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Browsing Posts tagged Jason Marquis
Highlights of Israel's 2-1 win over Korea
March 6, 2017 (Monday)
You had to rise at 4:30pm ET today to watch underdog Team Israel play Korea live in the 2017 World Baseball Classic opener, but seeing Israel triumph 2-1 in 10 innings was worth missing some sleep.
There were a few ulcer-inducing moments. Israel — which knocked out 8 hits and drew 10 walks — squandered multiple scoring opportunities, including leaving the bases loaded three times.
But the highlights were far more memorable.
Starting pitcher Jason Marquis, 38, got Israel off on the right foot with three scoreless innings, yielding 2 hits and a walk while fanning 3. He stayed below 50 pitches, which under WBC rules means he can pitch again in 2 days.
Sam Fuld was rock-solid in center field, including a diving catch in the 4th to rob Dae-Ho Lee of extra bases. He also contributed two sharply-hit singles while batting leadoff.
Second baseman Tyler Krieger drew a bases-loaded, full-count walk in the 2nd to put Israel up 1-0.
Ike Davis hit a pinch-hit double in the 8th inning, and his 9th-inning walk helped set up the winning run. After the base on balls, the not-fleet-of-foot Davis somehow hoofed it from first to third on catcher Ryan Lavarnway's soft liner to center. Mike Meyers came in as a pinch-runner and scored the go-ahead run two batters later.
Scotty Burcham, who starred for Israel in the September qualifiers, struck out three times but was stellar at shortstop and stroked two singles, including a two-out infield hit with a 1-2 count in the 10th that proved to be the game-winner.
Burcham, Krieger, and first baseman Nate Freiman completed two double plays together, including an inning-ending one with 2 men on base in the 6th inning.
With two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning, the score tied 1-1, and a man on first, Lavarnway's laser throw to second base erased a stolen-base attempt and sent the game into extra innings.
While Marquis opened the game with three scoreless innings, reliever Josh Zeid did the same at the end, yielding one hit and 2 walks while fanning 4, including a game-ending strikeout of slugger Dae-Ho Lee.
Israel plays Chinese Taipei tonight (Monday, March 6) at 10pm ET on the MLB Network cable station.
Articles, Latest news Ike Davis, Jason Marquis, Josh Zeid, Mike Meyers, Nate Freiman, Ryan Lavarnway, Sam Fuld, Scotty Burcham, Tyler Krieger
Israel's WBC roster taking shape
January 18, 2017 (Wednesday)
The roster of players set to represent Israel in the World Baseball Classic in South Korea this March is taking shape.
Team Israel general manager Peter Kurz, whose squad of former Major League and current minor-league athletes guided Israel to a qualifying-round win in September, said Tuesday that 15 ballplayers had already committed to play in the main tournament in Seoul. The list includes:
Ty Kelly, IF (New York Mets)
Sam Fuld, OF (free agent)
Jason Marquis, P (free agent)
Ike Davis, 1B (free agent)
Ryan Lavarnway, C (Oakland Athletics/minors)
Cody Decker, IF (Milwaukee Brewers/minors)
Josh Zeid, P (free agent)
Nate Freiman, 1B (free agent)
Tyler Krieger, IF (Cleveland Indians/minors)
Nick Rickles, C (Washington Nationals/minors)
Dean Kremer, P (Los Angeles Dodgers/minors)
Corey Baker, P (St. Louis Cardinals/minors)
Jeremy Bleich, P (free agent)
Jake Kalish, P (Kansas City Royals/minors)
Alex Katz, P (Chicago White Sox/minors)
Two key additions are Ty Kelly and Sam Fuld. During the qualifiers in September, Kelly was playing for the New York Mets, while Fuld, then with the Oakland Athletics, was on the disabled list. Also new are minor leaguers Tyler Krieger and Jake Kalish.
Roster spots have been offered to at least seven additional minor leaguers who played for Team Israel in September : Zach Borenstein (Arizona Diamondbacks), Brad Goldberg (Chicago White Sox), Blake Gailen (independent), Scotty Burcham (Colorado Rockies), Tyler Herron (New York Mets), R C Orlan (Washington Nationals), and Joey Wagman (Oakland Athletics). None has provided a final answer yet.
Kurz told Jewish Baseball News that Danny Valencia of the Seattle Mariners and Craig Breslow, who is seeking to return to the Major Leagues, are possible future additions to Israel's roster. Team Israel also is pursuing Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Jason Kipnis of the Cleveland Indians.
Several prominent pros politely declined Team Israel's invitations due to injury, family commitments, Major League aspirations, or other concerns. They include Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, Kevin Pillar and Scott Feldman of the Toronto Blue Jays, Richard Bleier of the New York Yankees, Jon Moscot of the Cincinnati Reds, and minor-league prospect and Ryan Sherriff of the St. Louis Cardinals. Sherriff played for Team Israel in the September qualifiers.
Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros and Ian Kinsler of the Detroit Tigers have committed to play for Team USA rather than Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic.
Under WBC rules, athletes can play on Team Israel as long as they are eligible for Israeli citizenship. That means having at least one Jewish grandparent or being married to someone Jewish. Nearly all the players on Israel's roster personally identify as Jewish.
Earlier this month, eight players on the WBC roster visited Israel for a week to learn about the country, meet Israeli fans, and break ground on a new baseball stadium. MLB.com reporter Jonathan Mayo and Ironbound Films co-founder Jeremy Newberger plan to create a documentary about the trip, titled Heading Home.
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Articles, Latest news Alex Bregman, Alex Katz, Blake Gailen, Brad Goldberg, Cody Decker, Corey Baker, Craig Breslow, Danny Valencia, Dean Kremer, Ian Kinsler, Ike Davis, Jake Kalish, Jason Kipnis, Jason Marquis, Jeremy Bleich, Joc Pederson, Joey Wagman, Jon Moscot, Josh Zeid, Kevin Pillar, Nate Freiman, Nick Rickles, R.C. Orlan, Richard Bleier, Ryan Braun, Ryan Lavarnway, Ryan Sherriff, Sam Fuld, Scott Feldman, Scotty Burcham, Ty Kelly, Tyler Herron, Tyler Krieger, Zach Borenstein
How they built Team Israel's roster
December 18, 2016 (Sunday)
By Sam Brief, Correspondent
In September's qualifying round for the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC), Colorado Rockies prospect Scotty Burcham tallied a .455 batting average, the best on Team Israel and among the top 15 for all teams.
If not for Facebook, Burcham might never have swung a bat in Brooklyn.
Since anyone who is Jewish or has a Jewish parent, grandparent or spouse can play for Team Israel, volunteers like Alex Jacobs, a Houston Astros scout, were asked to help find such players. Jacobs often employed creative methods.
Scotty Burcham was Jewish until a volunteer scout for Team Israel 'discovered' him" width="300" height="290" srcset="http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/burcham-300x290.jpg 300w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/burcham-120x116.jpg 120w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/burcham.jpg 381w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> Jewish baseball fans didn't know Colorado Rockies prospect Scotty Burcham was Jewish until a volunteer scout for Team Israel 'discovered' him
"It's Facebook stalking," said Jacobs, who recently was named Team Israel's director of player personnel. "I researched Scotty Burcham, and I found his Facebook. When I research these kids, I look for their parents, and I see if their parents have any Jewish in them. His mother was from New York, I believe. So I checked one box. Then, I looked at a picture of her and thought she looked kind of Jewish.
"So I called [Team Israel manager] Jerry Weinstein and said, 'How about Scotty Burcham?' And he said 'Scotty Burcham? What do you have on him?' And I'm like, 'He plays shortstop. He's Jewish. His mom looks like she's Jewish.' So Jerry called Scotty's manager, and the manager asked Scotty if he was Jewish, and Scotty said, 'Yeah, I am. Why do you ask?' And the rest is history. He played really well for us."
Burcham filled a gaping roster hole in the middle infield and helped Team Israel win the WBC qualifiers for the first time. Israel took down Great Britain and Brazil and then crushed Great Britain, 9-1, in the championship game, to advance to the March 2017 WBC games in Seoul, South Korea.
Houston Astros scout Alex Jacobs (left) and Los Angeles Dodgers scout Jonah Rosenthal (right) volunteered to help Team Israel build its roster for the World Baseball Classic
Israel's 28-man roster in Brooklyn included former Major League Baseball players such as Ike Davis, Jason Marquis and Josh Satin, who skipped the final game to fly to California for the birth of his child. But Israel's Law of Return made the roster-building process unlike any other, as the team would venture outside of the database of ballplayers already identified as Jewish.
The WBC's rules state that a player can join a country's team if he is eligible for citizenship within that country. Per Israel's Law of Return, citizenship can be granted to anyone who has a Jewish parent, grandparent or spouse.
"We're looking for ballplayers who can meet the Law of Return for the land of Israel and become Israeli citizens," said Peter Kurz, the president of the Israeli Association of Baseball. "That's a much wider interpretation than the actual Jewish law, which says that you have to have a Jewish mother in order to be considered as a Jew. We were able to make it a little broader."
Kurz added that Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks, whose father is Jewish, doesn't qualify since he is devoutly Christian.
"We don't want people who don't feel Jewish heritage," Kurz said.
Volunteers like Houston's Jacobs, Jonah Rosenthal of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Guy Stevens of the Kansas City Royals, and baseball veterans Adam Gladstone and Ty Eriksen uncovered some previously-unknown gems, such as Burcham. But MLB's rules require proof of eligibility. That was Kurz's job. Jacobs, Rosenthal and the others gave Kurz the names, Kurz reached out to the players and proved a Jewish connection, and Weinstein managed the team.
"I would get the emails or numbers of their parents, and in almost every case, the parents were totally thrilled that their sons would compete for Team Israel," Kurz said. "They would send in their son's Bar Mitzvah certificate, or a birth certificate or a bris certificate. In some cases, I would need a birth certificate of the father. And in other cases, I would have to go to a grandparent."
It wasn't always so straightforward. For one player, a tombstone with a Jewish star had to serve as proof.
"The father went to take a picture of his mother's tombstone, and sent it to me," Kurz said. "That was the most extreme."
In between identifying Jewish players and providing proof of their eligibility to MLB officials, Team Israel had to secure each player's commitment to play. Some former MLBers, like Davis and Marquis, were tougher gets.
"I called both those guys twenty-something times before I got a return call," Weinstein said. "Marquis had basically retired in the middle of 2015, when he was playing with the Reds. But he pitched on an alumni team in the [National Baseball Congress] World Series in Wichita, and scouts told me he pitched pretty well. So that sparked my interest in him. … He said, 'I'm gonna check with my wife,' then he said, 'I'll do it.' He was a great teammate, and a great pitcher on the team.
