By Scott Barancik, editor A Jewish duo keyed Oakland’s 4-3 win yesterday over the Astros (9/18/2015). Danny Valencia supplied the power. Batting cleanup, the mid-season acquisition hit a solo HR in the 4th inning and a two-run shot in the 8th that proved to be the game-winner. Sam Fuld furnished the glove. Houston was up 2-0…
By Scott Barancik, editor Cody Decker returned to L.A. on Sunday, a day after his El Paso Chihuahuas were knocked out of the Pacific Coast League (AAA) playoffs. His future was uncertain: after seven seasons as a San Diego Padres farmhand, the franchise’s all-time minor-league home run leader (154 HRs) was due to become a…
By Scott Barancik, editor It looks like manager Brad Ausmus’s stay with the Detroit Tigers is coming to an end. Citing an unnamed source with “knowledge of the front office’s plans,” the Detroit Free Press reported this morning that Tigers owner Mike Ilitch will fire Ausmus sometime after the the team’s final game of the regular…
By Scott Barancik, editor It took 10 days after the horrific events of 9/11/2001 for baseball to resume in New York City. On Sept. 21, the hometown New York Mets’ Bruce Chen faced off against the Atlanta Braves’ Jason Marquis, a 23-year-old righthander from Staten Island. Before the game, Marquis was asked how he felt…
By Scott Barancik, editor It has been a big week for Reds prospect Zack Weiss. Weiss, a 23-year-old reliever drafted out of UCLA in 2013, began the season with the Daytona Tortugas (A+), where he quickly earned 5 saves before being promoted to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (AA) in early May. Since arriving he has established…
By Scott Barancik, editor On Tuesday, Major League teams can expand their rosters from 25 players to 40, an annual September ritual that allows top prospects a chance to take a swing at the big time. Although there are no guarantees, two Jewish pitchers might make the leap. One is Washington Nationals farmhand Richard Bleier, a…
By Scott Barancik, editor Here’s what’s happening in Major League Baseball. Ryan Braun hit his 250th career home run Wednesday. Among Jewish players, only legends Hank Greenberg (331) and Shawn Green (328) have hit more. The homer, Braun’s 20th of the season, came against the Cubs’ Jason Hammel, the same pitcher who gave up Braun’s 249th…
By Scott Barancik, editor Ryan Braun is one shot away from becoming the third Jewish player to amass 250 career HRs, joining legends Hank Greenberg (331) and Shawn Green (328). Eighteen other active Major Leaguers already have 250-plus HRs. But when Braun joins their elite club, he will stand out in two ways. Rk Player HR Age…
By Scott Barancik, editor Danny Valencia, who was as shocked as his fans were when the Toronto Blue Jays designated him for assignment on Saturday (8/1/2015), has been claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics. The 30-year-old Florida native was hitting .296 with 7 HRs, 13 doubles, and 29 RBIs in 162 at-bats when the…
By Scott Barancik, editor Israel’s senior national baseball team crushed its “C pool” competition in last year’s European Championship qualifiers. Now it’s cruising through the “B pool” qualifying tournament, which began Monday (7/27/2015) in Vienna and includes national teams from Austria, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. In Game 1, Israel defeated Belarus 13-1 on 13 hits…
By Scott Barancik, editor In one of the strongest Jewish draft classes in years, 11 amateurs were chosen in the first 20 rounds of the 2015 draft, and one of them (the Astros’ Alex Bregman) was selected #2 overall. The total Jewish head count was no fewer than 15. Who signed? And who decided to stay…
[Editor’s note: Havana Curveball is not yet available for individual purchase or rental. To screen the film at a school, library, synagogue, or local theater, contact Leah Lamb at leah@patchworksfilms.net.] By Stuart M. Katz, correspondent Havana Curveball, a new documentary by filmmakers Marcia Jarmel and Ken Schneider, tells the tale of a bar mitzvah boy’s innocent and initially…
By Scott Barancik, editor Nu, so what’s going on in the Minors? Cody Decker — the San Diego Padres’ all-time minor-league HR leader and a participant in this month’s Triple-A Home Run Derby — has hit three HRs since the All-Star break, including Thursday’s solo shot (7/23/2015). The El Paso Chihuahuhas star has 18 HRs, and he’s hitting them…
By Scott Barancik, editor Richard Bleier pitched 7 shutout innings Wednesday for the Harrisburg Senators (AA), giving up just four hits and not a single walk in a 13-0 win. So what else is new? In 103 Double-A innings this year, the 28-year-old Washington Nationals prospect has walked only nine batters, or 2.2% of those…
By Scott Barancik, editor Well, that didn’t take long. Washington Nationals prospect Rhett Wiseman, a 3rd-round draft pick out of Vanderbilt who made his pro debut July 10, has been named the New York-Penn League’s Player of the Week for the week of July 13-19. A centerfielder for the Auburn Doubledays (A-short season), he hit…
By Scott Barancik, editor Detroit’s Ian Kinsler hit 2 home runs Sunday, and he made sure the second one counted. Seattle was leading the Tigers 4-3 when Kinsler came up with a man on and two outs in the bottom of the 8th inning. Down 1-and-2 in the count to reliever Mark Lowe, who entered the…
By Scott Barancik, editor Matt Holliday’s misfortune has proved opportune for two Jewish ballplayers. Thanks to the Cardinals outfielder’s injury — sorry, Matt — Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson will replace him in the National League’s starting lineup at Tuesday’s All-Star Game (7/14/2015), and Brewers veteran Ryan Braun will replace Holliday as a reserve on the roster. It’s…
By Scott Barancik, editor Lots of news to report in the minors today. Cody Decker (Padres, AAA) Cody Decker, the San Diego Padres’ all-time minor-league HR leader, has been chosen to participate in this year’s Triple-A Home Run Derby, along with five other All-Star sluggers. The 28-year-old infielder has 15 HRs this season and leads…
By Scott Barancik, editor The sports world is taking note of Kevin Pillar, the Blue Jays CF who has impressed not only with his glove (he is considered a strong Gold Glove candidate) but his bat. Sports-radio god Jim Rome interviewed Pillar earlier this week about his record setting 54-game hitting streak in college, being selected…
By Scott Barancik, editor Dodgers CF Joc Pederson has been named to the National League All-Star team as a reserve. He is one of just two rookies picked for the Tuesday, July 14 game, the other being Cubs 3B Kris Bryant. He is the first Dodgers rookie to be named to the team since P…
