JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — It’s been a while since we’ve seen anything like Minnesota Twins 3B Danny Valencia‘s day at the plate Monday (7/26/2010). The 25-year-old rookie hit his first MLB home run, and it was a doozy: a first-inning grand slam against the Kansas City Royals. Valencia then went on to post a rare…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Former 3B Elliott Maddox, an African-American man who converted to Judaism midway through his MLB career, will become a Bar Mitzvah on August 9. Maddox, 52, will read from the Torah before roughly 300 campers and former teammate (and fellow Jew) Ron Blomberg at the NJY Camps in Milford, Penn., according…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The best major- or minor-league performances of Sunday, July 25: Jake Lemmerman, “Rookie Pioneer League” Ogden Raptors (Los Angeles Dodgers). The 21-year-old shortstop went 2-for-2 on Sunday with a home run and two walks. The top Jewish pick in the June 2010 amateur draft — 5th round, 172nd overall — Lemmerman ranks among…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Los Angeles Dodgers C Brad Ausmus, who played just one game this season before succumbing to a back injury that required surgery, returned to the team’s roster Tuesday (7/20/2010) after a brief minor-league rehab stint. Ausmus, 41, went 6-for 12 with the “A+” Inland Empire 66ers and 1-for-8 with the “AAA” Albuquerque…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The best major- or minor-league performances of Thurs., July 22: Ryan Lavarnway, “AA” Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox). The 22-year-old catcher continued his hot streak, going 3-for-5 on Thursday with three RBIs. Since his promotion from the “A+” Salem Red Sox, Lavarnway is 12-for-27 with a remarkable 14 RBIs and…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The best major- or minor-league performances of Wed., July 21: Ryan Lavarnway, “AA” Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox). The 22-year-old catcher out of Yale University continues to tear up AA pitching, going 2-for-4 on Wednesday with two RBIs. In just six games since being promoted from the “A+” Salem Red…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Los Angeles Dodgers C Brad Ausmus and Washington Nationals SP Jason Marquis have spent much of the 2010 season on the disabled list. But both made decent showings in minor-league rehab games the past week and may be nearing a return to the Show. Ausmus, 41, went 6-for-12 in four games…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Midway through the 2010 season, Jewish minor leaguers are performing well. The 20 Jewish pitchers have a collective won-loss record of 59-52, a 3.85 ERA and a 2.17 strikeout-to-walk ratio through games played July 14. The 28 position players have a combined batting average of .274 and a walk-to-strikeout ratio of…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Florida International University phenom Garrett Wittels did not win an ESPY award tonight (7/14/2010). Wittels, 20, was one of five sportsmen nominated as “Best Male College Athlete” by cable station ESPN for its annual awards show. But fans voting at ESPN.com in recent weeks ultimately awarded the honor to John Wall,…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Many Jewish athletes are proud of their religion but don’t want it to define their career. For them, faith is a subject best kept private. But not Garrett Wittels. According to a fascinating article in the Jerusalem Post, the college baseball phenom — who hit safely in all 56 games this…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The running count of Jews chosen in last month’s MLB amateur draft has reached 11. Jewish Baseball News last reported that at least six of the 1,500 players selected in the three-day draft were Jewish. Since then, our friends at Jewish Sports Review have identified another five Jews, shown below in…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — So who are the 2010 Jewish category leaders in the MLB as of today (July 12)? Among the eight position players: Highest batting average: Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler (.310) Most home runs: Boston Red Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis (18) Most triples: Boston Red Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis (5) Most doubles:…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Sunday was a good day for Jewish bats. All five position players who played yesterday (7/11/2010) had at least one hit, and three powered home runs: Milwaukee Brewers LF Ryan Braun hit his 13th (video), New York Mets 1B Ike Davis smacked his 11th (video), and Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — An update from the world of Jewish baseball players: Los Angeles Dodgers C Brad Ausmus is doing well in his rehab stint with the Inland Empire 66ers, a Class A-advanced team. The 41-year-old has six hits in 12 at-bats with two walks and two RBIs. Ausmus had just four at-bats with…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — A new film wending its way through the film-festival circuit explores our love affair with baseball. Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story features interviews and footage of players from Sandy Koufax to Kevin Youkilis. New York Times sports writer Ira Berkow penned the script, while actor Dustin Hoffman provides the…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Florida International University has produced an 8-minute video commemorating sophomore Garrett Wittels‘ 56-game hitting streak. The video is full of details large and small, from the dimensions of the 20-year-old infielder’s bat (33 inches, 30 ounces) to his many superstitions (such as the Bubblicious watermelon bubble gum his younger brother and…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Milwaukee Brewers LF Ryan Braun and Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler will participate in the 2010 All-Star Game, Major League Baseball announced this weekend. Braun,who led all AL outfielders with 2.97-million votes, will be the lone Jewish player in either league’s starting lineup. Kinsler, who finished third among AL second basemen…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — I was watching my beloved (but struggling) Tampa Bay Rays play the Minnesota Twins last night (7/2/2010) when Twins 3B Danny Valencia came to the plate in the 7th inning with the score tied 1-1. That’s the same Danny Valencia whom Jewish Baseball News recently identified as a fellow Member of…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Congratulations to Lisa Robbins, winner of the Jewish Baseball News bumper-sticker contest. Robbins, Jewess extraordinaire of Tampa, Fla., harangued ten Facebook friends into ‘like’-ing JBN’s Faceboook page. For her effort, Robbins will receive a free JBN bumper sticker (and a date with any JBN hunk who can handle her). Great job,…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Minnesota Twins rookie Danny Valencia is the 13th Jewish athlete to play major-league ball this season. Valencia, a 25-year-old third baseman from Boca Raton, Fla., made his MLB debut on June 3 after more than three years in the Twins’ farm system, where he was a three-time all-star. He is batting…
