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| Casey Blake | |
|---|---|
| Name | Casey Blake |
| Position | Third baseman / Utility player |
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| Birth date | 13 December 1973 |
| Birth place | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Debutleague | MLB |
| Debutdate | June 12 |
| Debutyear | 2001 |
| Debutteam | Cleveland Indians |
| Finalleague | MLB |
| Finaldate | September 28 |
| Finalyear | 2011 |
| Finalteam | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Stat1label | Batting average |
| Stat1value | .263 |
| Stat2label | Home runs |
| Stat2value | 106 |
| Stat3label | Runs batted in |
| Stat3value | 458 |
Casey Blake is an American former professional Major League Baseball infielder who played primarily as a third baseman and utility player during the 2000s. He spent time with the Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles organizations, and is best known for his tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers where he became a steady middle-of-the-order presence. Blake's career bridged transitions in sabermetrics-era analysis and traditional scouting during the 2000s.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Blake attended Wadsworth High School before playing college baseball at Wabash Valley College and later transferring to John A. Logan College and Shorter College. During his collegiate years he competed in National Junior College Athletic Association play and summer leagues that drew scouts from the Major League Baseball Draft. Blake's amateur performance attracted attention from professional organizations, leading to his selection in the 1996 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays organization, after earlier tryouts and showcases against prospects slated for MLB Rule 4 Draft consideration.
Blake began his professional career in the Minor League Baseball system with affiliates of the Toronto Blue Jays before moving through organizations including the Cleveland Indians system where he made his MLB debut on June 12, 2001. After stints with Kinston Indians and Akron Aeros level clubs, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and established himself as a regular starter from 2005 through 2009. While with the Dodgers he played alongside teammates such as Adrián Beltré, Rafael Furcal, Manny Ramirez, Andruw Jones, and worked under managers including Jim Tracy and Joe Torre. Blake later signed with the Baltimore Orioles for the 2011 season and finished his final major league appearances with the Dodgers in 2011 after a midseason trade and waiver movements that involved Major League Baseball transactions and roster rules such as free agency and the designated for assignment process. His professional timeline intersected with events like the 2008 Major League Baseball season and roster strategies influenced by Sabermetrics proponents in the front office of several clubs.
As a right-handed hitter and thrower, Blake combined gap power and situational hitting, contributing a career .263 batting average, 106 home runs, and 458 runs batted in. Scouts compared his approach to established infielders who emphasized on-base skills and gap-to-gap line drives, drawing comparisons to players from the 1990s and early 2000s eras. Defensively he logged significant innings at third base, with occasional appearances at second base and in corner outfield spots, reflecting the utility role valued by teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians. Advanced metrics during his career era—produced by groups like Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs contributors—highlighted his Wins Above Replacement and contextualized his value relative to contemporaries including David Wright, Scott Rolen, and Chase Utley.
Blake is married and has children, and has been involved in community activities and charity events often coordinated through team initiatives with organizations like Major League Baseball Players Association community programs and local Los Angeles-area nonprofits. He maintained residences in the Greater Los Angeles area and had offseason ties to Ohio where he grew up. Off-field, Blake engaged with player development conversations and alumni networks connected to former clubs such as the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Following retirement from active play, Blake remained connected to baseball through coaching clinics, youth baseball development programs, and appearances at alumni events hosted by teams and leagues including Major League Baseball alumni associations. His steadiness during the Dodgers' mid-2000s seasons is recalled by commentators and historians who cover the Dodgers' seasons and the broader shift toward analytical evaluation in roster construction. Blake's career is documented across statistical databases and oral histories preserved by organizations such as Baseball Hall of Fame research initiatives and regional sports halls that chronicle contributors from Ohio and California.
Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Major League Baseball third basemen Category:Cleveland Indians players Category:Los Angeles Dodgers players Category:Baltimore Orioles players Category:Baseball players from Ohio