#casey kotchman

[this-day-in-baseball]

February 3, 2010

Casey Kotchman and the Mariners, who recently acquired the first baseman in a trade with Boston for Bill Hall, come to terms on a one-year deal worth $3,517,500. The 26-year-old slick-fielding infielder has not made an error in his last 1,584 chances, covering a span of 185 games.

[clevelandsweetspotting]

Here are a bunch of cards that I have gotten via Spring Training consignments or from some collectors selling off some cards:

Brian Anderson – Was a 1st round pick of the White Sox back in 2003, and was one of the biggest prospects in baseball from 2004-2005. Despite his great defense, he was never able to stick in the majors, and owns a career -0.2 WAR.

Juan Pierre – Will always be a favorite of mine. Spent 14 years in the majors making pitchers regret ever letting him get on first. Had 614 career stolen bases, putting him 18th all time. Unlike many speedsters, he also had a good bat, with a career slash of .295/.343/.361. Was never an All-Star, but led the league in stolen bases three times. Was a key member of the 2003 Florida World Series champion team.

Khris Davis – 7th Round pick out of Cal State back in 2009 by the Brewers. Was traded to the A’s for the 2016 season, and had a career year: 42 HR, 102 RBI and a 2.8 WAR. Other then his power spike this season, his career stats have been amazing consistent since making the majors:

Standard Batting Year Age Tm Lg AB HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ 2013 25 MIL NL 136 11 27 11 34 .279 .353 .596 .949 155 2014 26 MIL NL 501 22 69 32 122 .244 .299 .457 .756 106 2015 27 MIL NL 392 27 66 44 122 .247 .323 .505 .828 123 2016 28 OAK AL 555 42 102 42 166 .247 .307 .524 .831 126

4 Yr 4 Yr 4 Yr 4 Yr 1584 102 264 129 444 .249 .312 .504 .817 121 162 162 162 162 545 35 91 44 153 .249 .312 .504 .817 121

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 3/26/2017.

  Adam Ottavino – 1st round pick back in 2007 by the Cardinals. Got his autograph TTM when he was in college, so I have always been a fan. Unfortunately, I have never really been able to get him since he turned pro. Neither TTM or consignments really panned out–until this card. And this card didnt even turn out that great. But I will take it!

Since coming to the Rockies Ottavino has been a very good pen arm, though he has had his share of injuries. Still, he owns a career 5.8 WAR and 3.77 ERA over 228 games. Should play a big part on a Rockies team that should be very dangerous in 2017.

Casey Kotchman – Kotchman was a huge prospect while coming up through the Angels system, ranking twice the organizations #1 prospect (2001, 2003) and generally ranking in the Top 25 in all of baseball. He has had a couple moments as a pro, highlighted by his 2011 season with the Rays when he went .306/.378/.422 with 10 HR (good for a 3.6 WAR).

He was able to turn that season into a one year deal with the Indians, in which he immediately went back to sucking: .229/.280/.333 with 12 HR (good for a -0.9 WAR).

Was last in the majors in 2013 (21 at bats with Miami), though is still playing minor league ball.

Bartolo Colon – He will open the 2017 season as a member of the Braves, his 11th organization since breaking with the Indians in 1997. He has has a nice career: 233 wins (63rd all time, and 1st among active players), 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner and four time All-Star. Last season, at age 43, he went 15-8 with the Mets, adding 3.1 WAR to his career total of 48.0.

Garret Atkins – Was in the majors from 2003 to 2010. Had a really nice run from 2006-2008 with the Rockies, going .305/.369/.498, and averaging 25 HR. But his production dropped off a cliff in 2009, and he was retired by 2011. Career 3.9 WAR.

Chad Tracy – Was in the majors from 2004 to 2013. Had two really good seasons with Arizona, with a slash of .294/.350/.497 from 2005-2006, averaging 24 HR.. But his numbers took a dive in 2007, and he never really recovered. Career 5.4 WAR.

Corey Patterson – Another huge prospect who never really panned out. Was the Cubs #1 prospect in both 1998 and 2000, and ranked the #2 prospect in the game in 2000.

Would spent 12 seasons in the majors with nine different organizations. He only had one above league average season, in 2003 with the Cubs. He was never more than a 4th OF type, with a bad habit of striking out way too much. He would retire with a 9.6 WAR.

New Arrivals from 2017 Spring Training Here are a bunch of cards that I have gotten via Spring Training consignments or from some collectors selling off some cards:

[outsidepitchmlb]

Royals continue stellar offensive performance

Royals continue stellar offensive performance

Three games into their 2015 Spring Training schedule, the Kansas City Royals aren’t having any trouble scoring runs. So far, the big question mark of offense that most experts had about this team going into the season has been consistently good.

