By Jonathan Mayo, special to Jewish Baseball News I never thought the two sides of my life would ever come together. Baseball and Israel. I mean, for most of my life, that would be like peanut butter and tomato sauce. Jews and baseball, now that’s long been a thing. That “Great Jews in Sports” pamphlet they joke about…
xxxx By Scott Barancik, Editor Detroit 2B Ian Kinsler crushed his 200th career home run today in a 5-1 win over the Rays. The two-run shot, his second in two days, came off P Danny Farquhar in the 9th inning and struck the catwalk high above Tampa Bay’s Tropicana Field. Kinsler is the fifth Jewish player to reach the…
Your browser does not support iframes. By Scott Barancik, Editor When Oakland 3B Danny Valencia hit a career-best three home runs against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 15, it was by definition something special. After all, only 354 MLB players have hit a trifecta during the course of a 9-inning game since 1913. Heck, Hank Aaron — whose 755 career home…
By Scott Barancik, editor Now here’s something you don’t see very often: two Jewish players, both centerfielders, smacking 2 HRs apiece on the same day. Dodgers phenom Joc Pederson and Toronto’s Kevin Pillar accomplished the rare feat Tuesday night. Pederson hit the more prodigious bombs, launching a 477-foot monster in Game 1 of a doubleheader against…
By Scott Barancik, Editor From 1976 until MLB officials told him “You’re out!” in 2001, Al Clark was one of baseball’s most respected umpires, and among very few who were Jewish. In a new memoir written with Dan Schlossberg, the 66-year-old Clark recalls the highlights and lowlights of his life in and out of baseball,…
By Scott Barancik, editor Ian Kinsler became the career leader in stolen bases among Jewish players Monday night (7/22/2013) with his 163rd theft in 200 attempts (box score). The 31-year-old Texas Ranger drew a first-inning walk off of New York Yankees pitcher Ivan Nova, promptly stole second off of catcher Chris Stewart, and then scored on a single…
By Scott Barancik, editor The Eighth Commandment orders us not to steal. For Ian Kinsler, we make an exception. When the 31-year-old Texas Ranger singled and stole second base uncontested in the 9th inning of Saturday’s win over the Detroit Tigers (see video), it was the 162nd theft of his felonious 8-year career. Rangers number-crunchers celebrated: the…
Going shopping? Please use our Amazon.com link. —————————————————————————————————————————————— By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News If it seemed like Jewish ballplayers were smacking a lot of home runs this season, it wasn’t your imagination. Several records were broken or matched in 2012. Jewish major leaguers (excluding pitchers) hit a combined 116 HRs, topping the prior record of…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Team Israel defeated South Africa 7-3 on Wednesday night (9/19/2012) to take Game 1 of the World Baseball Classic qualifiers held in Jupiter, Fla. (see video recap and box score). The greatest Jewish team in baseball history earned its victory both at the plate and on the mound, hitting a…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News The long wait to see which players will represent Israel at World Baseball Classic qualifiers this week is over. Team Israel’s 28-man roster (see below) includes two former Major Leaguers (player/coaches Shawn Green and Gabe Kapler), three Israelis, and 23 minor-leaguers. Because the MLB season is still underway, no current…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Fear not: there is still some good news in the world: Sam Fuld‘s heroic fielding and hustle have earned him the nickname “Super Sam,” but Tampa Bay Rays fans may just want to call him “Sparkplug.” Though a wrist injury kept Fuld off the field this season until July 24,…
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 It’s been nearly 5 years since Shawn Green hung up his cleats, marking an end to a Major League career in which the tall slugger with the elegant swing hit .283, smashed 328 HRs, and drew a respectful 80 intentional walks. Since then, the two-time All-Star has penned a book,…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News When Josh Hamilton hit 4 HRs and a double in a single game last week (5/8/2012), it was a rare and spectacular event (see video and box score). The Texas Rangers CF went 5-for-5 with 8 RBIs in the Rangers’ 10-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Only 11 Major Leaguers have hit…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News When Ryan Braun smashed three HRs against the San Diego Padres on Monday night (see video), Jewish baseball fans everywhere celebrated. Here are a few more reasons to be proud: The Milwaukee Brewers right fielder is just the fifth Jewish player since 1918 to homer 3 or more times in a 9-inning…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Milwaukee Brewers LF Ryan Braun clubbed 2 HRs in Friday night’s 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds — and launched himself into the record books. Braun’s HRs (see video) were his 29th and 30th of the season. Combined with his 31 stolen bases, Braun now joins one of the most exclusive…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — It’s good to be Ryan Braun. This week’s issue of Sports Illustrated features the 27-year-old outfielder on its cover, along with Milwaukee Brewers teammates Prince Fielder and Nyjer Morgan. The headline refers to Braun and Fielder as “two wallbanging MVP candidates.” (Braun was 3 years old the last time SI devoted…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Middle East politics got you down? Strike out again at the company softball game? Cheer up! Life is good for Jewish baseball fans these days. Here are 12 reasons to smile: So far this season, MLB Jews are out-hitting their peers .266 to .257, and out-slugging them .460 to .400. At…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — If Milwaukee Brewers LF Ryan Braun finishes the 2011 season the way he’s started it, he’ll be joining one of baseball’s most exclusive clubs: those with 30+ HRs and stolen bases in a single year. Only 34 MLB players have joined the 30/30 club since 1901 (see table). Two are Jewish:…
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Here is your player of the day for Monday, August 2, 2010: LF Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers went 5-for-7 (all singles) with 2 RBIs in an 18-1 massacre of the Chicago Cubs, lifting his season batting average seven points to .281. Braun’s only other five-hit game came on 4/21/2009,…
