Eddie Zosky
Encyclopedia
Edward James Zosky is a former shortstop
in Major League Baseball
who played five seasons non-consecutively from 1991 to 2000 for the Toronto Blue Jays
, Florida Marlins
, Milwaukee Brewers
and Houston Astros
. He also played in the Baltimore Orioles
, San Francisco Giants
and Pittsburgh Pirates
minor league systems.
Zosky was a collegiate star prior to playing professionally, becoming a member of Fresno State University's athletic Hall of Fame. He developed into a promising shortstop prospect for the Toronto Blue Jays
in the early 1990s, being named their starting shortstop of the future multiple times, though injury problems and a lack of offense ended his hopes of stardom.
Zosky began his professional career in 1989 at the age of 21 and played for 12 seasons until the age of 32 in 2000. He spent most of his professional career in the minor leagues, spending parts of two seasons at the rookie level, part of one season at the Single-A level, two full seasons at the Double-A level, parts of three seasons at the Triple-A level and seven full seasons at the Triple-A level. In total, he played in 1,056 minor league games, hitting .257 with 59 home runs and 407 RBI in 3,670 at-bats. Defensively, he spent 752 games at shortstop, 147 games at third base, 139 games at second base, two games at pitcher and one game in the outfield. As a pitcher, he threw 1 1/3 innings, striking out two batters and allowing one earned run, posting a 6.75 ERA.
He spent parts of five seasons at the major league level – 1991, 1992, 1995, 1999 and 2000. He played in 44 big league games, collecting eight hits in 50 at-bats for a .160 batting average. Though he never hit a home run, he did collect two triples and a double, while driving three runs in. Defensively, he played 30 games at shortstop (starting eight of them), four games at third base and three games at second base. He committed two errors for a .967 fielding percentage, while turning eight double plays.
At all levels, both major league and minor league, Zosky hit a combined .256 with 59 home runs and 410 RBI in 3,720 at-bats.
to Ed and Yvonne Zosky and attended St. Paul High School
in Santa Fe Springs, California
, graduating in 1986. On February 2, 1991, he married Shelly Snylander. His son is named Gage.
in June of his sophomore season, along with teammates Tom Goodwin
and John Salles. Though he was considered the front-runner for the shortstop position on the Olympic squad, he did not make the team. During his junior and final season at Fresno State University, Zosky was named Sporting News and Baseball America
All-Americans after posting a .370 batting average. In addition, he was named first-team All Big West, along with teammates Bobby Jones
, Tom Goodwin and Rich Crane.
in the fifth round of the 1986 amateur draft
, 128th overall. He did not sign, choosing to attend college instead.
He was next drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays 19th overall in the first round of the 1989 draft
, out of Fresno State University. He was one of three Fresno State University alum drafted in the first round that year, the others being Steve Hosey
(14th overall) and Tom Goodwin (22nd overall). It was the first time since the 1979 draft
that one school had three different players selected in the first round. The last school to do it was the University of Michigan
. The Toronto Blue Jays gave Zosky a $185,000 ($ today) signing bonus.
of the Single-A Florida State League
. However, citing poor performances by his current shortstops, Double-A manager Barry Foote
had Zosky start with the Southern League
Knoxville Blue Jays. He made his professional debut on July 4, collecting a hit and driving in the Knoxville Blue Jays lone run in his first professional game. He played 56 games at shortstop for the Knoxville Blue Jays, batting .221 with a .303 slugging percentage.
In 1990, Zosky was ranked the third best prospect in the Southern League. Though he attended Major League spring training, he spent the entire season in the minor leagues, playing for the Double-A Knoxville Blue Jays and hitting .271 in 115 games – tying William Suero
for the team lead in triples with seven.
Prior to the 1991 season, Baseball America named Zosky the 22nd best prospect in professional baseball, ahead of Jeff Bagwell
(32nd), Chipper Jones
(49th) and Jim Thome
(93rd). That season, he attended his second Major League spring training, and was in competition with Manuel Lee
and Rene Gonzales
for the starting shortstop position. However, after making six errors during the spring, he was deemed unready for Major League action and sent to minor league camp on April 1.
