INSIDE BASEBALL
The Kosher Kid
Shawn Green is leading the Blue Jays toward the promised land
by Mark Bechtel and Jeff Pearlman
Posted: Wed September 16, 1998
About three years ago Arthur Richman, a senior adviser in the
Yankees' media relations department, went into George
Steinbrenner's office and told the Boss about a part-time major
league outfielder with a mediocre glove, a propensity to whiff
and a dynamic-as-matzo public persona who would, in Richman's
words, "immediately boost our attendance."
"Are you kidding me?" asked Steinbrenner. "Who?"
"This Jewish kid in Toronto—Shawnie Green."
The Boss was taken aback. "His name is Shawn," Steinbrenner said.
"And he's Jewish?"
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No longer platooning, Green is having his most
productive year.
(Chuck Solomon)
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Richman, a devout Jew, relives the exchange with zest. Back in
'95, when Green seemed in danger of falling victim to the Brad
Komminsk syndrome—great minor league player, not much of a big
leaguer—Richman recognized the outfielder's potential. "Give
George credit," Richman says. "He looked at Shawnie, saw he was a
talent and did everything he could to bring the kid to New York.
But Toronto wouldn't give him to us. Too bad."
Richman can still picture Green—tall and slender, dark brown
eyes, wavy brown hair and chiseled features—in pinstripes, luring
New York's substantial Jewish population to the ballpark, just as
Sandy Koufax did in Brooklyn and Los Angeles more than 30 years
earlier. "He's probably the best Jewish hitter since Hank
Greenberg," says Richman. "New York would love him."
Maybe so, but Blue Jays execs—who a few times came close to
trading Green to a team other than the Yankees, their American
League East rivals—aren't likely to let their powerful
rightfielder go anywhere now. Green is putting the finishing
touches on a breakout year, with his 32 home runs and 33 stolen
bases through Sunday, making him the first 30-30 player in
Toronto history. His 92 RBIs were a career high. Most impressive,
after three years of floundering in Toronto as the can't-miss
prospect who was missing, Green has led the up-and-coming Jays
(81-68) to within striking distance of the once untouchable Red
Sox in the wild-card race. "If he had been getting this kind of
playing time three years ago," says teammate Alex Gonzalez, "his
stats this year wouldn't be such a surprise."
When he was called up by the Blue Jays for a taste of their '93
world-championship season, Green, the team's first draft pick two
years earlier, was Toronto's top prospect—smooth lefthanded
swing, graceful runner, rifle arm. The next year, with Triple A
Syracuse, he led the International League with a .344 average.
But upon graduating to the majors he became a platoon player
under Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston. "All I've ever wanted is a
regular opportunity," says Green, who before this year hadn't had
more than 429 at bats in a big league season. "Not just against
righties, but everyone."
Rookie manager Tim Johnson granted the outfielder his wish in
1998. Green, who has never hit lefties well, still doesn't (.220
through Sunday). He also strikes out too much (130, third in the
league). But Johnson has kept him on the field, and Green has
easily eclipsed his career-best power numbers (54 RBIs in '95 and
16 homers last year).
Still, no matter what his stats, Green's religion—thanks to the
limited number of Jewish ballplayers—is usually topic No. 1 in
the stories written about him. Recently, after the Blue Jays won
11 straight to get within five games of the Red Sox, Green had to
confront the Koufax question: Would he, as the Hall of Fame
lefthander did in the '65 World Series, skip a game to observe
Yom Kippur, the holiest of Jewish holidays? "I'd probably go
with religion first," says Green, who is regularly invited to
seders and bar mitzvahs of Toronto fans.
The questions will only intensify if Toronto—at week's end an
American League-best 27-12 since July 31—continues its charge.
Yom Kippur will be celebrated beginning at sundown on Sept. 29,
the first day of the Division Series. Johnson's club, 12 1/2 games
behind Boston as recently as Aug. 26, has flourished behind the
2-3-4 punch of Green, outfielder-designated hitter Jose Canseco
(42 homers, 100 RBIs) and first baseman Carlos Delgado (31 home
runs, 104 RBIs), one of the best back-to-back-to-back power
combos in the league. The Jays' starting rotation, meanwhile, has
become consistently efficient, with surprise contributions from
converted reliever Kelvim Escobar (4-0, 1.47 ERA in his last four
starts through Sunday) and 23-year-old righthander Chris
Carpenter (11-7), who are helping to compensate for Pat Hentgen's
rocky year (12-11, 5.17).
"Boston has to be nervous," says Johnson. "If you wear that
uniform, you always hear about the Curse of the Bambino. It's
hard to get it out of your head."
Green is well aware of the line of topflight Jewish
ballplayers—from Greenberg to Al Rosen to Koufax to Elliott
Maddox—that has pretty much dried up since the Orioles' Steve
Stone won the 1980 Cy Young Award. Green tells a story about a
game two years ago, when the Blue Jays were in Milwaukee soon
after Rosh Hashanah. "Jesse Levis was the catcher," Green says,
"and Al Clark was umping home. It's probably the first time three
Jews stood at the plate at the same time. We were wishing each
other a happy New Year."
This season nobody need wish Green a happy anything. "This is all
I've worked for," he says. "A regular job playing baseball with
an emerging team. It's already been a great year."
Issue date: September 21, 1998
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