"Ike Davis got his release from the Yankees, so he was hanging loose, and the timing was just right."
Team Israel began with a list of known Jewish players maintained by Jewish Baseball News and Jewish Sports Review. Because certain positions were underrepresented, particularly in the middle infield, Weinstein asked his volunteer scouts to find unknowns.
"A lot of what we did was scouring through systems, like college rosters, to find more," said Rosenthal, the Dodgers scout. "It was an all-hands-on-deck approach. Some of these guys we hadn't seen. But we weren't dealing with the biggest demographic out there. Sometimes it involved calling scouts. Sometimes it involved digging for information." Roughly half a dozen previously-unknown players were discovered as a result of these efforts.
In March, Team Israel will head to Seoul to face off against Chinese Taipei, South Korea and the Netherlands in Pool A of the WBC, where a total of 16 teams will compete for the title of world's best.
Unlike the qualifiers, which took place during MLB's regular season, the WBC will take place during the offseason. Kurz and Weinstein hope to add several Major Leaguers to Israel's roster, including Joc Pederson (who played for Israel in the 2013 WBC qualifiers), Scott Feldman, Alex Bregman, Ian Kinsler, Ryan Braun, Sam Fuld, and more. Weinstein said Kansas City Royals 3B Mike Moustakas, who is married to a Jewish woman, would be eligible if not for a recent stint on the disabled list.
However the roster pans out, volunteers like Gladstone, Jacobs and Rosenthal hope Israel's success on the international stage will boosts its popularity within the country, which has been a consistent goal. In early January, players will head to Israel for a team trip.
"When we got that final out in Brooklyn, to know the positives that it would do for growing the game in Israel is amazing," Gladstone said. "It's not only the money, but also the equipment and notoriety. You felt like you accomplished something. You had a very small part in growing the game of baseball, and for providing opportunities for young kids in Israel who maybe wouldn't have that if we didn't win a baseball game."
Sam Brief is a sophomore at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, where he is a television reporter, radio producer, play-by-play man and writer. Follow him on Twitter @sambrief and feel free to shoot him an email at briefsam@gmail.com.
Articles, Latest news Adam Gladstone, Alex Bregman, Alex Jacobs, Guy Stevens, Ian Kinsler, Ike Davis, Jason Marquis, Jerry Weinstein, Jonah Rosenthal, Josh Satin, Mike Moustakas, Peter Kurz, Ryan Braun, Sam Brief, Sam Fuld, Scott Feldman, Scotty Burcham, Ty Eriksen
Israel comes from behind to beat Great Britain, 5-2
September 23, 2016 (Friday)
Zach Borenstein accepts congrats after his RBI single put Israel ahead 3-2 in the 7th (click to see game video)" width="500" height="321" srcset="http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/borenstein-rbi-wbc-9-22-2016.jpg 541w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/borenstein-rbi-wbc-9-22-2016-120x77.jpg 120w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/borenstein-rbi-wbc-9-22-2016-300x192.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /> (click to see game recap)
It took Israel's bats a while to come alive Thursday at Brooklyn's MCU Park, but a four-run rally in the 7th inning drove the team to a come-from-behind, 5-2 win over Great Britain.
C Ryan Lavarnway led the way with three hits and a walk, and five Team Israel players shared RBI duties, including RF Zach Borenstein, whose 7th-inning single gave Israel a 3-2 lead, and Ike Davis, whose bases-loaded, pinch-hit single brought the score to 4-2. Also plating runs were 3B Cody Decker, CF Mike Meyers, and LF Rhett Wiseman.
Starter Jason Marquis limited Great Britain to one run over three innings, and reliever Josh Zeid kept the game close with 3.2 strong innings, striking out 6 batters while yielding one run.
Israel's batters ended up with as many hits as its pitchers had strikeouts (11), although the team left the bases loaded in two consecutive innings.
Craig Breslow earned the win despite a shaky inning of pitching, and Brad Goldberg earned the save.
Today at 12pm EST, Israel faces Brazil, which beat Pakistan 10-0 on Thursday. Check out the live stream.
For more details on yesterday's game:
Video recap
Ike Davis, Back in New York, Leads Israel Past Britain in World Baseball Classic Qualifier (New York Times, 9/23/2016)
Israel rallies past Great Britain with 4-run 7th (MLB.com, 9/23/2016)
Israel off to great start in Baseball Classic Qualifier tournament in Brooklyn(Jerusalem Post, 9/23/2016)
Israel Claims Win Over Great Britain In World Baseball Classic Qualifier Game 2 (Scout.com, 9/23/2016)
Articles Brad Goldberg, Cody Decker, Craig Breslow, Ike Davis, Jason Marquis, Josh Zeid, Mike Meyers, Rhett Wiseman, Ryan Lavarnway, Zach Borenstein
For tonight's opener, Team Israel hands ball to Jason Marquis
September 22, 2016 (Thursday)
Jason Marquis
Israel's entry in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers has 15 pitchers on its roster. And for tonight's opener against Great Britain, manager Jerry Weinstein will hand the ball to the very oldest: 38-year-old Jason Marquis.
No doubt, the Staten Island native has the experience edge. A first-round pick in the 1996 amateur draft, Marquis — who was raised in a Conservative Jewish household and is the grandson of Holocaust survivors — went on to enjoy a 15-year Major League career with nine teams. Notable stats include a 124-118 career record, an All-Star nod (2009, though he didn't play), a Silver Slugger award (for a pitcher, the man can hit), five playoffs, and a World Series (2004, with St. Louis).
Putting Marquis on the mound is not without risk. The 6'1″ right hander didn't play in the Majors in 2014, struggled in 2015 (3-4, 6.46 ERA with the Reds), and has had limited opportunity to play since.
"Of the four teams, ours has the most experienced talent," he told the Staten Island Advance. "But you still have to go out there and prove it."
Tonight's game begins at 7:00pm EST and will take place at MCU Park in New York, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, a New York Mets farm team.
Israel's second game takes place tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 23) at noon, with at least one more game to follow. It is competing against Great Britain, Brazil, and Pakistan to advance to the first round of the World Baseball Classic tournament in March 2017. The winner will play Chinese Taipei, Korea, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Seoul, South Korea.
Check out these articles about Team Israel and the WBC qualifiers:
Good Bat? Cannon Arm? Jewish? Sign Him Up! (New York Times, 9/22/2016)
Israel's Baseball Team is Ready to Rock Coney Island — and Maybe Shock the World (Tablet, 9/21/2016)
Jason Marquis Pitching for Team Israel in WBC Qualifier Thursday (Staten Island Advance, 9/21/2016)
Missing from Israel's Baseball Team: Israelis (Tablet, 9/20/2016)
Articles Jason Marquis, Jerry Weinstein
First post-9/11 game in NYC featured Jason Marquis on mound
Jason Marquis faces the Mets in New York on 9/21/2001" src="http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/marquis-screen-300x207.jpg" width="300" height="207" srcset="http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/marquis-screen-300x207.jpg 300w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/marquis-screen-150x103.jpg 150w, http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/marquis-screen.jpg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> Atlanta's Jason Marquis faces the Mets in New York on 9/21/2001
It took 10 days after the horrific events of 9/11/2001 for baseball to resume in New York City.
On Sept. 21, the hometown New York Mets' Bruce Chen faced off against the Atlanta Braves' Jason Marquis, a 23-year-old righthander from Staten Island. Before the game, Marquis was asked how he felt about pitching that night.
"It's nice being from New York to get the opportunity to do that," he told the New York Post. "Maybe it'll help a little. Hopefully people won't be shy about coming. Hopefully it'll be like an old Mets-Braves game."
After a lengthy and emotional pre-game ceremony, the game was underway. (A video of the entire game is shown below.)
The starting pitchers proved well-matched. Marquis lasted six innings, giving up one earned run on 7 hits, no walks and 4 strikeouts. Chen stuck around 7 innings, yielding one earned run on 6 hits, a walk and 5 strikeouts.
The score stayed 1-1 until the 8th inning. RF Brian Jordan of the first-place Braves stroked an RBI double in the top half of the frame for a short-lived lead. C Mike Piazza followed in the bottom half with a 2-run HR to give the third-place Mets a 3-2 lead that stuck.
It was a much-needed win, and not just because the playoffs were nearing.
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Articles, Latest news Jason Marquis
Rookies, returnees, retirees and renegades
Spring Training has only just begun, but there's plenty going on in the baseball world.
Tyler Kolodny didn't give up on sports when the Baltimore Orioles released him after six seasons in the minors. He just picked a new one. Although the 6-foot-5-inch, 245-pound Kolodny had never played football at any level, he arranged a tryout last year at Pierce College, earned a starting spot at tight end, and ended up being named all-conference after scoring 5 touchdowns on 392 yards receiving. Now the 26-year-old is joining the University of Memphis team as a sophomore. "Tyler is an athletic savant," Pierce offensive coordinator Jason Sabolic told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal. "If he decides he's gonna go be a downhill skier, he'll be the best downhill skier and he'll practice until he makes the Olympics."
Former minor-league pitcher Jason Knapp is making a comeback. A one-time Top 100 prospect who's been out of baseball since 2010 due to a pair of shoulder surgeries, the 23-year-old flame-thrower has signed a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers. The 6-foot-5-inch Knapp struck out an average of 12 batters per 9 innings over his three minor-league seasons up through Single-A.
Ohio State recruit Brad Goldberg has only one minor-league season under his belt, but some people believe he could make the Majors as early as 2014. The 6-foot-4-inch Goldberg — who turned 24 on Friday — posted a 1.54 ERA last season, with 49 strikeouts over 35 innings of relief, and will begin this season as a minor-league starter. "Just a hard-nosed, mature kid, with a really good, aggressive approach to everything he did," Chicago White Sox assistant scouting director Nick Hostetler recently told MLB.com. "I loved the power arm, the big strong body and the competitiveness."
Ryan Lavarnway is learning how to play first base (see articles one, two). The 26-year-old has played nothing but catcher and DH since the Boston Red Sox drafted him in 2008, but according to MLB Trade rumors, "Boston is so deep at catcher at both the Triple-A and Major League levels, Lavarnway's only chance at continued playing time may be as a Triple-A first baseman." The club reportedly hopes a change of pace will reignite his bat, which has suffered from a power outage.
