Jewish Baseball News

By Scott Barancik, editor

Team Israel has several household names on its expanded Olympic roster, including former Major League stars Danny Valencia and Ian Kinsler.

Minor legal issues. however, have prevented the organization from printing any names on its branded clothing.

That is, until now.

In a move backers hope will goose sales — and help reach a $1-million fundraising goal for the Tokyo Olympics in July — Team Israel today is unveiling a line of hoodies and tee shirts emblazoned with players’ names.

The debut is well-timed. Today marks not only Israel’s Independence Day but the 100th day before the Olympics commence on July 23.

Team Israel beat long odds to earn one of only six spots in the Olympics’ baseball competition. Earlier this week, the Israel Association of Baseball disclosed its expanded Olympic roster. According to the Jerusalem Post, the list of 44 players includes “all 24 players from the team that clinched Israel’s Olympic berth,” nine who have played in the Major Leagues, six native Israelis who helped Israel win the Under-18 qualifiers in the 2019 European Championship, four men “currently serving in the Israel Defense Forces under the distinguished athlete designation,” and “three more who will be drafted in the same class in the coming year.”

The final roster of 24 players — yet to be decided — will be the first Israelis in 45 years to compete in an Olympic team sport.

Last month, Team Israel and the Jewish National Fund launched a “25th Player” campaign to help raise funds for the trip to the quadrennial games.

The drive — pegged to the idea that each of us can be the metaphorical 25th player on Israel’s 24-man roster — has shown early success. In the three weeks since, tax-deductible donations have grown from $110,000 to $284,000.

Each player on Team Israel is has his own campaign, so if you want to donate in Ty Kelly’s or Josh Zeid’s, you can.

In addition, premiums are available for contributions of as little as $25 (Official 25th Player Membership Button) or as much as $25,000 (a Team Israel uniform signed by the player who wears it at the Olympic games).

It’s not just individuals who are chipping in. Businesses, including Jewish Baseball news, are making donations, too.

Team Israel also is selling a growing array of themed merchandise, such as Matzo Baller tee-shirts, Israel Baseball kippahs, and the player-branded hoodies and tee-shirts released today.

In May and July, Team Israel will conduct an old-fashioned barnstorming tour, playing a series of games at minor-league and independent-league parks in the northeastern United States.

# # #

For the latest information from Jewish Baseball News, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

You also can get selected updates via e-mail

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of April 5-11, 2021:

• OF Joc Pederson (Cubs) hit .211 (4-for-19) with a home run, 2 RBIs, and a .250 on-base percentage last week. After going hitless in his first 5 games of the season, Pederson strung together a 4-game hitting streak.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .176 (3-for-17) with one RBI. This was a steep drop-off from the first week of the season, when he hit .500 with 2 HRs, a double, and 2 walks.
• OF Kevin Pillar (Mets) hit .143 (1-for-7) with a walk, a stolen base, and a .250 OBP.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) continued his struggles at the plate, going 0-for-13 with one walk, a hit-by-pitch, and 5 strikeouts. His 0-for-21 start is the worst in all of baseball.

On the mound

• Richard Bleier (Marlins) made three appearances last week, going 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA, 2 holds, 2 hits, no walks and 2 strikeouts. Bleier was highly efficient in his final two games: in each one, he retired the side on just 7 pitches. According to CBS Sports, Bleier soon may get the opportunity to work as a closer.
• Max Fried (Braves) lasted just two innings in an April 7 start against the Nationals, yielding 5 earned runs on 8 hits and a walk.
• Dean Kremer (Orioles) earned a loss in his first start of the season, yielding 3 earned runs on 5 hits and a walk over 3 innings. He also struck out 5 but left the game with a 9.00 ERA.

# # #

For the latest information from Jewish Baseball News, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

You also can get selected updates via e-mail

Here are your MLB highlights for opening week of the 2021 season:

Who’s on first?

• A total of eight Jewish athletes started the 2021 season on Major League rosters. They include Richard Bleier, Alex Bregman, Max Fried, Dean Kremer, Joc Pederson, Kevin Pillar, Ryan Sheriff and Rowdy Tellez.

At the plate

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .500 (6-for-12) with 2 HRs, a double, 5 RBIs, a .571 on-base percentage, and a 1.655 OPS (on-base plus slugging). That included a home run and a double on Opening Day.
• OF Joc Pederson (Cubs), who last played for the Dodgers, hit .000 (0-for-10) with 2 RBIs, a walk, and 5 strikeouts.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) went hitless (0-for-8) and struck out three times over two games.
• OF Kevin Pillar (Mets), who last played for the Rockies, did not play.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) became the 10th Jewish player in MLB history to start a season opener. In a 3-2 loss to the Phillies, he yielded 2 earned runs on 6 hits and 2 walks over 5 innings while striking out 8 and hitting one batter. Fried was not tagged with the loss.
• Richard Bleier (Marlins) went 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA across 2 innings, yielding one earned run on a home run and striking out 2.
• Ryan Sherriff (Rays) yielded one earned run on 2 hits over 0.1 innings in an April 2 win and was tagged with a blown save. A day later, Tampa Bay placed Sherriff on the restricted list after he told the team he needed some time away from the game. Manager Kevin Cash declined to provided further details out of respect for the 30-year-old southpaw’s privacy. Jewish Baseball News wishes Ryan well and eagerly awaits his return.
• Dean Kremer (Orioles) is scheduled to make his 2021 debut on April 6 against the Yankees.

Miscellanea

• Last we heard, 14-year veteran Ryan Braun was learning toward retirement. And P Rob Kaminsky, who made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 2020 and produced a 1.93 ERA in 5 games, remains an unsigned free agent.

# # #

For the latest information from Jewish Baseball News, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

You also can get selected updates via e-mail

By Scott Barancik, editor

Team Israel beat long odds to earn a spot in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Qualifying tournaments were conquered. More than a dozen Jewish American ballplayers obtained Israeli citizenship in order to participate.

The payoff will be national pride — and, hopefully, an awakening to the beauty of baseball. The team’s 24 players will be the first Israelis in 45 years to compete in an Olympic team sport.

Financing the bid will be a challenge, however. Team officials estimate they will need at least $1-million to make it all happen.

