Charles Keith Cottier (born January 8, 1936) is a former second baseman, manager, coach and scout in American Major League Baseball.Born in Delta, Colorado, Cottier graduated from Grand Junction High School, where he lettered in four sports β baseball, basketball, football and wrestling.
He was a good-fielding, light-hitting infielder during his nine-year big league playing career.
He appeared in 580 games and compiled a lifetime batting average of .220 with 19 home runs with the Milwaukee Braves (1959β60), Detroit Tigers (1961), Washington Senators (1961β65), and California Angels (1968β69).
Cottier batted and threw right-handed, standing 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) and weighing 178 pounds (81 kg).
His playing career ended in May 1969 when he sustained an Achilles tendon injury as a member of the Angels.
He began his minor league managing career in 1971.
Cottier was in his third season as the Seattle Mariners' third base coach in 1984 when manager Del Crandall was fired with 27 games left and Cottier was appointed interim manager on September 1.
He led the team through 1985 and into the first 28 games of 1986.
With the M's at 9β19, sixth in the AL West, Cottier was fired on May 8 and succeeded by interim manager Marty MartΓnez for one game before Dick Williams took over.
His career record as a major league manager was 98β119 (.452).Cottier also was a coach for the New York Mets (1979β81), Chicago Cubs (1988β94), Baltimore Orioles (1995), and Philadelphia Phillies (1997β2000); he was a major league scout for the New York Yankees, and a special assistant to the general manager for the Washington Nationals.