Despite going 9-5 with the San Diego Padres last season, Jason Marquis remains a free agent. The key reason is uncertainty: Marquis underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last July and will need much of the 2014 season to recover. At 35, whether he will be able to return to form is an open question.
Former Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies pitcher Jason Hirsh has opened the Jason Hirsh Pitching Academy in Denver, CO. In addition to coaching and training young hurlers, the 32-year-old still likes to play competitively. Hirsh started one game last year with the independent Amarillo Sox, and the independent Denver Browns claim to have signed the 6-foot-8-inch righthander for the 2014 season.
The Milwaukee Brewers are moving Ryan Braun from his traditional spot in left field to right field to make room for second-year player Khris Davis, who hit a remarkable 11 HRs and 10 doubles in just 137 at-bats last season. The 30-year-old Braun hasn't played since his suspension, in July.
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Articles Brad Goldberg, Jason Hirsh, Jason Knapp, Jason Marquis, Ryan Braun, Ryan Lavarnway, Tyler Kolodny
In off-season, talk of trades and free agents
December 1, 2013 (Sunday)
Ah, the off-season. That time of year when baseball fans and writers have little else to do but speculate about which players will move, and where. Ian Kinsler made a splash recently when the Texas Rangers traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers for slugger Prince Fielder. Who's next?
We at Jewish Baseball News profess no inside information or special insight on the topic. Following is a brief update on the latest rumors.
Scott Feldman, a 30-year-old starter who split 2013 between the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles, is a free agent. At least one reputable website, mlbtraderumors.com, thinks the O's will resign him. Feldman went a combined 12-12 last season with two completes games, a shutout, and a 3.86 ERA .
Kevin Youkilis, a 34-year-old infielder who played just 28 games for the New York Yankees last season due to injury, is a free agent. Where he'll end up is unknown. Youkilis' agent told the New York Daily News that he's "100 percent healthy" after recovering from back surgery. MLB.com's Ian Browne says it's unlikely he'll return to Boston, where Youk spent the first nine years of his MLB career.
Jason Marquis, a 35-year-old starter who underwent Tommy John elbow surgery this season and will begin 2014 on the disabled list, is a free agent. Given uncertainty over his health, it's possible Marquis will be offered a minor-league contract rather than a major-league one.
Sam Fuld, a 32-year-old outfielder with the Tampa Bay Rays, is arbitration eligible. On December 2, Fuld will find out whether the Tampa Bay Rays are going to tender a contract or set him loose as a free agent.
Kevin Pillar, a 24-year-old who just completed his rookie season with the Toronto Blue Jays, is not a free agent. But as Pillar departed recently to play in the Dominican Winter League, at least one observer wondered whether the Jays might be showcasing him for a possible trade.
Ike Davis, a 26-year-old first baseman with the New York Mets, is not a free agent. But general manager Sandy Alderson says either Davis or fellow first baseman Lucas Duda is likely to be dealt before Spring Training begins. Davis, for his part, says he wants to stay in New York.
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Articles Ian Kinsler, Ike Davis, Jason Marquis, Kevin Pillar, Kevin Youkilis, Sam Fuld, Scott Feldman
Report: Breslow will be 24th Jew to play in a World Series
October 22, 2013 (Tuesday)
According to research by our friend Ron Kaplan at his excellent Kaplan's Korner blog, Boston reliever Craig Breslow will be just the 24th Jewish player to appear in a World Series when he appears in the upcoming Red Sox-Cardinals finale.
The New Haven, Conn., native is expected to be a key piece of Boston's pitching puzzle. Breslow finished the 2013 regular season with a 5-2 record and a 1.81 ERA across 61 games.
The other active Major Leaguers with World Series experience are Scott Feldman (Texas Rangers, 2011), Ian Kinsler (Texas Rangers, 2010-11), Kevin Youkilis (Boston Red Sox, 2007), and Jason Marquis (St. Louis Cardinals, 2004).
Two Jewish players have been named MVP of a World Series. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Larry Sherry had a hand in all four Dodger victories over the Chicago White Sox in 1959, earning two wins and two saves on the strength of a 0.71 ERA. Just 23 at the time, he also went a nifty 2-for-4 at the plate. Sherry's teammate, a kid named Koufax, pitched excellently in the series but lost his only decision, a 1-0 squeaker to the Sox. Still, Sandy went on to be named World Series MVP twice, in 1963 and 1965.
Another Dodger, Steve Yeager, was named co-MVP of the 1981 World Series. He converted to Judaism after his playing career ended.
See Kaplan's article for a complete list of World Series veterans and how each one performed.
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Articles Craig Breslow, Ian Kinsler, Jason Marquis, Kevin Youkilis, Larry Sherry, Sandy Koufax, Scott Feldman, Steve Yeager
Kol nidre 2013: Who played last night, who didn't
September 14, 2013 (Saturday)
For some Jewish baseball fans, Yom Kippur isn't just the holiest day on the calendar. It's also a litmus test of a ballplayer's commitment to Judaism.
That's not so true here at Jewish Baseball News, a secular website that holds no grudge against a ballplayer for choosing to swing a bat during the High Holidays (although we take pride when a player like Sandy Koufax or Shawn Green elects to pray rather than play).
Some players find ways to bridge the gap. Consider reliever Craig Breslow, who told Boston's Jewish Journal:
"In previous years, I have participated in online Passover seders and High Holy Day services, and have fasted as best as I could, even on game days. 'Typically, I try to observe the holidays in a way that is meaningful to me and indicative of my commitment to Judaism, but also honors and acknowledges the commitment that I have made to my teammates."
So without further ado, here's a breakdown of who played last night, and who didn't.
Six Jewish major leaguers played last night, and five of them emerged victorious:
Nate Freiman, Oakland A's.Went 1-for-2. Result: defeated the Texas Rangers.
Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers. Went 0-for-2 but drew three walks, drove in a run, and scored 2 more. Result: lost to the Oakland A's.
Danny Valencia, Baltimore Orioles. Went 1-for-4 with an RBI single. Result: defeated the Toronto Blue Jays.
Craig Breslow, Boston Red Sox. Of the three batters faced, struck out one, walked another, and gave up a two-run double, leading to a blown save. Result: defeated the New York Yankees.
Josh Zeid, Houston Astros. Pitched a scoreless 8th inning, giving up a walk and a hit but no runs, and earning a hold. Result: defeated the Los Angeles Angels.
Sam Fuld, Tampa Bay Rays. Was brought in as a defensive replacement in the 9th inning. Result: defeated the Minnesota Twins.
Did not play, for one reason or another
Four major leaguers didn't play last night even though their teams did, and three of the teams won anyway. With the exception of Baltimore's Scott Feldman, Baylawsuits doesn't know whether it was the players' decision not to play or their managers'.
Scott Feldman, Baltimore Orioles. A member of the team's starting rotation, he'd pitched 2 days earlier. Result: defeated the Toronto Blue Jays.
Ryan Lavarnway, Boston Red Sox. A back-up catcher, he hasn't played since Sept. 7. Result: defeated the New York Yankees.
Kevin Pillar, Toronto Blue Jays. A back-up outfielder, he'd started seven of his team's past 10 games and played part of one other. Result: lost to the Baltimore Orioles.
Josh Satin, New York Mets. A versatile infielder, he'd started six of his team's past 10 games and played parts of two others. Result: defeated the Miami Marlins.
Unable to play
Four players were on the disabled list, and one was on suspension for violating baseball's anti-drug policy.
Ike Davis, New York Mets. On disabled list.
Ryan Kalish, Boston Red Sox. On disabled list.
Jason Marquis, San Diego Padres. On disabled list.
Kevin Youkilis, New York Yankees. On disabled list.
Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers. Suspended.
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Articles Craig Breslow, Danny Valencia, Ian Kinsler, Ike Davis, Jason Marquis, Josh Satin, Josh Zeid, Kevin Pillar, Kevin Youkilis, Nate Freiman, Ryan Braun, Ryan Kalish, Ryan Lavarnway, Sam Fuld, Scott Feldman
Jason Marquis is done for season, faces Tommy John surgery
July 23, 2013 (Tuesday)
In his final season appearance on 7/19/2013, Jason Marquis faced the Cardinals (MLB.com)
Tough news today for Padres fans: starter Jason Marquis is done for the season after suffering "significant damage" to the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow.
A 34-year-old righty who has played for seven teams during his 14-year career, Marquis reportedly will undergo so-called Tommy John surgery to repair the ligament. Whether he will pitch again, or for whom, is unknown. Marquis had a one-year deal with the Padres this season.
The Staten Island native began 2013 strong, going 9-2 with a 3.63 ERA in his first 14 starts before finishing 9-5 with a 4.05 ERA. The nine wins were his most since 2009, when Marquis went 15-13 for the Colorado Rockies and was named to the N.L. All-Star Team.
Jason Marquis: career pitching stats, MLB
2000 ATL NL 1 0 5.01 23.1 23 13 12 17
2001 ATL NL 5 6 3.48 129.1 113 50 59 98
2004 STL NL 15 7 3.71 201.1 215 83 70 138
2005 STL NL 13 14 4.13 207.0 206 95 69 100
2006 STL NL 14 16 6.02 194.1 221 130 75 96
2007 CHC NL 12 9 4.60 191.2 190 98 76 109
2008 CHC NL 11 9 4.53 167.0 172 84 70 91
2009 COL NL 15 13 4.04 216.0 218 97 80 115
2010 WSN NL 2 9 6.60 58.2 76 43 24 31
2011 TOT NL 8 6 4.43 132.0 154 65 43 76
2011 WSN NL 8 5 3.95 120.2 132 53 39 71
2011 ARI NL 0 1 9.53 11.1 22 12 4 5
2012 TOT MLB 8 11 5.22 127.2 146 74 42 91
2012 MIN AL 2 4 8.47 34.0 52 32 14 12
2012 SDP NL 6 7 4.04 93.2 94 42 28 79
2013 SDP NL 9 5 4.05 117.2 111 53 68 72
14 Yrs 121 114 4.56 1921.0 2015 974 755 1137
Articles Jason Marquis
Latest news from the Majors and minors
June 16, 2013 (Sunday)
We try to give you the news in bite-sized pieces via Facebook, Twitter, and our new 'Bunts' column, shown on the top-left corner of the Jewish Baseball News home page. But sometimes there's more than a mouthful of news to deliver. Today is one of those days.
So what's new?
