By the time you read this article, the 2021 Olympic Baseball Games will probably be history! And, unless you have read or listened very closely, or are an Olympic events fanatic, you will probably not know about the information I seek to provide in this story!
August 12, 2019, IAN KINSLER hit a high fast one for a pinch-hit homerun off of Andrew Kittredge—#257, 3rd best for 2nd basemen of this era. It was also his 1,999 major league career hit— and his final one! He was out for the remainder of the year with a bad disc in his neck, and that became for the rest of his life, at least to this point!
In 2017, Ian Kinsler won, along with the whole TEAM USA, a gold medal at the World Baseball Classic, which he has said is right there next to winning a World Series! (He hit a home run in that 2017 classic.)
But now (at the time of writing this article), he is competing for TEAM ISRAEL, after gaining “dual citizenship” a year or so ago by rights of his father’s side of the family.
Now, keep in mind that the Israeli Team has only one real baseball complex in its territory, in Baptist Village, near Tel Aviv, and they made their successful “World Baseball Classic” debut just in 2017 by defeating a stronger Cuban team. In 2019, they won the 6-team “African-European Qualifier” to qualify themselves for the 2020 Olympics! And this allowed Ian Kinsler to envision another chance to play his beloved sport, baseball, but for a different team than last time.
And then came the “lockdown” and then the postponing of the 2020 Olympics— BUT then the rescheduling for 2021 and a revived opportunity for the former Texas Rangers standout. And, according to his family and friends around him, he is a man, much more at peace with things and with himself.
However, he has recently allowed that when he not too long ago played a “first in quite a while” competitive ball game, “a ball was hit to short right field, and he ran back for it like he always had—but the catch never came!”
“I don’t cover the same ground,” he opined! But he went on to say that despite slowing down a little, “I am just trying to embrace it (2021 Olympics Baseball) and enjoy it as much as I can and win some games!”
**Some Results** ISR Israel—5 vs. KOR Republic of Korea—6 (Ian Kinsler smashed a long two-run home run in the top of the 3rd inning.) (10 innings)
ISR Israel—1 vs. USA United States of America—8 (USA dominates with superb pitching.)
ISR Israel—12 vs. MEX Mexico—5 (For the 1st time in its Olympic history, Israel has won a game, with 3-runs homer help from former Minnesota Twins, Danny Valencia, and an important double from Ian Kinsler, they were able to celebrate “big time.” This keeps the Israeli group still with Olympic possibilities after losses to South Korea and the United States, while Mexico has to exit!)
ISR Israel—1 vs. KOR South Korea—11 (Israel can still stay “in” the medal competition if they manage to defeat the Dominican Republic, described as a really “athletic” group of players. A bright moment or two in this onesided loss was the sparkling defensive play of Ian Kinsler!)
ISR Iseael—6 vs. Dominican Republic—7 (According to published reports, “Both teams lined up for hugs a few minutes after one grieved a loss and the other rejoiced a victory, which showed the hard-fought nature of the game but yet the true spirit of the Olympics.” Both teams “showed a lot of grit,” and later both “wanted to honor the efforts of the other team” in the back-and-forth game! (Israel is finished.)
Kinsler, who had already become a coach after retiring, may be considering a “comeback,” since it appears his re-hab from successful neck disc surgery and reconstruction seems complete! My guess is that he will sit back and enjoy this Olympics venture and then return to coaching so that he will not have to run back unsuccessfully for more short fly balls!
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