Baseball in Fort Wayne

Archive for October, 2007

He was the third highest paid Milwaukee Brewer this season, and he never took one at-bat. That’s because Koskie was injured on July 5, 2006 after chasing a popup into the shallow outfield and tumbling backward trying to make the catch. The ball bounced out of his glove and to shortstop Bill Hall. Hall secured the out, but Koskie suffered a concussion as a result of the fall.

Following the injury, Koskie has been limited to light activity. On October 19, 2007 the Brewers declined his $6.5 million option for 2008 and instead opted for a $500,000 buyout of the third baseman’s contract. However, Koskie now believes he has made sufficient progress the past six weeks that he can see himself playing again next season. [source: Star Tribune, ]

While he has not yet been medically cleared, after visiting with doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and working with a Twin Cities specialist, the 34-year-old Koskie no longer suffers from headaches or dizziness after light activities. He can lift weights and perform light exercises.

Koskie joined the Fort Wayne Wizards in 1995 as a 26th round draft selection of the Minnesota Twins. After playing several seasons with the Twins, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays before the 2005 season before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. While in Fort Wayne, he appeared in 123 games; posting a .310 batting average, 143 hits, 78 runs batted in and 16 home runs.

Corey Koskie appears on page 108 of Baseball in Fort Wayne. (Photograph courtesy of the Fort Wayne Wizards)

[tags]Baseball in Fort Wayne, Corey Koskie, Concussions, Comebacks[/tags]

With the 2007 season complete, I’m going to try an recap the seasons of those with local ties.

First up is third-baseman, Simon Klink, who is currently in the San Francisco Giants farm system. This season, he appeared in 117 games with the Double-A Connecticut Defenders. In 408 at-bats, he produced 107 hits with 11 home runs and 45 runs batted in en route to a .261 average.

Klink graduated from Canterbury High School and played ball at Purdue University before being drafted in the 21st round (number 640 overall) in the 2004 first year player draft. He was named to Northwest League In-Season All-Star team that year.

In 2006, while playing at High-A San Jose, Klink batted .233 in 98 games, with 9 HR’s, 34 RBI’s, 44 runs scored, and 2 stolen bases.

Photo by Dave Schofield; courtesy of the Connecticut Defenders

[tags]baseball in Fort Wayne, Simon Klink, Connecticut Defenders, San Francisco Giants, Purdue University[/tags]