It’s springtime again and that means the start of the 2005 Major League Baseball season. With the hundreds of players that will play during the season, the following is a list of baseball players and personalities that are Jewish. Some will be familiar names and some are rising stars.
1 – Shawn Green
The most notable Jewish player that is currently playing is Shawn Green. Shawn is famous for following in the footsteps of Dodger pitcher Sandy Koufax by refusing to play on Yom Kippor in 2001 and 2004. Shawn currently
plays outfield for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers. While playing in Los Angeles, Shawn was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and was an active spokesman for KOREH (Los Angels Jewish Coalistion for Literacy. This year, he was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Shawn is well aware and proud of his position of being a Jewish role model.
Interesting Notes:
– Shawn’s baseball idol was 1980 Cy Young winner and fellow Jewish ballplayer – pitcher Steve Stone
– Shawn received a World Series ring in 1993 from the Blue Jays even though he did not appear in the World Series
– Shawn is married and has a daughter
– Shawn was the 16th pick overall by the Blue Jays in 1991
– Shawn received the 2004 Hank Greenberg Sportsmanship Award by the American Jewish Historical Society
2 – Kevin Youkilis
Interesting Notes:
– Kevin played in the famed Cape Cod League
– Kevin was 2004 May AL Rookie of the Month
– Kevin is single
3 – Gabe Kapler
Gabe Kapler is a journeyman outfielder who was another member of the
historic 2004 Boston Red Sox. Gabe previously played for the Detroit
Tigers, Texas Rangers, and Colorado Rockies. Currently, Gabe is playing for
the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. Gabe is proud of his Jewish heritage.
Interesting Notes:
– Gabe’s mother works at a Jewish pre-school
– Gabe has appeared on the cover of a number of fitness magazines
– Gabe was Baseball Weekly’s 1998 Minor League Player of the Year
5 – Brad Ausmus
Brad is considered to be one of the best defensive catcher’s playing today.
He currently plays for the Houston Astros and has often been credited for
developing young pitchers like Roy Oswalt. Before settling in Houston, Brad
played for the San Diego Padres and Detroit Tigers.
Interesting Notes:
– Brad grew up a huge Boston Red Sox fan, but was drafted by the New York
Yankees
– The Yankees allowed Brad to finish his degree at Dartmouth while playing
in the minors
– Brad was selected by the Colorodo Rockies in the 1992 expansion draft
– Brad has won 2 gold gloves for catching
6 – Jason Marquis
Jason is a reliable starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He got a
chance to pitch in the 2004 World Series in game 2 and game 7. He began his
career pitching for the Atlanta Braves.
Interesting Notes:
– Jason went to high school in Staten Island
– Jason got his first major league win at Shea Stadium when the Braves won 8
to 4
7 – Scott Schoeneweis
Scott is a relief pitcher who has made contributions to every team that he
has played for. Scott began his career with the Los Angeles Angels and
received a World Series ring in 2002. Since then, Scott pitched for the
“,1] ); //–> An up and coming third baseman for the Boston Red Sox, Kevin was a member of the historic 2004 World Series Team. Kevin was seen during the 2005 spring training wearing a t-shirt displaying his Jewish pride.
Interesting Notes:
– Kevin played in the famed Cape Cod League
– Kevin was 2004 May AL Rookie of the Month
– Kevin is single
3 – Gabe Kapler
Gabe Kapler is a journeyman outfielder who was another member of the historic 2004 Boston Red Sox. Gabe previously played for the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, and Colorado Rockies. Currently, Gabe is playing for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. Gabe is proud of his Jewish heritage.Interesting Notes:
– Gabe’s mother works at a Jewish pre-school
– Gabe has appeared on the cover of a number of fitness magazines
– Gabe was Baseball Weekly’s 1998 Minor League Player of the Year
4 – Brad Ausmus
Brad is considered to be one of the best defensive catcher’s playing today. He currently plays for the Houston Astros and has often been credited for developing young pitchers like Roy Oswalt. Before settling in Houston, Brad played for the San Diego Padres and Detroit Tigers.
Interesting Notes:
– Brad grew up a huge Boston Red Sox fan, but was drafted by the New York Yankees
– The Yankees allowed Brad to finish his degree at Dartmouth while playing
in the minors
– Brad was selected by the Colorodo Rockies in the 1992 expansion draft
– Brad has won 2 gold gloves for catching
5 – Jason Marquis
Jason is a reliable starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He got a chance to pitch in the 2004 World Series in game 2 and game 4. He began his career pitching for the Atlanta Braves.