Kinsler's crazy slide (buzzfeed.com)
Ian Kinsler is back. Out since May 16 due to a rib-cage injury, the three-time All-star went 0-for-4 with a walk Saturday (6/15/2013) as the Texas Rangers lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1. Kinsler initially was hurt when a ball struck his chest while he was sliding into a base, and the pain intensified when he was hit with a pitch. Or at least that's the official story. Here is a Buzzfeed.com video of Kinsler in what it describes as "the worst baseball slide of the season, by a mile" — followed by possibly the best smile by a player in an embarrassing situation.
Even as Kinsler was returning from the disabled list, Ryan Braun and Kevin Youkilis were going on it. Milwaukee's Braun is out with an inflamed nerve in his right hand, while the Yankees' Youkilis was hobbled with a lumbar strain. Get well soon, boys.
Scott Feldman was dominant Saturday in the Chicago Cubs' 5-2 win over the New York Mets (see video). In a 7-inning performance, Feldman gave up just one run on two hits and a walk while striking out six. He also helped himself with this two-run single. Feldman is 6-5 this season with one complete game and a 3.05 ERA; he's struck out 60 batters and walked only 21 over 79.2 innings.
Feldman's hit was no fluke. As you can see in this table, the 6-foot-7-inch righty leads all MLB pitchers this season with 8 RBIs, thanks in part to a HR and two doubles.
Also triumphant Saturday (6/15/2013) was San Diego's Jason Marquis, who raised his season record to 9-2 with a 6-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks (see video). Marquis' nine wins are tied for second most in the National League.
Congratulations to St. Louis Cardinals prospect Corey Baker, who was promoted to Double-A on Friday (6/15/2013). Baker — who was selected in the 49th round of the 2011 amateur draft — started the 2013 season at Single-A, moved up to A-Advanced, and spent only four games there before being picked up by the Springfield Cardinals (AA). Even after being roughed-up in his first start with Springfield, Baker's overall ERA this season is 2.66 with a 1-2 record, 2 saves, 37 strikeouts, and only seven walks across 44 innings.
Los Angeles Angels prospect Zach Borenstein continues to pummel International League (A-advanced) pitchers. In a breakout third pro season, the left-handed hitter ranks first in total bases (146), second in HRs (16/tie) and slugging percentage (.613), third in RBIs (50/tie), and fourth in batting average (.315) and on-base plus slugging (.970). And Borenstein shows no signs of slowing down: in the past 10 games, he's hit .400 with 2 HRs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 2 walks, and 9 RBIs.
Articles Corey Baker, Ian Kinsler, Jason Marquis, Kevin Youkilis, Scott Feldman, Zach Borenstein
A look back at spring training's standouts
April 2, 2013 (Tuesday)
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By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News
With the regular season now underway, we're taking a quick look back at how Jewish players performed in spring training.
The sheer number who played was impressive: a total of at least 24 Jews — 18 position players and six pitchers — got on the field for at least one MLB game this spring.
Collectively, position players hit .255 with 14 HRs and 64 RBIs in 384 at-bats (see table below). Several stood out:
Kevin Youkilis had an eye-popping debut with the New York Yankees. He led all Jewish players (as well as all Yankees) with 6 HRs, 6 doubles and 14 RBIs in just 50 at-bats, along with an .800 slugging percentage and a 1.139 OPS (on-base plus slugging).
New York Mets prospect Josh Satin made the most of his 16 plate appearances, cobbling together 3 singles, 2 doubles, 5 walks, and 3 RBIs to amass a .455 batting average and .647 on-base percentage.
Ike Davis, another Met, showed great poise at the plate, hitting .327 with 4 doubles, 1 HR, and 4 RBIs. Davis's 9 walks boosted his on-base percentage to a healthy .431.
Danny Valencia lost his fight for a spot on the Baltimore Orioles' opening-day roster but made a good impression on his new team, hitting .323 with 1 HR, 4 RBIs, and a .417 on-base percentage.
Maxx Tissenbaum, a 21-year-old San Diego Padres prospect with one minor-league season under his belt, knocked in 3 runs in just 4 at-bats.
St. Louis Cardinals prospect Adam Ehrlich walked in both of his plate appearances, St. Louis Cardinals prospect Charlie Cutler singled in his only appearance of the spring, and San Diego Padres prospect Cody Decker went 3-for-6 with a double.
Final hitting stats, 2013 MLB Spring Training
Ryan Braun MIL 10 23 6 3 6 .261 .357
Charlie Cutler STL 1 1 1 0 0 1.000 1.000
Ike Davis NYM 21 55 18 1 5 .327 .431
Cody Decker SD 2 6 3 0 0 .500 .500
Adam Ehrlich STL 3 0 0 0 0 - 1.000
Nate Freiman* HOU/OAK 25 54 13 1 9 .241 .268
Sam Fuld TB 8 20 5 1 4 .250 .286
Adam Greenberg BAL 2 1 0 0 0 .000 .000
Ben Guez DET 1 1 0 0 0 .000 .000
Ian Kinsler TEX 24 63 14 1 9 .222 .292
Ryan Lavarnway BOS 16 44 6 0 6 .136 .188
Jake Lemmerman STL 1 1 0 0 0 .000 .000
Joc Pederson LAD 7 10 1 0 1 .100 .182
Kevin Pillar TOR 7 9 1 0 0 .111 .111
Josh Satin NYM 12 11 5 0 3 .455 .647
Maxx Tissenbaum SD 4 4 1 0 3 .250 .400
Danny Valencia BAL 17 31 10 1 4 .323 .417
Kevin Youkilis NYY 18 50 14 6 14 .280 .339
* Now with Oakland A's
Source: Jewish Baseball News collection of data from MLB.com, baseball-reference.com, and cbssports.com.
Among the six Jewish pitchers who played in at least one spring training game (see below), these ones stood out:
Houston Astros prospect Josh Zeid went 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in six relief appearances, held opposing players to a .235 batting average, and drew 3.33 times as many groundouts as flyouts.
San Diego Padres veteran Jason Marquis went 1-1 with a 3.74 ERA in six starts and held opponents to a .239 batting average.
Toronto Blue Jays prospect Michael Schwimer earned a 3.00 ERA in three relief appearances and limited opposing teams to a .182 batting average.
Scott Feldman stood out for less desirable reasons. The newly-minted Chicago Cub went 0-3 with an 11.25 ERA, gave up nearly 2 hits per inning, yielded 7 HRs, and got lit up by opposing batters to the tune of a .396 average.
Final pitching stats, 2013 MLB Spring Training
1 Jeremy Bleich NYY 0 0 0.00 1 0.1 0 0 0
2 Scott Feldman CHC 0 3 11.25 6 20.0 38 6 17
3 Jason Marquis SD 1 1 3.74 6 21.2 21 15 15
4 Danny Rosenbaum* COL 2 1 4.50 6 8.0 9 3 0
5 Michael Schwimer TOR 0 0 3.00 3 3.0 2 2 4
6 Josh Zeid HOU 1 0 1.50 6 6.0 4 4 2
* Now with Washington Nationals
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Articles Adam Ehrlich, Adam Greenberg, Ben Guez, Charlie Cutler, Cody Decker, Danny Rosenbaum, Danny Valencia, Ian Kinsler, Ike Davis, Jake Lemmerman, Jason Marquis, Jeremy Bleich, Joc Pederson, Josh Satin, Josh Zeid, Kevin Pillar, Kevin Youkilis, Maxx Tissenbaum, Michael Schwimer, Nate Freiman, Ryan Braun, Ryan Lavarnway, Sam Fuld, Scott Feldman
Good news Monday (8/13/2012)
August 13, 2012 (Monday)
Mondays bite. But you can bite back:
Scott Feldman's winning streak ended Friday (8/10/2012) with a 6-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers, but what a streak it was. After losing his first six decisions of the season and amassing a 6.50 ERA, the 6-foot-6-inch Texas Ranger won the next six with a 2.81 ERA.
Jason Marquis took a no-hitter into the 7th inning Saturday (8/11/2012) in a 5-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates (see video). The 33-year-old San Diego Padre ended up with a 2-hit, complete-game shutout and has won five of his last six starts. Interestingly, the resurgent Marquis matched the Pirates' offensive output by going 2-for-4 at the plate. His .276 batting average is third best this season among MLB pitchers with at least 20 at-bats.
Jeremy Schaffer, picked by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 18th round of this year's amateur draft, already is putting up big numbers. The 22-year-old first baseman out of Tulane University leads the Appalachian rookie league with 41 RBIs in just 179 at-bats.
The Kevin Youkilis trade just got a little worse for the Boston Red Sox. Not only has Youk been hitting the ball a ton for the Chicago White Sox — since arriving in late June, he's hit .252 with 10 HRs, 29 RBIs, a .371 on-base percentage, and an .875 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) in 139 at-bats — but his successor at third base, rookie phenom Will Middlebrooks, just suffered a season-ending wrist injury. Coincidence of the day? Middlebrooks' temporary replacement is recently-acquired 3B Danny Valencia.
On Sunday (8/12/2012), Houston Astros prospect Ben Orloff celebrated his recent promotion to the Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) with a 5-for-5 performance. The 25-year-old shortstop doubled, tripled, and drove in 4 runs en route to a 20-9 thrashing of the Springfield Cardinals.
Four in one month? That's how many Jews the Boston Red Sox recently added to their roster. The quartet included Valencia (see above), reliever Craig Breslow, C Ryan Lavarnway, and LF Ryan Kalish, who has since returned to AAA.
Just weeks after putting together a 3-HR game, Joc Pederson powered the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (A-advanced) to an 11-9 win over the Modesto Nuts. Pederson — ranked the Los Angeles Dodgers' No.3 prospect by MLB.com — went 3-for-5 with a HR, two doubles, and 5 RBIs.
Keep a close eye on Jack Marder. Already ranked the Seattle Mariners' No. 15 prospect in just his second year of pro ball, the High Desert Mavericks (A-advanced) catcher is batting .363 with 10 HRs, 24 doubles (including three on 7/31/2012), 4 triples, 55 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.019 in only 273 at-bats. Marder is hitting a blistering .413 with runners in scoring position and recently added second base and the outfield to his fielding repertoire. It's a shame that he may have too few at-bats to qualify for the California League batting crown.
As Jewish Baseball News correspondent Zev Ben Avigdor points out on his minor-league Twitter feed, New York Mets prospect Josh Satin is on fire. The 27-year-old first baseman has hit .444 (16-for-36) in the past 10 games, with 2 HRs, six doubles, 4 walks, and 10 RBIs.
Next season will mark the 40th anniversary of MLB's designated hitter rule, and first-ever DH Ron Blomberg already is getting some love for his historic role.
