JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The Texas Rangers are headed to their first World Series in team history, and 2B Ian Kinsler is more than just along for the ride.

In Friday night’s 7-1 clincher against the New York Yankees (10/22/2010), the lone Jew remaining in the MLB playoffs stroked a double, hit a sacrifice fly, and drew a walk.

“It’s incredible,” Kinsler told MLB.com. “We set out all year to achieve our goal and in the clubhouse we never doubted it. A lot of people had doubts, but we never had doubts and we proved it.”

The 5th-year pro is among the Rangers’ post-season leaders in multiple categories:

• 9 RBIs (1st)
• .342 batting average (2nd)
• .409 on-base percentage (2nd)
• .658 slugging percentage (2nd)
• 5 walks (2nd)
• 5 extra-base hits (2nd/tie)
• 3 HRs (3rd)
• 2 doubles (3rd)

In fact, Kinslers’ 9 RBIs are more than any MLB player has had this post-season, and his .342 batting average ranks 3rd.

If SP Scott Feldman hadn’t gone 7-11 this season with a bloated 5.48 ERA, he might be joining Kinsler in the Fall Classic, but the Rangers understandably left him off the team’s post-season roster.

The 1st game of the 2010 World Series takes place Wednesday night (10/27/2010).

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