Play Ball!

What a long strange winter it’s been. Now we can forget our troubles, come on, get happy! Opening day, man!

So here’s this year’s “minyan”:

• Brad Ausmus, C, Los Angeles, Dodgers
• Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
• Craig Breslow, P, Minnesota Twins
• Scott Feldman, P, Texas Rangers
• John Grabow, Pittsburgh Pirates
• Gabe Kapler, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
• Ian Kinsler, 2B, Texas Rangers
• Jason Marquis, P, Colorado Rockies
• Scott Schoeneweis, P, Arizona Diamondbacks
• Kevin Youkilis, 1B, Boston Red Sox

Recent JMLs who just missing the cut and were reassigned to the minors include Jason Hirsh, a pitcher with Colorado; Josh Whitesell, a first-baseman in the Arizona Diamondbacks system; and Brain Horwitz, an outfielder with the San Francisco Giants organization.

So how are the Jewish Major Leaguers doing so far?

On the ups:

• Kinsler had three hits, including two doubles in the Rangers 9-1 drubbing of the Cleveland Indians. He also scored on run and drove in a pair.
• Grabow came on in the eighth inning with the Pirates trailing the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2. He retired both batters to face him and was the recipient of a four-run ninth to pick up the win. Final score, Pirates 6, Cards 4.

On the downs:

• Schoeneweis, now in his second tour with the Diamondbacks, gave up a home run in 2/3 of an inning in his team’s 9-8 win over the Colorado Rockies
• Breslow gave up a walk and an unearned run in the twins’ 6-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Pareve

• Ausmus did not play in the Dodgers’ 4-1 win over the San Diego Padres; neither Feldman nor Marquis appeared in their ball clubs’ game.
• Youkilis and the Red Sox had their home opener against the Rays (and Kapler) postponed  by rain. Braun and the Brewers play their season opener today, God willing.

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Kaplan’s Korner on Jews and Sports © 2009 New Jersey Jewish News

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