Sam Fuld loves going horizontal for fly balls, but the Tampa Bay Ray won't be leaping tall buildings anytime soon. "Super Sam" told the Tampa Bay Times he's scared of heights, "mainly bridges, tops of buildings, mountains." He also revealed his favorite television show (Seinfeld) and said he has a "man crush" on actor Matt Damon — another diminutive but athletic Ivy Leaguer.
Have any good news about Jewish athletes? Send it to sbarancik@jewishbaseballnews.com.
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Articles Ben Orloff, Craig Breslow, Danny Valencia, Jack Marder, Jason Marquis, Jeremy Schaffer, Joc Pederson, Josh Satin, Kevin Youkiilis, Ron Blomberg, Ryan Kalish, Ryan Lavarnway, Sam Fuld, Scott Feldman, Will Middlebrooks, Zev Ben Avigdor
Good news Tuesday (6/26/2012)
June 26, 2012 (Tuesday)
Because our website was down on Monday, gosh darn it:
If cats have nine lives, Jason Marquis may be a close second. After the Minnesota Twins unceremoniously dumped the 33-year-old journeyman and his 8.47 ERA last month, he was picked up by his 8th MLB team, the San Diego Padres. Since then Marquis has excelled. Although poor run support has cost him three losses in four starts with San Diego, he has kept a trim 2.05 ERA and struck out 26 batters in 26-and-one-third innings, including a career-high 10 against the Texas Rangers last Monday (6/18/2012).
Ryan Braun is on a tear. The reigning N.L. MVP's hitting streak reached 18 games on Sunday (6/24/2012), and he leads the league in HRs (20/tie) while ranking 3rd in RBIs (52). In his last 10 games alone, the 28-year-old Milwaukee Brewer hit .366 along with 5 HRs and 11 RBIs. Not surprisingly he ranked 4th among N.L. outfielders in All-Star voting as of 6/19/2012, a shade behind Melky Cabrera of the San Francisco Giants.
Speaking of All-Stars, Ian Kinsler was leading all A.L. second baseman in votes as of 6/18/2012, but not by much. The Texas Ranger had 2,580,306 votes, versus 2,565,046 for New York Yankees 2B Robinson. Voting ends Thursday (6/28/2012); cast your votes here.
What slump? Ike Davis continued his recovery last week with two decisive HRs. On Monday (6/18/2012) he hit his first MLB grand slam HR, giving the New York Mets all it needed to knock off the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 (see video). On Friday (6/22/2012) he smacked a 3-run home run in a 6-4 victory over the crosstown New York Yankees. Though Davis' .190 batting average still needs improving, he's hit .290 in his past 10 games and nevertheless ranks 3rd on the Mets in HRs (8/tie), RBIs (36), and walks (26).
Philadelphia Phillies reliever Michael Schwimer is making a strong case for remaining in the Majors. Earlier this season, the Phils demoted the 6'8" reliever after he went 0-1 with a blown save and a bloated 8.53 ERA. But in nine starts since returning this month, Schwimer has put up stellar numbers, including a 2.08 ERA, 0.81 walks/hits per inning, and a .138 opposing-batter average.
Nate Freiman hit a walk-off HR on Thursday (6/21/2012) to give the San Antonio Missions (AA) a 5-3 win over the Corpus Christi Hooks in extra innings. Luckily the 6'7" first baseman didn't connect off Hooks reliever Josh Zeid, who pitched 2 scoreless innings earlier in the game. Freiman leads the Texas League with 63 RBIs in 74 games, ranks 2nd with 16 HRs, 3rd in slugging percentage (.512), and 5th in OPS (.861).
Danny Valencia showed some pop in his bat Saturday (6/23/2012), homering twice in the Rochester Red Wings' (AAA) 12-1 win over the Charlotte Knights. Valencia is averaging .247 since being demoted by the Minnesota Twins but had a nice run in his past 10 games, hitting .310 with an on-base percentage of .447.
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Articles Danny Valencia, Ian Kinsler, Ike Davis, Jason Marquis, Josh Zeid, Michael Schwimer, Nate Freiman, Ryan Braun
Good news Monday (6/4/2012)
June 4, 2012 (Monday)
Is it Monday already? Then sprinkle these tidbits in your morning coffee:
Michael Schwimer is back with Philadelphia Phillies after a four-week stint in AAA, and yesterday (6/3/2012) the move paid off. In his second relief stint since returning to the bigs, the gentle giant from Fairfax, Va. (6'8″, 240 lbs.) pitched a perfect 8th inning in a 5-1 loss to the Miami Marlins. Schwimer fills a void left by reliever Jose Contreras, who suffered a season-ending injury Friday (6/1/2012).
Kevin Youkilis continued to show progress since returning from the disabled list. In 11 games, the venerable third baseman is hitting .289 with 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, and a .372 on-base percentage. Meanwhile, trade rumors persist.
Speaking of Beantown, catching prospect Ryan Lavarnway is showing renewed vigor at the plate while he bides his time with the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA). In his last 10 games, the Yale alum is hitting .415 with 1 HR, 6 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .528.
Ryan Braun may never quash rumors that he took performance-enhancing drugs last season, but the 2011 N.L. MVP is letting his bat doing the talking. With one-third of the 2012 season complete, the 6th-year player is among N.L. leaders in multiple categories, despite some nagging injuries. Braun ranks 1st in range factor among left fielders, 1st in power-speed factor, 2nd in HRs (14), 3rd in total bases (36), 5th in slugging percentage (.600) and on-base percentage plus slugging (.993), 6th in wins above replacement (2.5), and 7th in RBIs (36). The only areas where the 28-year-old has seen some slippage are doubles (8) and batting average (.308).
Jason Marquis has a new home with the San Diego Padres. Recently released by the Minnesota Twins, the 33-year-old pitcher signed a minor-league contract with the Padres last week and promptly won his first start with the San Antonio Missions (AA), giving up 5 hits and 2 walks over 7 innings while striking out 5. The Padres are Marquis' 8th franchise in 13 years.
Washington Nationals prospect Cameron Selik, a 22nd-round pick in the 2010 draft, is making the Potomac Nationals (High-A) look like geniuses for switching him to the bullpen. In 18 appearances this season, the San Diego native is 2-1 with 8 saves and a 3.68 ERA. Even more impressive are his strikeouts: he is averaging 1.5 per innings, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio is a phenomenal 34/3. As a starter for Potomac last season, Selik was 4-9 with a 4.52 ERA.
Cross your fingers for New York Yankees prospect Jeremy Bleich, who hasn't pitched since a shoulder injury sidelined him during the 2010 season. A 1st-round draft pick in 2008, Bleich is pitching in extended spring training and expected to return as a reliever.
Articles Cameron Selik, Jason Marquis, Jeremy Bleich, Kevin Youkilis, Michael Schwimer, Ryan Braun, Ryan Lavarnway
May 29, 2012 (Tuesday)
Because Monday was Memorial Day, dontcha know:
Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler broke out of a 27-game HR slump on Sunday (5/27/2012) with a HR, double, and four RBIs in a 12-6 triumph over the Texas Rangers. Despite the drought, Kinsler leads the majors with 41 runs scored. Sunday's two-hit game was his fifth in six starts.
After an impressive debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2010, neck and shoulder surgery sidelined LF Ryan Kalish for the better part of the past year. But in the first game of a rehab stint with the Salem Red Sox (A-advanced) last week, the 24-year-old celebrated his return with a HR and a single, and yesterday (5/28/2012) he even stole a base. Way to go, Ryno.
Success has split up the power duo of San Diego Padres sluggers Nate Freiman and Cody Decker. While playing for the San Antonio Missions (AA) this season, the pair led the Texas League with 14 HRs apiece. Alas, Decker was promoted to AAA last week. So far he's earned his keep: through 6 games and 22 at-bats, he is hitting .364 with a HR, three doubles, two RBIs, and an OPS of 1.098.
Ryan Sadowski led the Lotte Giants of the Korean Baseball Organization to victory Saturday (5/26/2012) with a 3-hit, complete-game performance. The 6'4″ hurler, whom Korean fans call "Dow," is enjoying his third season with the team after completing one of the more unusual MLB careers. Called up in 2009 by the San Francisco Giants, the University of Florida alum promptly delivered two shutouts, followed by four less-impressive outings that led him back to AAA. Rather than try returning to The Show in 2010, Sadowski indulged his wanderlust by signing with the "other" Giants. At age 29, he's young enough to revisit American baseball, but so far the iconoclastic Florida native is staying put. To learn more about this clever young man, see these 2011 and 2012 interviews.
It's no fun being sent down to the minors, but Minnesota Twins 3B Danny Valencia is making the best of an opportunity to retool his mechanics. The 27-year-old started out slow with the Rochester Red Wings (AAA) but has hit .325 with 2 HRs and 9 RBIs in his past 10 games.
Second-year player Jack Marder of the High Desert Mavericks (A-advanced) is tearing up the California League. The Seattle Mariners prospect ranks among league leaders with a .368 batting average (2nd), .413 on-base percentage (3rd), and .566 slugging percentage (7th), to go along with 4 HRs and 24 RBIs in 136 at-bats. On Sunday (5/27/2012), Marder's two-run single with two outs in the 12th inning earned the Mavericks a 3-2 win over the Modesto Nuts.
Released last week by the Minnesota Twins, P Jason Marquis is a free agent. Could the Twins' loss be Team Israel's gain?
Tampa Bay Rays OF Sam Fuld may be on the disabled list, but that didn't stop him from appearing as a sabermetrics expert on a recent Rays broadcast. The Stanford alum is a former STATS Inc. intern who applied for the position after reading Michael Lewis' book Moneyball.
And now our favorite headline of the week, from the San Francisco Chronicle: All Eyes are on Ryan Braun's Groin. San Francisco's reputation notwithstanding, the headline concerned a recent injury suffered by the reigning N.L. MVP.
Articles Danny Valencia, Ian Kinsler, Jack Marder, Jason Marquis, Ryan Braun, Ryan Kalish, Ryan Sadowski, Sam Fuld
Jason Marquis set to make Twins debut Wednesday against Yanks
April 16, 2012 (Monday)
Jason Marquis and his family (FoxSports.com)
Jason Marquis, left off the Minnesota Twins' opening-day roster so he could take care of his injured daughter in New York, is set to make his MLB season debut Wednesday (4/18/2012) against the New York Yankees.
Wednesday's start also will mark his first start as a Twin. Minnesota acquired the 33-year-old hurler during the off-season from the Washington Nationals.
