You can’t buy beer or Crackerjacks at the Columbus Baseball Invitational in Ohio. But you can see six high-school teams from five states battle it out in an annual tournament immodestly dubbed the ‘Jewish World Series.’

Beginning today (5/17/2012), the 4-day round robin will feature host Columbus Torah Academy, Ramaz School (New York, NY), Kushner Hebrew Academy (Livingston, NJ), Yeshiva Atlanta, Yeshiva Ohr Israel (Atlanta, GA), and reigning champion Ida Crown Jewish Academy (Chicago, IL).

Participants, their families, and coaches are invited to provide updates and highlights from the tournament via the ‘Comments’ section of this post.

Click here to see a promo video for the tournament.

# # #

Buying something on Amazon.com? Click on our link

Danny Rosenbaum (MiLB.com)

By Zev Ben Avigdor/Jewish Baseball News

More than 50 Jews currently play Major- or minor-league ball, but few are generating more raves this season than award-winning Washington Nationals prospect Danny Rosenbaum.

The 24-year-old hurler is putting up ridiculous numbers for the Harrisburg Senators (AA), compiling a 5-0 record, league-leading 0.71 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and just 4 walks. There’s talk the Nats may call him up during their September roster expansion, pending a solid performance with the Syracuse Chiefs (AAA).

Not bad for a guy from Loveland, OH, who was the 652nd pick in the 2009 draft — a mere 651 places behind fellow Nationals draftee Stephen Strasburg — and began the 2012 season ranked #23 on Baseball America’s list of Nationals prospects.

Rosenbaum is poised off-field as well as on. During a visit earlier this month to Binghamton, N.Y., home of the New York Mets’ AA franchise, the 6’1″ left-hander juggled attention from out-of-town family members, questions from an 8-year-old Jewish fan — including the first three you’ll see below — and still more queries from Jewish Baseball News contributor Zev Ben Avigdor. An edited transcript follows.

 —————————

What do you like about being Jewish?

I get asked that a lot. I like the traditions that everyone holds and that we get to celebrate with our families. It’s a very family-oriented religion, and it’s always great to see family like that come in, come watch me play, and just get to be together. I’d say that’s the biggest thing. And also it’s a small group of guys that are playing, and getting to be a role model for little leaguers and young kids. It’s a blessing to feel like that.

What is your favorite holiday?

It used to be Chanukah, when I appreciated presents a lot. But now? I always liked Passover. All the food you get to eat. We always had our family over for Passover every year, and my parents make pretty good food — pretty good matzoh ball soup — and my grandma cooks real well, too. So probably Passover. [During Pesach] I try to watch the yeast stuff and just try not to eat a lot of bread. And I call my family and wish I could be there. It’s tough not being back with them, celebrating it with them.

And who is your favorite baseball player?

I’d have to say, I guess, Sandy Koufax is my favorite Jewish baseball player. He’s always been a role model for me and for a lot of Jewish kids out of Cincinnati. [Note: Rosenbaum grew up in a Cincinnati suburb and played two seasons at Cincinnati's Xavier University. Koufax went to the University of Cincinnati on a basketball scholarship.] He’s just that huge public figure…Everyone wants to [emulate] what he did and what he did for the game of baseball. My favorite player growing up—like everyone else—was Ken Griffey, Jr.

What would you like the readers of Jewish Baseball News to know about you?

I guess to say I’m getting married this fall, back in Cincinnati. I actually knew her in middle school, but we didn’t start dating until my senior year in high school. My freshman year I went to Indiana, and she went to Morehead State, which is in Kentucky, and I transferred after my freshman year [to Xavier University]. We did the whole long distance thing for five years, six years, and now we’re [still] doing long distance. She’s working back home. It’s tough. It’s a tough lifestyle, but we made a commitment, and we’re ready to be together forever.

You mentioned Jewish kids. Do you get much chance to work with them directly?

Not during the season. During the off-season I did. I went to help out the JCC. I gave lessons out of there. While I was there we volunteered to help out the Orthodox Jewish kids there and made them a little bit better. There’s not a whole lot of them, but it was fun to be a part of it and to learn what their lifestyle is like, because I’ve never really been associated with Orthodox Jews before. So it was pretty cool. It was fun.

Has anywhere you’ve ever played done a Jewish Heritage Night?

I don’t think so. Just that one time we had the Jewish camp that came to our game in Hagerstown. That’s probably the closest we came to that. It’s pretty exciting knowing that you have a whole group of kids that are behind you the whole way. Even though I’m not playing, they’re still cheering for me, so it’s just a good feeling to have.

And finally a baseball question: How do you do it? You don’t have an overpowering 98 mph fastball, but you just seem to get people out.

I just try to stay even-keeled the whole way. It’s like my parents said, ‘Don’t make the highs too high and the lows too low.’ Just go out and battle. Be a competitor. That’s what our manager wants to see and our pitching coach and our organization. That’s all I try to do, is just give my team a chance to win.