To get there, Team Israel and the Jewish National Fund today are launching what they’re calling the “25th Player” campaign.

The drive — pegged to the idea that each of us can be the metaphorical 25th player on Israel’s 24-man roster — has several components.

Each player on Team Israel is fielding donations. Want to donate to the Olympic bid via Team Kinsler (for Ian Kinsler), or Team Valencia (for Danny Valencia)? The option is there. Premiums are available for donations of as little as $25 (Official 25th Player Membership Button) or as much as $25,000 (a Team Israel uniform signed by the player who wears it at the Olympic games).

As of March 23, nearly $110,000 had been raised, including a $5,000 contribution from Jewish Baseball News.

Team Israel also is selling a growing array of themed merchandise, such as Matzo Baller t-shirts and Israel Baseball kippahs.

Raising visibility is another campaign goal.

In May and July, Team Israel will conduct an old-fashioned barnstorming tour, playing a series of games at minor-league and independent-league parks in the northeastern United States.

Israel Baseball also is producing a podcast that features interviews with players and coaches from the Olympic squad.

Businesses and individuals interested in helping Team Israel achive its $1-million budget can click here.

# # #

For the latest information from Jewish Baseball News, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

You also can get selected updates via e-mail.

By Scott Barancik, editor

(NOTE: This article was updated on March 6, 2021.)

At least 15 least Jewish players are participating in Spring Training with a Major League team this season.

Some are familiar names, including LF Joc Pederson (Cubs), CF Kevin Pillar (Mets), 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) and P Richard Bleier (Marlins). Both Pederson and Pillar are playing on new clubs.

Four of the 14 at Major League camp this Spring — C Ryan Lavarnway (Indians), P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays), P Jake Fishman (Marlins) and OF Hunter Bishop (OF) — are there as non-roster invitees.

Rosenberg, a Spring Training newbie, went 11-4 in 2019 with a 3.29 ERA for Tampa Bay’s Double-A affiliate and appeared in one Triple-A game.

P Sam Delaplane (Mariners), who ranked #9 on FanGraphs’ 2020 list of the top Seattle prospects, will be appearing at his second big-league Spring Training.

Two Major Leaguers currently in free-agent status will be missing from the diamond.

LF Ryan Braun, who has spent his entire 14-year career with the Brewers, told MLB.com two weeks ago: “I’m continuing to work out and stay in shape, but I’m not currently interested in playing. I am enjoying my family and focused on other business interests for now but appreciate the interest I’ve received and will continue to regularly stay in touch with the Brewers.”

P Rob Kaminsky, who made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 2020 and finished 0-0 with a 1.93 ERA and one hold, was granted free agency in November and has yet to sign with another franchise.

Here is the full list of known players:

1. OF Hunter Bishop (Giants)*
2. P Richard Bleier (Marlins)
3. SS Alex Bregman (Astros)
4. P Sam Delaplane (Mariners)
5. P Jake Fishman (Marlins)*
6. P Max Fried (Braves)
7. P Dean Kremer (Orioles)
8. C Ryan Lavarnway (Indians)*
9. LF Joc Pederson (Cubs)
10. CF Kevin Pillar (Mets)
11. P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays)*
12. P Ryan Sherriff (Rays)
13. P Robert Stock (Cubs)
14. C Garrett Stubbs (Astros)
15. 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays)

* Non-roster invitee

# # #

For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

You also can get selected updates from our e-mail list.

By Scott Barancik

When Israel and the United Arab Emirates inked the Abraham Accords last year, the two countries pledged to “provide all children a better future.”

Who knew the plan would include baseball?

Today, the Israel Association of Baseball and the Dubai Little League announced a forthcoming competition for their 12-and-under national teams. The Field of Peace tourney will take place both in Dubai and Tel Aviv.

“We strive together to develop the game of baseball in Israel and Dubai as a basis for peace and cooperation between our countries,” said Dubai Little League president Roger Duthie and Israel Association of Baseball president Jordy Alter in a joint statement. “We hope these games lead to further regional cooperation.”

The first Field of Peace games will take place March 21-25 at Dubai Little League Park. The Tel Aviv series will be held this Fall.

Israel’s adult baseball team, made up mostly of American ballplayers who became dual citizens, will be competing in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Israel earned a berth in the Games by winning the Europe/African qualifying tournament in September 2019.

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of September 21-27, 2020, the final week of baseball’s 60-game regular season:

Mazel tov

• Of the 13 Jewish athletes who played Major League ball in 2020, 10 are on teams that will participate in this season’s expanded playoffs: Ryan Braun (Brewers), Alex Bregman and Garett Stubbs (Astros), Richard Bleier and Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins), Joc Pederson (Dodgers), Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays), Max Fried (Braves), Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals), and Ryan Sherriff (Rays).

Stats to share

• Collectively, Jewish pitchers outpitched their peers in 2020, going 10-3 with a 2.80 ERA versus the overall MLB ERA of 4.45. Meanwhile, Jewish batters hit .252, a few ticks above the MLB average of .245.
• Ryan Sherriff (Rays) was the only MLB pitcher in 2020 to maintain a perfect 0.00 ERA after 10 or more appearances.
• Kevin Pillar, who began the season in Boston but finished it in Colorado, recorded career bests in batting average (.288) and on-base percentage (.336).
• ESPN’s Cy Young Predictor has Max Fried (Atlanta) finishing second in the N.L. behind the Cubs’ Yu Darvish.

