The Israel national baseball team represents Israel in international competitions. They are currently the 19th-ranked baseball team in the world and 6th in Europe .[1][2]
Israel has baseball teams in all ages from 10 to 30. Their current manager is Peter Kurz.[3]
In June 2015, Israel senior national team player Dean Kremer became the first Israeli to ever be selected in the Major League Baseball draft.[4] He was picked by the San Diego Padres in the 38th round. On July 22 it was announced that Kremer would fulfill his commitment and play for the UNLV Rebels baseball team.[5]
World Baseball Classic
2013 World Baseball Classic
The team competed in the September 2012 qualifier for the 2013 World Baseball Classic – Qualifier 1, the preliminary round of the tournament in Jupiter, Florida against Spain, France, and South Africa.
Under WBC rules, any player eligible for citizenship of a country, even though they do not have it, may play for that team.[6] Therefore, this entitled Israel to have non-Israeli citizens of Jewish heritage play for the team. The players who qualified to play on the Israeli team included major leaguers catcher Ryan Lavarnway, first baseman Ike Davis, second basemen Ian Kinsler and Josh Satin, third basemen Kevin Youkilis and Danny Valencia, outfielders Ryan Braun (whose father is Israeli), Sam Fuld, Ryan Kalish, and Gabe Kapler, and pitchers Jason Marquis, Scott Feldman, Craig Breslow, and John Grabow, as well as what were then recent major leaguers catcher Brad Ausmus and pitcher Scott Schoeneweis.[7][8][9][10][11][12] Kinsler said:
"Wow, I would be happy to play for Team Israel.... The truth is that if a proposal comes from Team USA to play for them, I will have a very difficult decision to make. Yuk [Kevin Youkilis], Braun [Ryan Braun], and I could make a fantastic team. I am sure that I'll talk it over with Yuk – we always laugh about things like this."[13]
Outfielder Shawn Green, who retired in 2007, was also eligible inasmuch as he is Jewish, and said in early June 2011 that assuming it works out, it "would be an honor" and he "would love to" play for Israel in the Classic.[14][15]
The qualifying round was held in September, while the Major League Baseball season still in progress, therefore during Qualifiers 1 and 2 it could not feature major league players such as the above ones who qualified to play for Team Israel.[16][17] Kevin Youkilis announced that he would play for the team if they made it past the qualifying round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.[18]
The highest-level players involved in Qualifiers 1 and 2 were minor-league prospects.[19] Team Israel included minor league pitchers Eric Berger (1–0) and Brett Lorin, first baseman Nate Freiman (.417; 4 HR in 12 AB), second baseman Josh Satin (.273), shortstops Jake Lemmerman and Ben Orloff, and outfielders Adam Greenberg, Ben Guez, Joc Pederson (.308), and Robbie Widlansky.[20][21] Also, retired former major league All Star Shawn Green played for Israel (.333).[20][22]
In addition to Brad Ausmus as manager, the team's coaches included Shawn Green, Gabe Kapler, and Mark Loretta.[23]
In Qualifier 1, Israel and Spain both won easily in the first round. Israel then beat Spain in the winner's bracket. Spain then eliminated South Africa to earn a rematch with Israel. Spain won the winner-take-all final game, 9–7 in 10 innings, to advance to the main tournament.
2013 Qualifying roster
| 2012 Israel Baseball Team roster |
| Players | Coaches |
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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2013 Qualifying results
2017 World Baseball Classic
2017 Qualifying roster
| 2016 Israel Baseball Team roster |
| Players | Coaches |
Pitchers
Right-handed pitchers
{{{RHP}}}
Left-handed pitchers
{{{LHP}}} |
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Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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International tournament results
World Baseball Classic
European Under-21 Baseball Championship
European Juveniles Baseball Championship
European Senior National Team Championship
- 2013 : Did Not Qualify
- 2015 :
B-level qualifier
Qualifier European Championship B Pool ’15| Tournament details |
|---|
| Host country |
 Austria |
|---|
| Dates |
27 – 30 July 2015 |
|---|
| Teams |
6 (from 1 continent) |
|---|
Pool A
| | Qualified for Final Stage |
| | Did not qualify fot Final Stage |
[24]
Final standings
C-level qualifier
Qualification for
2014 European Baseball Championship B-level Qualification| Tournament details |
|---|
| Host country |
 Slovenia |
|---|
| Dates |
29 – 2 August 2013 |
|---|
| Teams |
8 (from 1 continent) |
|---|
Group A
| | Qualified for Final Stage |
| | Did not qualify fot Final Stage |
Group B
| | Qualified for Final Stage |
| | Did not qualify fot Final Stage |
Final stage
- Semifinals
- Final
Final standings
| | Qualified for B-level Tournament. |
See also
References
- ↑ "Israel's baseball team moves up in world rankings". i24news. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
- ↑ "The Official IBAF 2014 End-of-the-Year World Rankings -- Recognised by WBSC". Retrieved November 26, 2014.
- ↑ "Senior National Team on their Way to Vienna - Israel Baseball - Official Site". Retrieved July 31, 2015.
- ↑
- ↑ http://bigstory.ap.org/article/a05e27b148cf461baf8479a6ade9ad47/israeli-baseball-player-selected-mlb-draft-1st-time
- ↑ "Dan Serafini Wins One For Team Italy". Deadspin. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
- ↑ "World Baseball Classic: Israel, managed by Bra". Sporting News. May 21, 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ↑ Belson, Ken (June 1, 2011). [http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/01/israel-to-participate-in-2013-world-baseball-classic/#h[MLBIan] "Israel to Participate in 2013 World Baseball Classic"]. The New York Times. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ↑ "Israel invited to qualify for World Baseball Classic". JTA. June 2, 2011. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- ↑ Jeremy Fine. "The Great Rabbino". Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ↑ Aaron Yellin (June 7, 2011). "Israel to Participate in 2013 World Baseball Classic". The Forward. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ↑ "Jews to Play in Baseball All-Star Game". Shalom Life. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
- ↑ Ben, Daniel (May 1, 2010). "Baseball / Jewish MLB stars could play for Israel". Haaretz. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ↑ Leichenger, Alex (June 21, 2011). "Jewish baseball player supports Little League efforts". Jewish Journal. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ↑ Belson, Ken (June 8, 2011). "Shawn Green Says He'd Play for Israel in World Baseball Classic". The New York Times. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ↑ Neistat, Aimee (August 24, 2012). "Baseball / World Classic / Youkilis says he will play for Israel, if it qualifies for tournament". Haaretz. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ↑ "World Baseball Classic: Israel squad could be dangerous with stars Ryan Braun, Ian Kinsler available". Sporting News. May 21, 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ↑ Neistat, Aimee (August 24, 2012). "Baseball / World Classic / Youkilis says he will play for Israel, if it qualifies for tournament". Haaretz. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
- ↑ "World Baseball Classic: There are plenty of prospects to watch in this month's World Baseball Classic qualifiers". worldbaseballclassic.com. September 21, 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
- 1 2 "World Baseball Classic: Team – Israel". worldbaseballclassic.com. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ↑ "World Baseball Classic: Stats". worldbaseballclassic.com. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ↑ ".". Washington Post. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
- ↑ "Mets' Q-and-A with utility player Josh Satin". NJ.com. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
- ↑ http://www.baseballstats.eu/2015/vienna/standing.php
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| | C-teams | |
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| | Provisional members | |
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| | Former members | |
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