For a time, Japanese baseball was the refuge for those who could not perform at a Major League level any longer. When Warren Cromartie signed in Japan, he was one of the first MLB players to head to Asia in his prime.
Warren Cromartie had been a solid player with the Expos. Breaking into the lineup full time in 1977, he was part of an excellent young outfield that included Andre Dawson and Ellis Valentine. Eventually moved to first base after a trade for Ron LeFlore, Cromartie headed back to the outfield when Al Oliver was brought on board. Overall, in his time in Montreal, Cromartie produced a solid .281/.336/.402 batting line, hitting at just about a league average level.
Entering free agency for the first time, Cromartie understandably expected to receive a solid payday. However, he was the victim of poor timing, as the MLB was about to begin their era of collusion. As such, Cromartie was left out in free agency without a serious offer, looking at disappointing contracts as teams refused to get into bidding wars. Cromartie would need to look elsewhere for that payday.
And look elsewhere he did. Despite being just 30 years old, and about to enter the prime of his career, he headed overseas. On this day in 1983, Cromartie signed a three year, $2.5 Million contract with the Yomiuri Giants of the Pacific League. In doing so, he became arguably the best player to head to Japan during their prime.
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Cromartie quickly became a fan favorite in Japan. He showed a genuine interest in the culture, and with his outgoing personality, quickly became a star. Legendary player Sadaharu Oh noticed a hitch in his swing, and after it was corrected, Cromartie become one of the top run producers in the country. He hit over 30 home runs three times, and produced a stellar .321/.372/.558 batting line, hitting 174 home runs in total. In 1989, Cromartie was the Nippon Professional Baseball MVP.
However, Cromartie was not done in the Majors. He returned for one year with the Royals, where he served as a backup outfielder and pinch hitter. At 37 years old, he produced a .313/.381/.420 batting line in 148 plate appearances, but he retired with 20 games left in the season.
Cromartie has remained in the news recently as well. He founded the Montreal Baseball Project in 2012, with the goal of bringing a Major League team back to Montreal. Cromartie was also a key part in bringing Blue Jays games to the city as part of an exhibition, and to prove that baseball can be feasible once again in Montreal. With the prospect of expansion, and with Rob Manfred considering the city, Cromartie may see his project come to fruition.
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Collusion affected many of the stars in the MLB in the mid to late 1980’s, but many stayed in the Majors. Warren Cromartie, on this day in 1983, took matters into his own hands and left for Japan.