Baseball’s new Jew crew

Baseball season is winding down, and the Dodgers and Manny look like they have a hammerlock on the playoffs. Amen.

Over at the Boston Globe, Bill Mehlman offers his Famous All-Time All-Jewish Baseball Team. But first he reflects on MLB’s current Jewish stars—guys like Braun and Youkilis and Kinsler:

My perspective as a fledgling alter kacker doesn’t provide me with any insight into the genesis (get it?) of this phenomenon. It may be random, it may be a sign of the times. Whatever the proximate cause, in an era when the president is African-American, a Latina has joined the Supes, the best golfer in the world is African-American/Thai/Chinese/Caucasian/Native American, and the governor of Louisiana is the son of Punjabi immigrants, why shouldn’t a bunch of young Jewish guys become outstanding ballplayers? As the old Borscht Belt punch line goes, “It’s a living.’’

Check out Mehlman’s all-Jew all stars here. And for a different perspective, check out Howard Megdal’s “Baseball Talmud.”