike.
• CF Kevin Pillar (Giants) hit .296 (8-for-27) with a double, RBI, stolen base, and a .321 OBP. He almost made another extraordinary catch and then doubled-off a runner at first.

• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .250 (5-for-20) with 3 HRs, a double, 6 RBIs, and a .286 OBP. He set career highs on May 21 with 2 HRs and 5 RBIs.

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .217 (5-for-23) with a home run, double, RBI, and a .379 OBP.
• 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres) hit .214 (3-for-14) with a home run, 2 RBIs, and a .313 OBP.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) earned his 7th win on May 22, yielding 2 earned runs on 4 hits and 2 walks over 6 innings while striking out 5. He also drove in a run.
• Richard Bleier (Orioles) pitched a combined 2.2 innings over three games, yielding one earned run on 3 hits while issuing neither a walk nor a strikeout.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights for the week of May 13-19, 2019:

Manea

Hitter of the Week: Scott Manea (Astros)

C Scott Manea (Astros/High-A/Fayetteville Woodpeckers) hit .360 (9-for-25) with a home run, 10 RBIs, and a .448 OBP, boosting his batting average by 37 points. He was hit by pitches 4 times, including 3 times alone on May 16. Three different pitchers struck Manea in that game, once with the bases loaded.

Kremer

Pitcher of the Week: Dean Kremer (Orioles)

P Dean Kremer (Orioles/High-A/Frederick Keys) pitched beautifully in his second outing of the season, tossing 6 shutout innings on 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9.

Other highlights

• 2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees) hit .375 (3-for-8) with 2 RBIs and a .444 OBP before going on the injured list.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA/Round Rock Express) hit .400 (4-for-10) with a home run, RBI, and a .500 OBP.
• C Ryan Lavarnway (Yankees/AAA/Scranton RailRiders) hit .364 (4-for-11) with a double and 3 RBIs.
• 2B Colby Schultz (Royals/High-A/Wilmington Blue Rocks) hit .294 (5-for-17) in his first week of the 2019 season, including his first professional home run and a .368 OBP.
• C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/A/Lansing Lugnuts) hit .389 (7-for-18) with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, a hit-by-pitch, and a .450 OBP.
• LF Albee Weiss (Twins/A/Cedar Rapids Kernels) hit .364 (4-for-11) in his first week of the 2019 season, with 3 doubles, an RBI, and a .462 OBP.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/AAA/Pawtucket Red Sox) pitched 2.2 shutout innings across 2 appearances, yielding a hit and 2 walks while striking out 3 and lowering his ERA to 2.70.
• P Jeremy Bleich (Red Sox/AAA/Pawtucket Red Sox) pitched 4 innings over 2 appearances, yielding an earned run on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 2 and recording both a win and a loss.
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/AA/Montgomery Biscuits) pitched 7 shutout innings on May 15, yielding 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5. He is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA this season and is holding opposing batters to a .193 batting average.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) earned his 4th win against 2 losses on May 15, yielding one earned run over 5.2 innings. He gave up 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA/Akron RubberDucks) pitched 2 scoreless earning to earn a win on May 16, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 2.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A/Palm Beach Cardinals) pitched 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 2 hits and a walk while striking out 5.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/High-A/Modesto Nuts) had an up-and-down week, but he leads the California League with an average of 17.5 strikeouts per 9 innings.

Transactions

• OF Blake Gailen (Dodgers/AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers) came off the injured list on May 17.
• P RC Orlan (Indians/AAA/Columbus Clippers was released on May 15. He was 0-2 this season with an 8.76 ERA.
• 2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees) was placed on the injured list on May 17.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) came off the temporary inactive list on May 15.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/AA/Tennessee Smokies) was placed on the temporary inactive list on May 17.
• LF Albee Weiss (Twins/A/Cedar Rapids Kernels) was assigned to Single-A on May 17.