At the plate

• OF Kevin Pillar (Rockies) hit .345 (10-for-29) last week with a home run, 3 doubles, 5 RBIs, a hit-by-pitch, 2 stolen bases, and a .406 OBP. For the season, Pillar — who split his time between Boston and Colorado — hit a combined .288 (60-for-208) with 6 HRs, 3 triples, 12 doubles, 26 RBIs, 5 stolen bases in 7 attempts, a .336 OBP, and a .798 OPS (on-base plus slugging).
• OF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .333 (4-for-12) with a home run, 4 RBIs, and a .429 OBP. For the season, Pederson hit .190 (23-for-121) with 7 HRs, 4 doubles, 16 RBIs, one stolen base in one attempt, a .285 OBP, and a .681 OPS.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .222 (6-for-27) with 2 HRs, a triple, a double, 5 RBIs, and a .313 OBP; the highlight came on September 24, when he came within a single of hitting for the cycle. For the season, Bregman hit .242 (37-for-153) with 6 HRs, one triple, 12 doubles, 22 RBIs, no stolen bases, a .350 OBP, and an .801 OPS.
• OF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .087 (2-for-23), with a home run, a walk, and a .125 OBP. For the season, Braun hit .233 (30-for-129) with 8 HRs, one triple, 7 doubles, 26 RBIs, one stolen base in one attempt, a .281 OBP, and a .769 OPS.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) remained on the injured list last week with a right knee strain. For the season, Tellez hit .283 (32-for-113) with 8 HRs, 5 doubles, 23 RBIs, one failed attempt to steal a base, a .346 OBP, and a .886 OPS.
• C Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins) spent last week off of his team’s active roster. For the season, Lavarnway hit .364 (4-for-11) with a .364 OBP and a .727 OPS.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) spent last week off of his team’s active roster. For the season Stubbs hit .200 (7-for-35) with 3 doubles, 2 RBIs, a .282 OBP, and a .568 OPS.

On the mound

• Ryan Sherriff (Rays) tossed 3.0 scoreless innings across 3 appearances last week, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out 2. For the season, Sherriff was 1-0 with one save and a 0.00 ERA across 9.2 innings, yielding 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2.
• Richard Bleier (Marlins) tossed 1.1 perfect innings across 2 games, striking out one and earning a hold. For the season, Bleier — who split his time between Baltimore and Miami — was 1-1 with a 2.16 ERA across 16.2 innings, yielding 14 hits and 4 walks while striking out 11.
• Max Fried (Braves) was pulled after one inning with an ankle injury on September 23, having yielded 2 earned runs on 2 HRs, his first and only HRs allowed in 2020. For the season, Fried was 7-0 with a 2.25 ERA over 56 innings, yielding 42 hits and 19 walks while striking out 50.
• Dean Kremer (Orioles) had a tough start against the Red Sox on September 23, yielding 7 earned runs over 2.2 innings on 7 hits, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts, thus ballooning his 2020 ERA from 1.69 to 4.82. For the season, the rookie starter was 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA across 18.2 innings, yielding 15 hits and 12 walks while striking out 22.
• Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals) spent last week off of his team’s active roster. For the season, the rookie reliever was 0-0 with a 1.95 ERA across 4.2 innings, yielding 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3.
• Robert Stock (Red Sox) spent last week off of his team’s active roster.. For the season, Stock was 0-1 with a 4.73 ERA across 13.1 innings, yielding 16 hits and 10 walks while striking out 14.

Miscellanea

• Two Jewish starters — Dean Kremer (Orioles) and Max Fried (Braves) — pitched on the same day last week, September 23. Though a rare event, it was not unprecedented. Perhaps the most famous example came on September 25, 1966, when Dodgers ace Sandy Koufax faced off against Ken Holtzman of the Cubs. Holtzman took a no-hitter through 8 innings before prevailing 2-1 (see box score).

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of September 14-20, 2020:

Mazel tov

• P Ryan Sheriff (Rays) earned his first career save on September 18, pitching a perfect inning of relief on just 9 pitches to preserve a 2-1 win. The southpaw has yet to give up an earned run this season.
• Ryan Braun (Brewers), the all-time Jewish home run leader, hit his 350th career round-tripper on September 16 (see video). Jewish Baseball News contributor Ethel H. assembled some relevant facts:
  • Braun’s 351 HRs rank fifth among active players, behind Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Edwin Encarnacion and  Nelson Cruz
  • His first home came off Padres right-hander Justin Germano, on May 26, 2007
  • 111 of Braun’s home runs have come with the score tied
  • Braun has had two three-homer games
  • So far in 2020, Braun has homered 7 times in 117 appearances, or 6.0%, the third highest home-run percentage of his career

Stats to share

• As of today, ESPN’s Cy Young Predictor has Max Fried (Atlanta) tied with the Cubs’ Yu Darvish for the N.L. lead. Fried leads the Majors with a 7-0 record, and according to Forbes, his schedule is tougher than Darvish’s (7-3).
• Meanwhile, Darvish’s 2020 salary ($22-million) is 39 times Fried’s ($565,000). After prorating for the shortened 2020 season, Fried will be paid just $216,000.
• After 55 innings this season, Fried has yet to give up a home run. No other MLB pitcher with at least 23 innings under his belt can say the same.
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) is only the second pitcher in MLB history to notch the following stats in each of his first three career starts: 5 or more innings, one or fewer runs, 4 or fewer hits, and 6 or more strikeouts (see article).
• After hitting just .170 in August, Ryan Braun (Milwaukee) is hitting .400 in September, with 5 HRs, 8 extra-base hits, and 16 RBIs in just 40 at-bats.
• After recording a 5.79 ERA in August and allowing batters to hit .300, Richard Bleier (Marlins) has a 1.17 ERA so far in September, bringing his season ERA down to 2.35.

At the plate

• OF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .409 last week (9-for-22) with 3 HRs, 2 doubles, 9 RBIs, one walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a .458 on-base percentage.
• OF Kevin Pillar (Rockies) hit .409 (9-for-22) with a double, one RBI, a walk, and a .435 OBP. Since joining Colorado on Sept. 1, Pillar is hitting .290 (18-for-62) with a home run, triple, 2 doubles, 8 RBIs, and a .323 OBP.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .222 (4-for-18) with a double, 2 RBIs, 4 walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a .391 OBP.
• OF Joc Pederson (Dodgers), who spent part of the week on the paternity list, hit .000 (0-for-6) with 4 strikeouts.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) remained on the injured list with a right knee strain.

On the mound

• Dean Kremer (Orioles) pitched 5 innings of one-run ball on September 17, yielding 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out six. After three starts, the rookie has a 1.69 ERA.
• Max Fried (Braves), back from the injured list, improved his record to 7-0 on September 18. The 26-year-old pitched 5 innings of one-run ball, yielding 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3 and hitting one batter. His ERA is a slim 1.96.
• Ryan Sherriff (Rays) tossed 3.1 innings of scoreless ball across 3 games, yielding 3 hits and a walk while earning a save.
• Richard Bleier (Marlins) tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless ball across 3 appearances, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out 2.
• Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals) pitched 0.2 innings of relief on September 15, yielding an earned run on 2 hits and a walk in an 18-3 loss to Milwaukee. St. Louis later sent the rookie — who has a 1.93 ERA across 5 appearances — to the team’s alternate training site.
• Robert Stock (Red Sox) tossed 4 innings of scoreless relief across 2 games, yielding a hit and 2 walks while striking out 3.

