Alex Cosmidis
Encyclopedia
Alex N. Cosmidis is an American
professional baseball
scout. He was a minor league baseball
infielder
for eleven seasons, a manager
for eight, and a scout since 1982.
Cosmidis grew up in Norfolk, Virginia
, and went to school at Illinois Wesleyan University
where he played baseball. During this time, he was also on a semi pro
team in Colerain, North Carolina
. He was signed by the Chicago White Sox
who assigned him to their farm team in Hot Springs, Arkansas
where he earned co-MVP honors in the Cotton States League
. His minor league playing career saw him in Waterloo, Iowa
, Gastonia, North Carolina
, and Nashville, Tennessee
playing for the local nines. He spent three years with the team in Dallas
and set a Texas League
fielding record of sixty-six errorless games at second base. In 1957, he was awarded the Rawlings
Silver Glove trophy for best minor league second baseman. He spent a campaign with Portland
in the Pacific Coast League
and one with Rochester in the International League
at the Triple-A level but never made it to the big leagues as a player.
After a knee injury in 1960, Cosmidis turned to managing. In 1961, his team from Salisbury
won the Western Carolina League
trophy. He also managed in Asheville
, Salem
, Appleton, and Lynchburg before rounding out his managerial career with the Kinston Eagles of the Carolina League
in 1970.
Cosmidis returned to baseball in 1982 as a scout for the California Angels
. Since 1987, he has worked as a scout for the Chicago White Sox
based in Raleigh, North Carolina
. His signees include Bryan Harvey
, Roberto Hernandez, Ray Durham
and James Baldwin.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
scout. He was a minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
for eleven seasons, a manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
for eight, and a scout since 1982.
Cosmidis grew up in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, and went to school at Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is an independent undergraduate university located in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856...
where he played baseball. During this time, he was also on a semi pro
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
team in Colerain, North Carolina
Colerain, North Carolina
Colerain is a town in Bertie County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 201 at the 2008 census.-Geography:Colerain is located at ....
. He was signed by the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
who assigned him to their farm team in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
where he earned co-MVP honors in the Cotton States League
Cotton States League
The Cotton States League name was used five different times in baseball history. The first Cotton States League ran from 1902 through 1908 as a class D league. After the league shut down, another Cotton States League was reformulated in 1910, with three of the six '08 members returning for the new...
. His minor league playing career saw him in Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
, Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
, and Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
playing for the local nines. He spent three years with the team in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and set a Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
fielding record of sixty-six errorless games at second base. In 1957, he was awarded the Rawlings
Rawlings (company)
Rawlings is a sports equipment manufacturing company in the United States. It was founded in 1887. The parent company is Jarden, Inc. Rawlings specializes in baseball equipment, but also manufactures softball, basketball, training equipment and American footballs...
Silver Glove trophy for best minor league second baseman. He spent a campaign with Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
and one with Rochester in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
at the Triple-A level but never made it to the big leagues as a player.
After a knee injury in 1960, Cosmidis turned to managing. In 1961, his team from Salisbury
Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
won the Western Carolina League
Western Carolina League
The first Western Carolina League was a class D league which ran from 1948-1952, then combined with the North Carolina State League to form the Tar Heel League in 1953. The second Western Carolina League was formed as a class A circuit in 1960...
trophy. He also managed in Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, Salem
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
, Appleton, and Lynchburg before rounding out his managerial career with the Kinston Eagles of the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
in 1970.
Cosmidis returned to baseball in 1982 as a scout for the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. Since 1987, he has worked as a scout for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
based in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. His signees include Bryan Harvey
Bryan Harvey
Bryan Stanley Harvey is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played from to for the California Angels of the American League and the Florida Marlins of the National League....
, Roberto Hernandez, Ray Durham
Ray Durham
Ray Durham , nicknamed The Sugarman, is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.A two-time All-Star, Durham in his prime was one of the premier offensive catalysts in all of baseball, providing prototypical lead-off hitting with power...
and James Baldwin.