Free agents

• Major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Danny Valencia, Zach Borenstein, Brad Goldberg, Jason Richman, Gabe Cramer and Keith Weisenberg.

Injured list

• P Zack Weiss (Twins/AAA/Rochester Red Wings), since April 1.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Rays/AAA/Durham Bulls).
• SS Scotty Burcham (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats), since May 3.
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/A/Lake County Captains), since May 7.
• SS Zack Kone (Pirates/A/Greensboro Grasshoppers), since May 12.
• 2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees), since May 17.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of May 13-19, 2019:

Stats worth noting

• Max Fried (Braves) is one of just four N.L. pitchers to reach 6 wins this season.
• Two MLB Jews are among league leaders in home runs. Alex Bregman (Astros) is #2 in the A.L. with 14, and Joc Pederson (Dodgers) is tied for #3 in the N.L. with 14.
• Bregman and Pederson also are among the most efficient home-run hitters. Pederson has homered once every 9.1 at-bats, #2 in the Majors behind Christian Yelich. Bregman is homering once every 11.4 at-bats, #11 in the Majors.
• Overall, Jewish ballplayers continue to homer an unprecedented rate. They are on pace for roughly 190 HRs, well beyond the all-time record of 118, set in 2018.
• Ryan Braun (Brewers) tied Hank Greenberg’s all-time HR record with his 331st shot. When Braun breaks the record, Jewish Baseball News’ Stat Records will recognize the feat, albeit with an asterisk.
• Of all Major Leaguers with at least 100 at-bats, Bregman is one of just 9 to have at least as many walks as strikeouts.

At the plate

• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .409 (9-for-22) with a home run, 7 RBIs, a hit-by-pitch, stolen base, and a .480 on-base percentage.

• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .231 (3-for-13) with 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, and a .375 OBP.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .217 (5-for-23) with 2 HRs, a double, 3 RBIs, and a .379 OBP.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .286 (4-for-14) with a double and a .333 OBP.
• 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres) hit ..250 (4-for-16) with a game-winning home run, double, and a .294 OBP.

• CF Kevin Pillar (Giants) hit .158 (3-for-19) with 2 doubles, an RBI, stolen base, and a .200 OBP.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) was almost untouchable, pitching 6 shutout innings on May 17 to earn a win. He yielded 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. Fried also contributed at the plate with a double and a walk.

• Richard Bleier (Orioles) came off the disabled list and made two appearances for Baltimore, his first since April 9. In 3.2 combined innings, he yielded 3 earned runs on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights for the week of May 6-12, 2019:

Wielansky

Hitter of the Week: Michael Wielansky (Astros)

2B Michael Wielansky (Astros/A/Quad Cities River Bandits), who made his season debut on May 5, hit .364 last week (4-for-11) with an RBI and a .417 on-base percentage.

Lazar

Pitcher of the Week: Max Lazar (Brewers)

Max Lazar (Brewers/A/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers) was masterful in a May 11 win, pitching 4 scoreless innings and striking out 8 while yielding just 3 hits and no walks. For the season, he is 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA and is giving up just 1.04 walks/hits per inning.

Other highlights

• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/AAA/Pawtucket Red Sox) pitched 2 no-hit innings over 2 appearances to earn his first win of the season and lower his ERA to 3.14.
• P Robert Stock (Padres/AAA/El Paso Chihuahuas) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings over 3 appearances, yielding 4 hits and a walk while striking out 2.
• Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) had a career game on May 9. In addition to earning his third victory of the season with a 6-inning performance, Gold recorded his first professional hit, a solo home run that gave the Yard Goats a 1-0 lead and made him the first pitcher in team history to homer. Gold has 29 strikeouts this season against just 4 walks.
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/AA/Montgomery Biscuits) improved his season record to 3-0 with a scoreless start on May 10, yielding 3 hits and 4 walks over 5 innings while striking out 3.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/AA/Tennessee Smokes) pitched 3 perfect innings on May 7. He was less effective on May 10, yielding 2 earned runs over 1.1 innings for his second loss of the season.
• After a rough outing on May 9, P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA/Akron RubberDucks) bounced back on May 11 with 2 scoreless innings of relief, yielding a hit and no walks while striking out 2.
• P Kenny Koplove (Rockies/High-A/Lancaster Jethawks) pitched a perfect inning of relief and struck out 2 on May 8 to earn his first victory of the season.
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles/High-A/Frederick Keys) made his season on May 9, pitching 3.2 scoreless innings and striking out 5 while yielding 4 hits and 2 walks.