He spent most of the season with the Triple-A International League
Syracuse Chiefs, hitting .264 with six home runs, 39 RBI and 69 runs. He led the team in both plate appearances and at-bats, and, despite committing 24 errors in the field, he led league shortstops with 221 putouts, 371 assists and 88 double plays. His performance landed him a spot on the 1991 International League All-Star Team, as well as a September 1 promotion to the major leagues.
replacing shortstop Manuel Lee, who had been feeling dizzy and suffering from a stiff neck
, in the top of the fourth inning. In the fifth inning, facing pitcher Dave Johnson in his first at-bat, Zosky singled to left field. Later in the game, he was replaced by Rance Mulliniks
.
So anticipated was Zosky's debut that Toronto Star
writer Dave Perkins compared Zosky's debut to Lou Gehrig
in 1925, asking "Did Manuel Lee just become Manuel Pipp?" (in reference to Gehrig usurping Wally Pipp
's first base position that season). The next day, September 3, he made his first Major League start, again against the Baltimore Orioles. Batting ninth in the starting lineup, he collected zero hits in three at-bats, striking out twice against pitchers Ben McDonald
and Mike Flanagan.
He spent 18 games in total with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1991, batting .148 with two runs and two RBI in 27 at-bats. Though he did not hit a home run, two of his four hits were for extra bases—the first was a triple off of Bob Welch and the second was a double off a Denny Neagle
. He also drove in his first career RBIs against Welch, scoring John Olerud
and Candy Maldonado
on the same play.
, who had been signed previously.
He struggled early during the season with batting averages of .150 and .160 in April and May, respectively, and though he batted .350 in June, his season batting average was only .231. Following the conclusion of the 1992 minor league season in September, Zosky was promoted to the Toronto Blue Jays, with whom he appeared in eight games. He batted .286 in seven at-bats, with one of his two hits being a triple (which he hit off of Jose Mesa
on September 14—exactly one year after his first career extra-base hit, which was also a triple). Following the 1992 regular season, Zosky played for the Tucson Javelinas in the newly formed Arizona Fall League
, hitting .326.
As early as January 1993, Zosky was expected to be the Toronto Blue Jays' starting shortstop for the 1993 regular season. However, later that month Zosky was shut down due to a muscle problem in his throwing elbow. To provide insurance in case Zosky floundered, the Toronto Blue Jays signed veteran free agent Dick Schofield
, who had played for the California Angels and New York Mets
the previous season. They also re-signed Alfredo Griffin and traded Kelly Gruber
and cash to the California Angels for Luis Sojo
, who would provide even further insurance in case Zosky failed. Though Zosky was expected to be the starting shortstop earlier in the year, by February Schofield was the leading contender for the position. Due to his struggles in 1992 – not only did he hit .231, he also committed 27 errors – and his injuries, the Blue Jays began looking beyond Zosky as the future starting shortstop for the team, paying more attention to their other prospect Alex Gonzalez.
After undergoing a surgery on his bad elbow to remove a bone spur on March 16, Zosky's starting prospects dimmed even further – he was placed on the 15-day disabled list
on March 26, 1993, spending later some time in extended spring training. He returned to the playing field in late July, and played in 33 minor league games – five in a rehabilitation stint with the Hagerstown Suns
, for whom he hit .100 in 20 at-bats and 28 for the Syracuse Chiefs, for whom he hit .215 in 103 at-bats. Overall, he batted .195 with zero home runs and nine RBI, while committing five errors in the field. He did not play in the major leagues in 1993. Instead, Dick Schofield was the Opening Day starter, though Tony Fernandez
seized the starting job after his June 11 trade to the Blue Jays from the New York Mets. Following the 1993 season, he played for the Scottsdale Scorpions
in the Arizona Fall League
.
By 1994, Alex Gonzalez had all but replaced Zosky as the Blue Jays' shortstop of the future. Though he had some bright moments during that season's spring training, including a game-winning three-run home run in an exhibition game on March 23, Zosky had become relegated to back-up status as Dick Schofield was set to make another Opening Day start – this time as a placeholder for Gonzalez, rather than Zosky. As it turned out, Gonzalez won the starting shortstop job and was the Opening Day performer at that position. By April 28, however, Gonzalez was struggling, Schofield had retaken the starting shortstop position, and – because he was performing well with the Syracuse Chiefs – Zosky was back in the mix as a potential suitor for the position himself. Schofield retained a hold on the job, however, and Zosky spent the entire year in Triple-A with the Chiefs, batting .264 with seven home runs and 34 RBI in 85 games, rattling off a 16-game hitting streak at one point. Though he played a shortened season due to injury, he tied Robert Montalvo for the team lead in sacrifice hit
s with six. Despite hitting .264, his on-base percentage was only .287 as he walked only nine times in 284 at-bats. Though a shortstop by trade, he played more games at second base (41) than shortstop (34) that season.
