By Ron Kaplan, contributor (Note: This entry covers just the last weekend of the 2017 regular season.) Well, this was a letdown. Only three JMLs participated in their teams’ final games on Sunday: Max Fried, Joc Pederson and Alex Bregman. Fried started the game for the Atlanta Braves. He pitched — mixed. On the one hand, he struck out…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Alex Bregman had just one of the 17 hits by the Houston Astros (99-60), but it went for his 18th home run in a 12-2 pasting of the host Boston Red Sox, a possible opponent in the post-season. The shot over the Green Monster was good for two runs in the second inning. Bregman…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Alex Bregman singled, doubled (#38), and drove in a run as the Houston Astros (98-60) once again roughed up their intrastate rivals, the Texas Rangers, this time by a score of 12-2. Richard Bleier gave up a hit in one scoreless inning of relief as the Baltimore Orioles (75-84) lost to the host…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor A Danny Valencia sighting! He got the start in right field and was 1-for-2 with his 15th home run, a a three-run blast to center in the seventh that helped the Seattle Mariners (77-81) beat the host Oakland As, 6-3. It was Valencia’s first home run in almost a month (8/28), but that’s…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Max Fried made his third start and didn’t do badly. He gave up one earned run (two total) on seven hits in 5.1 innings, striking out two and walking one while taking the first loss of his Major League career as the Atlanta Braves (71-85) fell to the host NY Mets, 3-2,…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Can it really be that we’re down to the last week of the regular season? Where did the time go? Ian Kinsler picked a bad time to get hot. Over the weekend, the second baseman was 4-for-13 with a double (#35), two home runs (#22), four RBIs and three runs scored. But the Detroit Tigers…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ryan Braun had two singles and a walk as the Milwaukee Brewers (81-70) once again shut out the host Pittsburgh Pirates, this time by a score of 1-0 thanks to a Domingo Santana home run in the fourth inning. The Brewers are now one game behind the Colorado Rockies for the second…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Only two Jewish hitters were in action yesterday, and both hit home runs. Ian Kinsler blasted his MOT-leading 19th (another solo job), but the Detroit Tigers (62-88) fell to the visiting Oakland As, 8-3. Kinsler drove in another run with his 24th double, so he accounted for 67 percent of his team’s scoring….
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Star honors for the weekend go to Ryan Braun, who was 5-for-13 with his 16th homer. He also had two doubles (24) and his second triple of the year. He drove in two, scored three, and walked twice as the Milwaukee Brewers (79-70) took two of three from the host Miami Marlins. Ian Kinsler was 3-for-11 with…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ian Kinsler hit home run #18, but the Detroit Tigers (60-86) nevertheless lost to the visiting Chicago White Sox, 17-7. Kinsler, who served as DH in this one, clubbed his shot in the ninth inning for his only hit in five at-bats. Prior to the game, Kinsler was presented with the 2017 Heart…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ian Kinsler was 0-for-5 as the Detroit Tigers (60-85) gave the host Cleveland Indians (90-56) their A.L. record 21st-straight win, 5-3. Craig Breslow did not appear for the Indians. St. Louis Cardinals’ rookie pitcher Ryan Sherriff had the first rough outing of his young career. He allowed two inherited runners to score, along with two of…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ian Kinsler hit his 22nd double in four at-bats, but it didn’t matter: the Cleveland Indians (89-56) won their 20th in a row by beating the Detroit Tigers (60-84), 2-0. Craig Breslow did not appear for the Indians. Meanwhile, the Tigers still talking about whether or not to bring Brad Ausmus back as manager next year. Alex Bregman was…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Only two MOTs in action last night. Both of their teams were involved in streaks of one sort or another. Craig Breslow pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Cleveland Indians (84-56), who won their 15th in a row by beating the lowly Chicago White Sox, 11-1. Breslow worked the ninth,…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ian Kinsler hit home run #15 to break a four-way tie for most among MOTs. It was one of the few highlights for the Detroit Tigers (59-80), who were pummeled by the visiting KC Royals, 13-2. The solo shot — his only hit in three at-bats (he also walked) — came in the fifth…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Kevin Pillar had a single and double (#34) and scored a run in seven at-bats as the Toronto Blue Jays (64-75) lost to the host Boston Red Sox, 3-2, in 19 innings. The winning single was hit in Pillar’s direction, but there was no superhuman effort in this story, and his throw…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Welcome back, folks. Hope you had a great Labor Day holiday despite weather conditions and sundry global events. Since most teams begin a new series on Mondays, I’m going to dispense with the usual long-weekend wrap. Too complicated. However I just wanted to give a shout-out to Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried….
By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of August 28 – September 3, 2017: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Zane Gurwitz 2B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/rookie), a 2017 draftee, hit .500 (8-for-16) with 2 HRs, 7 RBIs and a walk last week. His .386 average is tops among all Arizona Rookie…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Yesterday was the deadline for trades that would qualify players to appear in the post-season. The Detroit Tigers made a couple of big deals, parting ways with their ace Justin Verlander and outfielder Justin Upton, but Ian Kinsler remains mired with the last-place team, which was idle last night. There’s still a better-than-average chance that…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ryan Braun hit his 21st double in four at-bats as the Milwaukee Brewers (69-64) held off the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, 6-5. Keon Broxton made a home run-saving catch to end the game, but I think the announcers got a little too enthusiastic. The hit would have given the Cards (66-66) a…
By Ron Kaplan, contributor Alex Bregman was 3-for-5 with an RBI as the Houston Astros (79-52) were sextupled by the Texas Rangers, 12-2. He also made this nice play at shortstop, where he started the game before moving to his usual position at third base. Bregman is hitting .338 since the All-Star break, and he’s hitting home runs and…
