How all the Jewish MLB players did in 2016

Ron Kaplan

Clockwise from top left: Ian Kinsler, Danny Valencia, Kevin Pillar, Joc Pederson. (Getty Images)

Clockwise from top left: Ian Kinsler, Danny Valencia, Kevin Pillar, Joc Pederson. (Getty Images)

This season promised to be a banner year for Jewish Major League Baseball players — and by and large, the class of ’16 fared pretty well. Many had their best season in years and fans were introduced to a couple of promising newcomers.

As the big league calendar reaches its climax with the World Series, here’s a look at what all of the Jewish major leaguers accomplished (or not) during the regular season.

Kevin Pillar

Kevin Pillar making a diving catch in a game against the Houston Astros in Houston, Aug. 3, 2016. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Kevin Pillar making a diving catch in a game against the Houston Astros in Houston, Aug. 3, 2016. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Pillar is a human highlight reel (see this, and this, and this). The outfielder won last year’s Wilson Defensive Player of the Year award. Besides his play on the field, Pillar’s a mensch: He’s the team’s nominee for this year’s Roberto Clemente Award, handed out by Major League Baseball in recognition of “extraordinary character, community involvement, [and] philanthropy.” He had another outstanding season in the field while posting respectable batting numbers as a regular starter.

Key stats: 3.4 WAR (Wins Above Replacement), 35 doubles, .983 fielding percentage, 14 stolen bases

Joc Pederson

Joc Pederson after after hitting a solo home run in a game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Sept. 23, 2016. (Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

Joc Pederson after hitting a solo home run in a game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Sept. 23, 2016. (Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

Although the slugger missed two weeks in the beginning of July after he injured his shoulder on a game-saving catch and had 74 fewer at-bats than in 2015, he still had 100 hits and 25 home runs, just one fewer in each of those categories than in his impressive rookie season last year. His clutch home run in the playoff series against the Washington Nationals on Oct. 13 helped the Dodgers to move on to the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs.

Key stats: 25 home runs, 68 runs batted in, 26 doubles

Ryan Braun

Ryan Braun hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs in a game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Sept. 17, 2016. (Jon Durr/Getty Images)

Ryan Braun hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs in a game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Sept. 17, 2016. (Jon Durr/Getty Images)

The Hebrew Hammer had his best showing since 2012. He enjoyed games of seven, six and five runs batted in and punched out two homers in a single contest six different times. The 32-year-old outfielder certainly would have reached the century mark in RBIs for the sixth time in his 10-year career had he not missed 27 games due to injury (plus the birth of his son). Braun was named the Milwaukee Brewers’ most valuable player but the team, which finished 73-89, fourth in the National League Central Division, is rumored to be willing to part with their six-time All-Star and his $13 million contract. Like Pillar, Braun was nominated by his team for the Clemente award.

Key stats: .305 batting average, 30 home runs, 91 runs batted in, 16 stolen bases, .538 slugging percentage

Ian Kinsler

Ian Kinsler celebrating after scoring during a game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, July 5, 2016.(Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Ian Kinsler celebrating after scoring during a game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, July 5, 2016.(Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The Detroit Tigers second baseman set a franchise record with eight leadoff home runs in a single season. He homered in four straight games in May and three straight in June, finishing with 28, his highest total since his 31 in 2011. He had a scary moment, getting hit in the head with a pitch that caused him to miss several days in late September. The Tigers finished with a record of 86-75, second in the American League Central and two and a half games out of a Wild Card spot.

Key stats: 28 home runs, 88 runs batted in, 29 doubles, 14 stolen bases

Danny Valencia

Danny Valencia, center, after hitting a home run at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, May 15, 2016. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

Danny Valencia, center, after hitting a home run at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, May 15, 2016. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

The Oakland Athletics utility man approached personal bests in almost every offensive department. Ostensibly a third baseman, Valencia saw action at five positions, including designated hitter. His best game came on May 15 when he hit three homers and drove in five runs in 7-6 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Key stats: 17 home runs, 22 doubles

Alex Bregman

Alex Bregman before his MLB debut against the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park in Houston, July 25, 2016.(Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Alex Bregman before his MLB debut against the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park in Houston, July 25, 2016.(Bob Levey/Getty Images)

The promising 22-year-old Houston Astros rookie struggled for a while after making his major league debut on July 25. He went six games before getting his first hit and batted just .198 through 21 games. But the 22-year-old infielder came on like gangbusters after that, finishing with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 49 games (which works out to 26 home runs and 112 RBIs over a full season) and a slash line (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) of .264/.313/.478. A hamstring injury put him out of action for most of the last three weeks which might have been a reason the Astros missed an AL Wild Card slot, finishing third in the West with an 84-68 record, five games out of the running.

Key stats (through 49 games): 8 home runs, 34 runs batted in, 13 doubles

Scott Feldman

Scott Feldman pitching for the Houston Astros against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland, April 30, 2016. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Scott Feldman pitching for the Houston Astros against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland, April 30, 2016. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The former 17-game winner had a few mediocre performances as a starting pitcher this year before finding his niche in the bullpen. The tallest (6’7”) of the Jewish players was dealt from the Houston Astros to the Toronto Blue Jays at the trading deadline but never seemed to mesh with the team. He was left off their roster for the Championship Series.

Key stats: 3.97 earned run average, 56 strikeouts in 40 games

Richard Bleier

Richard Bleier

Richard Bleier pitching against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium, Sept. 12, 2016. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The New York Yankees lefty pitcher made his major league debut on May 30. He was used mostly as a middle reliever and made 23 appearances. The 29-year-old’s best outing of the year came on Sept. 12 against the Dodgers when he pitched four hitless innings.

Key stats: 1.96 earned run average, 1.043 walks/hits per inning pitched

Ike Davis

Ike Davis

Ike Davis played for Team Israel during the World Baseball Classic qualifiers in September. (Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Davis languished in the Texas Rangers’ minor league system before they released him on June 12. The Yankees picked up the fancy-fielding first baseman the next day. But they never really gave him a chance, sending him back down after just over a week. The 29-year-old son of former big leaguer Ron Davis was a member of the Israeli National Team that won the World Baseball Classic qualifier last month.

Jon Moscot

Jon Moscot pitching against the Washington Nationals at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, June 5, 2016.(Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Jon Moscot pitching against the Washington Nationals at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, June 5, 2016. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

The Cincinnati Reds pitcher wouldn’t have had any luck if he didn’t have bad luck. An intercostal strain ended his rookie season in 2015 after just three games. Moscot made five appearances this year before going down with an inflamed shoulder. Once he healed from that, he spent the rest of 2016 in the minors.

Brad Ausmus

Brad Ausmus

Manager Brad Ausmus of the Detroit Tigers looks on from the dugout during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersberg, Florida, June 30, 2016. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

The former major leaguer finished his third season as Detroit’s manager and dealt with the usual set of injuries and slumps that all skippers face. The Tigers finished second in the AL Central division and narrowly missed a wild card playoff berth, but at times during the season his job was rumored to have been in danger. He’ll back in 2017, but the front office might not have much patience if the team gets off to a slow start.

(Ron Kaplan is the author of the forthcoming book “Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War” and host of Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports.)

Let’s block ads! (Why?)