by for a player to be named later
, who ended up being minor league pitcher Scott Pace. That was the first trade ever made by new Blue Jays general manager Gord Ash
, who replaced Pat Gillick
following the 1994 season. Zosky made the Marlins Opening Day roster for the 1995 season and on April 29, he played in his first major league game since October 4, 1992. Facing Trevor Wilson
of the San Francisco Giants
, Zosky singled in his first big league at-bat in over two seasons. He played the whole game, going 1-for-3 at the plate. Appearing in only six games at the major league level in 1995 (with the single in his first at-bat his only big league hit), Zosky spent most of the year with the Triple-A International League's Charlotte Knights
, to whom he was optioned after the Marlins cut their roster from 28 to 25 players on May 15. With Charlotte, he hit .247 with three home runs and 42 RBI in 92 games, walking only seven times in 312 at-bats. On October 16, he was granted free agency.
. He spent most of the season with the Orioles' Triple-A International League affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings
, though he also spent a game with their rookie-level affiliate, the Gulf Coast League Orioles
. That season, he hit a combined .257 with three home runs, 34 RBI and a career-high 23 doubles. With eight double plays grounded into, he tied Joe Hall
for the Red Wings team lead. On October 15, he was granted free agency by the Orioles.
On November 25, 1996, the San Francisco signed Zosky to a contract, making him a non-roster invitee to spring training. He was cut from the big league squad on March 17 and was assigned to minor league camp the following day. He then spent the entire 1997 season in Triple-A, playing for the Pacific Coast League
's Phoenix Firebirds
. He began the season with a bang, hitting a grand slam on April 6 against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
. In total, he played in 86 games that season, hitting .278 with nine home runs and 45 RBI. Defensively, he spent more games at third base (42) than at his natural shortstop position (30). On October 15, 1997, he was granted free agency by the Giants.
signed Zosky as a free agent, inviting him to spring training. By the second week of the 1998 season's spring training, it looked as though Zosky would earn a spot on the Brewers' 25-man roster – he would eventually be cut after the Brewers purchased outfielder Eric Owens from the Florida Marlins, however, and spend the entire season with the Triple-A Louisville Redbirds. That season, he hit .245 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 90 games. He pitched for the first time in his career that season as well, appearing as a reliever in one game, allowing one hit and striking out the second batter he faced. He was granted free agency by the Brewers on October 15, but was re-signed on December 18 and given an invite to spring training.
Like in previous years, Zosky began the 1999 season in Triple-A, playing for the Louisville RiverBats. He remained with the RiverBats through late July, though after catcher Bobby Hughes went on the 15-day disabled list, the Brewers purchased Zosky's contract and brought him up to the major league team. He made his first major league appearance since May 14, 1995, when, on August 1, 1999, he pinch hit for Brewers pitcher Reggie Harris
in the sixth inning and remained in the game, replacing Ronnie Belliard
at second base. In his first major league game in over four seasons, Zosky went 1-for-2 at the plate, collecting a single in his second at-bat off of Montreal Expos
pitcher Dan Smith. Just a few days later, on August 5, he was assigned back to Louisville. He earned yet another promotion to the major leagues on September 5 with starting shortstop Mark Loretta
injured and pitcher Chad Fox
placed on the 60-day disabled list. In total, he played in eight games for the Brewers that season, collecting one hit in seven at-bats for a .143 batting average. He had perhaps the best minor league season of his career in 1999, as he hit .294 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI (all career-highs). Following the season, on October 7, he refused a minor league assignment and became a free agent.
signed Zosky to a minor league contract, also offering him an invitation to spring training. On March 15, the Pirates assigned him to minor league camp. He began the 2000 season in the Pirates minor league system, playing in 53 games for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
(with whom he hit .221 with two home runs and 16 RBI) and in eight games for the rookie-level GCL Pirates (with whom he hit .333 with six doubles in 30 at-bats).
