Weekly Kibbitz
They didn’t call it the “Pool of Death” for nothing.

After a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Nicaragua
on March 12, Israel fi nished the World Baseball Classic
with only one additional run over the next three games.

Israel lost 10-0 to both Puerto Rico and the Dominican
Republic, recording only one hit across the two games,
both of which were cut short by the WBC mercy rule.

On March 15, Israel’s bats came alive in the fi nal game,
with nine hits, including three for Noah Mendlinger
and two for Michael Wielansky. But Israel lost 5-1 to
Venezuela, which swept the fearsome Pool D where
Israel played last week.

Israel scored its lone run with a trio of singles by
Mendlinger, Wielansky and Jakob Goldfarb in the
bottom of the seventh inning.

“It was nice to have a little action out there, and
score one run,” Israel manager Ian Kinsler said after the
game. “The guys really battled today and put up some
tough at-bats, so it was a lot more exciting for us.”
With the loss, Israel exits the WBC in fourth place in
Pool D with a 1-3 record, but will automatically qualify
for the 2026 tournament.

Israel switched up its lineup on March 15, inserting
Goldfarb, an Arizona Diamondbacks minor leaguer, into
center fi eld for star Joc Pederson — who helped recruit
fellow big leaguers for the team — and Wielansky, a
former Houston Astros draft pick, at shortstop.

Jake Fishman, who made his major league debut for
the Miami Marlins in 2022, pitched the fourth inning for
Israel, becoming the fi nal member of the Israeli roster
to appear in the tournament.

Mendlinger and outfi elder Alex Dickerson led the
team with three hits each in the WBC. Israel’s four total
runs were driven in by Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs,
Goldfarb and Spencer Horwitz.

Other notable moments for Israel included a gutsy
performance by 19-year-old Orthodox prospect Jacob
Steinmetz, who struck out three Dominican All-Stars
on March 14, and, earlier that day, a joint ceremony
between the Israeli and the Dominican teams to
promote friendship between the two countries.

And what was Kinsler’s highlight for this WBC? Two
words: Jacob Steinmetz.

“He threw well for a young player, an inexperienced
player,” Kinsler said. “To come into this environment
and control his emotions, control himself and fi ll up the
Team Israel player Noah Mendlinger with
Venezuelan star Ronald Acuña Jr.

strike zone was pretty impressive.”
Kinsler, who had never managed prior to this
tournament, said he learned a lot about coaching. He
added that Brad Ausmus, who was his manager when
Kinsler was a player on the Detroit Tigers and served
as a coach for Israel, was a helpful resource as he
learned on the job.

Fans traveled from near and far to cheer on Team
Israel. Lloyd Kaplan, who visited Miami from Long
Island, called it a “once in a lifetime experience.” Israel’s
fans may have been far outnumbered by the four Latin
countries, but Israel’s players still appreciated the
support. “Just seeing all that is awesome, knowing there will
always be people behind me,” Steinmetz said after his
start. 1
— Jacob Gurvis | JTA
80 th Anniversary of the
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
April 16, 2023 • 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza
1619 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Join us to commemorate the six million Jews who perished in
the Holocaust and to honor the Survivors in our communities,
featuring candle lighting, music, readings and prayers.

Association of Jewish
Holocaust Survivors
of Philadelphia
4 MARCH 23, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
Registration is recommended
Visit jewishphilly.org/yom-hashoah-2023
For more information: 215.832.0652 or jholtzman@jewishphilly.org
In the event of rain, the event will take place at
Congregation Rodeph Shalom, 615 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
MLB Photos via JTA
Team Israel Exits World Baseball
Classic With 5-1 Loss to Venezuela