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 draft. But Ryan Braun said his brother was better than that, and he lobbied the Brewers to sign him.

Perhaps against their better judgment, the Brewers relented. Anything to keep Ryan — the 2007 N.L. Rookie of the Year — happy, I suppose.

“If it all works out and we got to play together one day at this level, it would be pretty cool,” Ryan told MLB.com at the time.

Unfortunately, Steve didn’t live up to Ryan’s expectations. He hit just .175 in rookie-league ball in 2008. After being promoted to “A” ball in 2009, he  hit .265 in 34 at-bats before fracturing his ankle.

When Steve returned to baseball in 2010, the Brewers inexplicably stepped him up to the “A-advanced” Florida State League, where he batted an anemic .140, with 2 RBIs in 107 at-bats.

Earlier this month, the Brewers finally released Steve. Hopefully he’ll find his groove and catch on with another team due to his bat, not his name.

— Scott Barancik

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