Leron Lee

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Leron Lee (born March 4, 1948 in Bakersfield, California) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who played 8 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres respectively. Born March 4, 1948 in Bakersfield, California, Lee was the oldest of 6. Lee graduated from Grant High School in Sacramento with 36 football scholarships from major 4 year universities. Instead, Lee began his Major League career at 18 as the number one draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals.

[edit] Japanese Baseball Career

Following his American Major League career, he played 12 years of professional ball in Japan for the Lotte Orions and to this day holds Japan's highest batting average for either Japanese or foreign players.

Before Lee, foreign players in Japan were often moved to Japan when their careers were winding down. Lee changed Japanese baseball history by being the first Major League American player to move to Japanese ball during a career high, raising the standard for all foreign players thereafter.

[edit] Coaching career

After retiring from Japanese Baseball, he went on to become the batting coach for the Oakland As in 1989 when they won the World Series. Currently, he works with the Cincinnati Reds as an advising batting coach to scouted players. He is the uncle of Chicago Cubs slugger Derrek Lee.