By Scott Barancik, Editor On September 5, 1927, Lefty Weinert tossed a 6-1, complete-game win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field, yielding 5 hits and no earned runs. It wasn’t just the 25-year-old southpaw’s Chicago Cubs premiere. It also marked the very first Jewish appearance in this storied franchise’s history….
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News In 2010, the year Jewish Baseball News debuted, MLB’s Opening Day rosters included 10 Jewish players. In 2011 there were nine. This season? Only seven. It’s enough to make an M.O.T. cry in his $9 ballpark beer. Thanks to injuries (Sam Fuld, Ryan Kalish), flips of a coin (Ryan Lavarnway, Michael…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News John Grabow couldn’t have done much more to win a spot in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen. In six appearances this Spring, the 33-year-old hurler gave up no runs, one walk, and only four hits across six innings while striking out seven. But yesterday the Men in Blue chose to keep fellow…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Given that he’s the reigning National League MVP, you might think Ryan Braun would be tearing up Spring Training pitching. And you would be wrong. Opening Day is little more than a week away, but 2012 already has already delivered a few surprises, as well as some more predictable performances. The…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Spring Training 2012 is in its second week, and a number of Jewish players are in the mix. Fifteen Jews — including 6 pitchers and 9 position players — were invited to participate in Major League Baseball’s annual rite this year. They include all 13 who played MLB ball in…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Voting began yesterday (4/26/2011) for the 2011 All-Star Game, and all 6 Jewish position players were on the ballot. The six include: Tampa Bay Rays OF Sam Fuld Milwaukee Brewers LF Ryan Braun New York Mets 1B Ike Davis Minnesota Twins 3B Danny Valencia Boston Red Sox 3B Kevin Youkilis Texas…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The 2011 MLB season opened Thursday (3/31/2011), and Milwaukee Brewers LF Ryan Braun started things off on the right foot. Braun, 27, went 2/3 with a long blast over the center-field fence, two walks, and 3 runs scored in a 7-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. In 2010, Braun went 2/4…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — At least 19 Jews got playing time during Spring Training 2011, including five pitchers and 14 position players. Here are our awards honoring the best, worst, and most surprising performances: Best All-Around Offense: Ian Kinsler. The Texas Rangers 2B didn’t look like the same player who sat out nearly 100 games…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Last season, Oakland A’s reliever Craig Breslow was the ace, and Chicago Cubs reliever John Grabow lost face. Breslow went 4-4 with a 3.01 ERA, 71 strikeouts and 29 walks in 75 appearances. At a salary of only $425,000, the Yale University alum was a bargain. Grabow , who cost the…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Here are your Daily Highlights for Thursday (3/17/2011): The odds may not be in his favor, but 35-year-old RF Gabe Kapler is doing what he can to earn a spot on the Los Angeles Dodgers’ opening-day roster. On Thursday, his pinch-hit HR (see video) was part of a four-run 8th inning…
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 — Tampa Bay Rays RF Gabe Kapler was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday (8/16/2010), his second such visit this season. There is some speculation that Kapler was ‘listed’ not so much because of a twisted ankle but to make room on the roster for 1B Carlos Pena, who was returning…
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 not a day for bragging. Six Jewish position players collectively went 1-for-17 yesterday (May 30), including four strikeouts. Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler managed the day’s only hit (a 1st-inning single) and only walk in a 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins. The day’s sole Jewish pitcher, Chicago Cubs RP…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The latest info on Jews with bats: New York Mets 1B Ike Davis, brought up from AAA two weeks after the 2010 season began, is now batting cleanup. The move to 4th in the batting order paid off for the Mets on Thursday (5/20/2010) as Davis went 3-for-5 with 2 doubles…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — As Jewish baseball fans well know, Chicago Cubs reliever John Grabow has had a tough season so far. An article in yesterday’s Chicago Tribune offered some insight: Before Tuesday night’s game, left-handed hitters were batting .385 against (fellow reliever Sean) Marshall and .143 against Grabow, but right-handed hitters were batting .455…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Jewish position players are batting a collective .318 this season, compared to .256 for their peers. But Jewish pitchers are struggling. How bad are things? Relief pitcher John Grabow (0-2, 9.00 ERA) and the rest of the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen have been so ineffective that manager Lou Piniella decided this week…