Transactions

• P Keith Weisenberg (Braves/High-A/Florida Fire Frogs) was released on May 12. In 7 games this season, the 2017 draftee was 0-4 with a 10.31 ERA.
• SS Zack Kone (Pirates/A/Greensboro Grasshoppers) was placed on the injured list with a right shoulder strain on May 12.
• 2B Colby Schultz (Royals/High-A/Wilmington Blue Rocks) was assigned to Wilmington on May 11.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) was placed on the temporary inactive list on May 10.
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles/High-A/Frederick Keys) was reassigned to Frederick on May 9.
• P RC Orlan (Indians/AAA/Columbus Clippers) was placed on the temporary inactive list on May 9.
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/A/Lake County Captains) was placed on the injured list on May 7.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A/Palm Beach Cardinals) came off the injured list on May 6.

Free agents

• Major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Danny Valencia, Zach Borenstein, Brad Goldberg, Jason Richman, Gabe Cramer and Keith Weisenberg.

Injured list

• P Zack Weiss (Twins/AAA/Rochester Red Wings), since April 1.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Rays/AAA/Durham Bulls).
• SS Scotty Burcham (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats), since May 3.
• OF Blake Gailen (Dodgers/AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers), since May 5.
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/A/Lake County Captains), since May 7.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

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2019 archives

• Games played May 13-19, 2019
• Games played May 6-12, 2019
• Games played April 29-May 5, 2019
• Games played April 22-28, 2019
• Games played April 15-21, 2019
• Games played April 8-14, 2019
• Games played April 1-7, 2019

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of May 6-12, 2019:

At the plate

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .261 (6-for-23) with 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, and a .370 OBP. The highlight was a 2-HR performance on Mother’s Day, with mom Jackie Bregman in attendance. It was the third baseman’s second multi-HR game in 10 days. His 12 HRs rank #3 (tied) in the American League, and his 31 RBIs rank #6.

• CF Kevin Pillar (Giants) hit .273 (6-for-22) with a home run, 2 doubles, a hit-by-pitch, and 3 RBIs. He continues to strike out far more often than walk (28/4).
• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .200 (2-for-10) with a solo home run, stolen base, and a .385 on-base percentage. Braun’s 330 career HRs are one shy of Hank Greenberg’s Jewish record, albeit with an asterisk.
• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .125 (2-for-16) with a .222 OBP. His only hits were the two solo HRs he smacked on May 10. Pederson, who is hitting a home run every 10 at-bats this season, has some stats the Los Angeles Times says “boggle the mind.” They include the fact that Pederson has more home runs (12) than singles (10) and has stroked only one double.

• 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres) hit .222 (2-for-9) in limited play.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .143 (3-for-21) with a double, RBI, and a .182 OBP.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) went 1-1 in two starts last seek. On May 7, he survived just one inning after giving up 4 earned runs on 4 hits and a walk. On May 12, he yielded 3 earned runs on 9 hits and a walk over 5 innings en route to a win. Fried is 5-2 for the season.