Marquis missed nearly two weeks of Spring Training to be with his 7-year-old daughter Reese, who lacerated her liver in a bicycle accident. According to FoxSports.com, doctors had given the girl a 50/50 chance of surviving. She now is expected to be "fully recovered in three months."
When Marquis was ready to return to action, the Twins sent him to their AA farm team, the New Britain Rock Cats. He was dominant in two starts there, striking out 11 and walking none while going 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA.
Marquis will be the eighth Jew to play in the Majors this season. Seven Jewish players made MLB opening-day rosters.
Just 7 Jews on Opening Day rosters, but more to come
April 5, 2012 (Thursday)
In 2010, the year Jewish Baseball News debuted, MLB's Opening Day rosters included 10 Jewish players. In 2011 there were nine.
This season? Only seven. It's enough to make an M.O.T. cry in his $9 ballpark beer.
Thanks to injuries (Sam Fuld, Ryan Kalish), flips of a coin (Ryan Lavarnway, Michael Schwimer), a veteran's departure (John Grabow), and a freak family accident (Jason Marquis), the number of Jewish players on Opening Day rosters will be the lowest in years.
The seven are:
Ryan Braun (LF), Milwaukee Brewers
Craig Breslow (P), Arizona Diamondbacks
Ike Davis (1B), New York Mets
Scott Feldman (P), Texas Rangers
Ian Kinsler (2B), Texas Rangers
Kevin Youkilis (3B/1B), Boston Red Sox
Danny Valencia (3B), Minnesota Twins
More players are likely to be called in later this season, however. They include:
Josh Satin (IF), New York Mets. After getting his first 25 MLB at-bats at the end of 2011, Satin was invited this season to Spring Training, where he batted a respectable .259 with a .323 on-base percentage. When he'll come back: definitely in September, possibly sooner if the injury-prone Mets lose an infielder.
Jason Marquis (P), Minnesota Twins. Marquis was slotted to be the Twins' fifth starter on Opening Day. But when his 7-year-old daughter was seriously injured two weeks ago in a bicycle accident, he admirably chose to go home and care for her. Now back after 9 days, the Twins sent him down to the minors for a tune-up. When he'll come back: as long as he doesn't screw up badly in the minors, Marquis should be back before the end of the month.
Ryan Lavarnway (C), Boston Red Sox. Lavarnway is a far better hitter than Boston's #2 catcher, Kelly Shoppach. Take this year's Spring Training, where Lavarnway outhit .him .429 to .258. Now he just needs to prove he can catch half as well as Shoppach. When he'll be back: if Shoppach and his teammates fail to produce at the plate, Lavarnway could return before the All-Star break.
Sam Fuld (CF/LF), Tampa Bay Rays. Fuld underwent surgery this week after reinjuring his right wrist. The Rays won't miss his bat, but they will miss his fielding prowess, baserunning skill, and crowd-pleasing hustle. When he'll be back: Early reports say Fuld's likely to be out 4-5 months, meaning an August or September return. A lot will depend on not only on the speed of his recovery but how well rookie outfielder Stephen Vogt and veteran outfielder Luke Scott perform in their Rays debuts.
Michael Schwimer (P), Philadelphia Phillies. A September call-up last season, Schwimer went 1-0 in Spring Training with a 3.86 ERA, one save, five strikeouts, and just one walk in 4-and-two-thirds innings. When he'll be back: Definitely by September, if not sooner. Schwimer's misfortune is that the Phillies have an abundance of strong relievers.
Ryan Kalish (RF), Boston Red Sox. After neck surgery in September and shoulder surgery in November, Kalish is starting 2012 on the 60-day disabled list. When he'll be back: Probably September, but only if he performs well in the minors after completing rehab.
Brett Lorin (P), Arizona Diamondbacks. For someone who hasn't even reached AA, Lorin had a remarkable Spring Training, holding opposing batters to a .194 average and going 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA, 7 strikeouts, and one walk across 9 innings. When he'll be back: MLB teams are loathe to call-up players who lack AAA experience. But if Lorin performs as well with the Mobile BayBears (AA) as he did this Spring, a September taste is possible.
Articles Brett Lorin, Craig Breslow, Danny Valencia, Ian Kinsler, Ike Davis, Jason Marquis, John Grabow, Josh Satin, Kevin Youkilis, Michael Schwimer, Ryan Braun, Ryan Kalish, Ryan Lavarnway, Sam Fuld, Scott Feldman


text:
Episode Report Card
Miss Alli: C | 1 USERS: A+
YOU GRADE IT
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Ending and Pretending
By Miss Alli | Season 3	| Episode 13	| Aired on 09.24.2002
But anyway. We see how Lisa kicked Danielle's butt in the Little Red Hat endurance competition, and there you have it. A little evil, a lot of luck, and some tolerance for tooth-chattering, and here sit your final two. Next, a series of quick shots -- slime tank, peanut butter bikinis, Eric and Lisa, dead gnomes, Sheryl Crow, hygiene smackdown, chicken livers, sponges -- what a season it's been! How is it possible that it wasn't more interesting? Maybe if there had been more foodborne illness. It certainly felt like there was an adequate supply of nausea, though. Must be something else.
All twelve original houseguests toast themselves in blue and white. Ah, alcohol. My sweet friend. Then Danielle and Lisa toast each other, and say "final two" for about the twelfth time in these first five minutes. Okay, someone's getting slapped. And not with my hand, either. I'm looking around the apartment for something handy, and the pan I made dinner in is looking pretty good.
Julie reminds us that the ten evictees are back to give their votes. We go to a large living-room set, where all ten of those who've gone before are sitting around in a circle, preparing to act just about the way they did when they were in the house, except with better wardrobe and less card-playing. And with no one watching them in the bathroom, I guess. Tonya gets the self-pity-fest off to a flying start. She says that she had a really difficult time with the things people said about her that she didn't get to see until she got home. She singles out Marcellas -- probably at least in part because of the "stripper masquerading as a mother" speech, although I think she was able to get the sense from reading about the feeds that he and Amy were pretty thoroughly brutal in the way they talked about her from Day One. (That would be Marcellas of the Big Golden Heart of Huge Enormous Sweetness, as he would undoubtedly characterize it.) "My kids saw that," she says with sadness and a sort of heavy-handed, guilt-inducing dismay that you'd think might be reserved for a woman who didn't walk around wearing nothing but food quite as often as this particular woman did. I mean, I understand that you don't have to become a sexless drone just because you have kids, and I'm not denying her her fun, but it looks to me like she uses her kids here to leverage sympathy that's just not called for. And that's pretty bad. If you want people to be guarded about what they say about you in front of your kids, you have to behave like you at least care that your kids are watching. Which she didn't.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
An Act to Clarify the Personnel Records Statute
By Mr. Zlotnik of Gardner, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1779) of Jonathan D. Zlotnik and Stephen L. DiNatale relative to personnel record notifications. Labor and Workforce Development.
Jonathan D. Zlotnik
1/20/2015 House Referred to the committee on Labor and Workforce Development
9/11/2015 Joint Hearing scheduled for 09/22/2015 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2
An Act relative to residency
S.1221 187th (2011 - 2012)
An Act relative to the safety of police, fire and medical personnel
An Act relative to the retirement options of certain educational personnel


text:
MTV's New Monday Night Line Up Shifts 'Ridiculousness,' 'Cuff'd,' & 'Death Valley'
TV By The Numbers October 12, 2011
MTV IS MOVING COPS EARLIER AND ZOMBIES LATER ON MONDAY NIGHTS, STARTING OCTOBER 17
Rob Dyrdek's "Ridiculousness" Still Kicks Off the Night at 10:00 p.m.,
Now Followed by "Cuff'd" at 10:30 p.m., and "Death Valley" at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT
New York, NY (October 12, 2011) – MTV today announced a new Monday night line-up, starting Monday, October 17, with all new episodes of "Ridiculousness" at 10:00 p.m., followed by "Cuff'd," in its new 10:30 p.m. time slot, and rounding out the night, scripted horror-comedy "Death Valley," also at a new time, 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.
"Ridiculousness" comes from the producers of "Jackass" and "Fantasy Factory," and features Rob Dyrdek's unique take on some of today's funniest amateur viral videos and builds them into episodes of edgy, funny and timeless television. Each episode highlights Rob's unique style and infectious energy as he breaks down amusing web clips by putting them in segments such as "Redneck Good Times," "Worst Case Scenario," "Ridiculousness in Training," "Pogo Stuck," "Hot Mess," "What Happened Last Night," and many more. Featuring commentary from co-hosts Sterling "Steelo" Brim, Chanel "West Coast" (the rapping receptionist from "Fantasy Factory") and complete with a studio audience, the series also includes appearances by some of Rob's closest friends.
"Ridiculousness" is executive produced by Rob Dyrdek, Jeff Tremaine, Shane Nickerson and Christian Duguay. The show is produced by Dickhouse. Lauren Dolgen, Michelle Klepper and Kristina Edwards are the MTV executives in charge.
"Cuff'd" is the half-hour documentary series that provides viewers with a fly-on-the-wall perspective of what happens on the ride to the precinct after young offenders are arrested. Serving as a cautionary tale, "Cuff'd" takes viewers front and center as these young people begin to process the consequences of their actions. Each episode features approximately six different young perpetrators from distinct regions of the country engaging with their arresting officers as they ride in police cruisers on the way to central booking. These interactions are both revealing and intense, as youth offenders open up about their lives and process the mistakes that have brought them to this critical point – while police officers offer advice and guidance. Although most of the suspects featured are first-time offenders – the uncertainty of their predicaments often creates deeply emotional, dramatic, and humorous responses that serve as windows into the lives of young people who have veered off-course.
Michael Schenker and Rob Dorfmann serve as executive producers for Down In Front Entertainment. "Cuff'd" is executive produced by Dave Sirulnick, Marshall Eisen, George McTeague and Nomi Leidner for MTV. The executive in charge of production for the network is Jonathan Mussman.
MTV's horror-comedy "Death Valley" is a scripted series that follows the 'Undead Task Force' (UTF), a newly formed division of the LAPD, documentary-style, as they capture the monsters that roam the streets of California's San Fernando Valley. In a world where vampires, werewolves and zombies live freely, "Death Valley" is a fun, comedic non-stop thrill ride featuring chases, hardcore kills and bizarre encounters.
The series stars Tania Raymonde ("Lost'), Bryan Callen ("The Hangover"), Caity Lotz ("Mad Men"), Bryce Johnson ("Sleeping Dogs Lie"), Texas Battle ("Final Destination 3"," Dragonball," "Coach Carter") and Charlie Sanders (Funny or Die's "The Big Dog.)