Miscellanea

• Cardinals pitcher Rob Kaminsky faced off against Brewers batter Ryan Braun with the bases loaded on September 15. C Yadier Molina was called for interference when Braun’s bat struck his glove hand, forcing in a run (see video).
• In an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, John Thorn, the official historian for Major League Baseball, talks about being born to Holocaust survivors in a displaced persons camp, going to an Orthodox Hebrew school, and how Judaism is “a central part of my life and my worldview, though I am no longer religious.”

Minor League notes

• Several athletes who have played in the Majors this season are now at their team’s so-called alternative training site:
  • Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins)
  • Garrett Stubbs (Astros)
  • Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals)

Injured list

• 1B Rowdy Tellez, since September 9.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of September 7-13, 2020:

Mazel tov

• MLB.com columnist Jonathan Mayo ranked Orioles rookie Dean Kremer #9 last week on a list of baseball’s hottest rookies.
• MLB.com gave manager Gabe Kapler credit for inspiring his San Francisco Giants to come back from their early-season woes to reach the eighth and final N.L. postseason spot with less than 20 games to play (see article).

Stats to share

• There’s a good reason Max Fried (Braves) is #2 in ESPN.com’s ranking of pitchers most likely to win the N.L. Cy Young Award. As Jewish Baseball News reader Jack W. points out, the southpaw leads all MLB pitchers in lowest exit velocity, lowest barrel percentage, and lowest hard-hit percentage.
• Through September 13, Jewish pitchers were a combined 9-2 with a 2.39 ERA and 83 strikeouts over 90.1 innings. The combined ERA for all MLB pitchers is 4.41.
• A hefty percentage of Jewish ballplayers are likely to compete in this year’s playoffs. According to ESPN.com, the Dodgers (Joc Pederson), Rays (Ryan Sherriff), and Braves (Max Fried) all have a 100 percent chance of making the postseason, while the Blue Jays (Rowdy Tellez) have a 98.3 percent shot, the Astros are at 94.3 percent (Alex Bregman, Garrett Stubbs), and the Cardinals (Rob Kaminsky) have a 77.9 percent chance.
• Don’t forget: for Jewish players’ season totals — both current and historical — visit the Season Stats box on the Jewish Baseball News home page.

At the plate

• OF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .364 (4-for-11) last week with 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, a walk, and a .385 on-base percentage.
• OF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .200 (1-for-5) with a double and a .200 OBP.
• OF Kevin Pillar hit .190 (4-for-21) with a double, one RBI, and a .190 OBP.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), back after nearly three weeks on the injured list, hit .125 (2-for-16) with a double, one RBI, 2 walks, and a .222 OBP. Bregman’s 2020 season has been a far cry from 2019, when he finished second in the American League MVP vote.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .125 (1-for-8) with a double and 2 RBIs before going on the injured list September 9 with a right knee strain.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) was optioned to Houston’s alternate training site on September 9.

On the mound

• Dean Kremer (Orioles) pitched well again in his second Major League start on September 12, yielding one earn run on 4 hits and 3 walks over 5 innings while striking out seven Yankee batters. His ERA is a slim 1.64.
• Cardinals rookie Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals) maintained his perfect 0.00 ERA, pitching 2 scoreless innings on a combined 2 hits, no walks, and a strikeout.
• Ryan Sherriff (Rays) tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless ball across 2 games, yielding two hits and no walks.
• Max Fried (Braves) suffered his only subpar outing of the 2020 season on September 5, yielding 3 earned runs on 5 hits and 3 walks over 5 innings while striking out 4. Did a spasm in his lumbar spine muscle play a role? Fried went onto the injured list on September 8.
• Richard Bleier (Marlins) went 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA across 3 appaerances, yielding one earned run on 4 hits and 2 walks over 1.2 combined innings.
• Robert Stock (Red Sox) pitched 1.2 innings of relief on September 11, giving up 2 earned runs on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 2.

Injured list

• 1B Rowdy Tellez, since September 9.
• P Max Fried, since September 8.

Miscellanea

• Over the decades, we’ve seen plenty of articles opining on whether Jewish athletes should play on the High Holidays. In an article for the Forward, Florida International University law professor Howard Wasserman instead did a deep statistical dive into a different question: when Jews have played on Yom Kippur in the past, how have they performed?
• The Forward also published a fascinating article on Sam Nahem, a Syrian Jew from New York who played on and off in the Majors and minors from 1938 to 1948. A self-avowed Communist who obtained a law degree between seasons, Nahem played an early role in the racial integration of baseball. In addition to encouraging his white teammates to consider the idea, Nahem insisted — in defiance of the military establishment — on having Negro league players on a military team he played for and managed.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Rays) and P Robert Stock (Red Sox) faced off against one another on September 11. The Rays got the last laugh, slaughtering Boston 11-1.

Minor League notes

• Several athletes who have played in the Majors this season are now at their team’s so-called alternative training site:
  • Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins)
  • Garrett Stubbs (Astros)

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of August 31-September 7, 2020:

Mazel tov

• The Orioles threw rookie P Dean Kremer into the deep end for his Major League debut on Sunday (September 6), making him start against the Yankees on less than 24 hours’ notice. Kremer delivered a dominant performance, starting off by striking out the first two batters he faced and retiring nine New York batters on a total of 20 pitches across the third, fourth and fifth innings. By the time he’d completed his one-hit, six-inning start, Kremer — whose parents are natives of Israel — had allowed just one earned run and struck out 7 (see video). Baltimore went on to win 5-1. “He just attacked the strike zone and stuck to his strength,” Orioles catcher Bryan Holaday said. “You wouldn’t have been able to tell it was his first time out there.” Kremer conducted part of his post-game interview in Hebrew.

