Bet Shemesh Blue Sox

Israeli baseball team

Bet Shemesh Blue Sox

בית שמש בלו סוקס
Information
League| Israel Baseball League
Location|  Bet Shemesh
Ballpark| Kibbutz Gezer Field
Founded| 2006
League championships| 1
Colors| Blue
Manager|  Ron Blomberg
Current uniforms
|  |

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The Beit Shemesh Blue Sox (Hebrew: בית שמש בלו סוקס) were an Israeli baseball team from Bet Shemesh.

The Blue Sox was one of the inaugural teams in the Israel Baseball League. They had the best regular season record (29–12, .707), and won the inaugural championship August 19, 2007, in Petah Tikva, shutting out Art Shamsky’s Modi’in Miracle 3–0 in the championship game. Californian RHP Rafael Bergstrom pitched a complete game shutout, downing Dominican RHP Maximo Nelson (5–3, 3.55 ERA) who pitched for Modi’in.

## History

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On February 26, 2007, it was announced that former Major League Baseball player Ron Blomberg would be the manager of the Blue Sox.[1] Team colors also reflect Blomberg's stint with the New York Yankees, and hopes that league officials had of creating a rivalry between Art Shamsky's Modi'in Miracle (similar colors to the New York Mets) and the Blue Sox.

The first player selected by the Blue Sox in the inaugural draft was Canadian right handed pitcher Jason Benson.[2]

## Stadium

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Located at Kibbutz Gezer, Gezer Field was home to the Blue Sox as well as the Modi'in Miracle, as neither city has a baseball stadium. However, a new field was under construction in Bet Shemesh and reportedly would have been ready for the second season in 2008, which was never played.

## Logo

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The Blue Sox logo is a mixture of the logos of the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees, and its letters make out the initials of the city of Bet Shemesh, written in diagonal from right to left (because the Hebrew language reads from right to left), as opposed to the White Sox which goes left to right.

## Roster

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Bet Shemesh Blue Sox roster

Active (25-man) roster | Coaches/Other
Starting rotation

*   * 10 Ben Pincus
*   * 11 Juan Feliciano
*   * 23 Jason Benson
*   * 54 Rafael Bergstrom

Bullpen

*   * 2 Alon Leichman
*   * 17 Aryeh Rosenbaum
*   * 18 Jeff Mor

Closer

*   * 24 Scott Perlman

† 15-day disabled list
Roster updated 08.03.2007
Transactions

|  | Catchers

*   * 5 Lukas Brenowitz
*   * 14 Scott Jarmakowicz
*   * 19 Jake Ayers

Infielders

*   * 6 Jim Pierce
*   * 7 Gregg Raymundo
*   * 9 David Kramer
*   * 15 Eric Holtz
*   * 20 Johnny Lopez

Outfielders

*   * 3 Sean Slaughter
*   * 4 Justin Cardinal
*   * 8 Mike Lyons
*   * 21 Alan Gardner
*   * 25 Jason Rees

Designated hitters

* Currently unknown

|  | Manager

*   * 12 Ron Blomberg

Coaches

*   * 15 Eric Holtz
*   * 24 Scott Perlman
*   * 36 Michael Rollhaus

Suspended list

* Currently vacant

## Team success

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The Blue Sox jumped off to a good start in the beginning of the inaugural 2007 season, winning 9 consecutive game before finally losing one to the Tel Aviv Lightning. The team played well for the rest of the season, taking first place in the regular season, as well as winning the championship game on August 19, 2007, in front of 2,610 fans.

The team was the best offensive team in the league, coming in first in the following categories: batting average (.294), runs (286), hits (325), doubles (61), home runs (60), runs batted in (251), and stolen bases (115). 23-year-old Australian right fielder Jason Rees led the league with 17 home runs and 50 runs batted in in 130 at bats. Shortstop Gregg Raymundo, who hit .292 in 7 minor league seasons and played for the Texas Rangers' and Pittsburgh Pirates' AAA teams, was a close second for the league title in batting, with a .459 batting average. Jason Rees was signed to a minor league contract by the New York Yankees for the 2008 season.

One of the leading pitchers was Juan Feliciano of Bet Shemesh, who had pitched for the 2005-06 Hiroshima Carp in Japan. He was 7–1, with a 1.97 ERA, and in 50.1 innings gave up only 28 hits while striking out 73. Rafael Bergstrom was 7–2, with a 2.44 ERA.

The Commissioner's Award for Distinguished Service was awarded to shortstop Eric Holtz of Bet Shemesh, a player-coach who also filled in as player-manager.[1]

Three players from the Blue Sox won season awards for outstanding play: Raymundo shared the Hank Greenberg Most Valuable Player award (along with Eladio Rodriguez of the Modi'in Miracle), Juan Feliciano was named the best pitcher, and Jason Rees received two awards: Best Outfielder (shared with Josh Doane of the Netanya Tigers) and Home Run Champion (17).

The Blue Sox had 11 players named to the 2007 All-Star Team: Scott Jarmakowicz (C), Gregg Raymundo (SS), David Kramer (2B), Sean Slaughter (OF), Jason Reese (OF), Johnny Lopez (DH), Rafael Bergstrom (P), Ben Pincus (P), Scott Perlman (P), Juan Feliciano (P), and Jason Benson (P). Manager for the North team was Blue Sox manager Eric Holtz, and the North defeated the South 5–4.

## Footnotes

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1. ^ "Holtzman, Blomberg, Shamsky set to manage in Israel Baseball League". The Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2007-04-29.
2. ^ "First Player Draft in IBL History Yields Bumper Crop". IsraelBaseballLeague.com. Archived from the original on 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2007-04-29.

## External links

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* Official site of the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox

* v
* t
* e

Baseball in Israel

Israel Baseball League|

| Seasons|

* 2007

|

Teams|

* Bet Shemesh Blue Sox
* Modi'in Miracle
* Petah Tikva Pioneers
* Netanya Tigers
* Ra'anana Express
* Tel Aviv Lightning

Stadiums|

* Kibbutz Gezer Field
* Sportek Baseball Field
* Yarkon Sports Complex

National team|

* World Baseball Classic
* European Baseball Championship

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