Minor-league lifer Coste: Every game like Game 7

By Joe Christensen, Star Tribune Staff Writer

Last update: October 28, 2008 - 11:25 AM

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PHILADELPHIA – Phillies catcher Chris Coste grew up in Fargo, N.D. and has vivid memories of the Twins winning their 1987 and 1991 World Series titles.

With the Phillies one victory from the same thrill, he was asked to describe his emotions.

"I don’t want to downplay it because I’m not," he said. "But with my path, every game during the regular season has always felt like the seventh game of the World Series."

Coste’s story was best told in his book, "The 33-Year-Old Rookie: How I Finally Made it to the Big Leagues After Eleven Years in the Minors."

He was a three-time Division III All-America at Concordia College and played five years of independent ball before Cleveland signed him to a minor-league contract in 2000. He spent 6½ more seasons in the minors before finally reaching the big leagues in 2006.

Now 35, Coste split time with Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz this year, notching career highs in games played (98), at-bats (274), hits (72), doubles (17) and home runs (nine).

Ruiz has caught every game this postseason, but Coste was the Phillies’ DH for Game 1 of the World Series.

Said Ruiz of Coste: "He’s my best friend on the team."

Manager Charlie Manuel, who knew Coste in the Cleveland organization, is thrilled for Ruiz but continues to mention his fondness for Coste.

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