Stats to share

• Max Fried led the Braves to a win over the Red Sox on August 31, but he wasn’t the only Jewish pitcher on the mound at Fenway Park that day. Robert Stock pitched a scoreless inning of relief for Boston.
• When the Red Sox traded OF Kevin Pillar to Colorado on August 31, he became only the fifth Jewish player in Rockies history, and the first since 2009. The others are P Jason Marquis (2009), P Jason Hirsh (2007-08), OF Gabe Kapler (2002-03), and P Mike Saipe (1998).

At the plate

• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) had hits in 6 of 7 games last week, leading to an overall .500 batting average (12-for-24) with 2 HRs, a double, 3 RBIs, a hit-by-pitch, a .552 on-base percentage, and only one strikeout. He leads all Jewish batters with 8 HRs, 21 RBIs, and a .295 batting average.
• OF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .429 (3-for-7) with a triple, RBI, and .429 OBP.
• OF Kevin Pillar hit .263 (5-for-19) with the second grand-slam home run of his career (see video), a triple, 6 RBIs, stolen base, and a .333 OBP in his first week with the Rockies.
• OF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .077 (1-for-13) with a home run and a .143 OBP.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) hit .000 (0-for-2).
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) remained on the disabled list with an injured right hamstring.

On the mound

• Dean Kremer (Orioles) won his Major League debut on September 6 (see above).
• Richard Bleier (Marlins) went 0-0 with a hold and an 0.00 ERA across 4 appearances last week, yielding 3 hits and no walks over 4.1 combined innings while striking out 2 and holding opposing batters to a .231 OBP. The strong week trimmed Bleier’s ERA with Florida from 5.79 to 3.38.
• Max Fried (Braves) improved his record to 6-0 on August 31, giving Atlanta a perfect 8 wins in Fried’s first 8 starts this season. But the Braves suffered their first loss under Fried on September 5; he did not get the decision.
• Robert Stock (Red Sox) went 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA across 4 appearances, yielding 2 earned runs on 5 hits and 3 walks over 3.1 combined innings while striking out 4. He was optioned to Boston’s alternate training site on September 6.
• Ryan Sherriff (Rays) did not pitch. He was optioned to Tampa Bay’s alternate training site on September 4.
• Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals) did not pitch.

Injured list

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), since August 20.

Minor League notes

• Several athletes who have played in the Majors this season are now at their team’s so-called alternative training site:
  • Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins)
  • Ryan Sherriff (Rays)
  • Robert Stock (Red Sox)

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of August 24-30, 2020:

Mazel tov

• Ryan Sherriff (Rays) earned a win in his Tampa Bay Rays debut on August 26, pitching a perfect inning of relief on 11 pitches, 10 of them strikes. It was the Team Israel veteran’s first MLB appearance in more than 2 years. A February 2020 profile detailed Sherriff’s hardscrabble childhood and his grandparents, who were concentration-camp survivors.

Stats to share

• Max Fried (Braves) continued to achieve new heights last week:
  • According to ESPN.com, Fried is ranked #2 in the race for the N.L. Cy Young award, one slot behind Yu Darvish (Cubs).
  • Fried’s 1.35 ERA is tied for the Major League lead, as is his 2.5 Wins Above Replacement (see rankings).
  • After giving up 21 HRs and throwing 11 wild pitches in 2019, his first full season in the Majors, Fried has yet to yield a single one in 2020.
• The hardest-hit home run in the Major Leagues this season was struck by Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) on August 20. The 429-foot shot left his bat at an exit velocity of 117.4 mph (see list). Tellez’s longest home run this season was a 459-footer on August 12.
• Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals), who was called-up for the second time this season on August 29, shares the dugout with two teammates who have Jewish fathers but don’t identify as Jewish: Paul Goldschmidt, and Harrison Bader.

At the plate

• OF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .286 (4-for-14) with a home run, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, a hit-by-pitch, and a .333 OBP.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .267 (4-for-15) with 2 home runs, 5 RBIs, and a .353 OBP. Both home runs came during a 3-for-4 performance on August 26 (see video).
• OF Kevin Pillar (Red Sox) hit .250 (5-for-20) with a 435-foot home run (see video), triple, double, 2 RBIs, and a .250 OBP.
• OF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .118 (2-for-17) with a home run, double, 3 RBIs, and a .167 OBP.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) played two innings as a defensive replacement on August 24 but did not get to the plate.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) is on the disabled list with an injured right hamstring.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) improved his record to 5-0 on August 26, yielding one earned run on 4 hits and one walk over 6.0 innings while striking out 5 (see video).
• Richard Bleier (Marlins) went 1-1 with a 20.25 ERA across 3 appearances, yielding 3 earned runs on 3 hits and zero walks across 1.1 combined innings while striking out one. Bleier’s August 25 win was an interesting one: he tossed only one pitch in the game, inducing a groundout.
• Robert Stock (Red Sox) pitched 2 innings of relief on August 28, yielding an earned run on 3 hits and a walk.
• Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals) did not pitch last week.

Injured list

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), since August 20.

Minor League notes

• Because the 2020 minor-league season was cancelled, some teams are letting players play elsewhere. Among those taking advantage of the opportunity is Kansas City Royals prospect Alex Katz (P), who is playing for the independent New Jersey Blasters. Joining Katz are teammates Zach Racusin (OF) and Zach Lipshitz (IF).
• Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins) is at Miami’s alternate training site.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of August 17-23, 2020:

Stats to share

• Alex Bregman (Astros) has safely reached base in 40 straight games, dating back to 2019 (see rankings). The next best current streak? Mike Yastrzemski, at 20 games.
• One of the knocks on Kevin Pillar (Red Sox) has been his plate discipline, but he’s turning things around. After drawing just 18 walks in 628 plate appearances in 2019 (a career low of 2.8%), so far this season the star outfielder has 8 walks in 106 plate appearances (a career high of 7.5%). The current MLB average is 9.2%.
• Max Fried (Braves) leads the National League with a 1.32 ERA. By comparison, Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax had a career-best 1.73 ERA in his final season (1966). But Fried certainly won’t match Koufax’s win-loss record that year: 27-9.

