Page 22 - aruba-today-20170310

A22

SPORTSFriday 10 March 2017

Israel reaches 2nd round of the WBC with Mensch power

JIM ARMSTRONG championship.

AP Sports Writer In January, eight members

TOKYO (AP) — With a little of the team visited Israel

help from “The Mensch on for a week to learn about

the Bench” mascot, Israel the country and meet Is-

is into the second round of raeli fans. They toured Tel

the World Baseball Classic. Aviv, Jerusalem’s holy sites,

Just 41st in the world rank- the Dead Sea, and met lo-

ings, Israel beat third- cal Israeli baseball players.

ranked South Korea 2-1 Israel was the final coun-

in its opening game and try to qualify for the 2017

then defeated fourth- WBC and is making its first

ranked Taiwan 15-7 on appearance in the tourna-

Tuesday. On Thursday, Is- ment.

rael beat the Netherlands According to the Israel

4-2 to finish in first place in Association of Baseball,

Pool A with a 3-0 record. there are about 1,000 ac-

Next up for Israel is the sec- tive baseball players in the

ond round in Tokyo with a country.

chance to advance to the American immigrants

semifinals. started playing baseball

South Korea won the in Israel in the 1970s. In De-

bronze medal at the 2006 cember 1986, the Israel As-

WBC and silver in the 2009 sociation of Baseball (IAB)

edition and was one of was formed as a nonprofit

the pre-tournament favor- organization to develop

ites to win a medal again. Israel’s third base coach Pat Doyle, right, passes by his team mascot, The Mensch on the Bench, and promote baseball.

Beating them on home soil during at the first round game of the World Baseball Classic at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South

was a huge upset. Korea, Thursday, March 9, 2017. The Israel Baseball League

But Israel’s 73-year-old Associated Press started in 2007 but only

manager, Jerry Weinstein, Cody Decker brought The jor or minor league experi- — Josh Zeid, Nate Frei- lasted one season.

said he’s not surprised by Mensch with him from ence. Some of the familiar man, Nick Rickles and Ike Decker, who is currently
home and he’s been a big names include pitcher Davis — the 2017 WBC will
the early success. in the Milwaukee Brewers
“The only unknown was hit in South Korea. Jason Marquis, formerly of be their third appearance
organization, is hoping the
the caliber of the compe- Mensch means a person the Cincinnati Reds, and with Israel. They were all
tition,” Weinstein said. “We of integrity or honor. The catcher Ryan Lavarnway, part of the team that nar- team’s success in the WBC

never doubted our abil- Mensch on the Bench who has MLB experience rowly missed qualifying will translate into a base-

ity. Our strengths are that started during Israel’s qual- with Boston, Baltimore and for the 2013 WBC, and all ball boom in Israel.

we are a well-balanced ifying round in New York. Atlanta. played in the qualifiers in “The growth of Israeli

team. We can pitch and “He’s on the team,” Wein- Then there is pitcher and September. baseball over the past

have pitching depth; we stein said. “Everybody Israel citizen Shlomo Lipetz, The WBC’s “heritage rule” four years since the initial

have team speed, team brings something to the the only player on the ros- states that players eligible qualifier in 2012 has been

power and can catch the team and certainly The ter with no MLB affiliation. for citizenship of a country huge,” Decker said. “So

ball. We’re a very close Mensch is a unifying factor The players wear yarmul- may play on that country’s who knows what it can

knit group.” for the ball club.” kes, or Jewish skullcaps, team. This will be the first be in another four years.

The team is getting plen- Israel’s roster is made up during the playing of the time that American Jew- We’ve done a lot with this

ty of inspiration from its almost entirely of Jewish- Israeli national anthem. ish baseball players will and we’re just hoping to

popular mascot. Infielder American players with ma- For some of the players represent Israel in a world keep it going.”q

Greipel wins stage 5 of Paris-Nice;
Alaphilippe keeps lead

BOURG-DE-PEAGE, France (AP) — they went for the line. with three stages of climb-
German cyclist Andre Greipel won Dylan Groenewegen of ing ahead.
the fifth stage of the Paris-Nice in the Netherlands finished The standings are likely to
a sprint finish on Thursday, while third, with the trio clocking be shaken up after Stage
Julian Alaphilippe comfortably re- the same time of nearly five 6. The 193.5-kilometer (112-
tained his lead. hours over the 199.5 kilo- mile) trek from Aubagne
Greipel positioned himself behind meters (124 miles) to Bourg- to Fayence in southern
the wheel of Arnaud Demare of de-Peage in southeastern France features three cat-
France and surged past him as France. egory 1 climbs, the second
In a stage made for sprint- toughest under race clas-
Arnaud Demare, of France, celebrates ers, the race contenders sification.
on the podium after pulling on the were not involved.
overall leader’s jersey after the third Alaphilippe remains 33 There are three more cate-
stage of the Paris Nice cycling race seconds ahead of French gory 1 climbs on Saturday,
between Chablis and Chalon-sur-Sa- countryman Tony Gallo- and two more on Sunday
one, France, Thursday, March 7, 2017. pin, with Gorka Izaguirre of before a downhill finish to
Spain .47 back in third spot Nice.q
Associated Press