Shlomo Lipetz

Israeli baseball player (born 1979)

Baseball player

Shlomo Lipetz
שלמה ליפיץ

Israel national baseball team
Pitcher
Born: (1979-02-11) February 11, 1979 (age 45)
Tel Aviv, Israel

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Medals

Men's baseball
Representing  Israel
European Baseball Championship
|  2021 Israel | Team

Shlomo Lipetz (Hebrew: שלמה ליפץ; born February 11, 1979) is an Israeli baseball player who pitches for Team Israel.[1] He is also Vice President of Programming and music director at City Winery in New York City.[2]

He was on the Israel national team for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He also pitched for the team at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019, which Israel won to qualify to play baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He pitched for Team Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. Lipetz pitched for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

## Early and personal life

[edit]

Lipetz was born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel.[3][4][5] His parents, Aharon and Debra Lipetz, are graduates of New York University.[4] Lipetz has a brother, Gaby.[4] He now lives in Brooklyn, New York.[6]

## Baseball

[edit]

### Early years, college, and Israel Baseball League

[edit]

Lipetz started playing baseball at an early age, having gotten hooked on the game in 1986 on a trip to New York in which he saw the New York Mets play.[7] At age 10 he represented Israel at the Little League World Series preliminaries at the Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany.[8][9][10] He attended Ironi High School in Tel Aviv, Israel. There, he competed in baseball, basketball, soccer, and track.[4]

While serving in the Israel Defense Forces, Lipetz received the "Outstanding Athlete" status allowing him to continue to train and compete while serving in the military.[11][5]

Following his army service, Lipetz played baseball for San Diego Mesa College for two seasons. He walked on to the team and became the second native-born Israeli to play college baseball in the United States, after pitcher Dan Rothem.[11][12][9][4][5] While in college, he improved his fastball from 66 mph to 88 mph.[9]

Transferring to the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) his junior year on an athletic scholarship, he led the Tritons staff with a 2.84 ERA, and was 5–0 with 3 saves in 24 relief appearances;[12][4] Lipetz walked just 3 in 38 innings. In 2005, the senior went 2–4 with 7 saves and a 4.42 ERA as UCSD's closer.[13][9]

Following college, Lipetz continued his baseball career in New York in semipro leagues.[9] He also played a short pro season in Mexico, and as a semi-pro in the independent Pedrin Zorrilla Baseball League in Brooklyn.[5][10]

He played for the Netanya Tigers in the 2007 Israel Baseball League season. Lipetz led the league with a 0.98 ERA, while recording 30 strikeouts, and walking only three.[14]

### European Baseball Championship

[edit]

See also: Israel at the European Baseball Championship

In the 2010 European Baseball Championship qualifiers, in 2008, Lipetz led Team Israel in wins going 2–0 with a 2.63 ERA.[10] Lipetz did not play during the first game, against Bulgaria.[15] During the second game, Lipetz allowed three runs in a relief inning against Croatia.[16] In the third game, against Serbia, Lipetz threw 2.2 innings in relief, giving up 1 earned run on 6 hits.[17] During the fourth and final game, against Lithuania, Lipetz tossed a 10-inning, 4-hit complete game to beat Lithuania 2–1.[18] He led that qualifier in victories and tied for second in strikeouts.[19]

During the 2012 European Baseball Championship qualifiers, in 2011, Lipetz pitched in 3 of the 5 games. Lipetz beat Georgia in the opener pitching 7 innings and striking out 9.[20] Lipetz did not appear in the second game, against Great Britain, or in the third game against Lithuania.[21][22] During the first game of the home/away finals against Great Britain, Lipetz pitched a complete game shutout, giving up 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out fives.[23] Later that same day, Lipetz started again, pitching an additional 4.1 innings, giving up one earned run on 6 hits, while recording 4 strikeouts.[24] He threw a total of 214 pitches in the doubleheader.[25]

Lipetz started once during the 2016 European Baseball Championship C-Level qualifier in 2014, shutting out Slovenia while striking out 10.[26]

He again pitched for Israel in 2015 as part of the B-Level qualifier, for the 2016 European Baseball Championship.[27] Lipetz did not appear in the opening game of the qualifier against Belarus.[28] During the second game, against Poland, Lipetz pitched one inning of relief, allowing two runners on via hit by pitch, and allowed an unearned run on a balk, however was still credited with the win.[29] Lipetz threw a complete game against Austria giving up 1 run on 5 hits and striking out 8.[30] Lipetz did not appear in the fourth game, against Lituania.[31] Lipetz relieved Dean Kremer in the final game, against Sweden, with a 5–3 lead, two on and one out in the 8th and was able to retire the side while giving up 1 run, and gave up an additional 5 runs to make the score 9–5, ending the qualifier with a 2–1 record.[32]

He pitched for Team Israel at the 2019 European Baseball Championship.