Kansas City put up 11 runs in today’s exhibition game against the Cleveland Indians, adding to their 18 through the first two games. Like in yesterday’s…

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[awyeahtbrays]

Former Rays in the Free Agency

I am going to try and get a little more indepth with the Rays this year (I'm expanding my baseball horizons to be much more involved in the sport that I love), so I'll be compiling lists and game projections throughout the off-season and the season.

This is a list of former Rays players and there current standings with the Major League. This list will be updated and reposted as things change within free agency. This list does not include former Rays players that are in the midst of multi-year contracts. Only those that are free agents this off-season

Adam Russell signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks Brandon Allen signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets Burke Badenhop was acquired by the Boston Red Sox Carlos Pena is a free agent Casey Kotchman is a free agent Cory Wade signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals Dan Johnson signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays Delmon Young is a free agent Dioner Navarro signed a 2 year, 8MM dollar contract with the Toronto Blue Jays Elliott Johnson is a free agent Fernando Rodney is a free agent Grant Balfour is a free agent J.P. Howell is a free agent James Loney is a free agent Jamey Wright is a free agent Jason Bartlett signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins Jason Bourgeois signed a minor league deal with the Cincinatti Reds Jeff Niemann is a free agent Jesse Crain is a free agent Joaquin Benoit is a free agent Jose Molina signed a 2 year, 4.5 MM dollar contract with the Tampa Bay Rays Juan Carlos Oviedo signed a 1 year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays Kelly Johnson signed 1 year, 3MM dollar contract with the New York Yankees Kelly Shoppach is a free agent Kyle Farnsworth is a free agent Luke Scott is a free agent Matt Garza is a free agent Nevin Ashley signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates Reid Brignac signed a minor league deal with the Philidelphia Phillies Roberto Hernandez is a free agent Russ Canzler signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees Ryan Roberts is a free agent Sam Fuld is a non-tendered free agent Scott Kazmir signed a 2 year, 22MM dollar contract with the Oakland Athletics Wesley Wright signed a 1 year, 1.425MM deal with the Chicago Cubs Wilking Rodriguez signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals

Many Rays players are inking minor league deals, but there are still several big Rays names in play out there and I'll be updating the list as I see them getting signed.

[dugoutdigest]

Notable Free Agents Remaining as Spring Training Begins

With Michael Bourn finally signing a contract with the Cleveland Indians, most of the big name free agents have found a team. However, there are still many players who are, at the very least, interesting possibilities for Major League squads. Here are some of the more notable players still available:

1B Aubrey Huff

Huff has spent the last three year in San Francisco. During that span, he had a career best season in 2010 when he hit .290/.385/.506 with 26 home runs on route to posting 6.2 fWAR. Huff has fallen hard the last two seasons, however, and was used almost exclusively as a pinch hitter in 2012. He could help a team in that role and as a backup 1B/OF potentially. You never know, he could also see a new resurgence with his bat as well.

1B Casey Kotchman

The slick-fielding first baseman was the Indians starter in 2012, posting just a .271 wOBA with 12 home runs. Is he done? Or was it just an off year for an aging player? He posted virtually the same hitting line in 2010 with the Mariners before signing with the Rays and hitting .306/.378/.422. It's hard to see him coming back like that again but, like Huff, Kotchman could potentially be brought in as a pinch hitter.

1B Carlos Lee

Are you seeing a trend? Lee is another guy who could be a decent pinch hitter for a team and, in a pinch could back up at first base. In a real big pinch, he could also take over left field. His power numbers have been dropping, but he still has some pop for a bench bat and his OBP should remain fairly good.

DH Jim Thome

There's something indescribably sad about the fact that Thome might fade into a forced retirement rather than to have a true celebratory final game. He has quietly been one of the greatest hitters of his generation as well as consistently being called one of the all-around nicest guys in the game. Thome has hit 612 home runs (seventh all-time) and posted a career .402 OBP with six teams over a 22 year career. He proved last season he still had a little gas in the tank, but he can't play the field anymore and that very well may have been all the gas he had. If Thome doesn't sign on with anyone, his career is likely over.

2B Orlando Hudson

The four time Gold Glove Award winner had the worst hitting season of his career in 2012, posting a dreadful .252 wOBA. He hasn't had an above average hitting season since 2009. Working in his favor? He can still play second base, which is not a strong position at the current moment. However, that is all he has played in his career, which mitigates his value on the bench. A one position player who can't help in pinch hitting situations does not have much value.

2B Adam Kennedy

Instead, teams may look at Kennedy, who has played every position except catcher over his career, though he has only played a handful of games in the outfield and just one game at shortstop. Kennedy is no great shakes with the bat either, however. He can get on base a little bit, but has no other redeemable qualities at the plate.

