Where are they now: JML edition

Recent send-downs, as of May 21 (it would appear the milb.com doesn’t update as quickly as the Major League enterprise):

Danny Valencia is batting .293 with two doubles, two home runs, and  seven RBIs in 10 games with the Rochester Red Wings. More important, he’s only struck out three times in 41 at bats. He had fanned 23 times in 100 at bats for the Twins.

Michael Schwimer has three saves in five games (five innings) for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (how ironic). He’s given up but two hits, walked no one, and struck out five. It’s a marked difference from the five games he played with the Phillies in  which he allowed six runs on seven hits, walking five and fanning three for an 0-1 record with one blown save.

And from TampaBayOnline comes this item about “Super” Sam Fuld:

One of the first Rays players to be placed on the disabled list this season believes he could be ready for a return to action some time in June, which would be two months sooner than initially expected.

OF Sam Fuld, who broke his right wrist during spring training, said the doctor that performed his surgery told him this week the wrist is healing nicely and that he could begin a hitting program in early June.

“What I was thinking initially was mid-August (for a return), but it might be a little sooner now,” Fuld said. “Not surprisingly the biggest test is going to come when I actually start hitting.”

 

An “Infinite” tribute to Mickey Rutner

Mickey Rutner played and handful of games for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1947. Not exactly earth-shattering, even by JML standards.

Of more interest to the people of the book was his role as muse for Eliot Asinoff’s 1955 novel, Man on Spikes, which follows the career of Mickey Kutner, a frustrated career minor leaguer who just can’t seem to catch a break. Asinof and Rutner were friends (Asinof himself was a failed ballplayer), so I wonder how Rutner felt about having his story out there. It’s interesting to note that the anti-Semitism Rutner and Jews of that era might have faced is represented by athletes who wear glasses (Asinof discusses the parallels of perception in the preface).

Gary Cieradkowski, creator of the Infinite Baseball Card Set, loves to feature off-beat players with interesting backstories. Rutner is his latest.

JML update, May 24

The Red Sox are undefeated since Kevin Youkilis‘ return. You’re welcome. Youk was 2-3 with a walk and a run scored as Boston beat the first-place Orioles, 6-5.

 

 

Ike Davis was 1-4 with a strikeout as the Mets held off the Pirates, 3-1.

Ryan Braun was 0-4, striking out three times, but the Brewers prevailed, beating the Giants, 8-5. Braun scored one of those Milwaukee runs.

Ian Kinsler was 2-4, scored a run, and stolen his seventh base of the year, but the Rangers fell to the Mariners, 5-3. Scott Feldman made the start for the Rangers and took the loss to fall to 0-2. He allowed just three hits in 4.1 innings, but walked five and one of those hits was a grand slam by Alex Liddi in the second inning.

Craig Breslow did not appear in the Diamondbacks’ 11-4 win over the Dodgers.

You may recall I opined yesterday about the desirability of the Mets picking up landsman (theirs and ours) Jason Marquis, recently designated for assignment by the Minn. Twins. Evidently I’m not the only one to think so.

Sign the on-line petition for an Olympic moment of silence

Last week I wrote about the I.O.C. ‘s decision not to include a moment of silence in memory of the Israelis slain at the 1972 Munich Games.

Change.org has posted an on-line petition to submit to the I.O.C. to persuade them otherwise. As of this posting, it has acquired more than 52,000 signatures. My paper posted this editorial; I am sure others publications will feature similar items in the very near future.

I am including the original request from Ankie Spitzer, widow of Andrei Spitzer, one of the members of that Israeli team:

Tell the International Olympic Committee: 40 Years is Enough!

At the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, eleven members of the Israeli team were murdered. For forty years their families have asked the International Olympic Committee to observe a minute of silence, in their memory. Please help us by signing our petition.

I am the wife of Andrei Spitzer. My husband was killed at those Olympic Games in 1972.

I am asking for one minute of silence for the memory of the eleven Israeli athletes, coaches and referees murdered at the 1972 summer Olympics in Munich. Just one minute — at the 2012 London Summer Olympics and at every Olympic Game, to promote peace.

These men were sons; fathers; uncles; brothers; friends; teammates; athletes. They came to Munich in 1972 to play as athletes in the Olympics; they came in peace and went home in coffins, killed in the Olympic Village and during hostage negotiations.

The families of the Munich 11 have worked for four decades to obtain recognition of the Munich massacre from the International Olympic Committee. We have requested a minute of silence during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics starting with the ’76 Montreal Games. Repeatedly, these requests have been turned down. The 11 murdered athletes were members of the Olympic family; we feel they should be remembered within the framework of the Olympic Games.

We are asking again to be heard in time for the 2012 London Summer Olympics. In 2010 JCC Rockland, New York contacted me and offered their help and made it their mission for their 2012 JCC Maccabi Games to honor the Munich 11 through multiple events as well as spearheading this petition.

Silence is a fitting tribute for athletes who lost their lives on the Olympic stage. Silence contains no statements, assumptions or beliefs and requires no understanding of language to interpret.

I have no political or religious agenda. Just the hope that my husband and the other men who went to the Olympics in peace, friendship and sportsmanship are given what they deserve. One minute of silence will clearly say to the world that what happened in 1972 can never happen again. Please do not let history repeat itself.
For my husband Andrei and the others killed, we must remember the doctrine of the Olympic Spirit, “to build a peaceful and better world which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play,”  is more powerful than politics.

40 years is long enough to wait.

Go to www.munich11.org to learn more about how the JCC Rockland, in New York took up our fight to remedy injustice with the support & gratitude of the families of the Munich 11 and to learn the history of a day we should never forget.

