By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ryan Braun came on as a defensive substitute in the sixth inning, batting ninth. He had a single and an RBI double in two at-bats, but the Milwaukee Brewers (70-58) lost to the visiting Cincinnati Reds, 9-7. Braun’s double — a two-strike bullet into the gap — tied the game at 7-7…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Kevin Pillar had two doubles in four at-bats, scored a run, and drove in another as the Toronto Blue Jays (56-69) beat the visiting Baltimore Orioles, 5-3. Sorry, but why is he getting so much grief over his baserunning blunder on Saturday against the Yankees? Am I just too sensitive about it? Yes, agreed, it was not a smart…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ian Kinsler returned to the lineup for the Boston Red Sox (88-37, first in the AL East with the best record in baseball), going 0-for-6 with a walk and an RBI as his team took two of three from the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. Alex Bregman was 4-for-13 including his 23rd and 24th…
By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of August 13-19, 2018: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Scotty Burcham* SS Scotty Burcham* (Rockies/AA) hit .500 (9-for-18) with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs and a .571 OBP. And after stealing only one base in three attempts all season, Burcham stole 2…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Not much action, as is not unusual for a Thursday… Kevin Pillar was 2-for-4 with his 30th double of the year, but the Toronto Blue Jays (55-66) fell to the host KC Royals, 6-2. Robert Stock threw one shutout inning of relief (two walks, two strikeouts) as the San Diego Padres lost to…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Here we go again. Just when things were looking up for him, the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun had to leave Wednesday’s 8-4 loss to the visiting Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning after injury his rib cage on this play. He was 0-for-2 before coming out for a pinch hitter in the fifth….
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Unfortunately, these things are getting easier between the MOTs designated for assignment (Ty Kelly, Danny Valencia) and the disabled list (Ian Kinsler, Max Fried, Richard Bleier, Ryan Sherriff). Braun bops! Ryan Braun hit two home runs in his first two at-bats to help the Milwaukee Brewers (68-54) beat the host Chicago Cubs,…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor In limited MOT action… Kevin Pillar was 0-for-3 as the Toronto Blue Jays (53-65) lost to the host KC Royals, 3-1. But let’s not forget his go-ahead slide to the plate on Sunday: Joc Pederson grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and remained in the game in left as…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Alex Bregman, Houston Astros (73-46, first in the AL West), was 2-for-4 with his 37th double and one of the two runs his team scored in a 5-2 loss to the visiting Seattle Mariners on Friday. The next day he was 1-for-3 with a walk in a 3-2 loss. On Sunday,…
By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of August 6-12, 2018: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Ty Kelly* 2B Ty Kelly* (Mets/AAA) hit .300 (6-for-20) with 2 doubles, 6 RBIs and a .417 on-base percentage. His 49 RBIs rank #3 on the Las Vegas 51s. Jewish Baseball News…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Joc Pederson’s pinch-hit home run gave the LA Dodgers (64-52) a 2-1 lead over the host Colorado Rockies in the seventh. It was the 18th long-ball this season for Pederson, who remained in the game and struck out to end the ninth after the Dodgers scored three for an 8-5 win….
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Kevin Pillar was 1-for-4 with a run scored on Wednesday as the Toronto Blue Jays (51-62) lost to the visiting Boston Red Sox, 10-5. He also made a nice catch and throw on this play, all the more impressive considering his recent collarbone injury. Danny Valencia was 1-for-3 with a walk as the…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Are you kidding me?? Two innings into the first game of their doubleheader against the host Washington Nationals, Atlanta’s Max Fried gets hit by a line drive off the bat of Spencer Keiboom (Kaboom?) and winds up on the disabled list! (Damn, he’s thin.) Fried allowed a hit and a walk while striking…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Well, that was quick: Ian Kinsler walked and scored a run on Friday as the host Boston Red Sox (79-34, first in AL East) started a four-game sweep of the NY Yankees with a 4-1 win, thanks to a one-hitter by Rick Porcello. But Kinsler ended up on the 10-day disabled list, ironic since he…
By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of July 30-August 5, 2018: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Michael Wielansky SS Michael Wielansky (Astros/A-short-season) hit .417 (5-for-12) last week, with 2 doubles, an RBI and a .462 on-base percentage. Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Rob Kaminsky Rob…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ian Kinsler, batting in the fifth spot, singled twice and doubled (#21) in six at bats for the Boston Red Sox in a 15-7 drubbing of the visiting NY Yankees on Thursday, thanks in part to three home runs by Steve Pearce. Kinsler also stole his 10th base, scored twice, and drove…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Danny Valencia was 2-for-5 with a run scored on Thursday as the Baltimore Orioles (33-75) beat the host NY Yankees, 7-5. Alex Bregman hit a double (#35) in five at-bats and scored a run as the Houston Astros (69-41) beat the host Seattle Mariners, 8-3. Joc Pederson was 1-for-5 as the LA Dodgers (60-49)…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor In his first game for the Boston Red Sox (75-34), Ian Kinsler was 1-for-4 in a 3-1 loss to Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (59-48). By the way, a belated happy birthday to Kapler, who turned 43 yesterday. Alex Bregman, playing shortstop, was 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored as the Houston…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Well, the big news is that Ian Kinsler will be joining the first-place Boston Red Sox. The four-time All Star and 2016 Gold Glove winner was acquired in a trade with the LA Angels, who in turn had acquired him from the Detroit Tigers during the 2017-18 offseason. Possessing a combination of power…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Another down-and-dirty wrap, due to the lateness of the hour. Ian Kinsler had the weekend honors as top MOT thanks to his 3-for-3 performance — including a double, a walk, three runs scored, and two RBIs — in the LA Angels’ 11-5 win Saturday over the visiting Seattle Mariners. He had one other hit…
