Baseball Season 2010

The major league baseball season has begun. If you like to watch baseball or have family members in the softball league, you’re sure to enjoy knowing who all the players from Jewish and interfaith families are. This list was prepared with the help of Jewish Sports Review newsletter:

Brad Ausmus, catcher, Los Angeles Dodgers. Ausmus turned 41 this week, ancient for a major leaguer. A brilliant defensive player, Ausmus has played 18 major league seasons without being on the disabled list once. Ausmus spoke last year to the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles. Here’s a brief, but quite interesting excerpt:

Ausmus did not have a childhood steeped in Jewish identity. As a child with a Protestant Christian father and a Jewish mother, he celebrated Jewish holidays with his mother’s family, but didn’t really identify as a Jew. [Ausmus says]; ‘I wasn’t raised with the Jewish religion, so in that sense I don’t really have much feeling toward it. But, however, in the last 10 or so years, I have had quite a few young Jewish boys who will tell me that I am their favorite player or they love watching me play or they feel like baseball is a good fit for them because it worked for me or it worked for Shawn Green or other Jewish players at the Major League level. It has been a sense of pride. If you can have a positive impact on a kid, I’m all for it.’

Ryan Braun, 26, outfielder, Milwaukee Brewers. The 2007 National League rookie of the year, Braun made the All-Star team in 2008 and 2009 and had another outstanding season in 2009—hitting .320, with 100 RBIs, 200 hits, 30 homers, and 20 stolen bases. Braun’s father, who was born and raised in Israel, settled in Los Angeles, where he met Ryan’s mother, an American Catholic.

Craig Breslow, 29, relief pitcher, Oakland Athletics. The former captain of the Yale University baseball team, Breslow has a degree in biophysics and biochemistry. Many of his teammates, and many sports writers, have commented that he is the smartest player (in terms of general knowledge) that they have ever met. He’s also a pretty effective reliever.

Scott Feldman, 27, starting pitcher, Texas Rangers. Feldman came into his own in 2009; with a record of 17-8. This is the most wins by a Jewish pitcher since 1980 when Oriole Steve Stone won 25. Scott’s father, by the way, is an FBI agent.

John Grabow, 31, relief pitcher, Chicago Cubs. An outstanding reliever with the Pirates, Grabow was traded to the Cubs in July. He had a very good 2009 season with both clubs. His Jewish mother was born in Lebanon. Much of her extended family settled in Israel.

Gabe Kapler, 34, outfielder, Tampa Bay Rays. Kapler had a good season in 2009, with his extra base hit production and his ability to hit left-handed pitching making up for a so/so batting average. Kapler has three “Jewish-themed” tattoos, including a Star of David.

Ian Kinsler, 27, second baseman, Texas Ranger. An outstanding hitter, Kinsler was an All-star team member in 2008 and was just beaten out for a spot on the team in 2009. Nonetheless, he racked up 2009 numbers that far eclipsed the player who got the All-Star spot. Kinsler joined the elite “30-30” club in 2009, with 31 home runs and 31 stolen bases.

Jason Marquis, 31, starting pitcher, Washington Nationals. Now in his 11th season, Marquis had a outstanding season last year with the Colorado Rockies, winning 15 games and making the All-Star team. Marquis, a Long Island native, had a bar mitzvah.

Scott Schoeneweis, 36, relief pitcher, Boston Red Sox. An effective reliever over his 12 years in the majors, Scott’s 2009 season with Arizona was seriously interrupted when his wife died of a drug overdose. He thought of retiring, but came back to finish the season. Boston signed him in March and he performed well enough in spring training to make the team’s roster.

Kevin Youkilis, 31, first baseman, Red Sox. An All-star in 2008 and 2009, Youkilis, now has to be seriously considered as the third best Jewish player of all time, behind Hall of Famers Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax. A great defensive player who holds the all-time record for most errorless games at first base, he has become a great hitter in the last few seasons. In 2009, he hit .305 with 27 home runs. Youkilis had a bar mitzvah and he’s known to greet other Jewish players with happy (Jewish) holiday wishes.

Ausmus, Grabow, and Schoeneweis are the sons of Jewish mothers. Braun, Feldman, and Kinsler are the sons of Jewish fathers. The other players have two Jewish parents.

Celebrity Passover Bits

The popularity of Twitter and blogs written by celebrities has resulted in a boomlet in Passover related items during the last month. Jewish fashion designer and model Whitney Port, 25, the star of the reality show, The City, tweeted: “Missing my family on Passover. I’m going to make charoset in honor of them.” (Port lives in New York City. Her parents are in Los Angeles.)

Actress Elizabeth Banks, 36, a convert to Judaism, tweeted: “Great Seder last nite. Outfoxed though by scrappy kid in hunt for the Afikomen.”