Weekly Kibbitz
Former MLB All-Stars Brad Ausmus
and Kevin Youkilis have joined Team
Israel as coaches ahead of the 2023
World Baseball Classic.

The team’s manager, Ian Kinsler, a
former Jewish MLB All-Star himself
— and a former Team Israel player —
announced the news last week on the
Flippin’ Bats baseball podcast hosted
by Ben Verlander, an analyst and
former minor leaguer (and brother of
ace pitcher Justin Verlander).

“There’s going to be some guys with
some great experience that I can lean
on a little bit, and I just think it’s going
to be a great tournament,” said Kinsler,
a former second baseman and World
Series champion who acknowledged
that he is nervous to manage for the
fi rst time.

Ausmus, himself a former Team Israel
manager, has fi ve years of experience
as a manager in the big leagues. He
coached Kinsler on the Detroit Tigers
ENJOY OUR
WARMTH! Join the warmth and friendliness that is
Paul’s Run. Enjoy friends in our brand new culinary
venues. In addition you will have a multitude of
lifestyle programs. There is so much to love about
living at Paul’s Run!
SAVE 20%
FOR LIFE! *
Retirement Community
Contact Jennifer and Rebecca to schedule your personal visit at
1-877-859-9444 PaulsRun.org/Welcome
*While residing in Independent Living. On your first year alone,
you will save up to $8,900.

9896 Bustleton Avenue • Philadelphia, PA 19115
4 JANUARY 5, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
from 2014 to 2017, and
also helmed the Los
Angeles Angels in 2019.

Over the course of an
18-year playing career,
Ausmus won three Gold
Glove awards for his
defense. Growing up, Ausmus
occasionally celebrated
the holidays with his
mother’s side of the
family, but he has said
that coaching Team
Israel brought him more
in touch with his Jewish
roots. The fan favorite Youkilis
was an accomplished
big-league hitter during
his 10-year MLB career,
spent primarily with the
Boston Red Sox. He won
two World Series titles
with the Sox, made three
All-Star teams and also
won a Gold Glove award.

He will serve as Team
Israel’s hitting coach,
despite having no prior
coaching experience.

Since he retired in
Brad Ausmus, top, and Kevin Youkilis, bottom,
2014, Youkilis has run an
have joined Team Israel’s coaching staff for the
award-winning brewery
2023 World Baseball Classic.

in California, and in 2022,
became a part-time Red
Team USA in the 2017 tournament
Sox broadcaster.

The Greek-sounding surname was and later joined Team Israel for the
not the family’s original last name; 2020 Olympics. Since he signed
family lore has it that a relative escaped on to manage the team in June, he
persecution in Romania in the 1800s has recruited the highest number
and took on the name of a family of MLB players yet for the squad’s
friend for protection. Youkilis had a bar roster, including All-Star outfi elder Joc
mitzvah in a Conservative synagogue. Pederson, and pitchers Dean Kremer
In addition, Jerry Narron, who has and Eli Morgan.

“It means so much to the players
30 years of experience as a manager
or coach with eight diff erent MLB when they wear the jerseys of their
teams and served as third base coach home country or whoever they’re
for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball representing,” Kinsler said on the
Classic qualifi er, is rejoining the Team podcast. “It just means so much to
Israel coaching staff . Narron is a them, and to be a part of it, to experi-
Christian Zionist and frequently visits ence it, the energy, the environment,
was just incredible.”
his daughter who lives in Jerusalem.

— Jacob Gurvis
Kinsler played for the victorious
Getty Brad Ausmus, Kevin Youkilis Join Team Israel
Coaching Staff for 2023 World Baseball Classic