Corey Koskie
Encyclopedia
Cordel Leonard "Corey" Koskie (born June 28, 1973 in Anola
, Manitoba
, Canada
) is a former Major League Baseball
third baseman
. He batted left-handed
and threw right-handed.
in the 26th round of the 1994 amateur draft, and subsequently made his Major League debut on September 9, 1998. He established himself in 1999 as the Twins' third base
man of the future by hitting
.310 and knocking in
58 runs. In 2000, he batted .300 with a .400 on-base percentage and in 2001 he had his most productive offensive season when he hit 26 home run
s, had 103 RBI, and scored 100 runs.
Koskie signed a three-year, $17.5-million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays
on December 14, 2004. An injury-plagued cut his productivity and playing time, as he struggled with a .249 average, with 11 home runs, 36 RBI, and 4 stolen bases in 97 games. Despite his frequent injuries, Koskie was regarded as one of the more athletic third basemen in the game.
On January 6, 2006, he was traded by the Blue Jays to the Milwaukee Brewers
for pitcher Brian Wolfe
. The deal was widely viewed as a salary dump for the Blue Jays, who had also created a logjam at third base when they traded for Troy Glaus
. With several players on the roster at that time capable of playing third base (Koskie, Glaus, Eric Hinske
, Shea Hillenbrand
, and Aaron Hill) and no assurances of regular playing time from Blue Jays GM
J.P. Ricciardi
, Koskie was traded just a year after being the Blue Jays' 2004 offseason marquee free agent
signing. When the Brewers acquired Koskie, he had $11.6 million in guaranteed money remaining on his contract. His salary was $5.25 million in '06, and $5.85 million in '07. The Brewers paid $2 million each season, with the Blue Jays paying $3.25 million in '06 and $3.85 million in '07.
While the Brewers acquired a veteran infielder with a solid glove and bat to anchor their very young infield, Koskie's later seasons were marred by injuries, including missing most of the 2006 season
with post-concussion syndrome
. He hit .261 with 12 homers and 33 RBI in his half-season with the Brewers in 2006. He suffered the injury in a fall while chasing a popup on July 5, 2006, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Still dealing with postconcussion syndrome, Corey Koskie reiterated in mid-June 2007 that he wasn't certain whether he would play baseball again. "If I can't play, I at least want my life back," he said. "I'm hoping to do something to help the team this year. I want to play baseball again. If I can play baseball, I know I'm fine."
The injury caused him to miss the entire 2007 season. Koskie was in town for the last weekend of the regular season and reported that he began making progress in his recovery around the beginning of September after starting to work with a new therapist.
The Brewers in October 2007 declined to pick up the 2008 option for Koskie. The agreement stipulated that the teams would split the $500,000 buyout, so the Brewers will pay $250,000 for declining the 2008 option. The arrival of Ryan Braun
in 2007 made it all but a done deal that Koskie would not be with the Brewers in 2008, even if he completely recovered from the symptoms of his post-concussion syndrome.
In , Koskie worked out at the Minnesota Twins spring training camp and played for Team Canada
in the World Baseball Classic
. Koskie signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training with the Chicago Cubs
on February 28. On March 21, 2009, Koskie retired. While confident in his abilities, he did not want to risk his health.
Anola, Manitoba
Anola, Manitoba, Canada, is a small town located 24 km east of Winnipeg and 40 km north of Steinbach in the Rural Municipality of Springfield...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
. He batted left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
and threw right-handed.
Baseball career
Koskie was drafted by the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in the 26th round of the 1994 amateur draft, and subsequently made his Major League debut on September 9, 1998. He established himself in 1999 as the Twins' third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
man of the future by hitting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.310 and knocking in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
58 runs. In 2000, he batted .300 with a .400 on-base percentage and in 2001 he had his most productive offensive season when he hit 26 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, had 103 RBI, and scored 100 runs.
Koskie signed a three-year, $17.5-million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
on December 14, 2004. An injury-plagued cut his productivity and playing time, as he struggled with a .249 average, with 11 home runs, 36 RBI, and 4 stolen bases in 97 games. Despite his frequent injuries, Koskie was regarded as one of the more athletic third basemen in the game.
On January 6, 2006, he was traded by the Blue Jays to the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for pitcher Brian Wolfe
Brian Wolfe
Brian Thomas Wolfe is a pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan....
. The deal was widely viewed as a salary dump for the Blue Jays, who had also created a logjam at third base when they traded for Troy Glaus
Troy Glaus
Troy Edward Glaus is a Major League Baseball first baseman and third baseman who is currently a free agent. Previously, Glaus played with the Anaheim Angels , Arizona Diamondbacks , Toronto Blue Jays , St. Louis Cardinals , and the Atlanta Braves . Glaus lettered in baseball while attending UCLA...
. With several players on the roster at that time capable of playing third base (Koskie, Glaus, Eric Hinske
Eric Hinske
Eric Scott Hinske is a Major League Baseball outfielder, first baseman, and third baseman currently an Atlanta Braves organization...
, Shea Hillenbrand
Shea Hillenbrand
Shea Matthew Hillenbrand is a professional baseball player who last played for the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League....
, and Aaron Hill) and no assurances of regular playing time from Blue Jays GM
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
J.P. Ricciardi
J.P. Ricciardi
John Paul Ricciardi is a Major League Baseball executive who currently is a special assistant to New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson...
, Koskie was traded just a year after being the Blue Jays' 2004 offseason marquee free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
signing. When the Brewers acquired Koskie, he had $11.6 million in guaranteed money remaining on his contract. His salary was $5.25 million in '06, and $5.85 million in '07. The Brewers paid $2 million each season, with the Blue Jays paying $3.25 million in '06 and $3.85 million in '07.
While the Brewers acquired a veteran infielder with a solid glove and bat to anchor their very young infield, Koskie's later seasons were marred by injuries, including missing most of the 2006 season
2006 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
with post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome, also known as postconcussive syndrome or PCS, and historically called shell shock, is a set of symptoms that a person may experience for weeks, months, or occasionally up to a year or more after a concussion – a mild form of traumatic brain injury . PCS may also...
. He hit .261 with 12 homers and 33 RBI in his half-season with the Brewers in 2006. He suffered the injury in a fall while chasing a popup on July 5, 2006, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Still dealing with postconcussion syndrome, Corey Koskie reiterated in mid-June 2007 that he wasn't certain whether he would play baseball again. "If I can't play, I at least want my life back," he said. "I'm hoping to do something to help the team this year. I want to play baseball again. If I can play baseball, I know I'm fine."
The injury caused him to miss the entire 2007 season. Koskie was in town for the last weekend of the regular season and reported that he began making progress in his recovery around the beginning of September after starting to work with a new therapist.
The Brewers in October 2007 declined to pick up the 2008 option for Koskie. The agreement stipulated that the teams would split the $500,000 buyout, so the Brewers will pay $250,000 for declining the 2008 option. The arrival of Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
in 2007 made it all but a done deal that Koskie would not be with the Brewers in 2008, even if he completely recovered from the symptoms of his post-concussion syndrome.
In , Koskie worked out at the Minnesota Twins spring training camp and played for Team Canada
Canada national baseball team
Canada has qualified for two Olympic games, in 2004 and 2008. Canadian teams also competed twice when baseball was a demonstration sport, in 1984 and 1988.-1984 Summer Olympics:...
in the World Baseball Classic
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
. Koskie signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
on February 28. On March 21, 2009, Koskie retired. While confident in his abilities, he did not want to risk his health.