Odds and ends

• Jewish ballplayers are homering at an unprecedented pace. Just a quarter way through the 2019 season, they are on pace for nearly 200 HRs, which would smash the all-time record of 118 set in 2018.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights for the week of April 29-May 5, 2019:

Wiseman

Hitter of the Week: Rhett Wiseman (Nationals)

RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/AA/Harrisburg Senators) is our Hitter of the Week for the third time this season. He hit .391 (9-for-23) with 2 home runs, a double, 4 RBIs, a stolen base, and a .417 on-base percentage. Wiseman is batting .333 this season with 10 HRs (tied for #6 among all minor leaguers), 24 RBIs, and a .383 OBP, and he’s currently enjoying an 8-game hitting streak.

Rosenberg

Pitcher of the Week: Kenny Rosenberg (Rays)

Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/AA/Montgomery Biscuits) pitched 6 scoreless innings on May 3 en route to a win, yielding 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8. The southpaw is 2-0 this season with a 2.08 ERA and has given up just 1.19 walks/hits per inning.

Other highlights

• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA/Round Rock Express) hit .364 (4-for-11), all singles.
• 2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees) hit .313 (5-for-16), all singles. Kelly is hitting .321 this season with a .400 OBP.
• C Ryan Lavarnway (Yankees/AAA/Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders) hit .273 (3-for-11) with 2 RBIs and a .429 on-base percentage.
• P Robert Stock (Padres/AAA/El Paso Chihuahuas) pitched 3 scoreless inning across 2 games, yielding 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) pitched 5 scoreless innings en route to his second win on May 3, yielding 6 hits and a walk while striking out 2.
• P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/AA/New Hampshire Fisher Cats) pitched 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out 4.
• P Simon Rosenblum Larson (Rays/High-A/Charlotte Stone Crabs) pitched 1.1 perfect innings on May 3 and struck out 3 to earn his 4th save in a row. He is 0-1 this season with a 1.50 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 12 innings.
• P Kenny Koplove (Rockies/High-A/Lancaster JetHawks) pitched 3 scoreless innings on May 4, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out 2. Koplove, who signed with Colorado in the offseason, played independent ball in 2018.
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/A/Lake County Captains) pitched 3.2 innings across 2 games, yielding a hit and 2 walks while striking out 4 and lowering his season ERA to 2.61.

Odds and ends

• It’s been a crazy few weeks for Dodgers prospect Blake Gailen (AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers), a 34-year-old outfielder who has played in just two games this season, his first in affiliated ball since 2017. On April 16, Gailen took the mound and tossed 3.1 scoreless innings en route to a walk-off win. On May 4, Gailen came off the injured list to go 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk. A day later, he was back on the injured list.
• Houston picked a funny time to assign SS Michael Wielansky (Astros/A) to the Quad Cities River Bandits (A). Recent flooding in Iowa has left the team’s stadium “an emerald island surrounded by a sea of muddy brown floodwater” (see article).

Transactions

• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA/Akron RubberDucks) came off the injured list on May 1.
• P Kenny Koplove (Rockies) was promoted to High-A (Lancaster JetHawks) on May 4.
• 2B Michael Wielansky (Astros) was assigned to Single-A (Quad Cities River Bandits) on May 4.
• Former White Sox and Orioles prospect Alex Katz has signed with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.

Free agents

• Major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Danny Valencia, Zach Borenstein, Brad Goldberg, Jason Richman and Gabe Cramer.

Injured list

• P Zack Weiss (Twins/AAA/Rochester Red Wings), since April 1.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A/Palm Beach Cardinals), since April 4.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Rays/AAA/Durham Bulls).
• SS Scotty Burcham (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats), since May 3.
• OF Blake Gailen (Dodgers/AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers), since May 5.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

It was a pretty amazing week for MLB Jews from April 29-May 5, 2019. Here are your highlights:

At the plate

• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) added 54 points to his batting average by hitting .462 (12-for-26) with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, a stolen base and a .481 on-base percentage. But those totals gloss over a couple of highlights. For one thing, Braun’s home runs — his 328th and 329th — tied and then surpassed Shawn Green on the Jewish career list, leaving him second behind Hank Greenberg’s 331. And on May 4, Braun not only went 6-for-8 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs but won the game with a walk-off single in the 18th inning.

