Casey Kotchman, 2009 Fantasy Sleeper
March 18, 2009
Category: 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers
Because Casey Kotchman is most noteworthy (in my eyes) for having the longest known case of mononucleosis, it makes sense he’d be considered a sleeper. Only, not necessarily, a fantasy baseball sleeper. More like a Prince Valium one. After the trade to the Braves last year, Casey Kotchman hit 2/20/.237. “Write him off as a once interesting prospect that never reached his potential,” says some random crotchety old baseball scout. I hear ya, random old baseball crotchety scout, but I find something making me keep come back to him. Sorta like my man-wood for Alex J. Gordon. Maybe I can’t let a bad thing die. This would explain every previous relationship that I’ve ever been in prior to the current one. So what is it that excites me about Casey Kotchman in 2009 fantasy baseball?
In 373 ABs for the Angels last year, Kotchman hit 12/54/.287 before taking a dump with the Tomahawks. Now whether his numbers plunged with the Braves because he wasn’t happy with the trade or because he wasn’t familiar with the NL pitchers, I’m not sure. For someone who lost nine months of his life to a kissing disease that high schoolers rebound from after two weeks, anything is possible. Either way, he is more of the hitter we saw pre-All-Star Break with the Angels than he was on the Braves. He had a .325 average in the minors with Jason Kendall-esque power. Kotchman pounds the ball into the ground way too much to be any sort of real power threat. (And he doesn’t have the speed to make all of those grounders worthwhile.) I’d put Kotchman’s 2009 projections being near 70/16/85/.285/2. Numbers that make him very comparable to James Loney or other first baseman sleeper Kendry Morales. I know, it’s not a ringing endorsement, but considering Loney is near the top 20 for 1st basemen and Kotchman is being drafted with the likes of Kevin Millar and Lyle Overbay, Kotchman has sleeper potential. So, let’s qualify how excited I am about Casey Kotchman. Not really that excited. If Mark Grace and Sean Casey had a baby, it’d look like Casey Kotchman. How’s that for the least enthusiastic sleeper post ever? You’re welcome!
March 18th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Dr. Casey Grace. Sounds like a soap opera douchebag doctor played by Jack Wagner or Rick Springfield.
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March 18th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Does the Kotch have a little extra value in OBP leagues?
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March 19th, 2009 at 12:20 am
Having actually sat down and talked to Kotch before, he’s one of those guys that’s rather streaky. But when he gets what he calls “his eyes”, he’s dialed in and launches them rather far.
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March 19th, 2009 at 3:41 am
Supporting your thesis is the fact that Kotchman was distracted after the trade last year because his mother suffered hemorrhaging in her brain on Aug. 19. He spent the next two weeks on the major-league bereavement list. She recovered, and Kotchman returned to Braves in September.
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March 19th, 2009 at 4:57 am
Should we be worried about the way your boy Guthrie is getting beaten up to the tune of a 15.00 ERA? Or is a this a classic, turn-a-blind-eye-to-spring-training approach?
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March 19th, 2009 at 5:30 am
@sean: Also Greinke. Currently getting spanked.
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March 19th, 2009 at 5:52 am
How about Chris carpenter, looking good so far in Spring, just gotta stay healthy!
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March 19th, 2009 at 5:52 am
Carpenter or Bedard with the better year?
Verlander or Harang with the better year?
Out of the 4 who has the Best year?
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March 19th, 2009 at 6:35 am
I drafted last night without doing any research, I know I’m brilliant, and I ended getting Ben Sheets as my 7th starter, I have Peavy, Haren, Lee, Joba, Ervin Santana, Carlos Zambrano. Originaly I thought this was a steal until I found out later that he is not actually on a team. Is he going to be back in a reasonably short period of time where it’s worth it for me to hang on to him or should I drop him altogether? Since he is not on a roster he will not be on the DL so he takes up a roster spot.
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March 19th, 2009 at 6:44 am
@Ari: return sometime after the all star break?
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March 19th, 2009 at 7:14 am
@Ari: Texas was loooking into signing him before he decided to have elbow sugery.
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March 19th, 2009 at 7:54 am
@Ari: I can’t imagine what your bats look like after you drafted so many pitchers early. However, I do like that Zambrano is going so late in drafts.