(Editor’s note: “Zev Ben Avigdor” is the pen name of a university scholar who writes for Jewish Baseball News. Click here to see more of his interviews.)

# # #

Buying something on Amazon.com? Show us some love and click through our Amazon link

Mondays blow. So inhale this:

1. Hungering for more Jewish ballplayers? Jewish Sports Review recently uncovered two: Toronto Blue Jays prospect Ian Kadish, and Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Jared Lakind. Kadish, a 23-year-old reliever, debuted last year with the Bluefield Blue Jays (Rookie), going 2-3 with a 2.67 ERA, 7 saves, and 35 strikeouts in 30-and-one-third innings. Lakind, a 20-year-old first baseman, showed impressive run-production last year, contributing 4 HRs and 20 RBIs in just 108 at-bats for the GCL Pirates (Rookie), although his .148 batting average and 43 strikeouts left plenty of room for improvement.
2. Kevin Youkilis, out since April 28, took batting practice and fielded ground balls Sunday (5/13/2012) for the first time since straining his lower back. We hope Youk returns to the Boston Red Sox lineup soon.
3. Chicago White Sox reliever Dylan Axelrod is a practicing Christian. Why mention him? Because Axelrod, who made his Major League debut last month, is one of several current Major Leaguers who have at least one Jewish parent or grandparent — and thus may be eligible to play for Team Israel in the November 2012 qualifying round for the World Baseball Classic. Among others, Axelrod is joined by Cleveland Indians 2B (and Rookie of the Year candidate) Jason Kipnis, and Arizona Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt, each of whom has a Jewish parent but identifies as Christian.
4. Harrisburg Senators (AA) phenom Danny Rosenbaum turned in yet another stellar start on Friday (5/11/2012), pitching 7 scoreless innings in an 8-1 win over the Akron Aeros. A wizard at inducing ground balls, the 24-year-old Washington Nationals caused the Aeros to hit 11 times as many grounders as they did fly balls. So far this season, Rosenbaum is 5-0 with two complete games, a league-leading 0.71 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and just four walks in 50-and-2/3 innings, or less than one per 9 innings.
5. In Milwaukee, Brewers 1B Ryan Braun is known not only as a star baseball player but an emerging restaurateur. His latest opening, a joint venture with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, will be called 8*twelve MVP Bar & Grill. The name is a nod to the two stars’ jersey numbers — Braun’s is ’8′ –and the fact that each is his sport’s reigning MVP.

# # #

——————————————————————————————————————————————–

Buying something on Amazon.com? Show us some love — use our Amazon link!

 ——————————————————————————————————————————————-

Shawn Green

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 4 HRs in a 9-inning game since 1918. Hamilton’s 18 total bases set an American League record.

But his performance still fell short of what arguably was the greatest single-game performance in MLB history: Shawn Green‘s 4-HR barrage in 2002.

In a lopsided 16-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers (5/23/2002), the Los Angeles Dodgers RF went 6-for-6 with 4 HRs, a double, and a single. And while his RBI total (7) fell one short of Hamilton’s, Green recorded 19 total bases, which remains the all-time MLB record (see box score).

Chances are Hamilton will end up with better season totals in 2012 then Green did in 2002 (.285, 42 HRs, 114 RBIs). Through the Rangers’ first 34 games, Hamilton already has wracked up an incredible .402 batting average with 18 HRs and 41 RBIs.

But for the best single-performance performance, Green has our vote.

# # #

——————————————————————————————————————————————–

Buying something on Amazon.com? Show us some love — use our Amazon link!

 ——————————————————————————————————————————————-

It’s been a tough week for Jewish baseball fans. Two struggling players have been sent down to the minors, and a third may be on his way.

On Wednesday (5/9/2012), the Philadelphia Phillies optioned reliever Michael Schwimer back to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA). Schwimer had struggled since being called up in late April, compiling an uncharacteristic 0-1 record and 8.53 ERA in five appearances.

And today (5/10/2012), the Minnesota Twins optioned 3B Danny Valencia to the Rochester Red Wings (AAA). Valencia hasn’t played in the minors since 2010, when he made the most of a mid-season call-up, hitting .311 for the Twins and finishing 3rd in voting for the A.L. Rookie of the Year award. But the Miami native had a disappointing sophomore season and was hitting just .190 for the Twins in 2012, with just 1 HR and 11 RBIs in 100 at-bats.

New York Mets 1B Ike Davis could face a similar fate if he doesn’t improve significantly on his .179 batting average. He may have earned a brief reprieve Wednesday (5/9/2011) by clubbing a three-run HR and a single in a 10-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

A tip of the cap to Jewish Baseball News contributor Zev Ben Avigdor for the heads-up on Schwimer and Valencia.

# # #

——————————————————————————————————————————————–

Buying something on Amazon.com? Show us some love — use our Amazon link!

 ——————————————————————————————————————————————-