CBN Player of the Week - Jamie Romak (again)
August 26, 2020
By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
Usually a team’s lineup sees its best hitter bat second.
Years ago, the most powerful hitter was pencilled into the No. 3 spot in the lineup.
The top bat in the SK Wyverns lineup was written into five spot in a 10-8 victory against the Lotte Giants on Tuesday night at Sajik Stadium in the Korea Baseball Organization. Jamie Romak hit a three-run homer in the first, a two-run homer in the fifth and a run-scoring double in the seventh. And SK needed almost every run in 10-8 win over the Giants.
Romak (London, Ont.) homered 375 feet to left to bring home both Han Dong-min and Choi Jeong for a 3-0 lead. Romak took Adrian Sampson deep. In 2019, Sampson pitched 125 1/3 innings for the Texas Rangers. From Sammamish, Wash., Sampson was a fifth-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates from Bellevue Community College (Wash.).
Sampson had 41 games in the majors with the Seattle Mariners and the Rangers, while Romak (London, Ont.) appeared in 27 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sampson had retired the first two men before issuing a walk and a single, bringing up the dangerous Romak.
He hit a two-run homer to centre facing Son Ah-seop, a blast which travelled 425 feet to put SK ahead 6-0. Choi Ji-hoon led off the fifth with a double. One out later, Choi Jeong singled home a run. With two out, the pitching coach visited the mound. Soon after Jeong stole second and then Romak went deep.
Park Jin-hyung came on in relief to face Romak in the seventh and the former London Badger doubled down the left field line for a 7-1 lead.
That outing earned Romak Canadian Baseball Network minor league player of the week for the third time this year.
Romak hit .409 (9-for-22) with two homers and seven RBIs. Now in his fourth season, he has hit 120 homers in Korea.
Best Offensive Performances
Player / Class / Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
Wes Darvill - IND Winnipeg 26 3 6 2 3 .231
Jamie Romak - FGN SK Wyverns 22 5 9 2 7 .409
Riley MacDonald - FGN Dornbirn 16 5 6 1 3 .400
(*Minimum 10 AB’s)
Best Pitching Performances
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
Evan Grills LHP Ind Winnipeg Goldeyes
1 6.0 3 3 3 - 9 1-0 - 0.60 4.50
On August 20, Evan Grills made his best start of the season for the Goldeyes in a 6-3 win over Milwaukee Milkmen. He pitched six strong innings, allowing three base hits and three earned runs, while striking out nine Milwaukee hitters. His overall record with Winnipeg in the IND American Association in eight appearances, now stands at 1-2 with a 6.46 ERA.
Ben Runyon Rhp - Austria Dornbirn Indians
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.0 - - - 2 9 1-0 - 0.20 0.00
Ben Runyon is a veteran pitcher and the 31-year-old Edmonton native has played in the Independent Leagues, as well as in Australia and Europe. This week he made an excellent start for Austria’s Dornbirn Indians, in a 15-1 win over Feldkirch Cardinals. He pitched five hitless, scoreless innings and while striking out nine Feldkirch batters, to earn his second win of the season. His overall record in the Austrian League in three appearances with Dornbirn, is now 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA.
Player Moves & Transactions
None
Previous winners
Week VIX _ 1B Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns.
Week VIII _ INF Wes Darvill (Langley, BC) Winnipeg Goldeyes.
Week VII _ INF Wes Darvill (Langley, BC) Winnipeg Goldeyes.
Week VI _ OF Michael Crouse (Port Moody, BC) Chicago Dogs.
Week V _ OF Michael Crouse (Port Moody, BC) Chicago Dogs.
Week IV _ 1B Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns.
Week III _ OF Michael Crouse (Port Moody, BC) Chicago Dogs.
Week II _ LHP Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) Orix Buffaloes.
Week I _ 1B Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns.