As Youkilis Goes, So Go Jewish Ballplayers in ’08

Unless it turns out that Dioner Navarro is secretly a Marrano, the 2008 World Series is set to become the first Fall Classic since 2003 in which there is nary a single tribesman on either championship roster. First, the failure of Bob Melvin and the Diamondbacks, Scott Schoeneweis and the Mets and Ian Kinsler’s Rangers to make the postseason limited the number of Jews in the pool. With the subsequent elimination of the Cubs (Jason Marquis), the Brewers (Ryan Braun and Gabe Kapler), the Red Sox (Kevin Youkilis), the Jewish presence in baseball has faded along with the number of teams still contending for a title. The Rays pulled a sick fakeout with non-Jew Gabe Gross getting regular at-bats in right field and off the bench, while the Phillies have several false positives in Brett Myers, Jason Werth and the almost perfectly named R.J. Swindle. For the past several years, the Chosen  have been represented in the World Series by the likes of the aforementioned Youkilis (Boston, 2007 & 2004), Jason Hirsch and Ryan Spilborghs (Colorado, 2007), Marquis (St. Louis, 2006 & 2004), and Dartmouth-grad Brad Ausmus (Houston, 2005). While no Jews will be on the field during this year’s Fall Classic, the tribal presence will still be felt through traditional behind-the-scenes roles. Tampa Bay owner Stuart Sternberg hails from Brooklyn and counts team president Matthew Silverman and general manager Andrew Friedman among his employees, while the Phillies will enter Wednesday’s Game 1 with assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. in tow.