By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

A few people wrote this week to basically say “finally ... you have recognized Jamie Romak.”

Former London Badger Romak (London, Ont.) was written about in 2014 when he played 15 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the next year when he spent 12 years with the Arizona Diamondbacks and when the Kansas City Royals -- with scouting director Lonnie Goldberg -- made the World Series.

Goldberg was living in Guelph, Ont., as an Atlanta Braves scout, when he drafted Romak in the fourth round the 2003 draft.

His resume may only show 27 games and six hits in the majors, but Romak and his exploits have been recognized. In our yearly end-of-the-season awards he had won three straight independent league/foreign lands hitter of the year.

Romak broke up an opening day no-hit bit by Hanwha Eagles pitcher in the seventh inning on opening day, you could say he is the best Canadian playing at the moment? So outside of Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, BC) elected to Cooperstown in January, what Canadian has had a better start to the season?

He’s the best playing -- even if he is the only one.

In all during his time in the minors, he hit 211 home runs — with class-A Danville Braves (12 home runs) and class-A Rome Braves (20) in the Braves system, with class-A Lynchburg Hillcats (36), class-A Hickory (five), double-A Altoona Curve (12) in the Pittsburgh Pirates system; with double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals (29), class-A Wilmington Blue Rocks (seven) with the Royals; with double-A Springfield Cardinals (10), triple-A Memphis Redbirds (22) with the St. Louis Cardinals; with triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (24) in the Los Angeles Dodgers system, with triple-A Reno (27) in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization and with triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas (11) of the San Diego Padres system.

After 25 games with El Paso in 2017 his contract was sold to SK Wyerns in the Korean Baseball Organization.

Our minor league stats expert George Farelli points out Romak broke the Canadian minor league/foreign home run record that year with 42 in 2017. Romak had 11 homers in 25 games with El Paso and added 31 in 102 games with SK. The former record holder was Morry Aboott (Duncan, BC) who hit 37 with class B Tacoma Tigers in 1939

What did Romak, an off season coach with the Great Lake Canadians, do for an encore? He hit 43 in 131 games for Wyverns? Last year he hit 29 in 137 games. So, in Korea he has hit 103 bombs.

As for repeat Canadian Baseball Network Award winners Karl Gelinas (Iberville, Que.) of the Quebec Capitales holds the mark for indy pitchers at four (2013-16). OF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) shares Romak’s run of three straight.

Honour Roll

Independent/Foreign League Players

Offensive Player Of The Year

2008 — Drew Miller (Medicine Hat, Alta.) Calgary Vipers.

2009 — Pete LaForest (Hull, Que.) Quebec Capitales and Colin Moro (Calgary, Alta.) Calgary Vipers.

2010 - Drew Miller (Medicine Hat, Alta.) Calgary Vipers.

2011 – Matt Rogelstad (Port Moody, BC) Edmonton Capitals.

2012 – Sebastien Boucher (Ottawa, Ont.) Quebec Capitales.

2013 – Jonathan Malo (Laval, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2014 - Sebastien Boucher (Ottawa, Ont.) Quebec Capitales.

2015 - Jim Adduci (Burnaby, BC) Lotte Giants, Korea.

2016 - Carter Bell (Courtenay, BC) Joliet Slammers.

2017 - Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns Korea/triple-A El Paso.

2018 _ Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns, Korea

2019 _ Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns, Korea

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

2008 — Michel Simard (Charlesbourg, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2009 — Aaron Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) New Jersey Jackals.

2010 – Aaron Cotter (Kitimat, BC) Sioux Falls Pheasants.

2011 – John Mariotti (Toronto, Ont.) Quebec Capitales

2012 – Jeff Duda (Surrey, BC) Quebec Capitales.

2013 – Karl Gelinas (Iberville, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2014 – Karl Gelinas (Iberville, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2015 – Karl Gelinas (Iberville, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2016 – Karl Gelinas (Iberville, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2017 - Scott Mathieson (Aldergrove, BC) Yomiuri Giants.

2018 _ Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.). Orix Buffaloes

2019 _ Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.) Ottawa Champions.

Indy/foreign lands winners from

Provinces: Quebec 9, BC 6, Ontario 6, Alberta 2, Saskatchewan 1.

Affiliated Players

Offensive Player Of The Year

(Starting in 2011 the award was named after The Honourable Mr. Justice Randall Echlin, former head of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame selection committee, a lifelong fan of the game and a man with a heart the shape of a baseball and the size of a box of new Rawlings.)

2008 _ Tim Smith (Toronto, Ont.) Rangers.

2009 _ Tyson Gillies (Langley, BC) Mariners.

2010 _ Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) Brewers.

2011 _ Taylor Green (Comox, BC) Brewers and Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) Jays.

2012 _ Oscar Taveras (Montreal, Que.) Cardinals.

2013 _ Sean Jamieson (Simcoe, Ont.) Diamondbacks.

2014 _ Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) Blue Jays.

2015 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners.

2016 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners.

2017 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners/Cardinals and Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2018 _ Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2019 _ Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) Astros.

Pitcher Of The Year

2008 _ Scott Diamond (Guelph, Ont.) Braves.

2009 _ James Henderson (Calgary, Alta.) Brewers and John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) Brewers.

2010 _ Scott Mathieson (Langley, BC) Phillies.

2011 _ Mark Hardy (Campbell River, BC) Padres.

2012 _ James Henderson (Calgary, Alta.) Brewers.

2013 _ Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) Twins

2014 _ Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) Nationals.

2015 _ Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC) Phillies and Shane Dawson (Drayton Valley, Alta.) Jays.

2016 _ Jameson Taillon (The Woodlands, Tex.) Pirates and Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) Phillies.

2017 _ Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Braves.

2018 _ Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) Jays.

2019 _ Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) Twins.

Affliated award winners from

By organization: Blue Jays 6, Brewers 5, Mariners 4, Phillies 3, Braves 2, Twins 2, Astros, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Padres, Pirates, Rangers, Nationals one each.

By provinces: BC 12, Ontario 7, Alberta 4, Quebec 4 and Saskatchewan one.