B"H
Too bad Jews can't be professional athletes and perjure yourself Shabbat. This is such a sad thing. Word.Apart from, special fierce Jewish baseball player for us all to sight (but not on Shabbat!).
M
Friday June 13, 2008
Rookie 'Rabbi': Newest Giants player breaks in with a big discharge
http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story id/35424/format/html/displaystory.html
by andy altman-ohr
staff scriptwriter
Baseball has unendingly had fierce nicknames: the "Fantastic Hairline fracture, Charlie Speed, The Sultan of Swat."
Now there's a new name on the list: "the Rabbi."
And no, he is not the new star of the TalMudville Nine.
He's 25-year-old San Francisco Giants recruit Brian Horwitz, who was called up from the minors May 30 like Dan Ortmeier got hurt, and in fair his sixth at-bat for the team, launched a home run in opposition to the New York Mets. On one occasion that game, it took him just six luxury at-bats to hit his blaze homer, that one in opposition to the Colorado Rockies.
Though he called trouncing the preparatory home run "an out-of-body middle age," Horwitz imaginary he wasn't shocked by his eye-opening start, which included four hits in his preparatory eight at-bats.
"It's been very attractive, but I'm just put on an act what I in general do," he imaginary. "I've alert of defied some of the likelihood just being paid submit in the preparatory place."
Improved on his exciting path to the important leagues in a bit. But preparatory, what about beast household as "the Rabbi," as his teammates embrace in use to craft him?
"I'm alert of hand-me-down to it, unendingly beast the fair Jewish guy on my team and being paid noticed for that," he imaginary. "So if that's what makes them out of bed, I'm not separation to be a buzzkill. It's all in good fun. I savor my teammates and beast in their organization. I don't presume it's beast impolite to the religion of Judaism."
Horwitz is the preparatory Jewish player on the Giants the same as the 1995-96 span of Dominican milk jug Jose Bautista. He is the eighth Jewish player on the Giants the same as they encouraged to San Francisco 50 being ago, but just the blaze who hasn't been a milk jug, union outfielder Don Taussig, an make indistinct recruit from 1958.
Horwitz is the blaze player in important union history to be tabbed with a "Rabbi" nickname; the other one was a Vast too. Yield in 1923, like the Giants played in New York Public, they at ease to mitigate the promotion beast generated by Yankees slugger Love Ruth, household as "the Sultan of Swat." So they called up big-hitting Moses Solomon and barred him as "the Rabbi of Swat." But swat he did not, and his major-league speed numb a long time ago two games.
In the function of beast promoted by the Giants, the right-handed trouncing Horwitz has been pinch-hitting and playing some in deceased area, fundamentally in opposition to left-handed pitchers. The eighth recruit to make his Giants first night this live through, he is plentiful in for the daunting Ortmeier, batting fair.219 with one homer and out with a broken touch for the next few weeks.
"With interest I can power them to embrace to perjure yourself me," imaginary Horwitz, who was batting.429 with two homers and four RBIs sad his preparatory eight games.
Horwitz was instinctive in Santa Monica in 1982; his parents are Jewish, and after he was raised Streamline, he endorsed one set of grandparents, who were Arranged, for "instilling a lot of Jewish traits in our family connections."
Horwitz attended pious school and had his bar mitzvah at Temple Judea in Tarzana. He too played in the JCC Maccabi Exercise as a 15- and 16-year-old, leading his L.A.-area team to civilian titles in 1996 in New Jersey and in 1997 in Seattle. For high school, he went to Crespi Carmelite, an all-male Catholic prep school in Encino.
From thus until now, his take note of was on school and baseball. "I yet love my religion and I'm 100 percent Jewish blood," imaginary the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder. "It's just that I had to intention on other belongings."
At U.C. Berkeley, Horwitz earned a bachelor's flag in American history and was a star on Cal's baseball team, particularly like he hit.347 with a team-leading 47 runs batted in as a small in 2003. On one occasion that fine live through, the Oakland A's drafted him in the 26th curvy, but he didn't sign; like his stats dished in his untouchable appointment, he went undrafted.
Behind exhibit are 50 rounds in the tear, and that 1,498 bunch were confident in 2004, this was more exactly a get your skates on. In fact, Horwitz was on the store of enrolling in a chiropractic college.
But the Giants vacant him 1,000 and a veer to handwriting pro ball in Oregon, so he signed as a free ambassador.
"I was delicate fix to on the brink it up, but not for example I don't love the game," he imaginary. "It's just not the easiest thing financially to be playing in the subordinate leagues."
All he's done the same as thus is hit -.347 for the team in Oregon,.349 in Georgia,.324 for Single-A San Jose, and this appointment,.309 in Double-A and thus.326 a long time ago beast promoted to Triple-A Fresno. He in concert two batting titles and other honors nap the way.
In that time, an MLB.com columnist wrote about the best Jewish bunch in the minors, agile big reputation to Horwitz. On one occasion that, Horwitz imaginary meaningfully of the mail he started receipt was from Jewish fans.
"I'd say now, of my fan mail, about one-third to one-half of it is from Jewish fans," imaginary Horwitz, who lives in the Phoenix return with his companion of a appointment and a partially, Krysti. "They've been in imitation of my speed, and they're really exultant to see me up in the big leagues, or just to see the subjugation I'm having."
Depending on the furnish, 145 to 190 Jews embrace played in the important leagues; at the moment exhibit are 10 or 11. Now that Shawn Pink and Mike Lieberthal are retired, Milwaukee's Ryan Braun and Boston's Kevin Youkilis are the prime Jewish stars.
Braun even has a alias to go with his success: "The Hebrew Macerate." It's a character he shares with the unsurpassed Jewish slugger ever, Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg, who began his recruit live through with the Detroit Tigers 75 being ago this month.
Secure, it's a coincidence, but how matched for "the Rabbi" to break fashionable the big leagues in the neighborhood 75 being to the day a long time ago the fierce Greenberg.
