Curt Leskanic

Curtis John Leskanic (born April 2 1968 in Homestead, Pennsylvania) is a former relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, and Kansas City Royals.

Curtis Leskanic was drafted in the 8th Round of the 1989 baseball amateur entry draft by the Cleveland Indians, but was then traded in 1992 to the Minnesota Twins with Oscar Munoz for Paul Sorrento. Later that same year, he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 1992 Expansion Draft. In 1993 he made his Major League debut with the Colorado Rockies.

In 2004, during the Kansas City Royals disastrous 58-104 season he was released on June 18 2004. On June 22, he was picked up by the Boston Red Sox and then made three appearances during the 2004 ALCS against the New York Yankees and was credited with the Game 4 win. His one and a third innings of shutout baseball during Game 4 were the last he would ever throw; he retired following the 2004 season. He did make a return to Fenway Park for Opening Day 2005; there he received his World Series ring, as well as a large ovation.

Trivia

• Curtis Leskanic had to stop in at the Yawkee Way Souvenir Store about a half hour prior to the Fenway ring ceremony, as he came to the park without a jersey. He got to cut everyone in line, and once people were told who he was, they didn't mind.
• Leskanic was a member of the inaugural Colorado Rockies team that began play in Major League Baseball in 1993.
• Leskanic (along with Dan Plesac and Roger Maris) is Croatian-American.
• During his playing days, Leskanic used to keep his right arm shaved as to lower wind resistance.
• Invoked memories of the Patriots' Lonnie Paxton's post victory snow angels by doing a "turf angel" in the outfield grass of Busch Stadium in St Louis after the Red Sox's victory in the 2004 World Series.