Lipetz pitched for Team Israel in the 2023 European Baseball Championship in September 2023 in the Czech Republic, and was 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA.[33]

### World Baseball Classic

[edit]

See also: Israel at the World Baseball Classic

Lipetz was one of three Israelis to play for the Israel national baseball team during the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifiers, with Dan Rothem and Alon Leichman, however Lipetz was the only one to see playing time. He appeared in one game, relieving David Kopp with a 7–0 lead in the 9th versus South Africa, Lipetz recorded only 1 out giving up 2 runs on 3 walks, giving Lipetz a 54.00 ERA.[34]

Lipetz was again on Israel's roster for the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifiers, as the only native Israeli on the team, with Dean Kremer as the only other player holding Israeli citizenship.[35][14] He did not pitch in the qualifier, as Israel qualified for a spot in the main tournament.

Lipetz was on Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic main tournament in March 2017.[36]

Lipetz pitched for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.[37][38][39] He played for Team Israel manager Ian Kinsler, and alongside two-time All Star outfielder Joc Pederson, starting pitcher Dean Kremer, and others.[40][41]

### Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament

[edit]

Lipetz also pitched for the team at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019, which Israel won to qualify to play baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[42] In the tournament he was 0–0 with a 0.00 ERA over 0.1 innings, securing the last out of the tournament for Team Israel.[43] Commenting on the team's reaction to the realization that they will be competing at the 2020 Olympics, he said: “We all have goosebumps.”[44]

### 2020 Olympics

[edit]

He pitched for Team Israel in two games in relief at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the summer of 2021.[45]

## Music director

[edit]

Lipetz works at City Winery in Soho in New York City, where he serves as the President of Venues, and previously as VP of Programming, across all City Winery locations.[8][6][9][46][47] Lipetz began working at City Winery in 2008 with its founding.[48]

## See also

[edit]

