Steve Karsay

Background

Karsay was born on March 24, 1972, in Flushing, New York, and grew up in the College Point neighborhood of Queens, near Shea Stadium. He attended Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village, Queens, where he became a prominent right-handed pitcher.

Karsay originally signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Louisiana State University, but entered professional baseball after the Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the first round of the 1990 amateur draft.

Education

Karsay graduated from Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village, New York, in 1990. The school, founded in 1962, is a Catholic secondary school in Queens whose athletic program has produced professional athletes in several sports.

He did not attend Louisiana State University after signing a letter of intent; instead, his selection by Toronto in the 1990 draft began his professional baseball career.

Career

The Toronto Blue Jays selected Karsay 22nd overall in the 1990 amateur draft. He began his professional career in the Blue Jays' minor-league system before being traded to the Oakland Athletics with José Herrera for Rickey Henderson on July 31, 1993. Karsay made his Major League debut for Oakland on August 17, 1993.

Karsay initially worked as a starter but later became primarily a middle reliever, setup man, and occasional closer. Injuries limited his availability, including elbow surgery in 1995, Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss the 1996 season, and shoulder surgery that kept him out of the 2003 season.

After returning to Oakland in 1997, Karsay joined the Cleveland Indians in 1998. He spent four seasons with Cleveland and had his strongest season there in 1999, going 10–2 with a 2.97 earned-run average in 50 appearances. In 2000, he also recorded notable success as a closer, finishing with 21 saves.

Cleveland traded Karsay and Steve Reed to the Atlanta Braves for John Rocker and Troy Cameron in June 2001. He finished that season with Atlanta before signing with the New York Yankees. In 2002, he went 6–4 with a 3.26 earned-run average in 78 games and became an important member of the Yankees' bullpen. He missed the 2003 season after shoulder surgery, returned to the Yankees in 2004, and spent part of 2005 with the Texas Rangers.

Karsay returned to Oakland for the 2006 season. His final Major League appearance came on June 17, 2006, when he pitched two scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers and earned the win in a 17-inning game. He announced his retirement on June 18, 2006. In 11 Major League seasons, he appeared in 357 games, including 40 starts, and finished with a 32–39 record, 41 saves, a 4.01 earned-run average, and 458 strikeouts.

Karsay began coaching in the Cleveland organization in 2012 as pitching coach of the Arizona League Indians. He later coached the Lake County Captains, Carolina Mudcats, and Columbus Clippers, Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate. On July 28, 2005, before entering professional coaching, he had joined Scott Feldman and A. J. Murray in throwing a nine-inning perfect game for the Frisco RoughRiders against the Corpus Christi Hooks; it was the first combined nine-inning perfect game in Texas League history.

In 2019, Karsay became bullpen coach of the Milwaukee Brewers, a position he held through the 2021 season. He later joined the Los Angeles Angels as bullpen coach for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, working with the club's relief pitchers and contributing to its Major League coaching staff.

Achievements

• Karsay was selected 22nd overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round of the 1990 Major League Baseball amateur draft and developed into a Major League pitcher.

• Karsay recorded a 10–2 record and a 2.97 earned-run average in 50 appearances for the Cleveland Indians in 1999.

• Karsay helped the New York Yankees' bullpen with a 6–4 record and a 3.26 earned-run average in 78 appearances during the 2002 season.

• On July 28, 2005, Karsay joined Scott Feldman and A. J. Murray in throwing a nine-inning perfect game for the Frisco RoughRiders against the Corpus Christi Hooks, the first combined nine-inning perfect game in Texas League history.

• Karsay completed an 11-season Major League career with 357 appearances, a 32–39 record, 41 saves, a 4.01 earned-run average, and 458 strikeouts.

Personality

Physical Characteristics: Karsay is a right-handed pitcher who was listed at approximately 6 feet 3 inches tall and 210 to 215 pounds during his playing career.

Interests

• Golf and fishing.

• Sport & Clubs

  Baseball

Connections

Karsay is married to Liana.

Wife:

Liana

References

• Baseball-Reference: Steve Karsay Provides Karsay's biographical information, draft history, Major League team record, playing statistics, and career dates.
• Society for American Baseball Research: Steve Karsay Documents Karsay's full name, birth date, birthplace, and professional baseball identity.
  2012
• MLB.com: Steve Karsay Provides Karsay's official Major League biography, career statistics, playing history, and selected personal information.