Thank you,  Ankie Spitzer and JCC Rockland.

 

Omer Counting for Sports Fans

From the NY Jewish Week.

Calling 18U hoopsters: Maccabiah tryouts

Passing this note along from Elliot Steinmetz on behalf of the United States of America’s 18U youth basketball team for the 19th Maccabiah games:

Dear Coaches, Players and Athletic Directors,

I am writing to inform you of the tryout schedule for the United States of America’s 18U youth basketball team for the 19th Maccabiah games which will take place in Israel next summer, July 2013.

Coach Dan Leibovitz, of the University of Pennsylvania, will be the head coach of the USA 18U team. I will be serving as an assistant coach along with Coach Jamie Chadwin. We are in the process of starting to put together a high level team to compete for the gold medal next summer. I would like to request that you please forward this information to your players or to any player that you know of that may be interested in competing. We are looking for dedicated and highly committed players with the ability and drive to complete on the international level. Tryouts will take place at the end of the summer in Los Angeles, Chicago and New Jersey. The dates are listed below and the exact locations are to be determined.

Los Angeles, CA – Sunday, August 19, 2012
Chicago, IL – Sunday. August 26, 2012
New Jersey – September 23, 2012

In order to tryout, each player will have to fill out the appropriate application and forms available on the Maccabi USA website (linked below).

I would also ask that if you have a specific player in mind who you feel could potentially add value to this team that you contact me as soon as possible.

For more information about the games, please visit the Maccabi USA website.

Thank you,
Elliot Steinmetz
elliotdsteinmetz@gmail.com

Boxing update

Haven’t heard too much from Dmitriy Salita or Yuri Foreman for awhile.

Salita (33-1-1) has been on “hiatus,” but according to this story is looking to fight in the fall against Paulie Malignaggi, the current WBA welterweight champion. No such news about Foreman.

Manny Pacquiao is in the news for some Jewish content. From the JTA:

Pacquiao to visit Israel, says his Jewish promoter Bob Arum

Manny Pacquiao, the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion, will visit Israel, his Jewish promoter Bob Arum said.

Arum during a conference call Tuesday pledged to bring the Filipino boxer and lawmaker to Israel after Pacquiao fights Timothy Bradley in a title defense in Las Vegas on June 9.

“After the Bradley fight, we’re going to Israel,” Arum said. “We’ve got plenty of time to discuss Manny’s next fight then.”

Many Filipinos reside in Israel as migrant workers, facing challenges regarding the residency status of their children.

Earlier this month Pacquiao, who boasts a 54-3-2 record with 38 knockouts, and Floyd Mayweather both were ranked second by The Ring magazine as the best pound-for-pound fighters. The magazine symbolically left the top spot vacant; boxing fans have been clamoring for a fight between the two for years.

After Mayweather defeated Miguel Cotto, also a client of Arum, the promoter addressed the question as to why Pacquiao hasn’t fought Mayweather, invoking the name of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels in the process.

“You see Mayweather is from the school of propaganda that Joseph Goebbels, who was Hitler’s publicist, adopted,” said Arum in an interview with SportsRadioInterviews.com. “The more you say things over and over again, the more people believe them,” he added, referring to Mayweather’s alleged request for drug testing as a pre-condition for a fight with Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is also an elected politician in the Phillipines, serving as senator of the Sarangani province.

Right time, right place

Here’s something you don’t see every day. Or ever. Are you paying attention, Zack Hample?

JML Update, May 23

As mentioned, Kevin Youkilis was 1-3 with a home run in his return from the disabled list as the Red Sox lost to the Orioles, 4-1. Youkilis batted fifth and played first base, moving Adrian Gonzalez to right field and allowing rookie sensation Will Middlebrooks to remain at third.

Ryan Braun was 1-4 with his 31st RBI of the year, but the Brewers fell to the Giants, 6-4. I read an interesting post on the Jewish Sports Collectors Yahoo group, projecting Braun to post MVP-like numbers again, if he can keep up this pace and stay healthy. According to ESPN’s projections, Braun would enjoy career-highs in home runs (45) and runs scored (117), with 113 RBIs.

Ike Davis was 0-4 with two strikeouts as the Mets held off the Pirates, 3-2. You wonder how much longer this will go on. Manager Terry Collins has been very supporting, but it’s really getting ugly.

Craig Breslow had his second straight rough outing, giving up three hits and two runs (one earned) without retiring a batter in the Diamondbacks’ 8-7 loss to the Dodgers. Breslow entered the game in the sixth inning with Arizona leading 6-2 and runners on second and third and nobody out. The first batter singled to drive in two (6-4). The next man hit into a fielder’s choice and was safe on an error. Next: single to drive in one (6-5). Next: single to load the bases. Exit Breslow.

Ian Kinsler was 0-4 in the Rangers;’ 3-1 win over the Seattle Mariners. Scott Feldman did not appear in the game.

Jason Marquis remains in limbo. Naturally, I would love the Mets to take a chance on him. He’d be pitching close to home (he lives on Staten Island), which may offer some emotional support.

The numbers seem to be dwindling every day. Danny Valencia and Michael Schwimer were demoted earlier this month and now Marquis. And who knows how much longer Davis will be around at this point?

Yooooouuuukkkk!

You can’t make this stuff up.

Kevin Youkilis hit a home run in his first game back from the disabled list. Unfortunately, it was the only run the Red Sox had in a 4-1 loss to the first-place Baltimore Orioles. It was his third homer of the year.

Youkilis struck out in his other two at bats, but that’s just details.

Kaplan’s Korner on Jews and Sports © 2012 New Jersey Jewish News

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