{"id":42043,"date":"2018-04-02T01:29:00","date_gmt":"2018-04-02T07:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=42043"},"modified":"2018-04-02T01:29:00","modified_gmt":"2018-04-02T07:29:00","slug":"alex-bregman-is-baseballs-next-jewish-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/alex-bregman-is-baseballs-next-jewish-star\/","title":{"rendered":"Alex Bregman is baseball\u2019s next Jewish star"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_1532748\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (JTA) \u2013 Sitting on a couch near his locker at the Houston Astros\u2019 spring training facility here in mid-March, Alex Bregman is reflecting about an encounter his father had at the World Series last fall.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_42047\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-42047\" class=\"wp-image-42047 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman.jpg 880w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/198;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-42047\" class=\"wp-image-42047 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman.jpg 880w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-42047\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Bregman\u2019s manager expects the young slugger to get even better. (Streeter Lecka\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>It was in Los Angeles, between innings of the opening game. Sam Bregman was headed for a Dodger Stadium concession stand to grab a nosh wearing his Astros jersey with the No. 2 and his surname stitched on the back \u2013 a facsimile of his son\u2019s uniform. The young Bregman, a third baseman, had just slugged a home run off Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.<\/p>\n<p>A fan grabbed Sam Bregman\u2019s arm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAre you Alex\u2019s dad?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am,\u201d the elder Bregman replied.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs he Jewish?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The man was a Dodger fan, but still he flashed what Sam Bregman described as \u201ca look of great contentment\u201d at the ballplayer\u2019s heritage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI got such a kick out of it,\u201d Sam Bregman said in a phone interview near his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. \u201cIt made me feel so proud.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alex Bregman\u2019s take on the encounter: \u201cIt\u2019s definitely cool to have fans around the world give their support. It keeps you motivated to know that everyone has your back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bregman can expect to have more fans on his bandwagon, Jewish and otherwise, following a strong 2017 season and the first World Series title for the Astros \u2014 to which he contributed mightily. He knocked in a run in each of the first five games, added a second home run, threw out a runner at home plate to preserve a scoreless tie in Game 4 and had the run-scoring single that ended an epic&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jta.org\/2017\/10\/30\/news-opinion\/united-states\/more-jewish-heroics-as-houston-slugs-its-way-to-3-2-world-series-lead\">Game 5<\/a>&nbsp;in the 10th inning, 13-12.<\/p>\n<p>During the 2017 season, the former No. 2 overall draft pick out of Louisiana State averaged .284, pounded 39 doubles and 19 home runs, and stole 17 bases.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_42046\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-field.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-42046\" class=\"wp-image-42046 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-field-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-field-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-field-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-field.jpg 880w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/198;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-42046\" class=\"wp-image-42046 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-field-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-field-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-field-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-field.jpg 880w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-42046\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Bregman makes a play in Game 7 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Nov. 1, 2017. (Kevork Djansezian\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Two days after the Game 7 road victory, Bregman celebrated at the championship parade in Houston.&nbsp;Thousands of fans lined streets in a city still recovering from Hurricane Harvey flooding a couple of months earlier.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo see their pure joy,\u201d Bregman said, \u201cgave me the chills.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The experience capped a memorable year for Bregman that began with his playing for the U.S. team that won the World Baseball Classic title in March.<\/p>\n<p>Israel\u2019s squad, which finished sixth overall in the WBC, had sought his services.<\/p>\n<p>In retrospect, he said, \u201cI probably should\u2019ve\u201d played for Israel \u201cbecause I got [just] four at-bats\u201d playing as a backup for the American team. Regardless of who comes calling in 2021, Bregman said, he\u2019s unlikely to participate.<\/p>\n<p>His Astros will start defending their championship on Thursday in Arlington, Texas, against the Rangers. Bregman will turn 24 the next day.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are a lot of things I want to accomplish in this game. Winning is right there at the top,\u201d Bregman said. \u201cWe have a great team to repeat as champs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Astros manager A.J. Hinch said he expects Bregman to \u201cbuild off the momentum he generated in the postseason and throughout the whole season last year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile he\u2019s established himself as a major league player \u2026 he\u2019s not even close to what he\u2019s going to be,\u201d Hinch said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_42045\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-42045\" class=\"wp-image-42045 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-1-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-1-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-1-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-1.jpg 880w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/198;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-42045\" class=\"wp-image-42045 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-1-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-1-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-1-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bregman-1.jpg 880w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-42045\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Bregman swings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium, Oct. 25, 2017. (Kevork Djansezian\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>He called Bregman \u201ca true baseball rat,\u201d someone who \u201cloves the game, loves practice, loves being around his teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But his mother, Jackie, will tell you that her son is more than about baseball. His foundation, AB for AUDS, provides computer tablets to children with autism and Down syndrome. Brady Columbus, a son of Bregman\u2019s former hitting coach and Bregman\u2019s godson, is autistic.