SubscribeMish-mosh
I’ll make this quick because I’ve got a plane to catch. Jetting down to Jamaica for a few days as the “plus-one” for my wife’s conference.
So:
For all of you considering Ike Davis for a spot on the big club when the Mets head north, let me be a wet blanket.
Sure, Davis is hitting very well in spring training; it’s great to see that he’s bangin’ the ball out of the yard. But what kind of pitching is he facing? Other rookies? Members of the opponents’ ML roster who haven’t pitched since October? Not that I wouldn’t be happy to see it, but let’s have a little perspective people.
Here’s a list, courtesy of Bob Wechsler (Day by Day in Jewish Sports History) via the Jewish Sports Collectors Yahoo group, of MOT in ST:
- Oakland — Craig Breslow
- Texas — Scott Feldman, Ian Kinsler
- Tampa Bay — Gabe Kapler
- Boston — Kevin Youkilis
- NY Yankees — RHP Jeremy Bleich (non-roster invitee), Jason Hirsh (non-roster invitee; previously played with the Astros and Rockies.
- Milwaukee — Ryan Braun, Scott Schoeneweis (non-roster), Adam Stern (non-roster; previously played with the Red Sox and Orioles)
- Chicago Cubs — Sam Fuld, John Grabow
- LA Dodgers — Brad Ausmus
- NY Mets — Davis (non-roster invitee)
- Washington — Jason Marquis, Josh Whitesell (non-roster invitee)
- San Diego — Adam Poreda
Wechsler’s “progress report”:
Hirsh has pitched 2 2/3 innings over three games and has yet to allow a hit. He has three strikeouts and no walks.
Bleich came in to pitch the final out in a Yankees loss.
Poreda appeared in one game for the Padres, walking one and striking out three in two innings.
Stern had a pinch-hit single in one game and went 0-for-2 in another.
Whitesell went 2-for-2 in Washington’s opener and 0-for-1 in its last game.
Davis is 10-for-15 with two doubles, a grand slam and eight RBIs. He has hit safely in all six games. He also has made four errors at first base.
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In hockey news, Matthieu Schneider — aka, the league’s oldest player — seems poised to rejoin the NHL with his new team, the Phoenix Coyotes (Thanks, again, Ari).
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In basketball, Ron Artest has converted once more, joining the bald brotherhood after his defensive plans went awry.
Carl Costas/Sacramento Bee
Omri Casspi played just four minutes (zero points) in the Kings’ 88-81 loss to the Portland Trailblazers last night.
Seems that fatigue is finally catching up with the Israeli import, according to this story in the Sacramento Bee:
“Omri the competitor wants to play 48 minutes a game for 82 games, but sometimes it’s just impossible for my body,” Casspi said. “Sometimes it’s good to rest, take a day off and come back with energy. Hopefully it will work for me.”
Meanwhile Jordan Farmar scored four points in 15 minutes as the Lakers snapped their three-game losing streak with a 109-107 win over the Toronto Raptors.
See that, Canada? That’s what you get for beating our hockey team in the Olympics!
Anyway, I’m off. See you next week.
Categories: Game Day, Jews and baseball, Jews and basketball, Jews and hockey
Welcome back, Mr. T
By whom I mean Tony Kornheiser, who returns from his two-week suspension.
Funny, but his absence was never explained, at least not on the podcasts I listened to in the interim. Maybe there was a crawl on the TV show (but I doubt it).
According to this piece, his ESPN TV show, Pardon the Interruption, didn’t suffer much from his absence. But you have to read between the lines. I’m guessing fans of the show tolerated guest host Dan LeBatard, comfy in the realization that Kornheiser would eventually return.
It may just be an increased sensitivity, and might be nothing, but I got a sense listening to yesterday’s PTI that Kornheiser was holding back a bit. Hope this episode isn’t going to transform him into a “kindler, gentler” version.
And of course, he mentioned the Artest hair club for men, lamenting that his coiffure doesn’t allow such artistry. But if it did, he said, his cut would feature chicken and matza ball soup.
Shameless self-promotion (again)
As you may know, I have another blog that deals primarily with baseball literature (hey, we’re the people of the book, after all).
I’ve recently taken the plunge and gone solo, unfettered from the constrictions of a Wordpress-hosted site to a place of my own. Please visit the new digs at RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com. Don’t be put off by the ungainliness; it’s still a work in progress.
Open all night. Free refills.
More hair-raising news
From the JTA on Ron Artest’s new ‘do.
Lakers’ Artest has a head full of Hebrew
One of the top defenders in the NBA had the word “defense” inscribed in his hair in Hebrew, as well as in Japanese and Hindi.
Ron Artest, a forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, dyed his hair blonde and had the word “hagana” shaved and dyed in purple in his hair to match the team’s colors for the March 7 game against the Orlando Magic in Florida.
Artest reportedly asked his fans on Twitter over the weekend if he had the proper translation. Originally he had “hahagana,” but it was suggested that hagana would be better.
There was no word on whether Artest’s Jewish teammate, Jordan Farmar, weighed in on the translation.
