Great Lake Canadians name Romak director of player performance
Former big leaguer and 2020 Tip O’Neill Award winner Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) has been named the Great Lake Canadians’ director of player performance.
December 31, 2021
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
Ex-big leaguer and 2020 Tip O’Neill Award winner Jamie Romak has been named the Great Lake Canadians’ director of player performance.
The Great Lake Canadians made the announcement on Thursday.
“Today we are pleased to officially bring Jamie on board to join our development staff,” said ex-big leaguer Chris Robinson, the Great Lake Canadians director of operations, in a statement. “In the past decade, when his career allowed him to be, he was here with us helping in any capacity that he could.
“His baseball resume speaks for itself and rivals most Canadians that have ever played the game. In addition to his experience as a player, we are gaining a person who is a relentless worker and as knowledgeable about the game as anyone I have ever been around.”
Romak recently announced his retirement after a successful 19-year professional playing career in the United States and Korea.
“I look forward to pouring myself into this role in the same way I did my own career and helping to push forward what is already the best player development organization in Canada,” said Romak in a statement.
The 36-year-old Romak played his final five pro seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) for the SSG Landers (formerly SK Wyverns) and batted .273 with 155 home runs, which are the third-most by a foreign player in KBO history.
His finest pro campaign came with the SK Wyverns in 2018 when he batted a career-high .316 and belted 43 home runs to tie for second in the KBO. His power display that season made him the first Canadian with back-to-back 40-home run campaigns in the professional ranks.
His efforts earned him the Canadian Baseball Network’s Offensive Player of the Year in foreign or independent ball for three consecutive seasons from 2018 to 2020.
In 2020, he was named winner of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award, as the top Canuck player. That season, he topped all Canadians in the pro ranks with 32 home runs and 91 RBIs.
On top of those power numbers, Romak led all Canadians in 2020 with 85 runs, 32 doubles, 91 walks, a .399 on-base percentage, a .546 slugging percentage and an .945 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS).
Prior to his tenure in Korea, the London, Ont., native played parts of 13 seasons in the affiliated minor league ranks after being drafted in fourth round by the Atlanta Braves in 2003. He had major league stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014 and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015.
Romak has also suited up for the Canadian national team in multiple tournaments.
The veteran slugger is looking forward to his new position with GLC and resettling in his hometown of London, Ont.
“I am beyond excited to join the best group of baseball men I know in developing and mentoring the next generation of Canadian baseball players,” said Romak in a statement. “I am a product of this community and have always felt a strong pull to serve those who are like-minded in their passion for the game.”
The Great Lake Canadians are equally excited to have Romak on board.
“Having an opportunity to add a person of Jamie Romak’s credentials not only as a player but as a person is a huge asset to the GLC program,” said ex-big leaguer Adam Stern, who is the Great Lake Canadians director of player development.
“Jamie’s passion towards the game and to amateur baseball in Canada will be a welcome addition. We look forward to having Jamie being an integral part of the development staff and furthering the GLC program.”