2B Freddy Sanchez

Sanchez missed all of 2012 after undergoing back surgery. That's a pretty big medical red flag as he became a free agent. He has had a surprisingly useful big league career with the Pirates and Giants, hitting for a high (but mostly empty) batting average. Again, second base is a thing position, but the medical issues could scare off potential suiters.

SS/2B Ryan Theriot

Theriot is nothing if not consistent. His batting averages the last three years have been .270, .271, .270 while his OBPs have been .321, .321, and .316. He still has the ability to steal 20 bases given consistent playing time and can play two key positions. How well he can play either position is up for debate, but he won't be a butcher at the very least. He's one of the surest bets at the plate available among position players.

SS Jason Bartlett

Bartlett has had one excellent season in his career, back in 2009 with the Rays when he posted an .879 OPS with 30 stolen bases. Unfortunately, it has been downhill from there for Bartlett as he bottomed out with a .107 wOBA in just 29 games last season, at least partly due to a right knee strain that landed him on the DL.The one-time All Star was once a premiere defender at shortstop, but his skills have eroded. He may need to prove he can play multiple positions if he wants a chance to stick with a team.

3B Scott Rolen

Is Rolen a future Hall of Famer? Right now, he is likely on the cusp. That doesn't mean he hasn't had a great career, though. If he had not been plagued by injuries the past six years, he might be considered a lock. He certainly had a fantastic glove in the hot corner, and at his peak was an MVP candidate with the bat. Now his bat is nowhere near what it used to be and he can't be relied upon to stay on the field. Like Thome, it would be a shame to see Rolen retire due to nobody wanting him.

DH Bobby Abreu

Abreu is an American League player at this point. He can't play the field, but as a platoon or backup DH, he still has use as a high OBP guy. He has lost most of the power his bat once had, but someone who can still get on base at around a .350 clip can still have value. Does anyone have a need for an aging part-time DH, though?

OF Scott Podsednik

It's a little bit surprising that Podsednik has been unable to stay on a major league squad the last couple of seasons. After spending all of 2011 in the minors, he played 63 games for the Red Sox in the midst of their injury woes. For a quick replacement, Boston could have done much worse as Podsednik hit .302 on the season with them. He's lost a step at this point and is nowhere near the stolen base threat he once was, but he hits and defends well enough to be a pretty good fifth outfielder. He may be a top option once again if another team suffers a rash of injuries.

OF Grady Sizemore

Can you believe Sizemore is just 30 years old? Sizemore was once supposed to be the next big thing early in his career. He had it all: He could get on base, hit for average, hit for power, defend, and steal bases. He was a Gold Glove center fielder while hitting .281/.372/.496 and averaging 27 home runs and 29 stolen bases a year through his first four full seasons. He was going into his prime and many wondered just where the former Baseball-America #9 overall prospect would peak. Sadly for the baseball world, injuries came into play during the 2008 season and he has missed a ton of games since, including the entire 2012 season. When he did play, he was obviously not the same old Grady. If he's at all healthy, a team could get him on a very low risk, high reward deal. Just imagine of he finds that spark again. Any deal he does sign is unlikely to come before midseason.

C Matt Treanor

He's not a good hitter, and he hasn't received a ton of praise for his defense. But he is probably the best catcher left, which means something. Also, he's married to Misty May, and that is notable enough in my book.

SP Kyle Lohse

Lohse is the big free agent left. Once rumored to be seeking a salary just below Anibal Sanchez's new contract, Lohse remains unsigned at the start of Spring Training. He has posted a 3.39 ERA and a 2.86 ERA the past two seasons, but had just one other year with an ERA under 4.00 before that in a career that began in 2001. For most of his career, he was really bad. That may be scaring teams away. Also keeping teams away: The fact that they would have to lose their top draft choice if they were out of the top ten in standings last year. Eventually, Lohse's demands will drop to the point where a team will sign him. That will come sooner than later, in all likelihood.

SP Derek Lowe

He's probably done at this point after two consecutive 5.00+ ERA seasons on a way overpriced contract. He had a small resurgence pitching out of the bullpen for the Yankees, but there probably isn't a team that will bother with a 40 year old who looks like he doesn't have anything left to give anymore.

SP Carl Pavano

He's not quite as old as Lowe, which may end up allowing him to receive one more shot if a team is desperate enough to give him one. He hasn't been able to strike anyone out in a while now. He may still be excellent at not limiting walks, but he was dreadful in 2012 in every other respect. Again, it will take either an act of desperation or a GM that is way to in love with veteran leadership for Pavano to latch on anywhere.