In a rematch of last year’s championship teams, the Magic defeated the Lakers, 96-94.
I’m kvelling
We hit an all-time high last week for visitors, with more than 5,000. I’m sure it was the combination of Sandy Koufax with a big lift from our friend Rob Neyer over at ESPN.com.
Baseball briefs
- What’s a game without a nosh? Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers because the latest athlete to open a restaurant.
- Ike Davis continues to impress at Mets spring training camp. He’s among the team leaders in games, hits, doubles, RBI and averages so far. More on Davis here and here.
- Meanwhile, Washington Nationals pitcher Jason Marquis had a rude welcome in his first ST game yesterday. Teammate Josh Whitesell, seeking a return to the Majors, has appeared in two games, with two hits and a walk in three at-bats.
Thanks again to KK reader Ari for his efforts.
New installment of Inside Israeli Basketball airs
In the fifth episode of Inside Israeli Basketball, Maccabi Haifa forward Richard Roby, the all-time leading scorer at the University of Colorado and the half-brother to the NBA’s Denver Nuggets power-forward Kenyon Martin, takes a trip to the Haifa Zoo.
Inside Israeli Basketball focuses on the Maccabi Haifa basketball team, which is currently 11-5 and tied for second place in the Israeli Basketball Super League. The episode includes a segment on last season’s MVP of the Puerto Rican League, Jesse Pellot-Rosa, who takes his teammates out for a paintballing session in Haifa.
The program airs Wednesday, March 10, at 5 p.m. ET on Comcast Versus; Thursday, March 11, at 8 p.m. ET on JLTV; Sunday, March 14, at noon ET (re-airs at 10 p.m. ) on the YES Network; and Tuesday, March 16, at 6:30 pm ET on SUN Sports, with repeat episodes throughout the month.
Maccabi Haifa, owned by Jeffrey Rosen of Aventura, FL , through his Triangle Financial Services firm, was the surprise runner-up in the Israeli Basketball Super League last season. This year’s team features a number of American players, including Davon Jefferson of Southern California; Todd Golden, a former St. Mary’s College of California product; Jason Rich, a Florida State University standout; Jesse Pellot-Rosa of Virginia Commonwealth; Richard Roby of the University of Colorado; and former San Diego High phenom Jeremy Tyler.
The program is hosted by Israeli actress and model Becky Griffin, and produced on location by Joseph Marc Sports (which produces shows including Yankees Magazine, Nets Magazine, and Inside Rutgers Football).
“This space for rent.”
“slash” Jewps.
First it was Kobe Bryant who expressed an interest in being Jewish. Now it seems like teammate Ron Artest is at least learning the language:
Read commentary from Korner haver Rabbi Jason Miller here.
Meanwhile Omri Casspi scored four points in a 108-100 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on March 5. Jordan Farmar scored an even dozen in a 98-83 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats on March 5 and zero (!) in yesterday’s 96-94 defeat at the hands of the Orlando Magic. The Lakers have lost three in a row for the first time in recorded history this year.
Categories: Game Day, Israeli sports, Jews and basketball
Speaking of Yom Kippur…
I see where Chicago’s Wrigley Field will be the site of a couple of rock concerts during Yom Kippur. Oy.
According to a story in the Chicago Sun-Times:
The Cubs got the go-ahead [yesterday] to hold a nighttime concert at Wrigley Field on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, but they’ll bend over backwards to minimize conflict.
Mike Lufrano, Cubs senior vice-president of community affairs, said the time of the Saturday, Sept. 18 concert — by either the Dave Matthews Band, Paul McCartney or Phish — will be pushed back until after sundown, when Yom Kippur ends….
Because the Sept. 17 concert coincides with Kol Nidre, the start of Yom Kippur, the Cubs have reached out to all three synagogues in the area: Anshe Emet, Anshe Sholom, and Temple Sholom.
“It’s really parking that they’re most concerned about. You won’t hear it because they’re far enough away. But, it’s fans coming to hear the concert at the same time people are going to worship,” said [Mike] Lufrano, [Cubs senior vice-president of community affairs], who is Jewish and plans to miss his first Wrigley concert to celebrate the holiday.
Messy, messy, messy.
More on Koufax’s latest appearance
This is evidently big news.
Ian Chaffee writes his take on the fundraiser at which Koufax appeared for his friend Joe Torre on Bleacher Reports in which he compares the Hall of Famer’s shunning of the spotlight to modern athletes who can’t seem to get enough attention.
“After the death of JD Salinger earlier this year, Koufax might be the most famous hermit left in American ‘public’ life…,” writes Chaffee, who wonders why the media still chases after him like big game hunters after the rare white rhinoceros.
Why not focus instead on Sandy, who, as many a Jewish parent has told their child, once refused to pitch on Yom Kippur.
55 years of beautiful L.A. Dodger tradition, from Sandy Koufax to Joe Torre.
You’re God damn right we’re living in the past.
And finally, a news story on the event from the Los Angeles Times.
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