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March 19th, 2009 at 8:04 am
@Tony – Carp has a track record of coming back strong from injury. I wanted to draft him, but his strong spring will probably overrate him. Remember, he looked great before being shutdown last year. Thus, I wouldn’t reach.
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March 19th, 2009 at 8:24 am
@Tony: Bedard, Verlander, Carpenter, Harang, in that order.
@Ari: Dump Sheets. He won’t pitch this year. He had major arm surgery. He’ll be looking to get healthy for spring ’10.
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March 19th, 2009 at 8:38 am
“This would explain every previous relationship that I’ve ever been in prior to the current one.”
You’re being watched, aren’t you? If you need help, wink three times.
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@Herb Urban: Yeah, and Grace Casey sounds like a struggling actress who bartends at the strip club by the airport.
@Steve: No, not especially.
@Jared: Does he wear those contacts with a lightning streak?
@Steve C.: See that! BTW, you need to put the C. or you’re going to get confused with the other Steve. Or you can change your handle to something else completely. Your call.
@sean: @Baron Von Vulturewins: Unless there’s an injury or someone’s going to loss their job, I wouldn’t be too concerned. But, with that said, I don’t like Greinke this year and Guthrie is still only a 5th fantasy starter, so if there’s someone better, ya know, by all means.
@Tony: Bedard, Carpenter, Harang, Verlander, in that order. But you’re looking at limited innings from the first two.
@Ari: Drop him.
@Freak: Wink… Wink… Blink.
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March 19th, 2009 at 8:49 am
@James: Yeah i took him in the 20th round I think? Real late… so if i have to drop him because he goes down, no biggie, wandy is sitting there along with some others but after checking this morning i see the hype bug hit and someone snapped up J-Zimmerman.
Someone dropped Cordero from cincy too? whats his deal?
I’m pretty excited about my 12 team league, 3 new guys adding to our original 9 mainstays and they’re being very active already, LOTSA ACTION!
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March 19th, 2009 at 9:04 am
@Tony – nice value on Carp. After yesterdays game and another strong start he will probably be overrated.
Cordero is recovering from ankle surgery and I believe is a slow starter. I would pick him up if your closers are suspect because Cincy should be pretty solid this year.
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March 19th, 2009 at 9:21 am
YAWN! You publish the best and the funniest fantasy analysis on the web, however you gotta stop pushing these 300./15-20 hr guys on us!!! We all know Kotchman/Morales/Conor Jackson/Loney type guys are valuable, mostly because they are so boring to own people de-value them! Give me a bold prediction, I know you can because…YOU ARE THAT GOOD! Come on rediscover those “MA-BULLS” and give us the goods!
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@Tony: You should own Cordero.
@Louis: Bold? Matt Kemp wins the Cy Young.
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March 19th, 2009 at 9:44 am
@Grey: So Cordero is Cincy’s closer, I am kinda baffled why my one buddy dropped him then? He knows his SHIZZ! or does he?
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March 19th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I just read he’s given up a butt load of hit/runs the whole shabang in spring ball, and has an ERA of 24.00 LOL
Maybe thats why?
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@Tony: Yeah, Cordero’s been getting pounded, but Dusty’s the kind of manager that will keep running him out there. You have to own the closer of a team, until the manager puts someone else in there. By May, this could all be a memory and you get 30 saves from F-Cord.
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March 19th, 2009 at 9:49 am
@Grey: Yeah it is just spring ball, who knows how serious someof these guys are when they go out there… plus they’re still getting back into it.
He dropped cordero and picked up aardsma? LOL
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March 19th, 2009 at 9:55 am
@Tony: People who make roster moves like that based on spring training are outthinking themselves severely.
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March 19th, 2009 at 9:57 am
@Grey: Matt Kemp has a better shot at the cy young then you think. I mean Edinson Volquez almost won ROY in his second year. But any way Eric Byrnes looks like he got his speed back worth a late round flier?
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@Tony: I agree completely with the Baron. Don’t overthink ST numbers. If someone’s injured, then you might have to reevaluate.
@Eric W: Geez, that wasn’t bold enough either? You guys are tough. Byrnes is fine very late, but I’d prefer a Choo, FraGu or someone with some upside.
