Henry Cruz | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Outfielder | |
Born: Christiansted, United States Virgin Islands | February 27, 1952|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
April 18, 1975, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
July 30, 1978, for the Chicago White Sox | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .229 |
Home runs | 8 |
Runs batted in | 34 |
Teams | |
Henry (Acosta) Cruz (born February 27, 1952) is a former professional baseball outfielder who currently works as the director of the Los Angeles Dodgers Dominican baseball academy.
Cruz was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers on January 1, 1971. He made his major league debut, as a pinch hitter, on April 18, 1975, against the San Francisco Giants. He recorded his first hit on April 20 against the Giants.
Cruz played parts of the 1975 and 1976 seasons with the Dodgers. He was claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox near the end of the 1977 season while hitting .353 for the AAA Albuquerque Dukes. [1]
Cruz was signed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox in September 1977. He played 16 games for the Sox in 77 and another 53 games in 1978. He remained in the Sox minor league system through 1980, when he was picked up off waivers by the Detroit Tigers.
Cruz retired after playing for the Evansville Triplets in 1981. However, he then went on to play in the Mexican League for the following 4 years: 1982 played for Reynosa Broncos; 1983 played for Leon, Guanahuato; and 1984–85 played for the Saltillo Seraperos. He ended his playing career after the 1985 season.
He was also one of the most consistent hitters for the Arecibo Wolves in the Puerto Rico Winter Baseball League during this period.
Cruz spent 10 seasons as a scout for the Cleveland Indians following his playing days. In 2007, the Dodgers hired him to be the hitting instructor for Class-A Ogden Raptors. He was moved to the Inland Empire 66ers in 2008.
Michael Stanley Myers is an American former professional left-handed relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2007.
Stanley Julián Antonio Javier [hah-ve-ERR] is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1984 to 2001. A switch-hitter with good production from both sides of the plate, he also had a strong arm with the ability to play all three outfield positions exceptionally well. Javier is the son of former major league player Julián Javier, and was named after his father's teammate and close friend, Stan Musial.
Thomas Marian Paciorek is an American former outfielder and first baseman who spent 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1970–1975), Atlanta Braves (1976–1978), Seattle Mariners (1978–1981), Chicago White Sox (1982–1985), New York Mets (1985) and Texas Rangers (1986–1987). He appeared twice in the postseason, with the National League (NL) champion Dodgers in 1974 and the American League (AL) West-winning White Sox in 1983.
Wilson Antonio Valdez is a Dominican former professional baseball infielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball, the Kia Tigers of the KBO League, and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball from 2004 to 2012.
Juan Cespedes Uribe Tena is a Dominican former professional baseball infielder. He played shortstop, third base and second base during his career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Cleveland Indians. He bats and throws right-handed.
Pablo José Ozuna is a Dominican former professional baseball utility player. During his major league career, he played for the Florida Marlins, the Colorado Rockies (2003), the Chicago White Sox (2005–2008), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2008). He is the cousin of current Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna.
Damon Scott Berryhill is an American former professional baseball catcher and former manager of the AAA Gwinnett Stripers. He played ten seasons for the Chicago Cubs, the Atlanta Braves, the Boston Red Sox, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants of the Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 to 1997. He threw right and was a switch hitter.
Terry Jay Forster is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who played for 16 seasons in the Major Leagues. He played for five teams in his career and recorded 127 saves during his time in the majors.
Christopher Kenneth Volstad is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He is a 2005 graduate of Palm Beach Gardens High School. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox and in the KBO League for the Doosan Bears.
The 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers season saw Tommy Lasorda in his first full season at the helm of the Dodgers, replacing longtime manager Walter Alston as manager of the team near the end of the previous season. The Dodgers won the National League West by 10 games and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in four games in the NLCS, then lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series. This edition of the Dodgers featured the first quartet of teammates that hit 30 or more home runs: Steve Garvey with 33, Reggie Smith with 32, and Dusty Baker and Ron Cey, who both hit 30. The Dodgers duplicated this feat again 20 years later in 1997.
The 1972 Los Angeles Dodgers finished the season 85–70, good for a tie for second place with the Astros in the National League West. This was the first season where the players' last names appeared on the back of the uniforms.
Clarence Nottingham "Chuck" Churn was an American professional baseball player. The native of Bridgetown, Virginia, was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who appeared in 25 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers between 1957 and 1959. He threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and 205 pounds (93 kg).
Travis Norton Denker is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants.
Luis Alfonso Cruz is a Mexican professional baseball shortstop and third baseman for the Dorados de Chihuahua of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines, Yomiuri Giants and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Gerald Robert Sands is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 25th round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of Catawba College and made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with them in 2011. He also played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, in the KBO League for the Kiwoom Heroes, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers. Sands grew up in Smithfield, North Carolina and is a graduate of Smithfield-Selma High School.
Lee Patrick Thomas "Skip" Pitlock is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. A left-hander noted for his unusual wind-up, he had a "herky-jerky" motion which deceived major league batters, and led to 124 career strikeouts in 1922⁄3 innings pitched. He was listed as 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and 180 pounds (82 kg).
Andrew Robert Wilkins is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers.
Trayce Nikolas Thompson is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres. Thompson also played for the Great Britain National Team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Hanser Joel Alberto Peña is a Dominican professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago White Sox.
Trevor Scott Oaks is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 7th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He played one season in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2018 for the Kansas City Royals.