By Ron Kaplan, contributor Alex Bregman hit his AL-leading 43rd double plus a single while walking twice on Wednesday, scoring one run and driving in another as the Houston Astros (82-51) beat the visiting Oakland A’s, 5-4, on a walk-off homer. One of Bregman’s walks came with the bases loaded in the fourth to give the…
By Scott Barancik, Editor On Saturday, Major League teams will have the option to begin expanding their 25-man rosters to up to 40 players as the minor-league season nears an end. No Jewish prospect is a lock for a call-up. But according to responses from our first-ever Jewish Insiders Poll, several players may have a…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ian Kinsler gave the Boston Red Sox (91-42) a 1-0 lead with a single in the bottom of the second inning on Tuesday. He added another hit and scored a run as the Sox beat the visiting Miami Marlins, 8-7. The Marlins scored five times in the eighth to take the lead,…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Limited action, as per usual for a Monday. Alex Bregman was a triple shy of the cycle Monday night: two singles, his 41st double (to lead the American League; he almost had another but was thrown out at second), and his 25th home run made for a nice line in the box…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor MOT of the Weekend honors go to Alex Bregman. The Houston Astros’ All-Star was 4-for-11 with two doubles (putting him at 40, good for a first-place tie in the American League). He walked three times, scored four runs, and drove in one as the ‘Stros (80-50, first in AL West) swept…
By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of August 20-26, 2018: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Rhett Wiseman RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/High-A) hit .526 (10-for-19) with 3 doubles, a triple, 4 RBIs, a stolen base and a .625 on-base percentage. Although he did not appear in the 2017…
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…