At the plate

• C Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins) hit .500 (1-for-2) last week. Despite playing well since his August call-up — he hit .364 (4-for-11), made no errors, and tossed out one of two attempted base stealers — Lavarnway was designated for assignment on August 21.
• OF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .333 (4-for-12) with a home run, double, RBI, two hit-by-pitches, and a .467 on-base percentage.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .300 (3-for-10) with 2 doubles and a .300 OBP. He joined the injured list on August 20 after hurting his right hamstring (see video).
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .214 (3-for-14) with a massive home run (see video), 3 RBIs, and a .267 OBP.
• OF Kevin Pillar (Red Sox) hit .200 (6-for-30) with a home run, double, 2 RBIs, a stolen base, and a .314 OBP. Although Pillar historically has played center field, he has spent most of this season in right.
• OF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .200 (4-for-20) with a home run (see video), double, 3 RBIs, and a .273 OBP. Although Braun played nearly 100% of his 2019 games in left field, so far this season he is playing in right field.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) hit .000 (0-for-2) with a sacrifice.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) improved his record to 4-0 on August 21, yielding one earned run on 5 hits and 2 walks over 5.0 innings while striking out 5 (see video).
• Much like his MLB debut, Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals) pitched a perfect inning of relief on August 17, striking out one and retiring all three batters on 14 pitches. St. Louis optioned Kaminsky back to minor-league camp on August 18, but hopefully he’ll return to Busch Stadium soon.
• Robert Stock (Red Sox) was called-up for the second time this season but had a rough go of it on August 23, yielding 2 earned runs on 3 hits over one inning. A two-run double that sailed over teammate Kevin Pillar’s head did the damage (see video).
• Back from the injured list, Richard Bleier (Marlins) earned his fourth straight ‘hold’ on August 22, yielding one hit and no walks over 0.2 scoreless innings.

Injured list

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), since August 20.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of August 10-16, 2020:

Mazel tov

• P Rob Kaminsky was called up by the COVID-depleted St. Louis Cardinals on August 15 and made his MLB debut the following day. A 1st-round pick out of St. Joseph Regional High School (Montvale, NJ) in the 2013 draft, the 25-year-old southpaw has accumulated a 29-21 record with 6 saves and a 2.82 ERA over seven minor-league seasons with St. Louis and the Cleveland Indians. Kaminsky is the 11th Jewish player in the Majors this season and the sole rookie.
• The Boston Red Sox called up P Robert Stock on August 11 and put him on the mound the same day. A 30-year-old flamethrower, he compiled a 2-1 record with a 4.11 ERA for the San Diego Padres in 2018 and 2019.

Stats to share

• With a 1.24 ERA this season, Max Fried (Braves) leads the National League and ranks #2 in the Majors. He also is one of just two MLB pitchers with 3 pickoffs in 2020, including this one on August 15. Meanwhile, Fried has yet to yield a home run.
• Collectively, Jewish pitchers are 3-0 this season with a 1.25 ERA and 37 strikeouts across 36 innings. Major League pitchers overall have a combined 4.40 ERA.
• Kevin Pillar (Red Sox), playing in his first season with Boston, leads the team with a .313 batting average.
• Joc Pederson (Dodgers) is the only Jewish player to steal a base so far this season. Kevin Pillar (Red Sox), Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays), and Garrett Stubbs (Astros) each tried once but were tossed out.

At the plate

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .444 (8-for-18) last week with a home run, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, and a whopping .600 OBP. Houston won 5 of 6 games during the stretch.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .412 (7-for-17) with 2 HRs, 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, and a .412 OBP.
• OF Kevin Pillar (Red Sox) hit .320 (8-for-25) with a home run, triple, double, hit by pitch, and a .393 OBP.
• C Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins) hit .333 (1-for-3) with a .333 OBP.
• Back from the injured list, LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .188 (3-for-16) with 2 doubles, one RBI, and a .235 OBP.
• OF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .056 (1-for-18) with a .150 OBP.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) hit .000 (0-for-1).

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) pitched 6.1 scoreless innings on August 15, holding the Marlins to 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 7 on 103 pitches (see video). Fried didn’t get credit for the 2-1 win, however.
• Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals) pitched a perfect inning of relief in his MLB debut on August 16, striking out one (see video) and retiring all three batters on a total of just 8 pitches.
• In his Red Sox debut on August 11, Robert Stock tossed 1.1 innings of relief, yielding 2 walks, 3 hits, and no earned runs while striking out 3, all on a total of 42 pitches.
• Richard Bleier (Marlins) remained on the injured list with a left triceps strain.

Injured list

• P Richard Bleier (Marlins), since August 8.

Miscellanea

• Former L.A. Dodgers star Shawn Green used to toss his batting glove into the stands after a home run. Click here to read the origin story.
• Lou Gehrig was of German heritage and not Jewish. But in 1938, the New York Yankees great spoke before 20,000 at a Madison Square Garden fundraiser for Jews fleeing Hitler. “I’m glad to be in a country where I can wear the World’s Fair emblem on my sleeve and play baseball, and not in a country where I’d have to wear the swastika,” Gehrig said.
  Last Ride of the Iron Horse author Dan Joseph discusses the event in this interview.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of August 3-9, 2020:

Mazel tov

• C Ryan Lavarnway was called-up by the Marlins on August 4 and played the next day, making Miami his seventh MLB team in nine seasons. Lavarnway’s debut also marked his first MLB appearance since obtaining Israeli citizenship in late 2019, thus making him the first Israeli-American to play in the Major Leagues. He and roughly a dozen other Jewish-American players have become dual Israeli-American citizens in order to represent the country in international competition, including the upcoming Summer Olympics.

Other news

• Retired ballplayer Cody Decker made news on August 6 when he publicly criticized Oakland A’s bench coach Ryan Christenson for making what appeared to be a Nazi salute outside the dugout. “As a Jewish (now former) player, I cannot stress how quickly someone at @MLB need to address this,” Decker tweeted. “Perpetuating the same antisemitism that I dealt with throughout my career. This is truly disgusting.”

