NEW YORK – Former Yeshiva University Baseball standouts Aryeh Rosenbaum (Teaneck, NJ/Mesivta) and Dovid Green (Boston, MA/Maimonides) have been selected to participate in the new Israeli Baseball League (IBL) that begins play on June 24. Green, a captain of the 2006 team that was the first to play at the varsity level in Yeshiva history, will be in uniform as a second baseman for the Petach Tikva Pioneers that night when they host the Modi’in Miracle. Rosenbaum, a lefty pitcher, will play for the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox when they host the Netanya Tigers.
The IBL is Israel’s first professional baseball league. Founded by Boston businessman Larry Baras, the league is expected to become a destination of choice for many top international baseball players, and boasts membership from seven different countries, including Israel. The league’s Director of Baseball Operations is former Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette, and three of the league’s six teams will be managed by former Major Leaguers. Rosenbaum’s skipper is former New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox Designated Hitter Ron Blomberg. Green will play for former major league pitching great, Ken Holtzman, who pitched for four major league teams during a stellar career, and is the winningest Jewish pitcher in Major League Baseball history as his 174-150 career record gave him nine more wins than Sandy Koufax, and he pitched two no-hitters while competing for the Chicago Cubs. Former New York Mets great Art Shamsky is the Manager of the Modi’in Miracle.
Rosenbaum, who competed in 2007 for the Macs, finished with an 0-2 record, but also led Yeshiva with 15 strikeouts against only eight walks during 18 innings pitched. His crafty curveball and live fastball drew attention from professional scouts in the United States. He signed with the Blue Sox as a free agent after the draft. Green, who was drafted 59th in the IBL’s inaugural draft – one pick prior to Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax – is a lifelong baseball player from New England who provided valuable leadership to the Macs when the program ascended from club to varsity status.
The IBL is baseball’s newest professional league and expects to combine the old fashioned national pastime with some new twists designed to make the games more exciting for spectators. During the league’s inaugural 45-game schedule, expected promotions will include “Million Shekel Night,” “Karaoke Night,” and “Speed Dating Night,” and the league’s games will be seven innings long. Should a tie exist after seven innings, the games will be decided by a home run derby.