Keith Osik was a professional baseball player who played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams during his career. He was born on October 22, 1968, in Ravenna, Ohio, and attended Louisiana State University, where he played college baseball.
Osik was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 24th round of the 1990 MLB draft. He spent several years in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut with the Pirates in 1996. He played for the Pirates for five seasons, from 1996 to 2000, and was known for his strong defensive skills as a catcher.
In 2001, Osik signed with the Milwaukee Brewers as a free agent. He played for the Brewers for one season before being traded to the Colorado Rockies in 2002. He played for the Rockies for one season before being traded back to the Pirates in 2003.
Osik played for the Pirates for one more season before signing with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent in 2004. He played for the Orioles for one season before being released in 2005. He then signed with the Washington Nationals but was released before the start of the season.
Throughout his career, Osik was known for his strong defensive skills as a catcher. He had a career fielding percentage of .994 and threw out 32% of attempted base stealers. He was also known for his ability to handle pitchers and call a good game.
Offensively, Osik was not a major contributor. He had a career batting average of .231 with 14 home runs and 94 RBIs in 535 games. However, he was known for his ability to come through in clutch situations and was often used as a pinch hitter.
After his playing career, Osik became a coach and instructor. He worked as a catching instructor for the Pittsburgh Pirates and also coached at the high school and college levels.
Overall, Keith Osik had a solid career as a catcher in MLB. He was known for his strong defensive skills and ability to handle pitchers, although he was not a major contributor offensively. After his playing career, he continued to work in baseball as a coach and instructor.
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