Dan Duquette scouting players in Israel & Massachusetts

The Israeli Baseball "league has attracted castoffs from major league teams, former college and high school players who never got a shot at the pros, and ordinary fans with a dream." Dan Duquette is director of player development and looks forward to a June 24 start for the league.

This is what Israelis need. Israelis need family time, time away from the stress,” said operations director Martin Berger, a Miami lawyer.

• Officials also said they hope to compete in the 2009 World Baseball Classic with Jewish major and minor league players such as Jason Marquis of the Chicago Cubs and Boston's Kevin Youkilis.

Berger said the league will also bring equipment to Israel, build baseball fields, improve the few smaller diamonds and offer youth training.

“Baseball, to us, is the great American game and there's so many Americans in Israel and there's so many great supporters of Israel in America,” Berger said. “It's just a logical thing to do.” Also reported by AP in San Diego U-T

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