:Tommy Cruz

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Tommy Cruz

|image=20140718湯米克魯茲.jpg

|image_size=250px

|position=Outfielder / Coach

|team=Wei Chuan Dragons

|number=14

|bats=Left

|throws=Left

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1951|2|15}}

|birth_place=Arroyo, Puerto Rico

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=September 4

|debutyear=1973

|debutteam=St. Louis Cardinals

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 25

|finalyear=1977

|finalteam=Chicago White Sox

|debut2league = NPB

|debut2date=April 5

|debut2year=1980

|debut2team=Nippon-Ham Fighters

|final2league = NPB

|final2date=October 22

|final2year=1985

|final2team=Nippon-Ham Fighters

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.000

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=0

|stat3label=Runs

|stat3value=2

|stat2league = NPB

|stat21label=Batting average

|stat21value=.310

|stat22label=Home runs

|stat22value=120

|stat23label=Runs batted in

|stat23value=466

|teams=

St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|1973}})
Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|1977}})
Nippon-Ham Fighters ({{npby|1980}}–{{npby|1985}})

|highlights=

2× Pacific League All-Star ({{npby|1982}}, {{npby|1984}})
Best Nine Award ({{npby|1984}})

}}

Cirilo "Tommy" Cruz Dilan (born February 15, 1951) is a Puerto Rican former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|1973}}) and Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|1977}}). Cruz batted and threw left-handed. He is the brother of Héctor and José Cruz, and uncle of José Cruz Jr.

Career

Cruz had a brief major league career, appearing in seven games for the Cardinals and White Sox, going hitless in two at-bats with two runs scored. He also played in the Rangers and Yankees farm systems. He was traded along with cash from the Cardinals to the Rangers for Sonny Siebert on October 26, 1973.[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/10/27/archives/cards-red-sox-confirm-trade-of-wise-for-smith-baseball-transactions.html "Cards, Red Sox Confirm Trade of Wise for Smith," The New York Times, Saturday, October 27, 1973.] Retrieved November 29, 2020 He was dealt along with Jim Spencer from the White Sox to the Yankees for Stan Thomas and cash on December 12, 1977. The transaction also included an exchange of minor-league right‐handed pitcher with Ed Ricks going to the White Sox and Bob Polinsky to the Yankees.[https://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/13/archives/sports-news-briefs-flames-obtain-macmillan-in-6player-nhl-deal.html "Sports News Briefs," The New York Times, Tuesday, December 13, 1977.] Retrieved January 22, 2023.

From {{Baseball year|1980}} through {{Baseball year|1985}}, Cruz played in Japan for the Nippon-Ham Fighters. An All-Star in {{Baseball year|1982}} and {{Baseball year|1984}}, he posted a .310 batting average with 120 home runs and 466 RBI in 712 games played. He was given the Best Nine Award in {{Baseball year|1984}}.

On January 14, {{Baseball year|2009}}, Cruz was named the hitting coach for the Single-A High Desert Mavericks in the Seattle Mariners organization.{{cite web |url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090113&content_id=3742870&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124175234/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090113&content_id=3742870&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 24, 2009 |title=Mariners announce Minors coaches |accessdate=2009-01-14 |author=Jim Street |authorlink=MLB.com |date=2009-01-12 |work=MLB.com}}