Steve Karsay

{{Short description|American baseball player & coach (born 1972)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Steve Karsay

|team=Los Angeles Angels

|image=Steve Karsay (cropped).jpg

|image_size=175

|caption=Karsay at As Sayliyah Army Base in 2009

|number=86

|position=Pitcher / Coach

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1972|3|24}}

|birth_place=Flushing, New York, U.S.

|death_date=

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 17

|debutyear=1993

|debutteam=Oakland Athletics

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=June 17

|finalyear=2006

|finalteam=Oakland Athletics

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=32–39

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=4.01

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=458

|teams=

Oakland Athletics ({{mlby|1993}}–{{mlby|1994}}, {{mlby|1997}})
Cleveland Indians ({{mlby|1998}}–{{mlby|2001}})
Atlanta Braves ({{mlby|2001}})
New York Yankees ({{mlby|2002}}, {{mlby|2004}}–{{mlby|2005}})
Texas Rangers ({{mlby|2005}})
Oakland Athletics ({{mlby|2006}})

As coach

Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|2019}}–{{mlby|2021}})
Los Angeles Angels ({{mlby|2024}}–present)

}}

Stefan Andrew Karsay (born March 24, 1972) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics (1993–94, 1997, 2006), Cleveland Indians (1998–2001), Atlanta Braves (2001), New York Yankees (2002, 2004–05), and Texas Rangers (2005). He later served as the bullpen coach for the Milwaukee Brewers (2019–2021). He is the current bullpen coach for the Los Angeles Angels.

Early life and amateur career

Karsay grew up in the College Point neighborhood in Queens, New York City, just a few miles from Shea Stadium."Closing suits Karsay", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 25, 2001, "Karsay, 29, grew up in College Point, NY, five miles from Shea Stadium." Karsay was a "star pitcher" at Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village, Queens. He initially committed to play college baseball at Louisiana State.{{cite news |last1=Harvin |first1=Al |title=Xaverian Takes Title In Catholic League |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1990/06/05/046490.html?pageNumber=48 |access-date=13 April 2022 |work=New York Times |date=June 5, 1990 |language=en}} He was named the Gatorade High School Baseball Player of the Year for New York in 1990.{{cite web |title=Steve Karsay 1989 - 1990 NEW YORK BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR |url=https://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/winner/steve-karsay/20686 |website=playeroftheyear.gatorade.com |publisher=Gatorade |access-date=13 April 2022}}

Professional career

A 1st round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1990, Karsay was traded to the Athletics along with outfielder José Herrera for Rickey Henderson on July 31, 1993. A starter in his early days with the Athletics, Karsay worked mostly in middle relief and as a set-up man from 1998 on, although he also had some notable success as a closer in 2000 with the Indians and 2002 with the Yankees.

His career was marred by injuries, causing him to miss the 1995 (elbow surgery), 1996 (Tommy John surgery) and 2003 (shoulder surgery) seasons; in all, he was on the disabled list seven times.[http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060516&content_id=1456827&vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak Ryan Quinn. Notes: Karsay returns to Oakland, MLB.com, 5/16/2006] {{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On July 28, 2005, together with Scott Feldman and A. J. Murray, he threw a perfect game against the Corpus Christi Hooks. It was the first combined nine-inning perfect game in Texas League history, and the third overall.[http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/050729dish.html "Baseball America's Daily Dish"], Baseball America, 7/29/05, accessed 8/14/09[http://www.caller.com/ccct/hooks/article/0,1641,CCCT_17996_3963027,00.html Rajan, Greg, "Pitchers perfect: It's 27 up, 27 down as CC falls to Frisco"], Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 7/29/05, accessed 8/14/09 {{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Finally, at age 34, Karsay announced his retirement on June 18, 2006, the day after pitching two scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers and getting the win in a 17-inning marathon for the Athletics. He finished his 11-year Major League career with a 32–39 record, 41 saves, and a 4.01 ERA in 357 career appearances, including 40 starts.[http://athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060618&content_id=1512688&vkey=pr_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak Press Release. A's reliever Karsay announces retirement, Oakland Athletics, 6/18/2006.]{{dead link|date=October 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} [http://athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060618&content_id=1512243&vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak Rick Eymer. Notes: Karsay ends career the right way, MLB.com, 6/18/2006]{{dead link|date=October 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

Coaching

In 2012 the Cleveland Indians hired Karsay as pitching coach for the rookie-level AZL Indians.{{cite news | url = http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/12/steve_karsay_scott_erickson_hi.html | title = Steve Karsay, Scott Erickson hired as minor league pitching coaches by Cleveland Indians | newspaper = Cleveland | date = 2011-02-02}} In 2016, Karsay was promoted to be the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians Class-AAA affiliate, the Columbus Clippers.{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-490989 | title=Coaching Staff }}

Karsay was hired by the Milwaukee Brewers as their bullpen coach on November 19, 2018.{{cite news |last1=Hoynes |first1=Paul |title=Class AAA pitching coach Steve Karsay leaves Cleveland Indians to become Milwaukee Brewers' bullpen coach |url=https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2018/11/class-aaa-pitching-coach-steve-karsay-leaves-cleveland-indians-to-become-milwaukee-brewers-bullpen-coach.html#incart_river_index |publisher=Cleveland.com |date=November 20, 2018}} He stepped down following the 2021 season to spend more time with his family.{{cite web|last=McCalvy|first=Adam|title=Henderson, Erickson Promoted to MLB Staff|url=https://www.mlb.com/brewers/news/brewers-promote-jim-henderson-and-matt-erickson|website=Milwaukee Brewers|publisher=Major League Baseball|date=January 18, 2022|access-date=January 18, 2021}}

On November 30, 2023, Karsay was hired as the new Los Angeles Angels bullpen coach.{{cite web | url=https://www.si.com/mlb/angels/news/angels-hire-new-bullpen-coach-under-ron-washington-nc2000 | title=Angels Hire New Bullpen Coach Under Ron Washington | date=November 28, 2023 }}