JML: A midseason appraisal

Overall, it’s been a good first half for Jewish Major Leaguers on several fronts.

For one thing, there have already been more MOTs on ML rosters than at any other point in history (even though not all the players are currently in the Bigs). And we just missed having four on the All-Star rosters for tonight’s game, with the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler losing out for the last AL spot.

If we can extrapolate the stats to date, we’re talking possible MVP / award winning seasons for a few of da boys.(“Spins” come from ESPN.com.)

Ryan Braun (Brewers) will bat cleanup and start in left field for the host NL All-Star team. The 2007 Rookie of the Year is putting together a third straight high-end season with 16 home runs, 58 RBI, and a .310 batting average, all among the league leaders

Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox). “Youk” will be a reserve at this year’s All-Star game. Perhaps he would be better served with the time off (see “spin”). Prior to the break, Youkilis went 3-4 with two home runs and four runs batted in. Despite dropping a whopping 106 points in his  batting average since May 20 (.404 to .298), Youkilis is still among the league leaders in slugging and on-base percentage.

Spin: The…All-Star first baseman had been in a month-plus long funk since returning from the DL May 20. He had a .234/.365/.449 line in 47 games between May 20 and July 10, and he only had nine multi-hit games and eight home runs in that span.

Ian Kinsler (Rangers) hasn’t been injured like Youkilis, but he’s worn down over the season. Prior to the All-Star break, he was just 2-26 in July. Nevertheless, he’s on pace to join the 30-30 club (homers and stolen bases) and has an outside shot at 40 round-trippers for the season. He also has 55 RBI, 19 doubles and a triple and consider this nugget from The Washington Post for the defining moment of his career, which came on April 15 against the Baltimore Orioles:

According to a number of different statistical source (Elias Bureau, Stats LLC, pick your favorite), Kinsler is the first batter to knock out six hits without an out in a game in which he hit for the cycle since 1890, when a guy by the name of William Farmer Weaver of the Louisville Colonels (the who?) pulled off the feat. How long ago was that? Well, maybe this will put it in perspective: Kinsler was born in 1982. Weaver was born a week before President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

Scott Feldman (Rangers) is turning into quite a bargain for the team. At a salary of under $500,000 he’s among the AL leaders in victories with eight, an .800 winning percentage (two losses), and a low walks+hits per inning (WHIP) ratio of 1.18. The native of Hawaii has evened his career record at 15-15. He could have been a choice for the All-Star pitching staff just like

Jason Marquis (Rockies) who makes his first mid-summer classic appearance.  Marquis is 11-6 (leading the NL in wins) with a 3.63 ERA He’s also durable with two complete games (a lost craft) and 123.1 innings, good for seventh place. Pitching out of a tough home ballpark, he’s 5-3 with a very respectable 3.80 ERA. He also hits: a .216 average with six RBI.

Spin: His streak of scoreless innings ended at 18 when Brooks Conrad singled home Brian McCann. Marquis’ four strikeouts in this game were actually more than he had in either of his two previous games, both of which were shutouts. In fact, he has struck out more than four just twice this year.

Gabe Kapler (Rays) is doing an adequate job in his role as reserve outfielder for the Rays. His stats aren’t noteworthy, but he has come a long way from batting in the low .100s to his current .257. He’s also contributed several timely hits that enabled Tampa Ray to win a few games. Not bad for a guy who “retired” a couple years back to manage in the minor leagues.

Craig Breslow (Twins-Athletics) was claimed by the As on waivers from the Minnesota Twins on May 20. He’s a typical “situational lefty,” i.e., he usually pitches to one or two batters at a time. he’s appeared in 44 games, totaling 34.1 innings. He’s allowed 19 walks but just 24 hits (four of them homers) and they seem to come at inopportune moments, as his 19 runs (17 earned) and 4.46 ERA would indicate.

John Grabow (Pirates), like Breslow, is a lefty workhorse. He’s been in 38 games (40.2 innings) and has 15 “holds,” good for fourth in the NL. His walks-strikeouts ratio is not great (23-26) and he’s allowed 15 earned runs (3.32 ERA), but they keep putting him out there.

Scott Schoeneweis (Diamondbacks) is trying to come back from the devastating sudden death of his wife in May. He’s hurled just 15 innings in 32 games, allowing four home runs and a 5.40 ERA.

Aaron Poreda (White Sox) made his big league debut on June 12 and has been used sparingly — only 11 innings over nine games. But what’s there, as Spencer Tracy said in Pat and Mike, “is cherce.” He’s allowed 9 hits and six walks but has struck out 12 while yielding just two earned runs for a 1.64 earned run average.

Brad Ausmus (Dodgers)  Are we sure he’s not Orthodox? Seems he makes  one appearance a week, almost always on Sundays. He’s adjusted well to his back-up role, batting .286 with one homer and five RBI.

Ryan Sadowski (Giants) made a dazzling debut. In his first game, the 26-year-old right handed pitcher threw six shutout innings to pick up his first Major League win, a 7-0 sparkler over the Milwaukee Brewers. The next time out, he was even better: seven shutout innings, three hits and four strikeouts for win No. 2, 10-0 against the Houston Astros. The third time was not the charm, though and Sadowski took the 7-0 loss against the Marlins, not that he pitched that poorly (five innings, two earned runs). Nevertheless, he was sent all the way down to Class A San Jose. A shande.

Sam Fuld (Cubs) returned to the Majors for a cup of coffee on June 29. He appeared in 11 games, mostly as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement, ending up with six hits in 16 at bats (three doubles and three walks) before being shipped back down to the minors on July 12. But wait: he was recalled again on July 12 to fill in for a player placed on the disabled list.

Josh Whitesell (Diamondbacks) was also a call-up to fill in for a disabled player. The second-year first basemen appeared in 20 games, 12-56 (.214) although half of the hits were doubles. He was sent down on June 21.

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

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