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March 19th, 2009 at 10:33 am
@Grey: Burn my #2 waiver priority on CORDERO? I have qualls, lyons, hanrahahananahan, and NUNEZ right now? No one real solid, cordero would probably be my best closer if I picked him up…..
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@Tony: Yes, definitely.
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March 19th, 2009 at 10:40 am
@Grey: Just reading at Rotoauthority that Josh Fields looks to be the starting 3B for the ChiSox.
Given how shallow 3B is this year, is he worth a flyer in mixed leagues? Am I crazy to think of Fields as a Very Poor Man’s Chris Davis. I mean, that’s a cozy park! Then again, look how well it worked for Ye Olde Nicke Swisher….
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@Baron Von Vulturewins: I actually could see Betemit getting some serious playing time at 3rd and I’d be careful about how much I expected from Fields. Fields could be a cheap source of power, but he might kill you in average and if he doesn’t produce this year, Ozzie may move on.
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March 19th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Hey Grey, my pick in a minor league draft is coming up soon. I already have Price in my minor league system. I’m looking to pick offense but I would settle for pitching if there was clearly higher value. Anyways, it doesn’t 100% need to be someone that’ll contribute this year, as the league should be around a little while longer. Still, it’d be nice. That said, got a top 10 list of your faves? So far, my top choice is Jason Heyward, but if there’re guys you take ahead of him, let me know. Top pitcher looks to be Madison Bumgarner. Jesus Montero is also there. Would you take some of the guys you listed as impact prospects for this year above these guys?
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@cubbies299: Peruse:
(http://razzball.com/category/2009-rookies/)
When you get to the bottom of a page, hit Previous Entries. Beyond those guys, I’d put Hanson as my top pitcher.
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@Louis: Ha ha! Now we have to come up with a Glossary term. How about Chatty Caseys – 1Bs with moderate fantasy appeal that float by on past glimpses of promise and for being personable when opponents get on base. See Sean Casey, Mark Grace, Kevin Millar. Example: I couldn’t bear to take Votto so high so I ended up with Chatty Caseys at my 1B and CI spot.
Note: Does anyone know if Casey Kotchman and Nick Johnson are considered to be chatty?
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March 19th, 2009 at 11:05 am
@Rudy Gamble: Krotchmen.
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March 19th, 2009 at 11:05 am
@Baron Von Vulturewins: Who krotches the Krotchmen?
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March 19th, 2009 at 11:11 am
@Rudy
Love it.
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March 19th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Kubel, Bonderman, or the old Coozmanoff? Btw Casey Blake for chatty Casey consideration?
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@Rudy Gamble: Nice
@cubbies299: Is Blake Chatty? I like Kubel.
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@Baron Von Vulturewins: If they ever started a band, it would be called Chatty Casey and the Krotchmen and they’d open up for the Viva Viagra house band.
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March 19th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Haven’t heard much about Shawn Marcum but he had a pretty good year last year anyone have any thoughts on him?
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@Ari: He’s out with TJ surgery.
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March 19th, 2009 at 11:26 am
wow good thing I didn’t draft him too.
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March 19th, 2009 at 11:54 am
k, i’ll pick up kubel, but drop bonderman, cooz, or cory wade?
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March 19th, 2009 at 11:54 am
it’s a holds league btw, and he’s my only holds guy (just dropped marte for morales)
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@cubbies299: How is your waiver wire for Holds? Are there guys? Cause I would say Wade, but at some point you will need to pick up some Holds guys. You can lose Bonderman if you want too, I wouldn’t start him, unless the league was very deep. Which reminds me, how deep is this?
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March 19th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
@ Grey: 14 team mixed. The only legit holds guys on the wire are marte, mclellan, delcarmon, brocail… (aka it’s kinda not looking great). My pitching staff is Hamels, Kazmir, Vazquez, Lowe, JWeav, Price (if I call him up). My hitting bench is F Lewis, Kouz, Morales. I plan to keep the hitting bench deep for the beginning of the season then drop whoever doesn’t pan out for holds guys/starters. I also have Uggla, AGord, and Krisby on roster, so avg might be a big concern. Think I can spare bonderman?
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@cubbies299: Holds guys come and go, but I’d lose Bonderman.
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