* List of select Jewish baseball players

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Shlomo Lipetz", milb.com.
2. ^ Sophia Hollander (July 29, 2012). "The Rise of Israeli Baseball Starts in N.Y.", The Wall Street Journal.
3. ^ "Shlomo Lipetz Stats, Highlights, Bio," milb.com.
4. ^ a b c d e f Mark Oshidari and David Wahlstrom (2005). 2005 UC San Diego Tritons Baseball Media Guide
5. ^ a b c d "Hear it from the Players: Kremer and Lipetz," האיגוד הישראלי לבייסבול, September 2016.
6. ^ a b Jason Stromberg (September 27, 2012). "Israel fulfills diamond dreams,"  Sun Sentinel.
7. ^ Annmarie Fertoli (March 10, 2017). "From Music to the Mound, One New Yorker's Search for Baseball Glory," WNYC.
8. ^ a b ""Shlomo Lipetz"".
9. ^ a b c d e f Haim Handwerker (July 26, 2011). "Baseball Profile Serving Wine With a Curveball; Israel's European dreams rest on pitcher Shlomo Lipetz, a sabra living in the Big Apple," Haaretz.
10. ^ a b c Kate Feldman (April 19, 2017). "How Shlomo Lipetz and Team Israel Brought Baseball Back to the Promised Land," The Hardball Times.
11. ^ a b Alex Simon (July 26, 2016). "Israeli Pitcher Won’t Let Go Of Baseball", Baseball America.
12. ^ a b "San Diego Mesa College Baseball Program History", gosdmesa.com.
13. ^ "UC San Diego Baseball Individual Career Records"
14. ^ a b Jonathan Mark (September 14, 2016). "The Greatest Jewish Team — Ever; Israel returns to World Baseball Classic," The New York Jewish Week.
15. ^ "Israel vs Bulgaria (Jul 07, 2008)". www.baseballstats.eu.
16. ^ "Croatia vs Israel (Jul 08, 2008)". www.baseballstats.eu.
17. ^ "Israel vs Serbia (Jul 09, 2008)". www.baseballstats.eu.
18. ^ "Lithuania vs Israel (Jul 11, 2008)". www.baseballstats.eu.
19. ^ "2008 European Championship Qualifiers"
20. ^ "GEORGIA vs ISRAEL (Jul 26, 2011)". www.baseballstats.eu.
21. ^ "ISRAEL vs GREAT BRITAIN (Jul 27, 2011)". www.baseballstats.eu.
22. ^ "ISRAEL vs LITHUANIA (Jul 28, 2011)". www.baseballstats.eu.
23. ^ "ISRAEL vs GREAT BRITAIN (Jul 29, 2011)". www.baseballstats.eu.
24. ^ "GREAT BRITAIN vs ISRAEL (Jul 29, 2011)". www.baseballstats.eu.
25. ^ Barry Bearak (September 19, 2012). "Wanted: Jewish Ballplayers," The New York Times.
26. ^ "European Championship C-level 2014 (SLO) – ISRAEL". www.baseballstats.eu.
27. ^ "European Championship B,2015 Vienna(AUT) – Israel". www.baseballstats.eu.
28. ^ "Israel vs Belarus (Jul 27, 2015)". www.baseballstats.eu.
29. ^ "Poland vs Israel (Jul 28, 2015)". www.baseballstats.eu.
30. ^ "Israel vs Austria (Jul 29, 2015)". www.baseballstats.eu.
31. ^ "Israel vs Lithuania (Jul 30, 2015)". www.baseballstats.eu.
32. ^ "Sweden vs Israel (Jul 31, 2015)". www.baseballstats.eu.
33. ^ "2023 European Baseball Championship". WBSC Europe.
34. ^ "Israel vs. South Africa at Roger Dean Stadium – Wednesday, September 19, 2012". Major League Baseball.
35. ^ "World Baseball Classic". MLB.com.
36. ^ David Adler (February 8, 2017). "Israel brings MLB experience to 1st WBC main draw; Vets Davis, Feldman among team members with Major League credentials,", mlb.com.
37. ^ Gurvis, Jacob (February 9, 2023). "Here is Team Israel's full World Baseball Classic roster".
38. ^ Scott Barancik (July 21, 2022). "Israel's roster swelling with stars; Joc Pederson, Harrison Bader among recent WBC commits". Jewish Baseball News.
39. ^ "Israel drawn to WBC group in Miami". IAB – Israel Association of Baseball.
40. ^ Scott Barancik (July 21, 2022). "Israel's roster swelling with stars; Joc Pederson, Harrison Bader among recent WBC commits". Jewish Baseball News.
41. ^ "Israel drawn to WBC group in Miami". Israel Association of Baseball.
42. ^ Scott Barancik (September 13, 2019). "Moving on up". Jewish Baseball News. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
43. ^ "Pitching," olympicbaseball.wbsc.org.
44. ^ Ken Rosenthal (September 23, 2019). "Rosenthal: A stunning, tear-filled conclusion for Team Israel, with inspiration and history". The Athletic. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
45. ^ "Israel". World Baseball Softball Confederation.
46. ^ Deborah Speer (June 14, 2018). "Shlomo Lipetz Talks City Winery 3.0 (And He Doesn't Mean His Earned Run Average)". Pollstar. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
47. ^ Eric Schucht (October 28, 2019). "City Winery, a New Venue in the Fashion District, Hosts Israeli Talent," Jewish Exponent.
48. ^ "City Winery; Our Team; Shlomo Lipetz, Vice President, Programming," citywinery.com.

