Not to be confused with the Chicano Movement activist, Oscar Zeta Acosta.
Oscar Carlos Acosta (March 21, 1957 – April 19, 2006) was an American professional baseball player and pitching coach. After playing five seasons in the minor leagues, he became a minor league coach with several organizations. He had first joined the New York Yankees organization in 1996, spending three seasons as the pitching coach at Triple-A Columbus (1996–98). He spent three seasons as a major league pitching coach with the Chicago Cubs (2000-01) and the Texas Rangers (2002).
Acosta and another minor league coach were killed in an automobile accident while working for the Yankees in the Dominican Republic.
BiographyEdit
Acosta was born on March 21, 1957, in Portales, New Mexico. He played in the minors from 1978 to 1982. He debuted with the Helena Phillies, going 0–1 with a 9.00 ERA in five appearances. In 1979, he pitched for the Peninsula Pilots and had a career year, with a 10–7, 3.04 season. He finished 9th in the Carolina League in ERA. Returning to Peninsula in 1980, he only pitched in 9 games, going 2–0 with a 3.55 ERA, 2 saves and a shutout. He resurfaced in the 1982 Mexican Baseball League, posting a 0–3, 6.75 record for the Plataneros de Tabasco to complete his career.
Acosta began coaching in the Texas Rangers organization with the Butte Copper Kings in 1988. He coached the Gastonia Rangers (1989), GCL Rangers (1990, 1993), Tulsa Drillers (1991) and Oklahoma City 89ers (1992). Moving to the Chicago Cubs' organization, he then coached the Daytona Cubs (1994) and GCL Cubs (1995). Next he coached the Columbus Clippers (1996–1998) for the New York Yankees. He managed [1] the Cubs Class A Lansing Lugnuts in the Midwest League in 1999, and was then promoted to the major league level, serving as the pitching coach for the Chicago Cubs. Acosta was with the Cubs in 2000 and 2001; in his second year, the team's pitching staff reduced its ERA by more than a run and recorded a league-high strikeout total. However, Acosta did not get along well with manager Don Baylor; he resigned after the 2001 season and served as the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers in 2002.[2]
Acosta served as international coordinator of instruction as well as manager of the Gulf Coast Yankees of the Yankees' Gulf Coast team in Tampa since 2004, guiding the team to the Gulf Coast League championship in his final two seasons. Acosta resided in Florida. He and a colleague, Humberto Trejo, were killed in an automobile accident on April 19, 2006, while working in the Dominican Republic with the New York Yankees minor league system. Acosta had a wife and three children.[3] His son, Ryan, was drafted by the Cubs in the 2007 amateur draft.
ReferencesEdit
^"Oscar Acosta". BaseballReference.com. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
^Baumbach, Jim (April 21, 2006). "Ex-Cubs coach Acosta killed in car crash". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
^"Yanks' Acosta killed in car accident". MLB.com. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
External linksEdit
Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)
MWL Guide.com
October 21, 2023
oscar, acosta, baseball, confused, with, chicano, movement, activist, oscar, zeta, acosta, oscar, carlos, acosta, march, 1957, april, 2006, american, professional, baseball, player, pitching, coach, after, playing, five, seasons, minor, leagues, became, minor,. Not to be confused with the Chicano Movement activist Oscar Zeta Acosta Oscar Carlos Acosta March 21 1957 April 19 2006 was an American professional baseball player and pitching coach After playing five seasons in the minor leagues he became a minor league coach with several organizations He had first joined the New York Yankees organization in 1996 spending three seasons as the pitching coach at Triple A Columbus 1996 98 He spent three seasons as a major league pitching coach with the Chicago Cubs 2000 01 and the Texas Rangers 2002 Oscar AcostaPitcher Pitching coachBorn 1957 03 21 March 21 1957Portales New MexicoDied April 19 2006 2006 04 19 aged 49 Santo Domingo Dominican RepublicBatted RightThrew RightAcosta and another minor league coach were killed in an automobile accident while working for the Yankees in the Dominican Republic Biography EditAcosta was born on March 21 1957 in Portales New Mexico He played in the minors from 1978 to 1982 He debuted with the Helena Phillies going 0 1 with a 9 00 ERA in five appearances In 1979 he pitched for the Peninsula Pilots and had a career year with a 10 7 3 04 season He finished 9th in the Carolina League in ERA Returning to Peninsula in 1980 he only pitched in 9 games going 2 0 with a 3 55 ERA 2 saves and a shutout He resurfaced in the 1982 Mexican Baseball League posting a 0 3 6 75 record for the Plataneros de Tabasco to complete his career Acosta began coaching in the Texas Rangers organization with the Butte Copper Kings in 1988 He coached the Gastonia Rangers 1989 GCL Rangers 1990 1993 Tulsa Drillers 1991 and Oklahoma City 89ers 1992 Moving to the Chicago Cubs organization he then coached the Daytona Cubs 1994 and GCL Cubs 1995 Next he coached the Columbus Clippers 1996 1998 for the New York Yankees He managed 1 the Cubs Class A Lansing Lugnuts in the Midwest League in 1999 and was then promoted to the major league level serving as the pitching coach for the Chicago Cubs Acosta was with the Cubs in 2000 and 2001 in his second year the team s pitching staff reduced its ERA by more than a run and recorded a league high strikeout total However Acosta did not get along well with manager Don Baylor he resigned after the 2001 season and served as the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers in 2002 2 Acosta served as international coordinator of instruction as well as manager of the Gulf Coast Yankees of the Yankees Gulf Coast team in Tampa since 2004 guiding the team to the Gulf Coast League championship in his final two seasons Acosta resided in Florida He and a colleague Humberto Trejo were killed in an automobile accident on April 19 2006 while working in the Dominican Republic with the New York Yankees minor league system Acosta had a wife and three children 3 His son Ryan was drafted by the Cubs in the 2007 amateur draft References Edit Oscar Acosta BaseballReference com Retrieved October 3 2012 Baumbach Jim April 21 2006 Ex Cubs coach Acosta killed in car crash Chicago Tribune Retrieved June 19 2016 Yanks Acosta killed in car accident MLB com Retrieved October 3 2012 External links EditCareer statistics and player information from Baseball Reference Minors MWL Guide com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Oscar Acosta baseball amp oldid 1146087702, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