On August 23, he was traded to the Houston Astros
for a player to be named later. He began his stint in the Astros organization in the minor leagues, playing in 11 games with the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs
and hitting .273 in 33 at-bats. On September 12, the Astros purchased his contract, bringing him up to the major league squad. The Astros used him sporadically after his promotion as he played in four games with them, collecting zero hits in four at-bats. His final appearance with the Astros, on October 1, would also be the final game of his professional career. On October 11, he became a free agent. No team ended up signing him. In the minor leagues that season, he hit a combined .247 with two home runs and 22 RBI in 72 games.
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...
in 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...
who played five seasons non-consecutively from 1991 to 2000 for 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 ....
, Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, 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...
and 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...
. He also played in the 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...
, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
minor league systems.
Zosky was a collegiate star prior to playing professionally, becoming a member of Fresno State University's athletic Hall of Fame. He developed into a promising shortstop prospect for 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 ....
in the early 1990s, being named their starting shortstop of the future multiple times, though injury problems and a lack of offense ended his hopes of stardom.
Zosky began his professional career in 1989 at the age of 21 and played for 12 seasons until the age of 32 in 2000. He spent most of his professional career in the minor leagues, spending parts of two seasons at the rookie level, part of one season at the Single-A level, two full seasons at the Double-A level, parts of three seasons at the Triple-A level and seven full seasons at the Triple-A level. In total, he played in 1,056 minor league games, hitting .257 with 59 home runs and 407 RBI in 3,670 at-bats. Defensively, he spent 752 games at shortstop, 147 games at third base, 139 games at second base, two games at pitcher and one game in the outfield. As a pitcher, he threw 1 1/3 innings, striking out two batters and allowing one earned run, posting a 6.75 ERA.
He spent parts of five seasons at the major league level – 1991, 1992, 1995, 1999 and 2000. He played in 44 big league games, collecting eight hits in 50 at-bats for a .160 batting average. Though he never hit a home run, he did collect two triples and a double, while driving three runs in. Defensively, he played 30 games at shortstop (starting eight of them), four games at third base and three games at second base. He committed two errors for a .967 fielding percentage, while turning eight double plays.
At all levels, both major league and minor league, Zosky hit a combined .256 with 59 home runs and 410 RBI in 3,720 at-bats.
Early and personal life
Zosky, who is Jewish, was born in Whittier, CaliforniaWhittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
to Ed and Yvonne Zosky and attended St. Paul High School
St. Paul High School (Santa Fe Springs, California)
St. Paul High School is a Catholic, co-educational high school serving the Gateway Cities of Los Angeles County owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and was founded in 1956. The campus is located in Santa Fe Springs approximately 14 miles east of downtown Los...
in Santa Fe Springs, California
Santa Fe Springs, California
Santa Fe Springs is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. The population was 16,223 at the 2010 census, down from 17,438 at the 2000 census....
, graduating in 1986. On February 2, 1991, he married Shelly Snylander. His son is named Gage.
College career
After his graduation from high school, he attended Fresno State University, where he mostly played shortstop. He hit .292 in his first season with Fresno State University, earning second-team all-league honors. In May 1988, he suffered from mononucleosis and an ankle sprain, slightly shortening his sophomore season. In addition, Zosky was selected to try out for the United States Olympic baseball teamUnited States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
in June of his sophomore season, along with teammates Tom Goodwin
Tom Goodwin
Thomas Jones Goodwin is a former Major League Baseball player. He attended Central High School in Fresno, and then went on to play for Fresno State University...
and John Salles. Though he was considered the front-runner for the shortstop position on the Olympic squad, he did not make the team. During his junior and final season at Fresno State University, Zosky was named Sporting News and Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
All-Americans after posting a .370 batting average. In addition, he was named first-team All Big West, along with teammates Bobby Jones
Bobby J. Jones
Robert Joseph Jones is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. His career spanned from 1993 through 2002. He pitched for two teams, the New York Mets, and the San Diego Padres...
, Tom Goodwin and Rich Crane.
Draft
Zosky was drafted by Major League Baseball teams twice. Originally, he was drafted out of St. Paul High School by the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in the fifth round of the 1986 amateur draft
1986 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1986 Major League Baseball Draft was the 22nd MLB draft that took place in 1986. During this draft, five all-stars were drafted in five different teams.-First round selections:...
, 128th overall. He did not sign, choosing to attend college instead.
He was next drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays 19th overall in the first round of the 1989 draft
1989 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1989 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental first round selections:-External links:*...
