JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Spring Training 2011 is just two weeks old. Many players are still shedding their off-season rust. But a couple Jewish players are already tearing the stitching off the ball. Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler, who was hobbled by injuries last season, leads all MLB players with 4 HRs, is tied for…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — A reader in California wrote Jewish Baseball News with an interesting question: are there any scholarships out there to help Jewish baseball players attend college? Our educated guess would be “No.” Certainly no public universities would offer Jewish baseball scholarships. We suspect even private colleges would be careful about directing athletic…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Israel’s national baseball team is looking for a few good men. Peter Kurz, secretary general of the Israel Association of Baseball, told Jewish Baseball News he’s on the hunt for skilled guys (college varsity experience or better) who are eligible for citizenship or already have an Israeli passport. Both current and…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — If you follow baseball news closely, you probably read this week about the woman who made history by pitching batting practice to an MLB team, the Cleveland Indians (see video). Ohio native Justine Siegal isn’t just a fan of the Tribe, though. She’s a Member of the Tribe, too. In an…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Florida International University star Garrett Wittels went 0-4 in Friday’s season opener against Southeastern Louisiana, putting an abrupt end to the 56-game hitting streak he established last year. Wittels’ streak is the second-longest in NCAA Division 1 history, behind Robin Ventura’s 58-game record in 1987. # # #
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Last summer, catcher Matt Kramer‘s brief minor-league career looked pretty much finished. After batting just .178 with the “Class A” Rome Braves (Atlanta Braves) in 2010, he was released. Kramer spent the rest of the season with the Sioux City Explorers of the independent American Association, where the Harvard alum batted…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Star infielder Garrett Wittels will play in Florida International University’s 2011 season opener on Friday (2/18/2011), the Miami school said in a news release. The game — which starts at 7:00pm EST and will be broadcast on ESPN3 — was a guaranteed spectacle even before the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Player of…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The number of Jewish minor-leaguers who will be attending a Major-League spring training this year has reached nine. According to MLB.com, the invitees include: Sam Fuld (Tampa Bay Rays) Ben Guez (Detroit Tigers) Jason Hirsh (New York Yankees) Gabe Kapler (Los Angeles Dodgers) Jason Kipnis (Cleveland Indians) David Kopp (St. Louis…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Jeremy Fine of The Great Rabbino has written a terrific summary of the Top 10 Stories for the Upcoming Jewish MLB Season. It’s right on target, and recommended reading for Jewish baseball fans. ### Need a quick gift? Order one of our oversized bumper stickers for just $2.50, shipping included! To…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — RF Gabe Kapler has signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB.com reports. Kapler, a 35-year-old free agent, hit .210 last year with the Tampa Bay Rays, with 2 HRs, 4 doubles and 14 RBIs in 124 at-bats. His contract includes an invitation to the Dodgers’ spring training camp,…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — So far, at least four Jewish minor-leaguers have been invited to attend Major League spring training camps in 2011. According to MLB team web sites, four ballplayers have been identified as “non-roster invitees” — that is, they have been invited to attend spring training even though they are not on their…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The Chicago Cubs will send CF Sam Fuld to the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a multi-player trade centered around Rays SP Matt Garza, ESPN.com reported today (1/7/2011). The trade may signal renewed life for Fuld, a 29-year-old defensive specialist who has spent most of his professional career in the…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Florida International University star Garrett Wittels, whose 56-game hitting streak earlier this year electrified the college baseball world, was one of five men arrested in the Bahamas on Dec. 20 and charged with raping two 17-year-old girls. The men, friends from the Miami area, allegedly met the girls at the Atlantis…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — When the Milwaukee Brewers signed undrafted free agent Steve Braun to a minor-league contract in 2008, older brother Ryan Braun‘s fingerprints were all over the deal. Steve Braun had hit just .276 that year at the University of Maryland and was not among the 1,500 amateurs selected in the annual MLB…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Justin Milo is a rare commodity: a 5-foot-8 Jew playing ball on a New York Yankees farm team. Now he’s giving it up for something even more unlikely: a professional hockey career. Despite playing for the “A” Charleston RiverDogs in 2010, Milo recently signed a contract to play hockey for the…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The Arizona Fall League’s 30-game regular season came to an end Thursday (11/17/2008). So how did its six Jewish players do? Hitters 2B Josh Satin, Mesa Solar Sox (New York Mets). In 41 at-bats, Satin hit a blistering .390 with 2 doubles, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, a .479 on-base percentage (OBP),…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Two weeks ago, Cleveland Indians prospect Jason Kipnis was batting just .159 in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, a far cry from his .307 average during the 2010 minor-league season. “I kill nearly every rally the Peoria Javelinas put together,” he lamented in his blog. Talk about your turnarounds. Since then…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Brad Ausmus didn’t stay unemployed for long. The Gold Glove catcher, who retired from active play last month after completing his 18th year in the Majors, is joining the San Diego Padres as a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations. Ausmus, 41, has long been considered future manager material. During his final…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — New York Mets 1B Ike Davis finished 7th in voting for the N.L. Rookie of the Year award, the Baseball Writers’ Association of American reported today (11/15/2010). Despite finishing the 2010 season among the top N.L. rookies in several offensive categories, the 23-year-old received only two votes for Rookie of the…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Minnesota Twins 3B Danny Valencia finished 3rd in voting for the A.L. Rookie of the Year award, the Baseball Writers’ Association of American reported today (11/15/2010). Valencia, who led all A.L. rookies with a .311 batting average after being called-up from AAA in early June, received one 2nd-place vote and nine…