Interesting Notes:
– Jason went to high school in Staten Island
– Jason got his first major league win at Shea Stadium when the Braves won 8 to 4
Scott is a relief pitcher who has made contributions to every team that he has played for. Scott began his career with the Los Angeles Angels and received a World Series ring in 2002. Since then, Scott pitched for the
– Scott overcame testicular cancer in 1993
– Scott underwent Tommy John elbow surgery while he was at Duke University
8 – John Grabow
John is an up and coming left-handed reliever in the Pittsburgh Pirates
organization. He made his debut with the team at the end of the 2003
season.
9 – Al Levine
Al is journeyman reliever who currently pitches for the Detroit Tigers. He
made his debut in 1996 with the Chicago White Sox and has played for the
Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Kansas City
Royals.
Interesting Notes:
– Al’s teammates at Double A Birmingham in 1994 was Michael Jordan
10 – Andrew Lorraine
Andrew is a journeyman pitcher who made his debut with the Los Angeles
Angels. Since then, Andrew has played for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A’
s, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and the Milwaukee
Brewers. Andrew is currently in the minor league system of the Baltimore
Orioles.
Interesting Notes:
– Andrew’s real last name is Levine
– Andrew’s uncle is an orthodox rabbi in England
– Andrew was originally drafted in 1990 by the New York Mets but decided to
go to Stanford instead
11 – David Newhan
David is a reliable utility player for the Baltimore Orioles. David started
his career playing for the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies. He
took some time off before returning to baseball in 2004 with the Orioles.
Interesting Notes:
– David’s father is a Hall of Fame baseball writer for the Los Angeles Times
12 – Justin Wayne
Justin is one of the top prospects for the Florida Marlins. He was traded
to the Marlins by the Expos. He was the fifth pick chosen by the Montreal
Expos in the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft.
Interesting Notes:
– Wayne was names an All-Hawaii baseball player in his senior year of high
Chicago White Sox and currently pitches for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Interesting Notes
– Scott overcame testicular cancer in 1993
– Scott underwent Tommy John elbow surgery while he was at Duke University
7 – John Grabow
John is an up and coming left-handed reliever in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He made his debut with the team at the end of the 2003 season.
8 – Al Levine
Al is journeyman reliever who currently pitches for the Detroit Tigers. He made his debut in 1996 with the Chicago White Sox and has played for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Kansas City Royals.
Interesting Notes: – Al’s teammates at Double A Birmingham in 1994 was Michael Jordan
9 – Andrew Lorraine 
Andrew is a journeyman pitcher who made his debut with the Los Angeles Angels. Since then, Andrew has played for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A’s, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and the Milwaukee Brewers. Andrew is currently in the minor league system of the Baltimore Orioles.
10 – David Newhan
David is a reliable utility player for the Baltimore Orioles. David started his career playing for the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies. He took some time off before returning to baseball in 2004 with the Orioles.
– David’s father is a Hall of Fame baseball writer for the Los Angeles Times 11 –
Justin Wayne 
Justin is one of the top prospects for the Florida Marlins. He was traded to the Marlins by the Expos. He was the fifth pick chosen by the Montreal Expos in the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft. Interesting Notes:– Wayne was names an All-Hawaii baseball player in his senior year of high
school
12 – Bob Melvin
Bob is the current manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Previously, he was the manager of the Seattle Mariners after Lou Piniella went to Tampa Bay. During his nine year baseball playing career, Bob was a journeyman catcher and played on the Detriot Tigers, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Chicago White Sox. When his career was over, Bob became a bench coach and won a world series ring with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001.
13 – Suzyn Waldman
Suzyn is one of the voices of the New York Yankees. She was the first broadcaster on radio station WFAN in New York City when the station premiered. At WFAN, Suzyn was a beat reporter for the Yankees and was quickly signed by YES TV when it was formed. Suzyn made Major League Baseball history by becoming the first woman television commentator and first woman radio commentator for Yankee ballgames. During her baseball career, Suzyn overcame cancer and is definitely a role model for all women. Before her broadcasting career, Suzyn was best known for her work on Broadway in Man of La Mancha.
Some material for this article came from www.mlb.com and www.jewsinsports.com
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