What they will remember is the ride.
They come together for baseball, like they have done for so many different teams in their careers, but this time was different. That was evident with the giant “mensch on a bench” doll that became the team’s mascot, and the “Jew Crew” t-shirts that provided light moments to lessen the tension of playing in the World Baseball Classic. Even the Megillah reading in the dugout before batting practice to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim—it was all new.
So was having Team Israel—with a roster full of Americans of Jewish heritage—in the WBC. And not only did Israel make the Classic’s main 16-team draw, after winning a September 2016 qualifier, but the “Jew Crew” also won Pool A in Seoul, taking down host South Korea and going undefeated in the three games before stunning Cuba to open Pool E.
Losses to the Netherlands (12-2) and host Japan (8-3) ended Israel’s run in the second round. But the hope is that thanks to the exploits of the likes of Sam Fuld, Ryan Lavarnway, Jason Marquis and Josh Zeid— and the added development money that the team earned for the Israel Baseball Association—the sport can grow back home.
Denne historien er fra April 07 2017-utgaven av Baseball America.
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Denne historien er fra April 07 2017-utgaven av Baseball America.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
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