By Zev Ben Avigdor/Jewish Baseball News For the second season in a row, Jewish ballplayers Garrett Wittels and Corey Baker are playing together on the Batavia Muckdogs (A-short season), a New York-based affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Though having a Jewish teammate is rare in baseball (in fact, last year they even had a third Jewish teammate, Venezuelan…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Mondays bite. But you can bite back: Scott Feldman‘s winning streak ended Friday (8/10/2012) with a 6-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers, but what a streak it was. After losing his first six decisions of the season and amassing a 6.50 ERA, the 6-foot-6-inch Texas Ranger won the next six…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Two days ago, there were no Jews on the Boston Red Sox’s roster. Ryan Kalish had been sent back to AAA Pawtucket on July 8 after a mediocre three-week stint. Beloved infielder Kevin Youkilis had been traded to the Chicago White Sox on June 25. There was no simche at Fenway….
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News It’s not easy to muster a smile on Mondays, but here are a few good reasons: There are only three possible explanations for pitcher Scott Feldman‘s recent dominance: a pact with the devil, alien body-snatching, or performance-enhancing drugs. Through July 4, the Texas Ranger had a 2-6 record and a…
By Zev Ben Avigdor/Jewish Baseball News In 2010, Zach Kapstein was drafted out of Tiverton (Rhode Island) High School by the team he grew up rooting for, the Boston Red Sox. The young catcher had put together a senior year the Sox simply could not ignore: a .603 batting average with five home runs, 22…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Boker tov, fellow Hebrews! Here’s some good news for your Monday morn: Seattle Mariners prospect Jack Marder was out most of June with injuries, but you wouldn’t know it from his first 3 games back, when he went 7-for-15 with 2 HRs, a double, and 5 RBIs (July 6-8). A 22-year-old catcher…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Our cup runneth over with good news this week: Does Kevin Youkilis have a flair for the dramatic, or what? The newly-minted Chicago White Sox third baseman homered in his first at-bat at U.S. Cellular Field (see video) and finished the day 3-for-6 with 4 RBIs. He’s 9-for-23 (.391) during the current homestand,…
By Zev Ben Avigdor/Jewish Baseball News Baltimore Orioles prospect Robbie Widlansky is getting a lot of attention lately. A first baseman, outfielder, and DH with the Bowie Bowsox (AA), the 27-year-old will play in next week’s Eastern League All-Star game. In June he was named the league’s Player of the Month after hitting .407 with 10 doubles, 2 HRs,…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Get ready to kvell, brothers and sisters. It’s Good news Monday! San Diego Padres prospect Nate Freiman won the Texas League Home Run Derby last Thursday (6/28/2012). A 6’7″ first baseman with the San Antonio Missions (AA), Freiman’s first swing of the contest reportedly was “the sweetest.” He launched a shot that not only…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News We recently told you about two athletes who were selected in this year’s MLB amateur draft. The San Diego Padres picked up 18-year-old pitcher Max Fried in the 1st round (7th pick overall) and agreed earlier this month to pay him a $3-million bonus. The Chicago White Sox chose hometown…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Because our website was down on Monday, gosh darn it: If cats have nine lives, Jason Marquis may be a close second. After the Minnesota Twins unceremoniously dumped the 33-year-old journeyman and his 8.47 ERA last month, he was picked up by his 8th MLB team, the San Diego Padres….
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News After weeks of speculation, the Boston Red Sox have traded All-Star infielder Kevin Youkilis to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for two players and cash. The 33-year-old Youkilis ended his nine-year Boston stretch in style at Fenway Park today (6/24/2012), hitting a triple in his final at-bat and earning a standing…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News When the Seattle Mariners released Ryan Kiel this March, it was the Cincinnati Reds’ gain. Not only did Reds fans get a 6’4″ reliever with a solid minor-league background who prides himself on being a “power pitcher.” They also got a Jewish player, the only known one in the franchise. A…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Monday-morning blues be damned: After crushing minor-league pitching during a 15-game rehab stint, Ryan Kalish is back with the Boston Red Sox, and boy did he make a good entrance yesterday (6/17/2012). In his first big-league game since 2010, the 25-year-old outfielder broke up a 3-3 tie in the 7th inning…
By Zev Ben Avigdor/Jewish Baseball News New York Mets prospect Jeff Kaplan doesn’t have a blazing fastball or any other lights-out pitch. The 26-year-old San Diego native with the 2.98 career E.R.A. just seems to get people out with focus and control. An 11th-round pick out of Cal State Fullerton in 2008, Kaplan was a starting pitcher…
Author: Joshua L. Berkowitz (Website; Facebook) Published: 2012 Pages: 288 Price: $12.07 at Amazon Our rating: 5 stars (out of 5) Reviewed by Stuart M. Katz for Jewish Baseball News Overview In Third Base For Life, author Josh Berkowitz recounts the extraordinary but true journey taken by a rag-tag team of third-graders from a sandlot behind a Jewish day…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News When Philadelphia Phillies prospect B.J. Rosenberg made his Major League debut last week (6/9/2012), Jewish baseball fans around the world dropped us a line to ask: Is he one of ours? We asked the diligent researchers at Jewish Sports Review, and their answer was clear: Absolutely not, despite Rosenberg’s Jewish-sounding…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Dry your Monday-morning tears with these updates: Talk about turnarounds. By the time the Philadelphia Phillies sent Michael Schwimer down to the minors last month, the 6’8″ reliever had lost a game, blown a save, and was nursing a 8.53 ERA. But since returning to the City of Brotherly love this month,…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Getting drafted isn’t easy for NCAA Division III ballplayers. Only 12 were selected in Major League Baseball’s 2012 amateur draft. But Chicago native and Macalester College alum Mitch Glasser beat the odds when the Chicago White Sox, his childhood favorite, chose him in the 39th round, or 1,191st overall. Dubbed…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News And now, mid-week updates from the world of baseball. Kalish, Lavarnway blast Pawtucket Red Sox to victory Boston Red Sox prospects Ryan Kalish and Ryan Lavarnway provided a one-two punch Tuesday (6/4/2012) to power the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA) to a 13-2 drubbing of the Indianapolis Indians. In his first appearance…
