Jamie Romak Goes to the Majors
While a few players take the fast track through the minor leagues to get to the majors, many more toil in anonymity for years before they finally get that ticket to "The Show". After 11 minor league seasons, 2007 Hickory Crawdads outfielder Jamie Romak received his first call-up to the Major Leagues as the Los Angeles Dodgers promoted him from AAA Albuquerque.
Romak came to the Crawdads as a result of a trade between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves. The trade sent Romak and Adam LaRoche ('08, 1B) to the Pirates in exchange for former Crawdads Brent Lillibridge ('06, SS) and Todd Redmond ('06, ), as well as reliever Mike Gonzalez.
The native of London, Ontario, Canada started the 2007 season with the Crawdads and batted .275 in 20 games with four doubles, five homers and 15 RBI before he was promoted to high-A Lynchburg. Romak remained with the Pirates through 2009 at AA Altoona before he left as a free agent. The Kansas City Royals signed Romak in 2010 and he eventually made it to AAA Omaha in 2012 before a trade sent him to the St. Louis Cardinals chain, with who he remained through 2013 at AAA Memphis.
Romak , 28, signed a free agent contract with the Dodgers before this season and batted .272 with 13 homers and 30 RBI in 48 games at AAA Albuquerque. He joined the Dodgers Wednesday against Cincinnati.
Romak's Promotion by the Numbers:
Romak is the 123rd former Crawdads player to go to the major leagues.
He is the sixth former Crawdads player to be on the roster of the Los Angeles Dodgers (Joe Beimel, Kevin Beirne, McKay Christensen, Jon Garland, Paul Maholm, Jamie Romak.)
He is the 14th former Crawdads outfielder to play in the majors (Jeff Abbott, Tony Alvarez, McKay Christensen, J.J. Davis, Rajai Davis, Luis Garcia, Nate McLouth, Andrew McCutchen, Nyjer Morgan, Magglio Ordonez, Alex Presley, Jamie Romak, Aaron Rowand, Brian Simmons).
He is the seventh former player to come to Hickory via a trade and then go on to and play in the majors. (McKay Christensen, Humberto Cota, Jon Garland, Mark Hamburger, Javier Martinez, Bryan Morris, Jamie Romak)
He is the third Canadian out of ten to play for Hickory to play in the major leagues after David Davidson and Aaron Myette, the second from Ontario after Davidson.
He is the fifth member of the 2007 team to play in the majors (Mike Crotta, Jared Hughes, Alex Presley, Jamie Romak, Tony Watson).