Minor-League Monday (July 31-August 6, 2017)

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of July 31-August 6, 2017: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Blake Gailen* LF Blake Gailen* (Dodgers/AA) had a career game on August 5, going 3-for-5 with 2 HRs and 6 RBIs. It was his second two-homer game since being signing with Los Angeles out…

Minor-League Monday (May 29 – June 4, 2017)

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of May 29 – June 4, 2017. Members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad are marked with an asterisk: Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Nick Rickles* C  Nick Rickles* (Phillies/AA) hit .385 (5-for-13) in his first full week with the Philadelphia Phillies franchise, highlighted by a two-HR,…

|

The 19 Jews of Spring Training

By Scott Barancik, editor With Team Israel’s surprising run at the World Baseball Championship behind us, Jewish Baseball News turns to that beloved annual rite: Spring Training. A total of 19 Jewish players were invited to MLB Spring Training camps this year, either as part of their teams’ active roster, 40-man roster, or non-roster invitee…

|

Israel’s WBC roster taking shape

By Scott Barancik, editor The roster of players set to represent Israel in the World Baseball Classic in South Korea this March is taking shape. Team Israel general manager Peter Kurz, whose squad of former Major League and current minor-league athletes guided Israel to a qualifying-round win in September, said Tuesday that 15 ballplayers had already committed to…

Players, film crew head to Israel tomorrow

By Stuart M. Katz, correspondent When centerfielder Sam Fuld and nine other Jewish athletes head to Israel on January 3 for what might be dubbed a ‘Baseball Birthright’ trip, they won’t be alone. Wives, parents, sons, and a fiancée will be traveling with this minyan of Major League players and prospects, all of whom plan to represent…

|

How they built Team Israel’s roster

By Sam Brief, Correspondent In September’s qualifying round for the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC), Colorado Rockies prospect Scotty Burcham tallied a .455 batting average, the best on Team Israel and among the top 15 for all teams. If not for Facebook, Burcham might never have swung a bat in Brooklyn. Since anyone who is Jewish or has…

Israel comes from behind to beat Great Britain, 5-2

By Scott Barancik, Editor It took Israel’s bats a while to come alive Thursday at Brooklyn’s MCU Park, but a four-run rally in the 7th inning drove the team to a come-from-behind, 5-2 win over Great Britain. C Ryan Lavarnway led the way with three hits and a walk, and five Team Israel players shared RBI duties, including…

Minor-League Monday (July 18-24, 2016)

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league updates from the week of July 18-24, 2016, a period shortened by All-Star games. Jewish Baseball News Player of the Week LF Zach Borenstein (Diamondbacks/AAA) hit .353 last week with a home run, 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, and a stolen base. Debuts P Marc Huberman (Cubs/rookie), an 18th-round pick…

Minor-League Monday (June 27-July 3, 2016)

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league updates from the week of June 27-July 3, 2016. Jewish Baseball News Player of the Week What an incredible week for SS Alex Bregman (Astros). Last year’s #2 overall draft pick homered and went 2-for-3 in the Texas League (AA) All-Star game. He was named to the U.S. roster for…

Minor-League Monday (June 20-26)

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your minor-league updates from the week of June 20-26, 2016. Jewish Baseball News Player of the Week P Corey Baker (Cardinals/AAA) earned a shutout win in his first-ever Triple-A game, scattering four singles and a walk over 6.2 innings while striking out 6. Baker had two 1-2-3 innings and threw 62 of…

Minor-League Monday (April 25-May 1, 2016)

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here they are, your minor-league highlights from the week of April 25-May 1, 2016. Drossner is near perfect Brewers Single-A prospect Jake Drossner, a 2015 draftee, was nearly perfect April 28, yielding one hit and no walks over 5 innings of relief while striking out six. It was his first relief appearance of…