Coskie traded to Brewers

January 7, 200620 yr

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=blue...ov=st&type=lgns

Blue Jays trade 3B Koskie to Brewers for minor leaguer

January 7, 2006

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) - With the acquisition of Troy Glaus, the Toronto Blue Jays had no room left for Corey Koskie.

The Blue Jays traded Koskie to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday for minor league righthander Brian Wolfe.

Toronto has had a busy offseason, signing free agent pitchers A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan and acquiring Glaus and first baseman Lyle Overbay in separate deals with Arizona and Milwaukee, respectively.

However, the trades left a surplus of corner infielders for the Blue Jays, who already had Shea Hillenbrand and Eric Hinske on the roster, making Koskie expendable.

Signed to a three-year, $17 million contract before last season, Koskie missed over two months due to a broken thumb and finished with a .249 average, 11 homers and 36 RBI in 97 games in his first season north of the border.

Koskie, 32, who spent the first seven seasons with Minnesota, is a career .277 batter with 112 homers and 473 RBI in 913 games. He will add a veteran presence to the Brewers' infield, which is planning on starting youngsters Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks and J.J. Hardy next season.

Bill Hall also figures to get some playing time in 2006.

"Corey is a demonstrated run-producer, has excellent defensive skills and brings postseason experience with him to our ballclub," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said. "His all-around abilities will be a key ingredient to our mix as we look to get to the next level competitively."

Pitching for Class A Brevard County, Class AA New Britain and Class AA Huntsville in 2005, the 25-year-old Wolfe posted a 5-2 record with eight saves.

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Sounds like nothing more than a salary dump to me, surprising move by the Blue Jays IMO. Good pick-up for the Brewers.

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