, out of Fresno State University. He was one of three Fresno State University alum drafted in the first round that year, the others being Steve Hosey
Steve Hosey
Steven Bernard Hosey is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. He appeared in only 24 major league games, all with the San Francisco Giants....
(14th overall) and Tom Goodwin (22nd overall). It was the first time since the 1979 draft
1979 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1979 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 5-7, 1979, via conference call.-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1979 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :...
that one school had three different players selected in the first round. The last school to do it was the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. The Toronto Blue Jays gave Zosky a $185,000 ($ today) signing bonus.
Early minor league career
The initial plan was to have Zosky begin his professional career with the Dunedin Blue JaysDunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team based in Dunedin, Florida. They play in the Florida State League, and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club...
of the Single-A Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
. However, citing poor performances by his current shortstops, Double-A manager Barry Foote
Barry Foote
Barry Clifton Foote is a former American professional baseball player, scout, coach and minor league manager. Foote played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Montreal Expos , Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago Cubs , and New York Yankees...
had Zosky start with the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
Knoxville Blue Jays. He made his professional debut on July 4, collecting a hit and driving in the Knoxville Blue Jays lone run in his first professional game. He played 56 games at shortstop for the Knoxville Blue Jays, batting .221 with a .303 slugging percentage.
In 1990, Zosky was ranked the third best prospect in the Southern League. Though he attended Major League spring training, he spent the entire season in the minor leagues, playing for the Double-A Knoxville Blue Jays and hitting .271 in 115 games – tying William Suero
William Suero
Williams Suero Urban was a backup infielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly as a second baseman from through for the Milwaukee Brewers. Listed at 5' 9", 175 lb., Suero batted and threw right-handed...
for the team lead in triples with seven.
Prior to the 1991 season, Baseball America named Zosky the 22nd best prospect in professional baseball, ahead of Jeff Bagwell
Jeff Bagwell
Jeffrey Robert Bagwell , is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire fifteen-year Major League Baseball career as a first baseman for the Houston Astros and was a four-time All-Star...
(32nd), Chipper Jones
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
(49th) and Jim Thome
Jim Thome
James Howard "Jim" Thome is a Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is the eighth player to hit 600 home runs in the major leagues. He is widely considered a future Hall of Famer.-Cleveland Indians :...
(93rd). That season, he attended his second Major League spring training, and was in competition with Manuel Lee
Manuel Lee
Manuel Lora Lee is a former shortstop and second baseman for Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays , Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals...
and Rene Gonzales
Rene Gonzales
Rene Adrian Gonzales is a former Major League Baseball infielder in the major leagues from -.-External links:*...
for the starting shortstop position. However, after making six errors during the spring, he was deemed unready for Major League action and sent to minor league camp on April 1.
He spent most of the season with the Triple-A 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...
Syracuse Chiefs, hitting .264 with six home runs, 39 RBI and 69 runs. He led the team in both plate appearances and at-bats, and, despite committing 24 errors in the field, he led league shortstops with 221 putouts, 371 assists and 88 double plays. His performance landed him a spot on the 1991 International League All-Star Team, as well as a September 1 promotion to the major leagues.
Major league debut
Though Zosky spent the majority of the 1991 season with the Syracuse Chiefs, he made his Major League Baseball debut that season as well. He appeared in his first big league game on September 2, against the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore 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...
replacing shortstop Manuel Lee, who had been feeling dizzy and suffering from a stiff neck
Stiff neck
Stiff neck refers to an instance when one experiences discomfort or pain when trying to turn or move the neck. The muscle that is most commonly involved in cases of stiff neck is the levator scapulae....
, in the top of the fourth inning. In the fifth inning, facing pitcher Dave Johnson in his first at-bat, Zosky singled to left field. Later in the game, he was replaced by Rance Mulliniks
Rance Mulliniks
Steven Rance Mulliniks is a former Major League Baseball player.Originally drafted as a shortstop, Mulliniks made his major league debut in for the California Angels, batting .269 in 78 games...
.
So anticipated was Zosky's debut that Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
writer Dave Perkins compared Zosky's debut to Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
in 1925, asking "Did Manuel Lee just become Manuel Pipp?" (in reference to Gehrig usurping Wally Pipp
Wally Pipp
Walter Clement Pipp was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball, now best remembered as the man who lost his starting role to Lou Gehrig at the beginning of Gehrig's streak of 2,130 consecutive games....
