If you had to choose the best Jewish baseball player of all time at each position, what would your team look like? The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfusot, based in Tel Aviv, has assembled such a roster. The stunt is tied to Sunday's screening in New York of “Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel,” a documentary about Israel's surprisingly successful run in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, an international tournament held every four years. The museum's squad is listed below. Let the debating begin. Catcher: Harry Danning First baseman: Hank Greenberg Second baseman: Ian Kinsler Shortstop: Lou Boudreau Third baseman: Al Rosen Outfielders: Shawn Green, Sid Gordon and Ryan Braun Designated Hitter: Alex Bregman Starting Pitchers: Sandy Koufax and Ken Holtzman, left-handers; Steve Stone, Barney Pelty and Jason Marquis, right-handers. Marquis pitched for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Relief Pitchers: Craig Breslow, lefty, and Larry Sherry, righty Manager: Brad Ausmus, manager of Team Israel in the 2013 World Baseball Classic Kinsler, Braun and Bergman are still active, while Ausmus is in his first season managing the Los Angeles Angels after a stint guiding the Detroit Tigers from 2014 to 2017.
World Baseball Classic: Team Israel’s Cody Decker and team mascot, “the Mensch on the Bench”(photo credit: MLB/COURTESY)