"Death Valley" is executive produced by Eric Weinberg (Californication, Scrubs), Austin Reading (Spike TV's Scream Awards, FEARnet), Julie Kellman Reading and Tim Healy. Spider One is co-executive producer. Tony DiBari is executive producer for MTV, and Matthew Parillo is the MTV executive in charge of production
Category: Press ReleasesTagged: Cuff'd Ratings Death Valley Ratings Ridiculousness Ratings
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Timothy C Aho – Grace & Truth. A way of thinking. A way of life.
In early April Tim and I celebrated our 23rd anniversary of living in England. Having spent the first 21 of those years on the southeastern edge of the city of Birmingham, the move to this area found me struggling to define my new 'patch': the place to begin building connections and making a home.
What exactly IS my community? Simply labeling it Birmingham felt too fuzzy and impersonal; I craved a hook on which to hang my hat: a distinct sense of place where I could discover the heartbeat and begin making my own contributions. After a casual remark provided me with the Summerfield place name, I began searching for opportunities to make friends.
With so many years spent in the same location, I was a bit rusty with the whole developing friendships in the new community thing. When our children were young we depended heavily on school-gate conversations and Parent Association gatherings to form relationships. As empty nesters without those natural opportunities, I was at a bit of a loss. Chance encounters were frustratingly brief and lacked substance. Let's face it: there is a limit to the depth of friendship you can create talking about the weather!
When I learned about the Summerfield Place of Welcome, I was eager to visit. Introverted by nature, my first step through the door was a bit daunting. I needn't have worried; I was warmly greeted and soon found myself enjoying a cup of coffee and being welcomed into conversation like an old and treasured companion. Having entered as a stranger, I left with some newly forming friendships. This Tuesday morning place of unconditional welcome has now become a happily anticipated part of my week.
The Place of Welcome meets a variety of needs for those of us who gather: a weekly respite for otherwise lonely days; a kind word and warm hug during a challenging season of life; a renewed sense of purpose and belonging while working with others on the community garden; the opportunity to buy good food provided by The Real Junk Food Project Brum on a pay-as-you-feel basis. And others like myself have found this a place where friendships can develop and grow. And the times of meeting together are helping me to more clearly hear the heartbeat — and deeply appreciate the rich diversity — of my community. MY community. Those two simple words speak volumes to me.
Please come join us! All are welcome.
Last year we started experimenting with meeting neigbours and passersby in the form of our Bus Stop Café. We've been at a couple of locations down the road from the prison in Winson Green and at the Visitors Centre across from the prison. On our first occasion, we were welcomed almost immediately by a mum of unknown African descent. Coming from a road opposite was a man with a big smile, who I learned is a Kurdish Iraqi that was waiting for a lift to his job in Solihull where we used to live. A few minutes later I watched an inebriated eastern European man speak with Sam and when offered a coffee snatched Sam's coffee out of his hands! This man came for another coffee after a stop for some tins of beer at the local off-licence shop. And then there was a Somali Muslim woman with five children under the age of six. All in all on that first morning we talked to about 15 men and women who embraced their tea or coffee in the cold weather whose ethnic origins were other than this country!
Over the summer we combined the Bus Stop Café with work on a community garden at the Prison Visitor's Centre. During the summer we had some regulars whom we met when they were getting off work from the prison or from the local industrial site. Others we introduced to each other, like these two French speaking men from the Congo (Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – two different countries). And then there was the time we were treated to an impromptu concert from The Choir with No Name who were going into the prison to sing; all of them who are or have been homeless.
We launched work on the community garden in front of the visitors centre with a team of students from Cincinnati Christian University (just like last year). Sam led the work on preparing the bedding and soil, and planting flowers to make that space attractive and inviting. Though the flow coming and going between the prison and the visitors centre is comprised of people who are all over the map emotionally and behaviourally, bringing a cup of coffee and a touch of care to this place is appreciated by locals. We're glad we can do a bit to help.
We're now thinking together as a Companions for Hope team about where we site our next Bus Stop Café. We have some ideas, and we'll be sure to share some stories about what we learn and who we meet.
I have the book by this title (Miroslav Volf) but I confess I haven't read it though it has been on my reading list for a few years. But I have often thought of the passage Embrace one another, just as Jesus embraced you; this is to God's glory because of the posture of welcoming and belonging it calls for in a follower of Jesus (Romans 15.7; personal translation).
We are happy to be your children, O Lord, make us happier still to extend the table. Lord, help us to welcome every guest as if we were welcoming you, delighting in their presence and ready to learn what good news they bring to us. Amen.
I have been thinking about my experience in my neighbourhood over the recent fortnight, and the diversity of people and food and neighbours we are enjoying. One night last week I had a lamb tikka masala takeway of Pakistani origins followed the next night by curry goat reflective of the Jamaican / West Indian presence locally. On another day we popped by with home made banana bread to neighbours from Iran and invited them to our Companions for Hope community 'bring and share' meal we've started. They gave us a box of sweets mum had brought back from a recent trip to her home town south of Tehran.
We met another new neighbour whose package was delivered to us. Victor is Hungarian; his wife is Romanian. He apologised over and over for bothering us, then rang the doorbell a second time to give us a box of chocolates from Romania. This afternoon I popped into the shops on the high street near us. I bought pickled gherkins and mixed vegetables from Poland and sunflower seeds in the shell from Turkey. Two days ago we had a skype course on Transformational Leadership with participants from Ecuador, Ohio, and England.
On Sunday afternoons we meet up with our Eritrean brothers and sisters. We spend 90 minutes with teenagers. We lead an English worship service once a month. We eat dabo or ambasha (types of cake and bread) with coffee seasoned with cinnamon sticks that have been boiled in water. Next week we are having a dozen of the post university / young professionals in their 20s for breakfast in our home. We'll be preparing a typical English breakfast (which always includes beans!).
And what an amazing and interesting day it was when we made our pledges and received British citizenship two weeks ago. We made some new friends and are looking forward to meeting up with two sisters-in-laws in the days ahead; I cheekily asked them to invite us around for a curry and they were excited at the prospect! Have we given up our American citizenship? Nope, would never do that; but we will be dual citizens from here on in. While it was an 'easy' process for us, I was humbled as I thought of all my friends and of those people who have suffered and sacrificed through deserts, over seas and oceans, at the hands of people smugglers, and made their way to a place they have now made home. We didn't have to give anything up to become British citizens like some of our friends, but our gain is great.
There are currently a plethora of views and news reports in Europe and America about immigration, refugees, asylum seekers, and expatriates. I am not going to start a debate here. I will only say that my experience of the last 18 months since moving to this area has been full, rich, diverse, blessed, and one of embrace and being embraced. I want people to know the abundance of life that comes in following Jesus and being embraced by Jesus. I can start by embracing others, and having a heart that says: We are happy to be your children, O Lord, make us happier still to extend the table. Amen.
We sometimes thought when we lived in Shirley and after starting Dickens Heath Village Church that there was an international feel to the place. We had Irish and Scottish neighbours, and South African, American, Polish and English friends in the church family. Since our move into Winson Green, we have had a new set of experiences that has made us re-define what we understand as 'international' and multicultural.
Tammy has begun volunteerin g at the local Foundry school which has students speaking over 40 languages (42 currently). I will begin volunteering at the local Boulton primary school this term and they have identified at least 30 languages spoken by their students. Across the street and to one side of Newbigin House (what our team calls the vicarage we live in) we have Sikh and Muslim neighbours. At the local iron monger run by an Indian Hindu family I observed a Jamaican man speaking to a white English man who had a Black Country accent. The other day at the local gym I met and spoke to two Sikh men whose workout regimen was amazing; I learned they live down the road from us. My next visit to the gym I met a woman from Bulgaria and another from Poland. Just before Christmas a man recently released from Winson Green prison knocked and the door and asked for a jacket. He had been homeless and had smashed a shop window just to get a break from living on the street; he may be from Brum but culturally he is very different!
Our teammate Sam and I decided to start offering teas and coffees at the bus stop outside the house once a week through the half-term on Thursday mornings from 8.00am to 9.00am. We were welcomed almost immediately by a mum of unknown African descent. Coming from a road opposite was a man with a big smile, who I learned is a Kurdish Iraqi that was waiting for a lift to his job in Solihull! A few minutes later I watched an inebriated eastern European man speak with Sam and when offered a coffee snatched Sam's coffee out of his hands! This man came for another coffee after a stop for some tins of beer at the local off-licence shop. And then there was a Somali Muslim woman with five children under the age of six. All in all we talked to about 15 men and women who embraced their tea or coffee in the cold weather whose ethnic origins were other than this country!
I also learned this past week that two groups of roads around us are in the bottom .01% and .02% of the deprivation tables in England. Not the bottom 10% or even the bottom 1%; no these residents are desperately poor and the most poor in our country. Many are immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers who have left their country of origin due to circumstances of persecution, poverty, and war for a better life here.
The whole process of our move from Shirley and new life and ministry in Winson Green has had me thinking and reflecting on the themes of scarcity and abundance. Our global world is consumer-driven and inter-linked in ways previous generations never experienced. Friends and family members experience the loss of work and jobs that have been outsourced abroad or because a migrant worker or refugee given residency status will do it at lower recompense. How is one to view the upset and chaos and difficulty being experienced by so many on so many levels on both sides of the immigration debate? Personally, we have friends amongst all these groups!
All of which is to say that my mindset, perspective, or frame of reference has significant impact on my view of God, of people, of myself and my response to the opportunities and challenges before me. This is more than a 'glass half full / half empty' view of the world. It's about more than being a pessimist or an optimist. It's about who I believe God to be and the values which permeate my life and are expressed in the way I live. So I leave you with a question: For you, is God a closefisted mizer or an openhanded giver? And,what kind of person does that belief lead you to be?
We've moved house. As alluded to in previous postings, we made some necessary endings and some necessary beginnings. And so we have transitioned from life in the suburbs to an inner city area of Birmingham that is incredibly diverse ethnically and culturally. By way of illustration, a local junior school has 230 students speaking one of 44 different languages. The Home Office places asylum seekers here, and it also attracts other immigrants who have somehow made their way into the UK.
And so, we have moved. At least, all our stuff is moved. Our brains seem to be travelling through several geographical areas between Shirley and Winson Green. Between painting, cleaning, and unpacking boxes, we find ourselves starting one thing, turning around to see another thing that needs to be done, and before we know it we have started five different tasks and completely forgotten the first one we started! Hysterics are not uncommon, including a little tension as we debate the placement of household goods amidst the adjustments to a new place, new people, new team, new culture(s), and new responsibilities.
