Photo cred its: Mars ha Sun dq u ist, G.T. Photog raphy

North Farmington's Jason Miller, Andy Margolick, Adam Stein, Dave Rankin and Coach Iry Horwitz.

BIG NUMBERS

MIKE ROSENBAUM

Special to The Jewish News

M

etro area high school
baseball teams fea-
tured a large
number of Jewish players this
season. One of the players
who will likely advance to col-
lege baseball next year is
North Farmington pitcher
Andrew Margolick. Unfor-
tunately, an arm injury has
stalled Margolick's progress
this spring.
Both Margolick and North
Farmington coach Irvin Hor-
witz had high hopes for this
season, but Margolick's arm
began to ache early in the
season. Margolick's sore arm
has not affected his hitting,
however. As a designated hit-
ter, he is batting .465.
As a pitcher, said Horwitz,
Margolick is "not real fast
but he has an excellent curve
ball and change up and ex-
cellent control. He can throw
the ball almost anyplace .. .

His form is excellent and col-
lege scouts think he can be a
good college pitcher." Scouts
from several Division I
schools, including the Univer-
sity of Michigan and
Michigan State, have express-
ed interest in Margolick.
Raiders' centerfielder Dave
Rankin, who will attend Col-
umbia on a football scholar-
ship, is hitting .280. Rankin
has "a real good arm and real
good range, he's really fast,"
said Horwitz.

Senior Jason Miller is a
part-time starter at shorstop
and third base and is hitting
.285. "He has a real good
bat," Horwitz said. "He
doesn't hit the long ball but
always makes contact."
Junior Adam Stein, a
transfer from Southfield-
Lathrup, is a utility infielder,
hitting .240. Horwitz expects
Stein to see more action next
season.
One of the area's strongest
teams, Berkley, features three

Many Jewish
players are
making an
impact on high
school diamonds
this spring.

Jewish players. Coach Frank
Stutcher stresses defense over
offense, and two of his better
defensive players are senior
third baseman Mike Cohen
and senior leftfielder John
Starkman. Both players hit
near the bottom of the lineup,
but both excel with the glove.
Cohen was hitting .185 ear-
ly in the season, but scored
eight runs and had driven in
five. "His forte seems to be
defense," Stutcher said. "He
does a good job, gives us solid
defense on the infield." Cohen
occasionally pitches in relief.
Starkman was hitting .210,
but has contributed 13 runs,

13 RBI, seven steals and 12
walks while striking out on-
ly six times in 43 at bats.
"Excellent defensive
player," said Stutcher. At the
bat, "he makes good contact
with the ball. He gets the ball
in play."
Todd Starr, also a senior,
plays four defensive positions
and designated hitter. "He's
our Tony Phillips," said Stut-
cher. Starr plays all three out-
field positions and filled in at
second base as well. He was
hitting .241 with 10 runs
scored and 10 RBI while
striking out only twice in 29
at bats. "He's very valuable to
our team because we can
move him all over," Stutcher
said. "His strong point is of-
fense. He's always making
contact."
West Bloomfield's Noah
Bremen, a third-year varsity
starter, is wrapping up an ex-
cellent high school career and
is another top college pro-
spect. He hopes to play for

Michigan State next season.
An infielder last year,
Bremen moved to centerfield
this season. Laker coach Jeff
Snarey called Bremen "a
most versatile athlete, a very
good leader — just uncanny
ability and dedication to
working as a baseball player."
Bremen was hitting .466 in
late April, 7-for-15, with five
RBI, batting third or fourth
in the lineup. In early May
his average rose to .550, tops
in Oakland County. At the
plate, Snarey said, Bremen
"can go for the distance. He's
got tremendous strength and
has really worked on hitting
the ball hard. But I would say
he's more of a line drive hit-
ter."
Bremen has a strong arm
and sees some action as a
starting pitcher.
Junior Ian Friedenberg is
the Lakers' starting second
baseman.
Todd Levin, a junior third
baseman, missed last season