SP Javier Vazquez

Vazquez is another old veteran, but unlike the other two he was rumored to be getting his fastball up into the mid-90s while playing in Winter League Ball. He didn't play in 2012 after saying he would retire following a nice 2011 season with the Marlins, but is reportedly interested in a comeback with a contender. It won't take a big contract to get him, and he may be worth looking into. There isn't much middle ground with Vazquez, though. He will either be a boom (2009, 2011) or a bust (2010).

SP Carlos Zambrano

Two consecutive bad seasons have hurt Zambrano's stock, which already wasn't as high as it perhaps could have been due to a few too many burning bridges. Zambrano is certainly talented and is still just 31 years old. He could find a return to form in 2013 if he finds the right situation. What kind of situation that entails is very uncertain. But he may be a good flier for a team that thinks they can reel him back when he needs to be.

RP Francisco Rodriguez

Has one bad year and another case of alleged domestic assault damaged K-Rod's reputation so badly that he won't pitch in 2013? Despite a 4.38 ERA last season, Rodriguez has a career 2.70 ERA and set a record for most saves in a season back in 2008 with the Angels. Nobody's bullpen is so good that they couldn't use a pitcher of Rodriguez's caliber. It's just a matter of who wants to take a risk on his personality and potential legal troubles. He won't be a P.R. boon.

RP Jose Valverde

He has been a closer for just about all of his career and has had just one really bad year over that time, back in 2006. Last year he had a 3.78 ERA though his K/9--once solidly in double digits--fell all the way to 6.26. Valverde also lost his closer job for the playoffs. He can also have an abrasive personality as he gets just a little too competitive at times. Has that turned teams away? Is he asking for too much money at this point? Whatever it is, him being available yet is one of the bigger surprises of free agency. It also helps prove that the market for closers has really shrunk the past couple of years.

RP Brian Wilson

The eccentric right hander definitely has a polarizing personality. His talent speaks for itself, however, and if he hadn't undergone the second Tommy John surgery of his career about ten months ago he would still have a job. It's hard for teams not to be concerned about multiple reconstructive elbow surgeries and, if the timetable on Tommy John holds true, he is still a ways from returning. Normal recovery time is at least a year--Wilson is still a couple months away from that. He'll get signed at some point, but he might be the best candidate for an in-season signing.

[nosebleedhooligans-blog]

MLB HOT STOVE: Does 1B Loney have what it takes to do the 2011 Kotchman revival?

   Because of how good Tampa Bay Rays VP Andrew Friedman is at finding copper wiring at junkyard and how well manager Joe Maddon uses them, it's easy to connect the team's new first baseman with someone who passed through about two years ago. 

   Both were thought to be slugging first base prospects who enjoyed reasonable success early in their careers, until too many at bats, or being found out by opposing teams, or for whatever reason, revealed them to be mediocre hitters with good to above average defense. 

   The Rays didn't sign Loney thinking he'd replicate Kotchman's success in Tampa Bay, at least I don't think so. 

  From 2004 to 2010, Kotchman hit .259 BA / .326 OBP / .392 OPS, averaging about 13 home runs a season and about 31 doubles per year, though he's never hit more than 10 home runs in a season. He's had the misfortune of playing in big parks, like in Anaheim and Safeco during that span, though in his first big league season, his 119 adjusted OPS gave hope of impending power. 

   It didn't come, and Kotchman eventually bounced around, but not before netting the Angels Mark Teixeira, who consequently got the team Mike Trout after the Yankees ponied up a compensation pick for signing the switch-hitting first baseman. 

  And then he went to Tampa Bay and exploded for a .306 BA / .378 OBP / .422 SLG / 127 adjusted OPS, all well above his career averages. OK, so luck helped, because he had a career high .335 BABIP. He still walked and struck out at the same rate, while committing worm genocide maintaining his 55 percent groundball rate. 

  I'm not sure Loney's gonna be that lucky. For one thing, Loney can't outrun a Molina brother. His career walk and strikeout rates don't compare favorably to Kotchman's. But man is that glove whack, more so than Kotchman's if advanced metrics are to be believed (based on the eye test they're about the same).

   I probably shouldn't be nitpicking now, because by the time we know it, the Rays could be welcoming Mike Morse, or acquire another real slugging first baseman. Their pitching depth gives them enough room to barter for Kansas City's Eric Hosmer. Thing is there's always someone better out there, and this time, the Rays might actually have a shot through trade. 

   Loney can't be as horrible as Carlos Pena was last season when the Trop favorite all but disappeared from the box score. He's not a perfect solution. Though his numbers look the same as Kotchman's, he doesn't have the same plate discipline (probably because he's a guess hitter with uber slower hands), nor the base running to tilt luck to his side. 

  In an ideal world, Loney would be a defensive replacement at best. But that's the kind of world the Rays don't live in. And at least Tampa Bay has a first baseman on its 40-man roster. You can never be safe about these things. 

[awyeahtbrays]

03/25 of Casey Kotchman