Max Fried, 19-year-old prospect, lives up to hype with no-hitter

Help keep Jewish Baseball News free! Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik, editor Talk about pressure. Max Fried was a mere 18 years old when the San Diego Padres offered him a cool $3-million signing bonus in 2012. Hype followed the No. 7 draft pick everywhere. Even now, with only one full year of Minor League ball…

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Padres prospect Cody Decker: far from average

Help keep Jewish Baseball News free! Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik, editor Cody Decker is many things, but “average” is not one of them. Neither is “normal.” That seems to suit the 26-year-old San Diego Padres prospect just fine. The southern California native  played a lead role in The Music Man and other productions in…

Feldman pitches best game of career

Help keep Jewish Baseball News free! Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik, editor During his nine years in the majors, Scott Feldman has never pitched a complete game. He has struck out more than 7 batters only once, an 11-strikeout performance with the Texas Rangers, back in 2009. That is, until Wednesday night (5/1/2013). In perhaps the…

Zach Borenstein’s homer barrage

Help keep Jewish Baseball News free! Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik, editor If California League (High A) pitchers weren’t paying much attention to Zach Borenstein before, they certainly are now. The 22-year-old outfielder hit not one but two 3-run HRs Sunday night (4/28/2013) in the Inland Empire 66ers’ 12-7 victory over the Lancaster Lugnuts. The…

Maxx Tissenbaum’s blog: Up, down, and out

Editor’s note: Maxx Tissenbaum is a 21-year-old prospect with the Fort Wayne TinCaps, the San Diego Padres’ Single-A team, and an honest chronicler of life in the minor-leagues. Click here to see Maxx‘s past blog entries, and click here to join our mail list. _____________________________ By Maxx Tissenbaum/Special to Jewish Baseball News It has been a while since I…

Joc Pederson named Southern League (AA) Player of the Week

Help keep Jewish Baseball News free! Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Joc Pederson is living up to his billing. Ranked the Los Angeles Dodgers’ No. 4 prospect by Baseball America, the Chattanooga Lookouts outfielder celebrated his 21st birthday Sunday (4/21/2013) by being named the Southern League (AA) Offensive Player of the Week. Pederson earned the…

On the move: Greenberg, Haerther, Kaplan

Help keep Jewish Baseball News free! Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News At least three players recently released by their Minor League teams have taken jobs in independent baseball leagues. All three played for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers last year. Adam Greenberg has rejoined the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent…

Minor-league highlights (April 14-16, 2013)

Help keep Jewish Baseball News free! Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Here are highlights for minor-league games played from April 14-16, 2013: Los Angeles Angels prospect Zach Borenstein is on a power trip. The 22-year-old first baseman hit a HR on Monday (box score) and two more on Tuesday (box score) for a combined five…

Nate Freiman crushes first MLB home run

Help keep Jewish Baseball News free! Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News It took Oakland A’s rookie Nate Freiman just 14 MLB at-bats to smash his first home run (see video), a 3-run shot off Houston Astros starter Erik Bedard that landed in the upper-level left-field bleachers before a cheering hometown crowd on Monday (4/15/2013)….

Minor-league highlights (April 13, 2013)

Use our Amazon.com link to support Jewish Baseball News ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Here are highlights from minor-league games played on Saturday, April 13: Max Fried, a 19-year-old starter ranked the San Diego Padres’ No. 2 prospect by MLB.com, earned his first professional win, and in dominant fashion. Fried pitched 5 scoreless innings for the Fort…

Maxx Tissenbaum’s blog: Our home opener

Editor’s note: Maxx Tissenbaum is a 21-year-old prospect with the San Diego Padres organization and an honest chronicler of life in the minor-leagues. Click here to see Maxx‘s past blog entries, and here to join our mail list. _____________________________ By Maxx Tissenbaum/Special to Jewish Baseball News There are very few days in a calendar year that I find to…

Introducing: Maxx Tissenbaum’s blog

Going shopping? Please use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News One of the minor leagues’ most intriguing (and proudly Jewish) young players today is Maxx Tissenbaum, a 21-year-old prospect with the San Diego Padres. And not just because he’s a sure-handed infielder, tough out, and base-on-balls machine. The switch-hitting Toronto native is an excellent writer, too….

Minor-league highlights (April 8, 2013)

Going shopping? Please use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Here are highlights from minor-league games played on Monday, April 8: Toronto Blue Jays prospect Kevin Pillar, the 2012 Midwest League MVP, went 1/4 with a single, two walks, one RBI and a run scored (box score). Pillar plays for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats….

Minor-league highlights (April 7, 2013)

Going shopping? Please use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Here are highlights from minor-league games played on Sunday, April 7: Joc Pederson, ranked the Los Angeles Dodgers’ #4 prospect by Baseball America, went a combined 3-for-7 with two HRs, a double, and 3 RBIs. Pederson is an outfielder with the Chattanooga Lookouts (AA). New…

Minor-league highlights (Saturday, 4/6)

Going shopping? Please use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Here are highlights from minor-league games played on Saturday, April 6: Toronto Blue Jays prospect Kevin Pillar, an outfielder with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA), went 4-for-5 with 2 stolen bases. Pillar also tossed out a runner at third base (box score)….

A look back at spring training’s standouts

Going shopping? Please use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News With the regular season now underway, we’re taking a quick look back at how Jewish players performed in spring training. The sheer number who played was impressive: a total of at least 24 Jews — 18 position players and six pitchers —…

Nate Freiman makes A’s opening-day roster

Going shopping? Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Nate Freiman has made the opening-day roster of the Oakland A’s. The 26-year-old slugger told the San Francisco Chronicle he was “shaking” when A’s manager Bob Melvin let him know during batting practice. He is expected to platoon at first base along with 7-year MLB veteran Brandon…

New teams for Nate Freiman, Danny Valencia

Going shopping? Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News A flurry of roster moves is taking place as Spring Training player evaluations near an end. The Oakland A’s picked up Nate Freiman on Saturday (3/23/2013) after the Houston Astros put him on waivers. The 26-year-old first baseman, who dominated opposing pitchers during Team…

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Kevin Pillar: the best Jewish player you’ve never heard of

Going shopping? Use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Kevin Pillar is the best Jewish player you’ve never heard of. In college he set an NCAA Division II record with a 54-game hitting streak. Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011, he led his rookie league with a .347 batting average…

Israel’s revenge: Greenberg helps Baltimore trounce Spain

Going shopping? Please use our Amazon.com link ———————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Adam Greenberg made the most of his appearance in Wednesday’s (3/6/2013) exhibition game between the Baltimore Orioles and Spain. Inserted in center field in the 6th inning, the 32-year-old walked on four pitches, scored a run, and stroked an RBI single on…