Kapler, 42, is Jewish and\u00a0has<\/a>\u00a0a tattoo of a Jewish star on his left leg and another that reads \u201cNever Again\u201d \u2014 a reference to the Holocaust \u2014 on his right leg.<\/p>\n He coached the Israelis during the 2013 WBC\u2019s qualifying period and was invited to travel through Israel with the national team earlier this year. Kapler had never been to Israel before and\u00a0called<\/a>\u00a0the visit an \u201cextraordinary life experience,\u201d adding that his trip to the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum there left him \u201cemotional for several days after.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2006, Kapler was one of four Jewish players on the Boston Red Sox roster along with Kevin Youkilis, Craig Breslow and Adam Stern.<\/p>\n Kapler is known for his interest in sports science and sabermetrics, the empirical analysis of baseball made famous in the book and movie \u201cMoneyball.\u201d He will become the third-youngest manager in the league after Kevin Cash, 39, of the Tampa Bay Rays and Andy Green, 40, of the San Diego Padres.<\/p>\n He succeeds Pete Mackanin as manager for the Phillies, who finished last in the National League East this season with a 66-96 record and have not made the playoffs since 2011.<\/p>\n![\"Share](\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\")