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) had a phenomenal week, hitting .280 (7-for-25) with 5 home runs, 10 RBIs, and a .357 OBP. Highlights included his second grand-slam in two weeks and a 2-HR game in Mexico on May 4.

• CF Kevin Pillar (Giants) had a so-so week at the plate, hitting .227 (5-for-22) with a home run, stolen base, and .261 OBP. Where he shined was on the field, producing a “mind-boggling” catch that showed San Francisco fans why he’s known as Superman. Be sure to check out the response of Giants pitcher Dereck Rodriguez.

• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .333 (8-for-24) with a home run, double, 2 RBIs and a .360 OBP. He leads Toronto with 6 HRs, and his 18 RBIs rank #2 on the team.
• 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres) hit .280 (7-for-25) with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, a hit-by-pitch, 4 RBIs and a .308 OBP.
• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .182 (2-for-11) in limited play.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) returned to form on May 1 with a masterful performance, yielding one earned run on 4 hits and no walks over 7 innings and striking out 7 for the win. He ranks #2 in the National League with 4 wins, #4 with a 2.11 ERA, and #4 with just 0.99 walks/hits per inning. But he contributed in other ways, too, last week. On May 2, Atlanta sent Fried in as a pinch-hitter. And on May 5, pinch-runner Fried went scored from 1st base on a double, showing remarkable speed.

Don’t forget

• The Jewish Box Score, shown on our Home Page, now provides in-game updates.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights for the week of April 22-28, 2019:

Kone

Hitter of the Week: Zack Kone (Pirates)

SS Zack Kone (Pirates/A/Greensboro Grasshoppers) made the most of his .214 (6-for-28) average, stroking 2 home runs and a double, driving in 9 runs, stealing two bases, and recording a .333 OBP. The highlight: a two-out, grand-slam HR on April 23.

Rosenblum Larson

Pitcher of the Week: Simon Rosenblum Larson (Rays)

Simon Rosenblum Larson (Rays/High-A/Charlotte Stone Crabs) earned 3 saves in 3 chances last week. In 3.1 total innings, the second-year pitcher yielded one earned run on a hit and no walks while striking out 5.

Other highlights

• 2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees) hit .333 (5-for-15) with a double, 3 RBIs and a .444 on-base percentage.
• SS Scotty Burcham (Diamondbacks/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) hit .333 (3-for-9) with a solo home run, double, stolen base and .400 OBP.
• 2B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/High-A/Inland Empire 66ers) hit .280 (7-for-25) with an RBI, stolen base and .333 OBP.
• C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/A/Lansing Lugnuts) hit .278 (5-for-18) with a double.
• P RC Orlan (Indians/AAA/Columbus Clippers) pitched 2.1 hitless innings across 2 appearances, yielding 4 walks while striking out one and earning his first save of the season.
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/AA/Montgomery Biscuits) pitched 6 scoreless innings across 2 appearances, yielding 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6.
• P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/AA/New Hampshire Fisher Cats) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings across 2 appearances, yielding one hit and 3 walks while striking out 4 and earning his first save of the season.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/High-A/Modesto Nuts) had a tough outing on April 25, yielding 3 earned runs over 2 innings, but he held opponents hitless in two other relief appearances. Overall for the week, Delaplane was 1-0 with a 5.19 ERA in 5.2 innings, striking out 13 batters and walking just one. He is averaging 2 strikeouts per inning this season.
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/A/Lake County Captains) pitched 2 scoreless innings across 2 appearances, yielding a hit and 2 walks while striking out one and earning his first victory of the season.
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/A/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers) pitched 3.2 scoreless innings on April 24, yielding 3 hits and a walk while striking out 5.