Stats to share

• Max Fried (Braves) is one of just five pitchers in the Majors to start the 2020 season with a 3-0 record. His 1.59 ERA ranks #4 in the National League, and he has held batters to a .169 average, ranking him #6.
• C Garrett Stubbs scored on a 13th-inning double by Astros teammate Alex Bregman on August 6 (see video)
• If Marlins teammates Richard Bleier (P) and Ryan Lavarnway (C) appear together in a game this season, they will become at least the 7th Jewish battery in MLB history. According to Bob Wechsler of Jewish Baseball Museum, others include:
  • Craig Breslow/Ryan Lavarnway (Red Sox)
  • Jason Hirsh/Brad Ausmus (Astros)
  • Larry Sherry/Norm Sherry (Dodgers)
  • Sandy Koufax/Norm Sherry (Dodgers)
  • Saul Rogovin/Joe Ginsberg (Tigers)
  • Harry Feldman/Harry Danning (Giants)

At the plate

• C Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins) hit .333 (2-for-6) with a .333 on-base percentage
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .200 (6-for-27) with a home run, 3 doubles, 4 RBIs, and a .259 OBP (see video).
• OF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .158 (3-for-22) with 3 HRs, 6 RBIs, and a .273 OBP. He blasted two of his home runs in a 7-6 win over the Padres on August 5 (see video).
• OF Kevin Pillar (Red Sox) hit .091 (1-for-11) with an .091 OBP.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .071 (1-for-13) with a double and a .250 OBP. We failed to mention last week that Tellez was ejected on July 29 for protesting a called third strike (see video).
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) hit .000 (0-for-2) with one RBI and a .000 OBP.
• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) has not played since July 29, due to an infection in his right index finger.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) went 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA across 2 games, striking out 9 batters and walking 3 over a combined 11 innings (see video). Sports Illustrated wrote that Fried is “proving to be Atlanta’s ace pitcher.”
• Richard Bleier (Marlins) went 0-0 with 3 holds and a 0.00 ERA across 3 appearances, yielding a hit and an unearned run over a combined 1.2 innings. Bleier was placed on the injured list August 8 with a left triceps strain.

Injured list

• P Richard Bleier (Marlins), since August 8.
• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers), since July 30.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the period beginning Opening day (July 23, 2020) through August 2, 2020:

Mazel tov

• CF Kevin Pillar, playing for his third team in the past 2 seasons, went 3-for-5 with a double and 3 RBIs in his Red Sox debut on July 24. His .387 batting average ranks #5 in the American League.

Other news

• P Richard Bleier, who amassed an 8-1 record with 4 saves and a 3.15 ERA since joining Baltimore in 2017, was caught by surprise August 1 when the O’s traded him to Miami (see article, interview). The Marlins haven’t played since July 26, thanks to coronavirus infections.

 At the plate

• CF Kevin Pillar (Red Sox) hit .387 (12-for-31) with a HR, 4 doubles, 5 RBIs, and a .406 OBP.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) hit 1.000 (1-for-1) with an RBI, sacrifice fly, and a .500 OBP.
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .211 (8-for-38) with 2 HRs, 2 doubles, one hit-by-pitch, 7 RBIs, and a .333 OBP.
• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .231 (3-for-13) with a double, 2 RBIs, and a .286 OBP.
• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .227 (5-for-22) with one RBI, a stolen base, one hit-by-pitch, and a .346 OBP.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .182 (4-for-22) with a HR, 4 RBIs, and a .240 OBP.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) went 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA over 2 starts, yielding 5 hits over 11.2 combined innings while striking out 12 and walking 3. His 0.69 walks/hits per inning rank #6 in the National League.
• Richard Bleier (Orioles) went 0-0 with a perfect 0.00 ERA over 2 games, yielding one hit and no walks over 3 combined innings while striking out 4.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Two undrafted collegians have signed contracts with MLB teams.

Matt Mervis of Duke University was picked up by the Chicago Cubs this month. A two-way ballplayer who bats left but throws right, Mervis was co-captain of the Blue Devils during the abbreviated 2020 season, hitting .304 while leading the team in hits, home runs and total bases. The 6-foot-4 Maryland native turned heads last year in the Cape Cod league, which unlike collegiate ball uses wood bats. There, Mervis hit .325 with 4 home runs and 24 RBIs in just 77 at-bats, and from the mound he went 1-2 with a save and a 3.24 ERA.

Also signing a deal this month was University of Washington reliever Leo Nierenberg. A 6-foot-tall reliever who was picked up by the Cincinnati Reds, Nierenberg saw little action during the shortened 2020 season but went 3-1 with a 6.84 ERA as a junior, striking out 33 batters across 25 innings.

Mervis and Nierenberg both received $20,000 signing bonuses, the flat rate paid to all undrafted signees in 2020. Because of the COVID pandemic and related financial and labor issues, it’s unlikely they or any other minor leaguers will see any action this year.

Jared Shuster, a left-handed pitcher chosen by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of this year’s five-round amateur draft (see article), recently finalized a contract that includes a $2.2-million signing bonus.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

This year’s MLB draft is limited to just five rounds versus the normal 40, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and related financial concerns.

But that didn’t prevent a Jewish player from cracking Round 1.

Yesterday, the Atlanta Braves chose lefty Jared Shuster with the 25th overall pick. A native of New Bedford, MA, Shuster made big strides in his junior year with Wake Forest, going 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA, 43 strikeouts, and only 4 walks across 26.1 innings before the season was cut short.

Sports Illustrated says the 6-foot-3-inch Shuster “made improvements last summer in the Cape Cod League, improving his control and command. His fastball was in the 92-94 mph range and hit 97 mph. His best pitch is his changeup,” although his curveball reported needs work.

Together with our friends at Jewish Sports Review, Jewish Baseball News will identify other Jewish draftees, if any. Be sure to follow our social-media accounts for updates.

And for those who have asked: Max Meyer, the draft’s 3rd overall pick, is not Jewish.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

If you could assemble the greatest Jewish baseball team of all time, who would you pick to play?

On June 21, Jewish fans around the world will get to watch live as five celebrity duos — including Team Israel member and former MLB All-Star Ian Kinsler — compete to select the best squad. Eligible players include any Jewish athlete who has reached the Major Leagues, a group that runs the gamut from outfielder Lip Pike (who led the National Association in home runs from 1871 to 1873) to Alex Bregman (who finished 2nd in the A.L. MVP vote in 2019).

The fantasy draft will take place at 2 p.m. (Eastern) on Sunday, June 21, and can be livestreamed here.

