JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Here is your MLB playoff update for Thursday (Oct. 7, 2010):

• In just the second playoff game of his career, 2B Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers hit a solo HR and an RBI single in a 6-0 win over the (beloved) Tampa Bay Rays. Rays OF Gabe Kapler remains on the disabled list and thus is not part of the team’s playoff roster. Texas leads the 5-game series 2-0 (sob); Game 3 takes place Saturday in Texas.
• Rookie 3B Danny Valencia of the Minnesota Twins went 0/2 with one RBI in a 5-2 loss to the New York Yankees. The 25-year-old’s sacrifice fly put the Twins ahead 1-0 in the 2nd inning, but the lead didn’t hold up. The Yanks lead the 5-game series 2-0; Game 3 takes place Saturday in New York.

With the Philadelphia Phillies attempting to reach their 3rd straight World Series, the Jewish Exponent recently published an interesting article on the team’s general manager, former OF Ruben Amaro Jr. Though Jews are not uncommon in the front offices of Major League baseball, Amaro — whose Mexican-born father also played in the pros — is not widely known as Jewish. But his mother, Judy Herman, was a Jew, and although Amaro was baptized, “We did Passover, Yom Kippur, Chanukah,” he told the Exponent. “We were exposed to both faiths pretty equally.” Amaro and his Catholic wife are raising their children Catholic.

Thanks to Jewish Baseball News reader Jack W. for the tip on the Exponent article.

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