As a crazy Yankee fan, I have to write about the Yankees in this issue of the Sports Rabbi, because I view the Yankees as the Jewish New York & Israel Team.

They play in Yankee Stadium in Jewish Bronx and signed Lou Gehrig because they thought he was Jewish and hope he would fill the ball park with Jews. Gehrig was German. Brad Asmus, the Yankees Bench Coach, is Jewish and recently served as the manager of the Israeli World Baseball Classic team that went 2-2 in the competition that was held last month, guaranteeing Israel a spot in the WBC in four years.

Randy Levine is the President of the Yankees and is Jewish. His wife Mindy is a supporter of United Hatzalah in Israel and made NY Yankees hats with the Israeli flag and United Hatzalah logo sewed onto it. Ron Blomberg, a good friend of mine from the Yankee Fantasy Camp, was the first designated hitter and is known as the “Designated Hebrew.”

The Yankees basically have the same team as last year and did not add anyone of substance to the team in free agency. The Dodgers, who had the Majors best record last year and won the World Series, was again active in the off season. The Yankees started off strong with an 8-1 record and first place in the AL East, however, they then lost five straight before picking up a home win over the Angels and are 9-7 and tied for first with the Baltimore Orioles.

The Tampa Bay Rays, who are breathing right down their necks at 8-7 just swept them while just prior to that the A’s threw a one-hitter as they fell 1-0. They are not hitting and are pressing and have a number of players who are underperforming.

As a veteran team, they don’t have room to bring up rookies like Spencer Jones, George Lombard Jr., and the Jew, Harrison Cohen. Yankee fans only accept one result. A World Championship-World Series victory. The Yankees have not done that since 2009 which is now one of their longest droughts in team history.

I am on my way back to Teaneck, NJ where I will be able to get the Yankee scores and updates immediately and I hope to share many of the insights I discover with you about the New York Yankees-The Jewish Team of New York and Israel.