## External links

[edit]

* Career statistics from MLB
* Shlomo Lipetz on Instagram
* "Exclusive Interview: Shlomo Lipetz of City Winery," musicbiz101wp.com, April 21, 2020.
* "Hear it from the Players: Kremer and Lipetz," Israel Baseball, May 20, 2023
* "SHLOMO LIPETZ JOINS THE SHOW: THE PODCAST!", MLB The Show, May 9, 2023

* v
* t
* e

Israel roster – 2017 World Baseball Classic

* 2 Blake Gailen
* 4 Kenny Koplove
* 5 Scott Burcham
* 6 Joey Wagman
* 7 Mike Meyers
* 9 Nick Rickles
* 11 Gabe Cramer
* 12 Shlomo Lipetz
* 14 Cody Decker
* 16 R. C. Orlan
* 17 Dean Kremer
* 18 Zach Borenstein
* 19 Dylan Axelrod
* 21 Jason Marquis
* 22 Tyler Krieger
* 23 Sam Fuld
* 24 Brad Goldberg
* 25 Alex Katz
* 26 Jared Lakind
* 27 Jeremy Bleich
* 28 Josh Zeid
* 29 Ike Davis
* 32 Craig Breslow
* 33 Tyler Herron
* 35 Jake Kalish
* 36 Ryan Lavarnway
* 38 Corey Baker
* 39 Jake Fishman
* 41 Danny Burawa
* 44 Troy Neiman
* 45 Nate Freiman
* 46 Zack Thornton
* 54 Richard Bleier
* 56 Ty Kelly
* 72 Ryan Sherriff

* Manager 1 Jerry Weinstein
* Pitching Coach 30 Andrew Lorraine
* Assistant Pitching Coach 3 Alon Leichman
* First Base Coach 10 Nate Fish
* Third Base Coach 48 Pat Doyle
* Bench Coach 20 Tom Gamboa
* Bullpen Coach 15 Dan Rootenberg

* v
* t
* e

Israel roster – 2020 Summer Olympics

* 2 Blake Gailen
* 3 Ian Kinsler
* 4 Robb Paller
* 6 Zach Penprase
* 7 Tal Erel
* 8 Scott Burcham
* 9 Nick Rickles
* 10 D. J. Sharabi
* 11 Ty Kelly
* 12 Shlomo Lipetz
* 14 Joey Wagman
* 17 Jake Fishman
* 19 Danny Valencia
* 21 Jonathan de Marte
* 22 Mitch Glasser
* 23 Ben Wanger
* 24 Assaf Lowengart
* 27 Jon Moscot
* 28 Josh Zeid
* 29 Alon Leichman
* 30 Jeremy Bleich
* 36 Ryan Lavarnway
* 44 Zack Weiss
* 47 Alex Katz

* Manager 13 Eric Holtz
* Bench Coach 61 Alex Jacobs
* Hitting/First base Coach 56 Nate Mulberg
* Third base Coach 15 Nate Fish
* Pitching Coach 34 Andrew Lorraine

* v
* t
* e

Israel roster – 2023 World Baseball Classic

* 0 Bubby Rossman
* 4 Spencer Horwitz
* 6 Noah Mendlinger
* 8 Jakob Goldfarb
* 10 Brandon Gold
* 14 Joey Wagman
* 17 Dean Kremer
* 18 Zack Gelof
* 19 Danny Valencia
* 21 Garrett Stubbs
* 22 Rob Kaminsky
* 23 Joc Pederson
* 25 Shlomo Lipetz
* 26 Colton Gordon
* 27 Matt Mervis
* 30 Josh Wolf
* 31 Jake Fishman
* 32 Evan Kravetz
* 35 Richard Bleier
* 36 Ryan Lavarnway
* 37 Jake Kalish
* 38 Michael Wielansky
* 40 Alex Dickerson
* 41 Kyle Molnar
* 45 Jacob Steinmetz
* 47 Alex Katz
* 53 Jake Miednik
* 55 Ty Kelly
* 56 Adam Kolarek
* 57 Zack Weiss
* 66 Andrew Gross
* 89 Robert Stock
* 99 Daniel Federman

Manager
3 Ian Kinsler

Coaches
Bench Coach 12 Brad Ausmus
Bench Coach 48 Jerry Narron
Hitting Coach 20 Kevin Youkilis
Pitching Coach 28 Josh Zeid
First Base Coach 5 Tyger Pederson
Third Base Coach 2 Blake Gailen
Bullpen Coach 16 Nate Fish
Bullpen Catcher 7 Tal Erel
Coach 46 Simon Rosenbaum
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