JML update

Been a while since I’ve done one of these. haven’t felt well enough to follow the doings on-line and with the Olympics going on the Times has cut their box scores dramatically. So here goes.

The Boston Red Sox seem to be cornering the market on Mots lately. They acquired reliever Craig Breslow, who was born in “Red Sox Nation” (New Haven, CT). He appeared in the 8/11 game against the Cleveland Indians and this just goes to show how a box score can be deceiving. According to the “line,” Breslow pitched 2/3 of an inning, allowed two hits, gave up a run, and struck out a batter. A look at the play-by-play tells a slightly different story. Breslow struck out the first batter to face him. he then gave up a double. The runner advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a single. With a bit of luck, Breslow might have emerged unscathed.

In addition to Breslow, the Sox recently brought up catcher Ryan Lavarnway, outfielder Ryan Kalish, and traded for third baseman Danny Valencia from the Minn. Twins. They had sent Valencia to the minors, but brought him up when their regular third baseman (and Kevin Youkilis replacement) Will Middlebrooks was injured. Lavarnway is just 2020 with a double since he joined the team on Aug. 2. Kalish returned to Boston on Aug. 1 and is 3-19 with a double and four runs scored since then. Valencia started yesterday’s game against the Indians and was 0-4 in the Sox’ 14-1 victory.

If memory serves, this is the largest contingent of Jews on one roster since the 1941 New York Giants of Harry Danning, Harry Feldman, Sid Gordon, and Morrie Arnovich.

Youkilis hit his 14th home run of the season on Saturday night, one of two hits against the visiting Oakland As. Unfortunately, he was hit by a pitched which kept him out of yesterday’s game.

Jason Marquis pitched his best game of the year for the San Diego Padres, perhaps of his career. He shut out the powerful Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-0, on two hits on Aug. 11. Marquis walked one and struck out four to even his record at 6-6. He even contributed a couple of hits and scored a run.

Ike Davis was 3-7 with two RBIs in two games against the Atlanta Braves. he missed the Friday opener.

Ryan Braun has been slumping of late. Although he was 4-13 with two doubles and two RBIs in the Milwaukee Brewers weekend series against the Houston Astros, he hasn’t had a home run since the first of August and has seen his batting average fall from .321 on June 23 to .304. He still leads the NL in home runs with 29 and is third in RBIs with 77.

Ian Kinsler was 2-13 as the Texas Rangers took two of three from the Detroit Tigers. Both hits were doubles and he also scored two and drove in a pair. Scott Feldman took the loss in Friday’s game, pitching 5.2 innings, giving up six hits (one home run) and a walk, while striking out two and yielding four earned runs. It was his first loss in five outings and dropped his record to 6-7.

Sam Fuld appeared in two of the Tampa Bay Rays’ three games against the Minn. Twins. He was 0-2 on Friday and entered the game as a pinch-runner yesterday, scoring a run.

Michael Schwimer struck out the side in his one inning of work for the Philadelphia Phillies against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. Yesterday was a different story, however. In one inning, he gave up three runs on three hits, but the Phillies still won, 8-7, in 11 innings. And no, pitcher B.J. Rosenberg, whom the Phillies brought up earlier this month, is not Jewish. Still, a dozen Jews in the majors at the same time is pretty nifty.

 

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