Transactions

• P Jeremy Bleich (Red Sox) was assigned to Triple-A on April 24.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox) was promoted to Triple-A on April 24.
• OF Zach Borenstein (Cubs) was released on April 24.
• P Spencer Kulman (Padres) retired from baseball effective April 24. In two years of minor-league play, Kulman was 2-1 with a 3.03 ERA, four saves in six chances, and 63 strikeouts across 59.1 innings.
• P Brad Goldberg (Diamondbacks) was released on March 14.

Free agents

• Major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Danny Valencia, Zach Borenstein, Brad Goldberg and Gabe Cramer.

Injured list

• P Zack Weiss (Twins/AAA/Rochester Red Wings), since April 1.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A/Palm Beach Cardinals), since April 4.
• OF Blake Gailen (Dodgers/AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers), since April 17.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Cleveland/AA/Akron RubberDucks), since April 18.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Rays/AAA/Durham Bulls).

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

So far this season, MLB Jews have had 524 at-bats, similar to a full season for a single player. Their collective power stats have been All-Star impressive: 31 home runs and 83 RBIs. Their batting average? A little thin, at .214. Oddly, the squad has hit just 18 doubles.

Here are your MLB highlights for week of April 22-28, 2019. As you will see, it was not a terrific week overall, with two players managing just one hit apiece:

At the plate

• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) led all Jewish players with a .222 average (4-for-18), hitting a solo home run and recording a .333 on-base percentage.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .211 (4-for-19) with a home run, 2 doubles, 5 RBIs and a .250 OBP. His April 23 round-tripper was a grand slam.
• CF Kevin Pillar (Giants) hit .211 (4-for-19) with a home run, double, 4 RBIs and a .286 OBP.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .174 (4-for-23) with a double, 4 RBIs, 7 walks and a .355 OBP. On the bright side, the Astros gave away 10,000 Bregman “stare” bobbleheads on April 26.
• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .083 (1-for-12) with a triple, 3 RBIs and a .154 OBP. Despite being platooned, Pederson has 10 HRs, tied for third in the National League, and all of them against right-handers.
• 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres) hit .071 (1-for-14) with a solo home run.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) suffered his first loss of the season, against the Rockies on April 26. He yielded 7 hits and 4 earned runs across 5.1 innings. But Fried’s control was strong: he struck out 8 and walked zero.
• Richard Bleier (Orioles) did not play. He remains on the injured list with tendinitis in his left shoulder.

Don’t forget

• The Jewish Box Score, shown on our Home Page, now provides in-game updates.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights for the week of April 15-21, 2019:

Hitter of the Week: Rhett Wiseman (Nationals)

RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/AA/Harrisburg Senators) is our Hitter of the Week for the second consecutive week. He batted .333 (6-for-18) with 2 home runs, 3 doubles, 4 RBIs, a stolen base, a hit-by-pitch, and a .350 on-base percentage. Wiseman is batting .392 for the season, and his 8 HRs are tied for #2 among all minor leaguers.

Pitcher of the Week: Sam Delaplane (Mariners)

Sam Delaplane (Mariners/High-A/Modesto Nuts) pitched 3 no-hit innings across 2 games, yielding just one walk while striking out 4 and earning his second win. Delaplane is 2-0 this season with a 1.86 ERA, one save in 2 chances, and 18 strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

Mazel tov

• The Oklahoma City Dodgers (Dodgers/AAA) saw fit to remove OF Blake Gailen from the injured list for a single day last week for what would be his first appearance in affiliated ball since 2017. Rather than put Gailen in the field, however, they placed him on the mound, where he pitched 3.1 scoreless innings en route to a walk-off win (see article).