The draft will help raise funds for Team Israel’s medal quest at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. Although you can watch the draft for free, fans willing to pay $50 for a ticket will appear on-screen in the players’ Zoom Room and join them and other celebrities in side chats. And on June 14, a 10-day eBay auction of player jerseys and mitts will take place on eBay (details forthcoming).

Participants in the draft will include five current members of Team Israel, plus their partners:

• Ian Kinsler — four-time All-Star second baseman, who retired in 2019 with 1,999 career hits (Instagram)
• Jon Moscot — former Cincinnati Reds pitcher (Twitter)
• Danny Valencia — former infielder for seven MLB teams (Twitter)
• Ty Kelly — former New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder (Twitter)
• Ryan Lavarnway — Miami Marlins catcher (Twitter)
• Justine Siegel — fexecutive director of Baseball for All (Twitter)
• Gabrielle Starr — Girl at the Game blogger and Red Sox fan (Twitter)
• Cory Provus — radio voice of the Minnesota Twins (Twitter)
• Jaxon Stone — pro wrestler and former Atlanta Braves prospect (Twitter)
• A lucky fan to be named later

Here’s how the draft will work. Five two-person teams will select from the pool of all-time Jewish players listed on Jewish Baseball News. Round by round, each team will pick one player at catcher, first base, second base, shortstop, third base and designated hitter, along with three outfielders, two starting pitchers and two relievers.

Between draft picks, host Rabbi Jeremy Fine (The Great Rabbino) will conduct live interviews with past, present and future players.

Once full teams have been selected, a panel of judges will evaluate the picks and name a winning squad based on how each team theoretically might perform in a bracket tournament. The judges’ panel will include MLB.com draft and prospect expert Jonathan Mayo, Houston Astros beat writer and MLB.com correspondent Alyson Footer, and Chicago Dogs play-by-play announcer Sam Brief.

For updates, follow Jewish Baseball News’ social-media pages. See you there!

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of October 7-13, 2019, the second week of the playoffs:

Mazel tov

• Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Andy Yerzy, a 21-year-old first baseman and a native of Canada, is on the roster of the Canadian national team, which is pursuing a berth in the 2020 Olympics.
• Danny Valencia, who helped propel Team Israel to a spot in the 2020 Olympics, discussed the team — and his Jewish upbringing — in this article. ““I loved it,” he said of Team Israel. “It was a great group of guys, and I am grateful for the experience.”
• Sam Fuld, a former Major Leaguer who serves as player information coordinator for the Philadelphia Phillies, is one of a number of rumored candidates to replace Clint Hurdle as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• Orioles prospect Dean Kremer and Mariners prospect Sam Delaplane both pitched in the Arizona Fall League’s Fall Stars Game on October 12. Kremer yielded one hit in a scoreless inning, while Delaplane struck out the only batter he faced. For the season, Kremer is 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA, 12 strikeouts in 10 innings, and 0.70 walks/hits per inning, while Delaplane is 0-1 with 2 saves, a 1.13 ERA, 15 strikeouts in 8 innings, and 0.75 walks/hits per inning.

Other news

• The Phillies fired manager Gabe Kapler after his second season with the club. Under his  leadership, Philadelphia went 80-82 in 2018 and 81-81 in 2019.
• Our condolences to the family of Bob Tufts, a Princeton alum, Yeshiva University professor and former Major League pitcher who lost a lengthy battle with cancer earlier this month. Ken Davidoff published a heartfelt article about Tufts in the New York Post.

Stats to share

• According to Baseball Savant, the catcher with the fastest food speed in the American League in 2019 was Houston Astros rookie Garrett Stubbs.

At the plate

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), the only Jewish player remaining in the 2019 playoffs, hit .250 (4-for-16) with a double, 2 RBIs, and a .400 on-base percentage over 5 playoff games. He also made a spectacular leaping catch. Houston and the Yankees are tied 1-1 in the A.L. Championship Series.

• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .250 (2-for-8) over 2 playoff games, including a double that initially looked like a home run. Los Angeles was ousted by the Nationals in the N.L. Division Series.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves), who was relegated to the bullpen for the playoffs, gave up 4 earned runs over 1.2 innings of relief on October 9. Atlanta was knocked out by the Cardinals in the N.L. Division Series.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of September 30-October 6, 2019, the first week of the playoffs:

Mazel tov

• Kevin Pillar is San Francisco’s nominee for the 2019 Hank Aaron Award, given annually to the outstanding offensive player in each league (see article).

Stats to share

• By one measure, Max Fried may be the best-fielding pitcher in the Majors. According to FanGraphs, Fried’s defensive play saved Atlanta six more runs in 2019 than the average pitcher would have. Meanwhile, his 34 assists were tied for the MLB lead.
• Alex Bregman swung at only 18.8% of all pitches that arrived outside the strike zone in 2019, the best rate of any MLB batter (see table). The worst rate? Kevin Pillar held that dubious honor, at 48.8%.
• Joc Pederson’s home run in Game 1 of the N.L. Division Series had an exit velocity of 114.9-mph, the second-fastest by a Dodger since 2015.
• Though several respected journalists have argued for naming Alex Bregman the A.L. MVP, at least one oddsmaker has him finishing a distant third in the voting, behind Mike Trout and DJ LeMahieu.
• Special thanks to JBN reader Jack W. for many of today’s statistics.

 At the plate

• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .500 (3-for-6) with a HR, double, RBI, and a .625 on-base percentage. Houston leads Tampa Bay 2-0 in the A.L. Division Series.
• LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .286 (2-for-7) with a HR, double, RBI, and a .444 on-base percentage over three playoff games. Los Angeles leads the Nationals 2-1 in the N.L. Division Series.
• LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) went 1-for-4 in Milwaukee’s Wild Card loss on October 1, ending his season.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings across 3 games, yielding a hit and 2 walks while striking out 4. Atlanta leads the Cardinals 2-1 in the N.L. Division Series.

Arizona Fall League

• Orioles prospect Dean Kremer tossed 4 innings for the Surprise Saguaros in an October 4 start, yielding one earned run on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 2.
• Mariners prospect Sam Delaplane pitched 2 scoreless innings over 2 games for the Peoria Javelinas, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 4. He is one of just 8 pitchers in the AFL with 2 or more saves.

Get your Jewish Baseball News updates via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram