Eddie Kasko
Encyclopedia
Edward Michael Kasko is a former infielder
, manager
, scout
and front office executive in American
Major League Baseball
.
A standout defensive player as a shortstop
and third baseman
, Kasko played for ten seasons (1957–66) with the St. Louis Cardinals
, Cincinnati Reds
, Houston Astros
and Boston Red Sox
. A right-handed batter, he lacked home run
power but was a good "contact hitter." His career batting average
was .264 in 1,077 games and 3,546 at bats. Kasko appeared in one World Series
— 1961
, with Cincinnati. He led the Reds with seven hits
and batted .319, but Cincinnati lost the series in five games to the New York Yankees
.
After the season, his only campaign with Boston, Kasko retired as an active player and managed the Red Sox' AAA clubs, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Louisville Colonels
, from 1967-69. He succeeded the popular Dick Williams
as Boston Red Sox manager in 1970, and guided the club through four seasons, with mixed results. The Red Sox finished above the .500 mark each season, but only contended in when they finished a half-game out of first place, behind the Detroit Tigers
, in the American League East Division. The half-game differential was partly due to the brief players' strike that spring: 6-8 games were lopped off each club's schedule and it was agreed that lost games would not be "made up" to resolve pennant races.
During Kasko's four-year managerial term, he incorporated young players such as Carlton Fisk
and Dwight Evans
into the Red Sox lineup, converted relief pitcher
Bill Lee
into a successful starter
, and showed patience with sore-armed veteran Luis Tiant
as he returned to form as a dominant pitcher. But when the Red Sox again could not measure up to the powerful Baltimore Orioles
of the era, Kasko was relieved of his managerial duties. His final record with Boston, over four seasons, was 345-295 (.539).
Kasko remained with the Red Sox for another two decades, however, as a scout (1974–77) and then, after 1977, as the team's director of scouting and vice president, baseball development. He retired in 1994 and was elected to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
in 2010.
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...
, 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...
, scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
and front office executive in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
.
A standout defensive player as a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and 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...
, Kasko played for ten seasons (1957–66) with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. A right-handed batter, he lacked 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...
power but was a good "contact hitter." His career batting average
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 :...
was .264 in 1,077 games and 3,546 at bats. Kasko appeared in one World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
— 1961
1961 World Series
The 1961 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds , with the Yankees winning in five games to earn their 19th championship in 39 seasons. This World Series was surrounded by Cold War political puns pitting the "Reds" against the "Yanks"...
, with Cincinnati. He led the Reds with seven hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and batted .319, but Cincinnati lost the series in five games to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.
After the season, his only campaign with Boston, Kasko retired as an active player and managed the Red Sox' AAA clubs, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Louisville Colonels
Louisville Colonels (minor league baseball team)
The Louisville Colonels was the name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Louisville, Kentucky, in the 20th century. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels.-Twentieth century minor league teams:...
, from 1967-69. He succeeded the popular Dick Williams
Dick Williams
Richard Hirschfeld "Dick" Williams was an American left fielder, third baseman, manager, coach and front office consultant in Major League Baseball. Known especially as a hard-driving, sharp-tongued manager from 1967–69 and 1971–88, he led teams to three American League pennants, one National...
as Boston Red Sox manager in 1970, and guided the club through four seasons, with mixed results. The Red Sox finished above the .500 mark each season, but only contended in when they finished a half-game out of first place, behind the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, in the American League East Division. The half-game differential was partly due to the brief players' strike that spring: 6-8 games were lopped off each club's schedule and it was agreed that lost games would not be "made up" to resolve pennant races.
During Kasko's four-year managerial term, he incorporated young players such as Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
and Dwight Evans
Dwight Evans
Dwight Michael Evans , nicknamed "Dewey", is an American former professional baseball right fielder and right-handed batter who played with the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball....
into the Red Sox lineup, converted relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
Bill Lee
Bill Lee (left-handed pitcher)
William Francis Lee III , nicknamed "Spaceman", is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Boston Red Sox from - and the Montreal Expos from -...
into a successful starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
, and showed patience with sore-armed veteran Luis Tiant
Luis Tiant
Luis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...
as he returned to form as a dominant pitcher. But when the Red Sox again could not measure up to the powerful Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
of the era, Kasko was relieved of his managerial duties. His final record with Boston, over four seasons, was 345-295 (.539).
Kasko remained with the Red Sox for another two decades, however, as a scout (1974–77) and then, after 1977, as the team's director of scouting and vice president, baseball development. He retired in 1994 and was elected to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
The Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the careers of former Boston Red Sox baseball players. A 15-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, past and present media personnel, and representatives from The Sports Museum of New England and the...
in 2010.