's first base position that season). The next day, September 3, he made his first Major League start, again against the Baltimore Orioles. Batting ninth in the starting lineup, he collected zero hits in three at-bats, striking out twice against pitchers Ben McDonald
Ben McDonald
Larry Benard McDonald is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-High school:McDonald prepped at Denham Springs High School, which is about 10 minutes east of Baton Rouge, and was both a basketball and baseball standout.-College:A collegiate star at Louisiana State University in both basketball...
and Mike Flanagan.
He spent 18 games in total with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1991, batting .148 with two runs and two RBI in 27 at-bats. Though he did not hit a home run, two of his four hits were for extra bases—the first was a triple off of Bob Welch and the second was a double off a Denny Neagle
Denny Neagle
Dennis Edward Neagle Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was last under contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the season, but he did not play due to injury...
. He also drove in his first career RBIs against Welch, scoring John Olerud
John Olerud
John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
and Candy Maldonado
Candy Maldonado
Candido Maldonado Guadarrama is a former Major League Baseball outfielder from to for the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers. Chris Berman, a fellow ESPN analyst, called him the "Candyman"...
on the same play.
1992–1994: Zosky's Blue Jays career
Prior to the 1992 minor league baseball season, Baseball America ranked Zosky as the 82nd best prospect in professional baseball. Though he was expected to unseat Manuel Lee as the starting shortstop for the 1992 Major League season, he began the year with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs after posting a batting average of .151 and committing five errors during spring training. Rather than giving Zosky the backup job, the Blue Jays gave it to non-roster invitee Alfredo GriffinAlfredo Griffin
Alfredo Claudino Griffin is a former Major League Baseball player, who played shortstop for four teams from 1976 to 1993. He is currently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Playing career:...
, who had been signed previously.
He struggled early during the season with batting averages of .150 and .160 in April and May, respectively, and though he batted .350 in June, his season batting average was only .231. Following the conclusion of the 1992 minor league season in September, Zosky was promoted to the Toronto Blue Jays, with whom he appeared in eight games. He batted .286 in seven at-bats, with one of his two hits being a triple (which he hit off of Jose Mesa
José Mesa
José Ramón Nova Mesa [MAY-sah] is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. His nickname was "Joe Table," the literal translation of his name in the English language....
on September 14—exactly one year after his first career extra-base hit, which was also a triple). Following the 1992 regular season, Zosky played for the Tucson Javelinas in the newly formed Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
, hitting .326.
As early as January 1993, Zosky was expected to be the Toronto Blue Jays' starting shortstop for the 1993 regular season. However, later that month Zosky was shut down due to a muscle problem in his throwing elbow. To provide insurance in case Zosky floundered, the Toronto Blue Jays signed veteran free agent Dick Schofield
Dick Schofield
Richard Craig "Dick" Schofield was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played 14 seasons, spanning from 1983–96. Schofield played the majority of his career with the California Angels, but also played on the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays team that eventually won the World Series...
, who had played for the California Angels and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
the previous season. They also re-signed Alfredo Griffin and traded Kelly Gruber
Kelly Gruber
Kelly Wayne Gruber is a former Major League Baseball third baseman.-Early career:Gruber played baseball at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas where his number was later retired. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round of the 1980 amateur draft but did not see time with the team...
and cash to the California Angels for Luis Sojo
Luis Sojo
Luis Beltrán Sojo Sojo is a former Major League Baseball infielder and right-handed batter who played with the Toronto Blue Jays , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates...
, who would provide even further insurance in case Zosky failed. Though Zosky was expected to be the starting shortstop earlier in the year, by February Schofield was the leading contender for the position. Due to his struggles in 1992 – not only did he hit .231, he also committed 27 errors – and his injuries, the Blue Jays began looking beyond Zosky as the future starting shortstop for the team, paying more attention to their other prospect Alex Gonzalez.
After undergoing a surgery on his bad elbow to remove a bone spur on March 16, Zosky's starting prospects dimmed even further – he was placed on the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
on March 26, 1993, spending later some time in extended spring training. He returned to the playing field in late July, and played in 33 minor league games – five in a rehabilitation stint with the Hagerstown Suns
Hagerstown Suns
The Hagerstown Suns are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. They play in Municipal Stadium, which was opened in 1930 and seats 4,600 fans....