<\/p>\n<p>Jackie Bregman spoke of her son\u2019s kindness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlex is so patient with people, and I\u2019m really, really proud of him for that,\u201d she said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n<p>She recalled her son defending elementary school classmates being bullied. And he was also on the other end: A boy made fun of Alex\u2019s pending bar mitzvah as he was leaving school to meet with the cantor, and a Chinese-American teammate on Alex\u2019s basketball squad stood up for him.<\/p>\n<p>The experiences, she said, \u201ctaught him what it was like to be marginalized.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Years ago, the family attended an appearance by several players of the minor league Albuquerque Isotopes. One player was aloof.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSam and I said to Alex, \u2018Don\u2019t ever be like that,\u2019 \u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n<p>But Jackie Bregman also knows her son is driven to excel on the field.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe would not mince words. \u2018I don\u2019t just want to play baseball; I want to be the best,\u2019\u201d Jackie Bregman remembered her son saying. \u201cHe was determined.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In junior high in Albuquerque, Bregman attended a University of New Mexico baseball camp. The Lobos\u2019 baseball coach, Ray Birmingham, preached dedication to greatness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlex took that so literally that he\u2019d hit in the batting cages until he got calluses,\u201d recalled Sam Bregman, who had grown up on the field at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, where his late father, Stan, worked as a lawyer for the Washington Senators. It was Stan,&nbsp;\u201cGrandpa Zayde,\u201d who gave his grandson&nbsp; a card set of Jewish baseball players.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_42044\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bregman-signing-autographs.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-42044\" class=\"wp-image-42044 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bregman-signing-autographs-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bregman-signing-autographs-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bregman-signing-autographs-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bregman-signing-autographs.jpg 880w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/198;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-42044\" class=\"wp-image-42044 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bregman-signing-autographs-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bregman-signing-autographs-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bregman-signing-autographs-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bregman-signing-autographs.jpg 880w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-42044\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Bregman signs autographs at the Houston Astros\u2019 spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Hillel Kuttler)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Someone else who witnessed that commitment was Darvin Ham, who coached the New Mexico Thunderbirds, an NBA Development League team the Bregmans owned.<\/p>\n<p>In postgame conversations and at the Bregman home, Alex Bregman \u201cwas like a sponge\u201d of information about the makings of athletic achievement, said Ham, now an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was a very good listener. He took mental notes,\u201d said Ham, who considers Alex Bregman \u201ca little brother.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bregman explained his early competitive drive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCoach Birmingham said you have to decide,\u201d he recalled. \u201cI woke up at 5 a.m. to go to the cage to school to the cage: defense and hitting. I did that every day for years, [beginning at] probably age 12 or 13. I never went to the school dance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On this day, Bregman departed for a practice field and chatted in Spanish with fellow infielders Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, natives of Venezuela and Puerto Rico, respectively, at second base during a running drill. Bregman is fluent in the language.<\/p>\n<p>Jerick Paquinto, a 19-year-old from Houston wearing a Bregman jersey, was among hundreds of fans watching.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like that he\u2019s not the biggest guy and he has a lot of heart,\u201d Paquinto said of the 6-foot Bregman, words similarly applicable to the 5-foot-6 Altuve, last year\u2019s American League MVP. \u201cI liked him since he was at LSU [where Bregman was a first-team All American at shortstop]. I saw him hit a homer, and I fell in love with him as a player.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The trio jogged toward a batting cage, Bregman stopped to sign autographs after he finished hitting. He\u2019ll be signing plenty more when the Astros come home next week for their opener at Minute Maid Park. His parents will be there.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Bregman joked about guarding the championship ring his son will receive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know that the Jewish community around the country is so proud of him,\u201d Jackie Bregman said. Referring to the card collection of Jewish players, she added, \u201cI hope that one day he\u2019s in that collection.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"Alex%20Bregman%20is%20baseball%E2%80%99s%20next%20Jewish%20star\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1491],"tags":[9015,5429,8790,8795,3005,8788],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42043"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42043"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42048,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42043\/revisions\/42048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}