Other highlights

• OF Zach Borenstein (Cubs/AAA/Iowa Cubs) hit .500 (7-for-14) with a home run, 5 RBIs and a .563 OBP.
• C Ryan Lavarnway (Yankees/AAA/Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders) hit .571 (4-for-7) with an RBI, a hit-by-pitch, and a .625 OBP.
• 2B Ty Kelly (Angels/AAA/Salt Lake Bees) hit .400 (2-for-5) and recorded an OBP of .625.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA/Round Rock Express) hit .231 (3-for-13) with 2 home runs, 2 RBIs and a .286 OBP.
• 2B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/High-A/Inland Empire 66ers) hit .333 (5-for-15) in his first week of the 2019 season, stroking 2 doubles and a triple, recording a .444 on-base percentage, and delivering a hit in all 5 of his appearances.
• C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/A/Lansing Lugnuts) had a career game on April 18, including hitting for the cycle, notching a grand-slam HR, and driving in 7 runs (see article).
• P Robert Stock (Padres/AAA/El Paso Chihuahuas) pitched 2 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding a hit and 2 walks while striking out one.
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/AA/Montgomery Biscuits) pitched 4 strong innings of relief on April 19 to earn his first win of the season, yielding one run on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 6.
• P Brandon Gold (Rockies/AA/Hartford Yard Goats) earned his first win of the season on April 16, yielding 3 runs on 6 hits and no walks over 6 innings while striking out 4.
• P Scott Effross (Cubs/AA/Tennessee Smokies) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 2 hits and no walks.
• In a brief stint at Triple-A before being sent back down to Double-A, P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/AA/Portland Sea Dogs) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out one.
• P Simon RosenblumLarson (Rays/High-A/Charlotte Stone Crabs) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 2 hits and a walk while striking out 4 and lowering his ERA to 1.23.

Transactions

• P Jeremy Bleich signed a minor-league contract with the Red Sox.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox) was promoted to Triple-A on April 16 and then sent back down on April 18.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Cleveland/AA/Akron RubberDucks) was placed on the injured list.

Free agents

• Major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Danny Valencia and Gabe Cramer.

Injured list

• P Zack Weiss (Twins/AAA/Rochester Red Wings), since April 1.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A/Palm Beach Cardinals), since April 4.
• OF Blake Gailen (Dodgers/AAA/Oklahoma City Dodgers), since April 17.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Cleveland/AA/Akron RubberDucks), since April 18.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Rays/AAA/Durham Bulls).

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for week of April 15-21, 2019:

At the plate

• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .348 (8-for-23) with 4 HRs, 6 RBIs and a .444 on-base percentage. Highlights included a walk-off home run on April 15 and a 4-for-5 performance with 2 HRs on April 21. Pederson’s 10 HRs rank #3 in the National League.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .333 (6-for-18) with 3 HRs, a double, a hit-by-pitch, 6 RBIs and a .478 OBP.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .316 (6-for-19) with a home run, double, 5 RBIs and a .333 OBP.
• CF Kevin Pillar hit .300 (6-for-20) with a double, RBI, stolen base and a .333 OBP.
• RF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .143 (3-for-21) with a home run, double, 3 RBIs, stolen base and a .217 OBP.
• 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres) hit .125 (2-for-16) with a double and a .176 OBP.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) started two games last week. In a 6-inning outing on April 16, he yielded 2 earned runs — his first of the season — and 7 hits while striking out 3 en route to a no-decision. On April 21, he scattered 2 earned runs and 7 hits over 6.1 innings while striking out 6 and earning his third win of 2019. Fried’s 1.38 ERA ranks #2 in the National League, and he is one of just four N.L. hurlers with a perfect 3-0 record.
• Richard Bleier (Orioles) did not play. He has been on the injured list since April 10 with tendinitis in his left shoulder.
• Robert Stock (Padres) was optioned to the club’s Triple-A team on April 14. In 2 innings across 2 games for the El Paso Chihuahuas, he yielded no earned runs, gave up a hit and 2 walks, and struck out one.

Don’t forget

• The Jewish Box Score, shown on our Home Page, now provides in-game updates.

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