, for whom he hit .100 in 20 at-bats and 28 for the Syracuse Chiefs, for whom he hit .215 in 103 at-bats. Overall, he batted .195 with zero home runs and nine RBI, while committing five errors in the field. He did not play in the major leagues in 1993. Instead, Dick Schofield was the Opening Day starter, though Tony Fernandez
Tony Fernández
Octavio Antonio Fernández Castro , better known as Tony Fernández, is a former Major League Baseball player most noted for his defensive skills setting a record for shortstops with a .992 fielding percentage in 1989.-Career:...
seized the starting job after his June 11 trade to the Blue Jays from the New York Mets. Following the 1993 season, he played for the Scottsdale Scorpions
Scottsdale Scorpions
The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League located in Scottsdale, Arizona. They play their home games at Scottsdale Stadium....
in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
.
By 1994, Alex Gonzalez had all but replaced Zosky as the Blue Jays' shortstop of the future. Though he had some bright moments during that season's spring training, including a game-winning three-run home run in an exhibition game on March 23, Zosky had become relegated to back-up status as Dick Schofield was set to make another Opening Day start – this time as a placeholder for Gonzalez, rather than Zosky. As it turned out, Gonzalez won the starting shortstop job and was the Opening Day performer at that position. By April 28, however, Gonzalez was struggling, Schofield had retaken the starting shortstop position, and – because he was performing well with the Syracuse Chiefs – Zosky was back in the mix as a potential suitor for the position himself. Schofield retained a hold on the job, however, and Zosky spent the entire year in Triple-A with the Chiefs, batting .264 with seven home runs and 34 RBI in 85 games, rattling off a 16-game hitting streak at one point. Though he played a shortened season due to injury, he tied Robert Montalvo for the team lead in sacrifice hit
Sacrifice hit
In baseball, a sacrifice bunt is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder's choice...
s with six. Despite hitting .264, his on-base percentage was only .287 as he walked only nine times in 284 at-bats. Though a shortstop by trade, he played more games at second base (41) than shortstop (34) that season.
Florida Marlins
On November 18, 1994, Zosky's Blue Jays career came to an end when he was traded to the Florida MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
by for a player to be named later
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
, who ended up being minor league pitcher Scott Pace. That was the first trade ever made by new Blue Jays general manager Gord Ash
Gord Ash
Gordon Ian Ash is vice president and assistant general manager for the Milwaukee Brewers. He was the general manager for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1995 to 2001....
, who replaced Pat Gillick
Pat Gillick
Lawrence Patrick David Gillick is a retired American professional baseball executive. He was the general manager of four Major League Baseball teams, and guided two teams to three World Series championships in his career: in 1992 and 1993 titles with the Toronto Blue Jays, and a 2008 title with...
following the 1994 season. Zosky made the Marlins Opening Day roster for the 1995 season and on April 29, he played in his first major league game since October 4, 1992. Facing Trevor Wilson
Trevor Wilson (baseball)
Trevor Kirk Wilson , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1988–1993, 1995, and 1998....
of the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, Zosky singled in his first big league at-bat in over two seasons. He played the whole game, going 1-for-3 at the plate. Appearing in only six games at the major league level in 1995 (with the single in his first at-bat his only big league hit), Zosky spent most of the year with the Triple-A International League's Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
, to whom he was optioned after the Marlins cut their roster from 28 to 25 players on May 15. With Charlotte, he hit .247 with three home runs and 42 RBI in 92 games, walking only seven times in 312 at-bats. On October 16, he was granted free agency.
Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants
On January 24, 1996, Zosky signed a contract with the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore 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...
. He spent most of the season with the Orioles' Triple-A International League affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
, though he also spent a game with their rookie-level affiliate, the Gulf Coast League Orioles
Gulf Coast League Orioles
The Gulf Coast League Orioles are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Gulf Coast League. The Orioles were originally a team from 1991-2003, but were reactivated in 2007...
. That season, he hit a combined .257 with three home runs, 34 RBI and a career-high 23 doubles. With eight double plays grounded into, he tied Joe Hall
Joe Hall (baseball)
Joseph Geroy Hall is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played during three seasons in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 10th round of the 1988 amateur draft...
for the Red Wings team lead. On October 15, he was granted free agency by the Orioles.
On November 25, 1996, the San Francisco signed Zosky to a contract, making him a non-roster invitee to spring training. He was cut from the big league squad on March 17 and was assigned to minor league camp the following day. He then spent the entire 1997 season in Triple-A, playing for 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...
's Phoenix Firebirds
Phoenix Firebirds
The Phoenix Firebirds, formerly the Phoenix Giants, were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Phoenix, Arizona, USA from 1958-1959, and 1966 until 1997....
. He began the season with a bang, hitting a grand slam on April 6 against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
. In total, he played in 86 games that season, hitting .278 with nine home runs and 45 RBI. Defensively, he spent more games at third base (42) than at his natural shortstop position (30). On October 15, 1997, he was granted free agency by the Giants.
Milwaukee Brewers
On December 17, 1997, the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee 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...
signed Zosky as a free agent, inviting him to spring training. By the second week of the 1998 season's spring training, it looked as though Zosky would earn a spot on the Brewers' 25-man roster – he would eventually be cut after the Brewers purchased outfielder Eric Owens from the Florida Marlins, however, and spend the entire season with the Triple-A Louisville Redbirds. That season, he hit .245 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 90 games. He pitched for the first time in his career that season as well, appearing as a reliever in one game, allowing one hit and striking out the second batter he faced. He was granted free agency by the Brewers on October 15, but was re-signed on December 18 and given an invite to spring training.
Like in previous years, Zosky began the 1999 season in Triple-A, playing for the Louisville RiverBats. He remained with the RiverBats through late July, though after catcher Bobby Hughes went on the 15-day disabled list, the Brewers purchased Zosky's contract and brought him up to the major league team. He made his first major league appearance since May 14, 1995, when, on August 1, 1999, he pinch hit for Brewers pitcher Reggie Harris
Reggie Harris
Reginald Allen Harris is a former middle-relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played between and for the Oakland Athletics , Boston Red Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers...
in the sixth inning and remained in the game, replacing Ronnie Belliard
Ronnie Belliard
Ronald "Ronnie" Belliard is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman of Dominican descent.-Early life:Belliard attended Central High School in Miami, Florida...
at second base. In his first major league game in over four seasons, Zosky went 1-for-2 at the plate, collecting a single in his second at-bat off of Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
pitcher Dan Smith. Just a few days later, on August 5, he was assigned back to Louisville. He earned yet another promotion to the major leagues on September 5 with starting shortstop Mark Loretta
Mark Loretta
Mark David Loretta is a retired Major League Baseball infielder. Loretta played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Houston Astros , San Diego Padres , Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers...
injured and pitcher Chad Fox
Chad Fox
Chad Douglas Fox is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Fox played for the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Florida Marlins, and the Chicago Cubs. He won the 2003 World Series championship as a member of the Marlins...
placed on the 60-day disabled list. In total, he played in eight games for the Brewers that season, collecting one hit in seven at-bats for a .143 batting average. He had perhaps the best minor league season of his career in 1999, as he hit .294 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI (all career-highs). Following the season, on October 7, he refused a minor league assignment and became a free agent.
Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros
On January 18, 2000, the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
signed Zosky to a minor league contract, also offering him an invitation to spring training. On March 15, the Pirates assigned him to minor league camp. He began the 2000 season in the Pirates minor league system, playing in 53 games for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
(with whom he hit .221 with two home runs and 16 RBI) and in eight games for the rookie-level GCL Pirates (with whom he hit .333 with six doubles in 30 at-bats).
On August 23, he was traded to the 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...
for a player to be named later. He began his stint in the Astros organization in the minor leagues, playing in 11 games with the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs
New Orleans Zephyrs
The New Orleans Zephyrs are a minor league baseball team based in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The Zephyrs play in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. The Zephyrs play their home games at Zephyr Field....
and hitting .273 in 33 at-bats. On September 12, the Astros purchased his contract, bringing him up to the major league squad. The Astros used him sporadically after his promotion as he played in four games with them, collecting zero hits in four at-bats. His final appearance with the Astros, on October 1, would also be the final game of his professional career. On October 11, he became a free agent. No team ended up signing him. In the minor leagues that season, he hit a combined .247 with two home runs and 22 RBI in 72 games.
Jersey numbers and salaries
| Year | Team | Jersey Number(s) | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Toronto Blue Jays | 1 | Unknown |
| 1992 | Toronto Blue Jays | 1 | $109,000 |
| 1995 | Florida Marlins | 16 | Unknown |
| 1999 | Milwaukee Brewers | 45, 47 | Unknown |
| 2000 | Houston Astros | 23 | Unknown |