Cubs Sign Koskie to Minor League Deal

[Tim]

Official Press Release:

 

 

MESA, AZ – The Chicago Cubs and infielder Corey Koskie have agreed to terms on a 2009 minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training. The deal is pending Koskie passing a physical.

 

Koskie is scheduled to report to Team Canada next week and will participate in the World Baseball Classic. He will report to Cubs camp following Canada’s participation in the WBC.

 

The 35-year-old Koskie is a career .275 hitter (936-for-3399) with 223 doubles, 124 home runs and 506 RBI in all or part of nine major league seasons with Minnesota (1998-2004), Toronto (2005) and Milwaukee (2006), covering 989 games. The left-handed hitter recorded 20 or more doubles in each of his last eight big league campaigns, including a career-high 37 doubles in 2001 and 2002. Koskie owns a career .367 on-base percentage and .458 slugging percentage, good for a .825 OPS (on-base plus slugging).

 

Koskie has primarily played third base, turning in a .966 fielding percentage throughout his big league career. His .966 fielding percentage ranked sixth among all major league third basemen from 1998-2006 (minimum 900 games played).

 

The six-foot-three, 220-pounder most recently played in the majors with Milwaukee in 2006 when his season was cut short due to a concussion he suffered on July 5 against Cincinnati. He batted .261 (67-for-257) with 23 doubles, 12 home runs and 33 RBI in 76 games in 2006.

 

Koskie batted a career-best .310 with 21 doubles, 11 home runs and 58 RBI in 117 games with the Twins in 1999, the first time he spent the majority of a season in the big leagues. After batting .300 with a .400 on-base percentage in 146 games in 2000, Koskie turned in his best season in 2001 when he set career highs with 26 home runs, 100 runs scored and 103 RBI in 153 games with the Twins. He helped lead the Twins to three consecutive post-season appearances from 2002-04.

 

Following the 2004 campaign, Koskie signed a three-year free agent contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was traded to Milwaukee for pitcher Brian Wolfe prior to the 2006 campaign.

[cubsfan26]

With Koskie playing in the WBC you think it might be kinda hard for him to make the team. So I wonder how long Koskie is willing to play in Triple A, if he doesn't make the team. Because I don't see Gathright getting cut, or Hoffpauir not making the team out of spring training, if he keeps hitting like he has.

[TruffleShuffle]

what was he doing in 2007-08?

 

he used to be pretty good when he was on the twins.

[E.J.]

what was he doing in 2007-08?

 

he used to be pretty good when he was on the twins.

 

Didn't he have issues with concussions?

[cubbinalltheway]

here's that back up for aramis people were wondering about.

 

can he play anywhere other than 3b? i know that's the only place he's played this decade, but you never know.

[nilodnayr]

With Koskie playing in the WBC you think it might be kinda hard for him to make the team. So I wonder how long Koskie is willing to play in Triple A, if he doesn't make the team. Because I don't see Gathright getting cut, or Hoffpauir not making the team out of spring training, if he keeps hitting like he has.

 

Yeah, he obviously isn't making our team nor did he have the chance of making any other team out of ST. After being out for so long it will take more than a few weeks to prove that hes healthy and back in playing shape.

 

I'm guessing his contract has out clauses if hes not on the ML roster by so and so date.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I wouldnt think too much into it. Hes probably just there to keep Harden and Dempster company in ST like Taguchi and Kadohura are for Kosuke.

[Tarver]

Cubs should sign Terrence Long and Ray King so Gathright and Lee have company.

[BCVM22]

"He can back up at third, back up at first, hit off the bench," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "Why not?"

 

Right then... :-k

[Post Count Padder]

Cubs should sign Terrence Long and Ray King so Gathright and Lee have company.

Not gonna lie, I forgot he even existed.

[BigbadB1679666149]

what was he doing in 2007-08?

 

he used to be pretty good when he was on the twins.

 

Didn't he have issues with concussions?

 

He had some sort of career threatening injury.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

This is a smart deal. Koskie's performance never declined, so if he's healthy and recovered from the head stuff, then he could be a nice asset. Plus, we're already 1 for 1 in helping concussion-addled players turn in good seasons.

[Guest]

This is a smart deal. Koskie's performance never declined, so if he's healthy and recovered from the head stuff, then he could be a nice asset. Plus, we're already 1 for 1 in helping concussion-addled players turn in good seasons.

Sosa?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Edmonds

[Guest]

So you meant more recently!

 

Actually, that beaning was kind of the beginning of the end for Sammy.

[dew1679666265]

With Koskie playing in the WBC you think it might be kinda hard for him to make the team. So I wonder how long Koskie is willing to play in Triple A, if he doesn't make the team. Because I don't see Gathright getting cut, or Hoffpauir not making the team out of spring training, if he keeps hitting like he has.

 

Bruce's blog:

 

I’m told that if Koskie doesn’t make the big-league roster, he’s open to playing at Class AAA Iowa for at least 30 days.

[Sammy Sofa]

So you meant more recently!

 

Actually, that beaning was kind of the beginning of the end for Sammy.

 

Kind of?

 

I'll give it an ironclad "definitely."

[inari]

So is there any chance he won't make the major league roster? I kind of doubt it.

[Bixby]

I got a kick out of the last line of the article on cbc.ca, "Koskie will join the Cubs once Canada is eliminated from the tournament." Not much WBC optimism coming from Canada.

[nilodnayr]

I got a kick out of the last line of the article on cbc.ca, "Koskie will join the Cubs once Canada is eliminated from the tournament." Not much WBC optimism coming from Canada.

 

Hahaha, thats awesome.

[SouthSideRyan]

I like this. Koskie was everybody's backup plan when Aramis was up for free agency IIRC.

[nilodnayr]

So is there any chance he won't make the major league roster? I kind of doubt it.

 

Incorrect, I doubt he won't not make the ML team if he isn't not unhealthy.

[NCCubFan]

With Koskie playing in the WBC you think it might be kinda hard for him to make the team. So I wonder how long Koskie is willing to play in Triple A, if he doesn't make the team. Because I don't see Gathright getting cut, or Hoffpauir not making the team out of spring training, if he keeps hitting like he has.

 

Bruce's blog:

 

I’m told that if Koskie doesn’t make the big-league roster, he’s open to playing at Class AAA Iowa for at least 30 days.

Confirmed in an article on cubs.com.

[NCCubFan]

Koskie and Kosuke both on the Cubs. Too bad Harry isn't with us anymore; I'd love to hear him try to deal with that. It would be Sandberg and Sundberg all over again.

[Bruce Miles]

With Koskie playing in the WBC you think it might be kinda hard for him to make the team. So I wonder how long Koskie is willing to play in Triple A, if he doesn't make the team. Because I don't see Gathright getting cut, or Hoffpauir not making the team out of spring training, if he keeps hitting like he has.

 

Bruce's blog:

 

I’m told that if Koskie doesn’t make the big-league roster, he’s open to playing at Class AAA Iowa for at least 30 days.

Confirmed in an article on cubs.com.

 

You have to confirm what I've told you?