Author: scott

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of June 19-25, 2017: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Zach Borenstein* LF Zach Borenstein* (Diamondbacks/AAA) had a tremendous week, hitting .412 (7-for-17) with 2 homers, 2 triples, 3 walks and 8 RBIs. His .533 slugging percentage is tied for 14th-best in the Pacific Coast…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Dropping Kevin Pillar in the batting order seems to be working, for now. The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder had five hits over the weekend, including his 19th double and ninth home run. But all that didn’t prevent the Jays (36-39) from dropping two of three to the host KC Royals. Summing…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor A good night for batters; for pitchers, not so much. The LA Dodgers (48-26) had just six hits against the visiting NY Mets, but three of then went for home runs, including one by Joc Pederson, his fifth of the year. It came as he led off the seventh inning and…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor So let me get this straight: the days are going to get shorter now? Doesn’t it seem like they should be longest in the middle of summer? Anyway, the days can’t seem to end early enough for the NY Mets, who lost again. The host LA Dodgers (47-26) whooped them, 8-2….

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Joc Pederson was on base four times for the host LA Dodgers (45-26) last night — a run-scoring ground-rule double, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch — in a 12-0 pounding of the NY Mets. I lead off with this one because I actually stayed up to watch the game as I…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Scott Feldman tossed six strong innings, giving up just two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out six for the Cincinnati Reds (30-39) against the host Tampa Bay Rays in a 7-3 win. It was his seventh so-called quality start of the season. But reliever Michel Lorenzen couldn’t hold…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of June 12-18, 2017: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Garrett Stubbs C  Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AA) hit .308 (4-for-13) with one RBI and 5 walks while striking out just once last week. The USC alum is one of only three teammates this season with at least…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Three home runs erev Shabbos? Sounds good to me. Mazel of the weekend goes to Joc Pederson, who recently returned from the DL list. In three games against the host Cincinnati Reds, he was 4-for-12 with two home runs (one on Friday and four on the season), a double, four runs…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor A typically light Thursday night: only three MOTs in action, if you can call it that. Ian Kinsler was 1-for-4 with his third stolen base and two runs scored as the Detroit Tigers (31-34) beat the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, 5-3. Joc Pederson hit his seventh double in four at-bats and scored a…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Danny Valencia was 2-for-5, scored a run, and notched his 35th RBI to help the Seattle Mariners (33-34) beat the host Minnesota Twins (33-29), 4-2. Craig Breslow did not appear for the Twins in this one. Ian Kinsler hit his ninth double and scored the only run for the Detroit Tigers (30-34) in a 2-1…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Joc Pederson returned to the lineup as the LA Dodgers (40-25) beat the host Cleveland Indians, 7-5. Pederson — batting eighth in the lineup — was 0-for-4 with a walk. Ian Kinsler singled in five trips to the plate and scored a run, but the Detroit Tigers lost to the visiting Diamondbacks, 7-6, when…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Danny Valencia was not much of a chaver to landsman Craig Breslow last night as the Seattle Mariners (32-33) beat up on the host Minnesota Twins (32-28), 14-3. He hit a solo home run (#6) off of the suddenly struggling reliever in the eighth inning. Valencia also had a run-scoring single…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Ian Kinsler had four singles in 14 at-bats as the Detroit Tigers (30-32) lost two of three to the host Boston Red Sox. He also scored twice and drove in a run. Kevin Pillar was 3-for-14 over the weekend. Two of those hits, both doubles (15 and 16), came in Sunday’s…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of June 5-11, 2017. Members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad are marked with an asterisk: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Cody Decker* 1B Cody Decker* (Mets/AA) hit .250 (3-for-12) with 2 HRs, 6 RBIs and a walk. With 7 HRs in 101 at-bats, he’s averaging one round-tripper…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor The “good” Scott Feldman showed up yesterday, throwing seven shutout innings, giving up four hits and no walks, and striking out four to lead the Cincinnati Reds (29-30) to a 5-2 win to sweep the four-game series over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Feldman’s win, his fifth, was only the 13th…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Kevin Pillar launched a two-out, three-run homer (his 8th) in the top of the second to give the Toronto Blue Jays a 4-1 lead over the Oakland As. The home team came back to tie things up and send the game into extra innings. The Jays (29-31) ended up with a…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Welcome back, Kinsler. Ian returned to action for the Detroit Tigers last night. He hit his seventh double and walked in five trips to the plate in a 5-3 loss to the visiting LA Angels. The loss pushed the Tigers to a game under the .500 mark, at 28-29. Brad Ausmus’ concerns?…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Short and sweet: Just two MOTs in action last night. Alex Bregman entered the game between the Houston Astros (42-16) and host KC Royals as a defensive replacement. He singled in his only at bat and scored a run as his team stretched their winning streak to 11 with a 7-2…

By Ron Kaplan, contributor Danny Valencia had the best weekend of the JMLs as the Seattle Mariners (28-30) swept the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. On Friday, he drove in a season-high five RBIs thanks to a three-run homer, bases-loaded walk and RBI single (see video below). He also added his ninth double in the 12-4…