Not to be left out, Destiny and Angel have decided to contest the move by competing to deposit the largest hairball in the most inconvenient of places. I suppose they might be trying to match the paint scheme of a few rooms the previous residents had painted the colour of cat sick. We are hastening to paint over these with something more digestible! We hope the girls calm down a bit and groom themselves and each other a bit less and stop the throwing up noises at 5.30am. We don't need that kind of consistent alarm each morning!
The excessive grooming, we surmise, is a way of comforting themselves and each other in the tensions and discomfort of losing what was familiar and being forced to embrace the unfamiliar. I wonder, as both cats somehow manage to occupy my lap while I tap my computer keyboard, what ways I am accomodating to my unfamiliar surroundings which will result in coughing up the human equivalent of a hairball? Hardly worth imagining and certainly not appealing.
In such circumstances (indeed, as in most every circumstance I can imagine) hubris is not appropriate. Defined as 'excessive confidence or arrogance,' hubris in this new environment would effectively block learning, growing, effectiveness and fruitfulness. Hubris as a means of self-comforting might bring temporary relief, but produce hairballs none would find attractive. Destiny and Angel might not care about such things, but our local and wider team certainly would be put off, not to mention those we are seeking to befriend and influence.
Over the weekend we helped organize a gathering of leaders from churches and networks connected to the Fellowship of Churches of Christ. We were hosted by Canvas, members of CMF's campus ministry team who did a great job with music, room arrangements and logistics, and food. While we were scheduled to meet from 11.00 – 1.00, many people arrived early, and even more stayed later, with the last of us leaving at 2.45pm. The conversations, prayer, and networking were so delightful and encouraging it was hard to leave!
I didn't anticipate it, but the theme of Necessary Endings, Necessary Beginnings really struck a chord with the 30 leaders who had gathered. A number of Canvas workers are concluding or transitioning their current roles to the States or elsewhere with new works on other University campuses. Church leaders are experiencing change and challenges in their local ministries. Others are navigating decision-making processes which hold great promise and opportunities, as well as possible criticism and detractors.
Those acquainted with us know we have been working a process to discern next action steps in lovingly obeying Jesus. A year ago we had just concluded three months of travels to see churches and families that support our life and ministry as CMF church planters working with the Fellowship. Immediately after our return and while recovering from these travels, health concerns with a family member required Tam's travel stateside yet again. When this had passed, we realized we needed to hear from God about our focus and future.
We dedicated a day to laying everything before God at a local retreat venue. We set up an easel, and recorded questions we wanted to ask God. Over a period of five hours we prayed (talking and listening), had Scripture passages come to mind, worshiped, and submitted ourselves to God's purposes for us and service in his Kingdom. We then shared what we discerned to trusted teammates, colleagues, and friends and received very helpful feedback. Among that feedback was the suggestion we should read Dr Henry Cloud's Necessary Endings. Some thoughts about that book can be found in an earlier posting.
While Dr. Cloud doesn't write so much about 'necessary beginnings' it struck me as I was preparing for the leaders gathering that strategic beginnings are as crucial as intentional endings. I recalled a single powerful moment in 2001 with God when it dawned on me, over five years before ending our role in planting Dickens Heath Village Church and a year before launching public worship services, that I was not ready for whatever God had in mind for my leadership and passions afterwards! With that spiritual lump in my throat, I agreed with God that I would make some 'necessary beginnings.' It led to my work at Fuller Seminary commencing in 2003 and finishing in 2011 with a DMin degree. I am still feeding off the resources of courses with Terry Walling, Dallas Willard, Bobby Clinton, Archibald Hart, and an independent study experience with Tom Jones (Stadia). Significant friendships and current opportunities in church planting and disciple-making that we are making decisions about today can be traced back to necessary and intentional beginnings which seemed small at the time.
Transitions that come with necessary endings and necessary beginnings are always a new adventure to navigate! The old, familiar, and comfortable have to make way for the new, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable necessary beginnings. Of course, the transitions that come between seasons can be quite messy, chaotic, and topsy-turvy. Failure to strategically conclude certain activities and commitments only increases that messiness. Failure to strategically initiate different activities and commitments likewise increase the messiness.
How about you? What first, small step(s) can you make now to leverage the necessary beginning you need to make toward greater focus, fruitfulness, and effectiveness?
Various friends, seeing that we are in a time of transition, have been encouraging us to read Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud. Having read Cloud and Townsend's Boundaries a few years ago, I anticipated a helpful and insightful read. And while I am still navigating the latter half of the book, I have not been disappointed, finding many personal applications. Not only that, but as I've been reading I have also been thinking of other people I love who would find Cloud's wisdom encouraging and inspirational, and possibly life changing.
Amongst the principles (and practices) I am processing for personal benefit are these (framed as questions): What are you pruning toward? Is there a 'season' coming to a close that allows for a new season to begin? Who is helping you discern the pruning and traverse the current season of change?
I think my age may help me be more aware of the concept of 'seasons' (as well as growing up in Minnesota where the seasons were very distinct from one another!). Growing older may have the attendant danger of growing less humble and more narrow in outlook, but I have been inspired by those men and women who have aged gracefully, becoming more who they already are, and remaining life-long learners. Asking questions like these and having helpful models encourages me to pay attention to my ongoing personal transformation into the kind of person who is wise, godly, focused, effective, and fruitful.
Recently we suggested to some friends that they pray 23 minutes using Psalm 23 as a guide. Admittedly, a little gimmicky, but we called it "Prayer:23." Popular at funerals, the psalm is not just for such occasions when grief assaults. Its sentiments speak to deep relational ties with God who like a shepherd protects and provides, rescues and releases, and guides and gives his sheep what they need. But the psalm can also be used as a guide to pray for others, and so with another set of friends we used Psalm 23 as a resource to pray for our community and people we met in the community while prayer-walking.
Prayer-walking may be something new to you. Essentially, it is a spiritual practice of praying while walking (eyes open!!) and asking for individuals, couples, families, and the community to know and experience what God has to offer. For instance, using Psalm 23, praying that the family we see playing in the park know the shepherding love of God, the couple having a cup of coffee to receive help and courage in difficult circumstances, or the lonely woman walking her dog to experience the hope and promise of dwelling in community with others who love God and care for people.
What does this look like in practice? Well, it could be as simple as going in pairs down the high street and having a prayer conversation together with God about the well-being of the community. Or like what happened with me the other day while praying with some friends in Shirley.
With these friends we prayer-walked in five different locations over eleven days. On one of the days, on the Shirley high street, when the team was using Psalm 23 as a prayer guide, I purchased a card and wrote an anonymous message (from the Shepherd!) telling the recipient they were important to God, and that whatever difficult circumstances he/she was facing, they could be assured that the Shepherd was looking out after them. A few minutes later, I purchased two bunches of carnations, and then started looking for the person who should receive them.
Edie, with whom I was praying suggested we enter into one of the charity shops. There, I struck up a conversation the manager. I asked her if she met people during the day who needed encouragement and cheering up. She said yes, so I gave her one of the bunches of flowers, and told her they were for someone who needed them that day. I then gave her the other bunch of flowers and the card and said this was for her, and believed that it would be something she would want to read/hear.
Now, while there is much more one could say about this, the point of using Psalm 23 in prayer-walking is seeking the welfare and benefit of others. Other passages of the Bible can be used in this manner too, but instead of being cloistered in one's home alone, the practical act of praying with a prayer partner in the hustle and bustle of human activity seeks God's divine activity in the community. Such things bring the smile of the Shepherd to us and those around us.
I've just been listening to a fascinating podcast put out by Radiolab titled 'Strangers in the Mirror.' In this podcast, two men are interviewed who have a condition known as 'Face Blindness'; neither Oliver or Chuck can recall any person with whom they have been conversing. In fact, they forget and cannot recognize their own faces! One of them tells the story of having a conversation with another person only to realize the synchronous movements meant he was talking to himself in a mirror. Another story told is of the man preening his own beard only to realize the non-synchronous movements revealed he was preening another man's beard!
I am on the other end of the scale. I tend to remember people's faces for years, and have often been in a situation where I meet someone months or years later and have this recollection of meeting, and within a few minutes have sussed where we met and the circumstances of that meeting. What is more troublesome, for me, is that I am so visual in a first meeting with someone that I lock away an image of their face but have no clue of their name when we conclude the conversation!
There i s a famous blessing in the book of Numbers in the Old Testament of the Bible that goes like this: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. There is another in the second letter to the Corinthian church: For now we see only a reflection in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Language of 'the face' and recognizing facial expressions are so much part of the human experience! And it's also a way of speaking to one's interaction with God. I remember moments when my sister, who is deaf, would turn away from my dad so she couldn't see his face to read his lips or demeanor. It's the same when someone puts up their hand and says 'talk to the hand 'cause the face doesn't wanna know.' There is something profound and intimate in a 'face to face' interaction, and I'm not speaking of lip-locking action! I'm speaking of the mutual gaze into another's heart and the communion of communication that goes beyond words.
I hope you will bless someone with that kind of care and love today. It is as divine as God blessing you or me with his posture, his face toward you giving you deep serenity and the confidence to face whatever circumstances come your way today.


text:
Q: $A$, a linearly independent subset of a subspace $S$; $x\notin S$; show $A\cup\{x\}$ is linearly independent
Let $A$ be a linearly independent subset of a subspace $S$.
  If $x\notin S$, show that $A\cup\{x\}$ is linearly independent.

Theorem:
Let $B$ be linearly independent and $y\notin B$. Then, $B\cup\{y\}$ is linearly dependent iff $y\in Span(B)$.
Using this theorem, I get that-
$A$ is linearly independent and $x\notin S\Rightarrow x\notin A$.
So, $A\cup\{x\}$is linearly independent iff $x\notin Sp(A)$.
Therefore, it should be enough to show that-
$A\subseteq S$ (where, $A$ is linearly independent) and $x\notin S$
$\Rightarrow x\notin Sp(A)$ $_{...(1)}$
$\Rightarrow A\cup\{x\}$ is linearly independent $_{...(2)}$

My question is, if my approach is correct how should I prove $(1)$ because $(2)$ obviously follows from there. Or is my approach incorrect?
[There are similar questions on the site, but I couldn't find one for my approach.]

A: I think you overdid it a little bit.  With the theorem we are pretty much done, since $x\not\in S\implies x\not\in\operatorname{span}A$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange