Israel at the World Baseball Classic

As the team began to win games at the WBC, its performance was described variously as a Cinderella story, a "David and Goliath" tale, and a baseball version of The Mouse That Roared.

In 2013, a number of Major League players of Jewish descent, including Ian Kinsler and Kevin Youkilis, publicly expressed interest in playing for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic.

The players who qualified to play on the Israeli team included major leaguers catcher Ryan Lavarnway, first baseman Ike Davis, second basemen Ian Kinsler and Josh Satin, third basemen Kevin Youkilis and Danny Valencia, outfielders Ryan Braun (whose father is Israeli), Sam Fuld, Ryan Kalish, and Gabe Kapler, and pitchers Jason Marquis, Scott Feldman, Craig Breslow, and John Grabow, as well as what were then recent major leaguers catcher Brad Ausmus and pitcher Scott Schoeneweis.

"[5] Outfielder Shawn Green, who retired in 2007, was also eligible inasmuch as he is Jewish, and said in early June 2011 that assuming it works out, it "would be an honor" and he "would love to" play for Israel in the Classic.

Kevin Youkilis announced that he would play for the team if it made it past the qualifying round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

[27] Team Israel included minor league pitchers Eric Berger (1–0) and Brett Lorin, first baseman Nate Freiman (.417; 4 HR in 12 AB), second baseman Josh Satin (.273), shortstops Jake Lemmerman and Ben Orloff, and outfielders Cody Decker, Adam Greenberg, Ben Guez, Joc Pederson (.308), and Robbie Widlansky.

[28][30] In addition to Brad Ausmus as manager, the team's coaches included Shawn Green, Gabe Kapler, and Mark Loretta.

[1] Israel's qualifiers took place in MCU Park, Brooklyn, New York, United States against Pakistan, Brazil, and Great Britain.

[34] On August 15, 2016, it was announced that MLB veteran pitcher Craig Breslow would join the Team Israel pitching staff for the qualifiers.

[36] Israel's roster included 20 MLB-affiliated minor leaguers, making up 86% of the team, more than any other team in the qualifiers even before including recent Major Leaguers Breslow (an 11-year MLB veteran), Ike Davis, Josh Satin, catcher Ryan Lavarnway, former 15-year MLB veteran All Star pitcher Jason Marquis, Cody Decker, Nate Freiman, and Josh Zeid.

[40] Team Israel's youngest player was pitcher Dean Kremer, 20, a Californian drafted by the Dodgers whose parents are Israeli expatriates.

[46] Corey Baker started and gave up one hit in five innings and was pulled after throwing 83 pitches, two fewer than the qualifying round’s single-game limit.

Ryan Sherriff, Jared Lakind, and Jeremy Bleich pitched in relief, and Brad Goldberg picked up his second save.

[56][57] Other major leaguers who would be eligible to play for Team Israel included outfielder Kevin Pillar (Toronto Blue Jays), third baseman/outfielder/first baseman Danny Valencia (Oakland A’s), shortstop/third baseman Alex Bregman (Houston Astros), and pitchers Scott Feldman (Blue Jays), Richard Bleier (New York Yankees), and Jon Moscot (Cincinnati Reds; on the DL at the end of 2016 season).

The players included Ike Davis, Sam Fuld, Ryan Lavarnway, Ty Kelly, Corey Baker, Jeremy Bleich, Jon Moscot (did not play due to arm injury), Danny Valencia, and Cody Decker.

It was later announced that additional players include Tyler Krieger, Dean Kremer, Jake Kalish, Blake Gailen, RC Orlan, Joey Wagman, Scott Burcham, and Gabe Cramer.

[68][69] For some of the ballplayers, including Ike Davis, Nate Freiman, Nick Rickles, and Josh Zeid, the 2017 WBC was their third appearance with Team Israel.

The mascot is "Mensch on the Bench", a five-foot-tall plush stuffed toy that looks a bit like a rabbi or Hasidic Jew with a long beard and mustache who is wearing a tallis and holding a candle.

[78][79][77] He has his own locker, sits on Team Israel's bench in the dugout during every game, and sat alongside Decker at a press conference in South Korea.

[90] In their first game Israel defeated the Pool A favorite and 2009 silver medalist South Korea, ranked # 3 in the world, in 10 innings by a score of 2-1.

I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a couple of championships in the lower levels in the minor leagues and in high school, but nothing compares to this stage.

"[95] Israel's catcher Ryan Lavarnway noted after the win: "two generations ago, the way that this team was put together would have meant that we were being killed...

"[98] The following day, Chinese Taipei lost to the Netherlands, thus guaranteeing Team Israel a spot in the second round as it had one of the top two records in the pool.

[103][105] In what NBC reported was thought to be the tallest batter-pitcher matchup in baseball history, the Dutch team’s 7-foot-1-inch (2.16 m) pitcher Loek van Mil walked Israel's 6-foot-8-inch (2.03 m) first baseman Nate Freiman.

[103] Following the game Team Israel's catcher, Ryan Lavarnway, was named Pool A MVP, after going 5-for-9 (.556/.692/.889), with four walks, a home run, and three RBIs.

[112] Right-handed relief pitcher Brad Goldberg joined Team Israel in the second round of the World Baseball Classic in Japan.

[121][122] Writing for mlb.com, reporter Anthony Castrovince opined: "When Team Israel and magnetic mascot "Mensch on a Bench" surprisingly get a shot at the semifinals, we all get a little verklempt.

[125] Starter Jason Marquis (in 5.2 innings on three days' rest) and three Team Israel relief pitchers (including Brad Goldberg and Josh Zeid, who both threw 96 mph fastballs) kept Team Cuba to five hits and one run, a homer by Cuban star Alfredo Despaigne who became the all-time World Baseball Classic home run leader.

[90] First baseman Nate Freiman wrote an article describing his experiences on Team Israel, entitled "The Mensches of March.

[137] American-Israeli Ian Kinsler, a former Major League All Star and two-time Gold Glove winner, and Israeli Olympian, managed the team.