Casey John Kotchman (born February 22, 1983) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

, and

Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...

. Kotchman holds the major league record for consecutive

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-less games at first base, with 274, set between June 2008 and August 2010.

High school

Kotchman played baseball for Seminole High School in

Seminole, Florida Seminole is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Tampa Bay area. The population was 19,364 at the 2020 census. History The first white settlement at Seminole was made in the 1840s. This community was named after ...

. In 2001, ''

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'' ranked the team number one nationally, with Kotchman the top-ranked player nationally—the team went undefeated on the field in 31 games (with an official record of 21–10 due to forfeits) and won the state Class 5A championship.

Professional career

Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The

Anaheim Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...

selected Kotchman with the thirteenth overall pick in the

2001 MLB draft The 2001 Major League Baseball draft, was held on June 5 and 6. First round selections Supplemental First Round selections Compensation Picks Background On June 1, 2001, Rolando Viera, a Cuban baseball pitcher who had recently left Cub ...

. In , the Angels moved starter Darin Erstad back to center field, announcing that Kotchman would likely open the season at first base. After struggling in his

at-bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, b ...

s early in 2006 because of

mononucleosis Infectious mononucleosis (IM, mono), also known as glandular fever, is an infection usually caused by the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). Most people are infected by the virus as children, when the disease produces few or no symptoms. In young adu ...

, Kotchman was placed on the

disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 Major League Baseball season, 2019 season, it was known as the disabl ...

in early May. In , Kotchman proclaimed himself fully healthy and proved it by winning the Angels' opening day first baseman job for the second straight year. Kotchman missed 128 games in , as he was kept away from the field with complications stemming from mononucleosis. After a spring in which the Opening Day starting first baseman batted better than .400, he hit just .152 with one

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...

and six RBI in 29 games with the Angels. Kotchman tried to return to the field, but his rehab assignment was cut short when he experienced dizzy spells in July while playing for Triple-A

Salt Lake A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of salt per liter). I ...

. He spent much of the rest of the season at home in

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, performing cardio exercises. In , he was one of seven Angels regulars to hit over .290 (most in majors) and established career highs in several offensive categories including batting average (.296),

s (11) and RBI (68). He also hit .320 at

Angel Stadium Angel Stadium is a ballpark in Anaheim, California, United States. Since its opening in 1966, it has been the home venue of the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB), who relocated from Los Angeles to Anaheim following the 1965 seas ...

and .274 on the road. He had a 7-game hit streak (7-8/31-8/7), his 4th seven-game streak of season (each matching a career-high). He left the June 16 game against the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

in the 7th after being hit on the helmet by a

pickoff In baseball, a pickoff is an act by a pitcher or catcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder can tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base. A pickoff attempt occurs when this t ...

throw at

second base In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the infield, between second and first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must ...

by Dodgers

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...

Russell Martin and was diagnosed with a mild concussion and received three stitches behind his right ear. On June 25, he returned to the starting lineup after missing seven games. He logged the first three

triples TripleS (; ; stylized as tripleS) is a South Korean 24-member multinational girl group formed by Modhaus. They aim to be the world's first decentralized idol group, where the members will rotate between the full group, sub-units, and solo activi ...

of his career. He connected for his second career grand slam in the first inning on May 14 against the Texas Rangers. He had a .997

fielding percentage In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a baseball positions, defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putout ...

and was ranked fourth among AL first basemen (3 E/1049 TC) in the 2007 season. He hit a solo home run on Opening Night against the Texas Rangers in his first at-bat of the season, his first home run since May 4, 2006, against the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

. He connected for the game-winning RBI single in the 9th inning on July 13 against the Rangers. He collected a career-best four

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...

in 1 game on August 17 against the

Atlanta Braves

On July 29, , Kotchman was traded to the Atlanta Braves along with minor league

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

Stephen Marek for first baseman

Mark Teixeira Mark Charles Teixeira ( ; born April 11, 1980), nicknamed "Tex", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anahe ...

. Kotchman started his tenure with the Braves by batting just .157 in his first 20 games but he ended the season with a .237 batting average. Kotchman was placed on the bereavement list after his mother fell ill on August 20, 2008. After seven days, the Braves placed Kotchman on the restricted list so he could continue to be with his mother in Florida. Eleven days from first being placed on the bereavement list, the Braves activated Kotchman. On January 31, , Kotchman avoided arbitration and agreed to a one-year, $2.885 million contract. Kotchman mentioned at

spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

in 2009 that playing for the Braves was always a dream of his. Kotchman suffered a shin contusion after being hit by a pitch from

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...

Max Scherzer Maxwell Martin Scherzer (born July 27, 1984), nicknamed "Mad Max", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tige ...

on May 31 and was expected to be out two to three days. The injury did, however, force Kotchman on the 15-day disabled list and was activated on June 16.

Boston Red Sox

On July 31, 2009, Kotchman was acquired by the Red Sox in a trade for first baseman

Adam LaRoche David Adam LaRoche (born November 6, 1979) is an American professional baseball coach and former player who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondb ...

. In Kotchman's first game with the Red Sox, he hit a two-run home run off of Joba Chamberlain. With the Red Sox, Kotchman hit .218 with three doubles, one home run, seven RBIs, and one stolen base in 29 games. This gave Kotchman a combined average of .268 with 23 doubles, seven home runs, 48 RBIs, and 39 walks in 126 games between Boston and Atlanta. Casey Kotchman Mark Lowe 2010-01-31

Seattle Mariners

In early January the Red Sox traded him to the

for

utility player In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, basketball, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water ...

Bill Hall, a minor league player, and cash. On February 3, Kotchman and the Mariners agreed on a new contract, avoiding salary arbitration. On June 3, 2010, Kotchman set the Major League Baseball individual streak record with 2,003 consecutive chances without an

. The previous record had been held by Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox, established between July 4, 2006, and June 6, 2008. On August 21, 2010, the streak ended when Kotchman mishandled a hard groundball hit by Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees. The error was his first since July 20, 2008, when he played for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a streak of 2,379 fielding chances. He batted .217 for the season. On November 4, 2010, Kotchman refused an outright assignment to AAA by the Mariners, electing to become a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

instead.

Tampa Bay Rays

Kotchman signed a minor league contract with an invitation to 2011 spring training with the

. On March 26 the Rays assigned Kotchman to Durham. Following the retirement of

Manny Ramirez Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican Americans (Dominican Republic), Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played wit ...

six games into the 2011 season, Kotchman's contract was selected from Durham and he was added to the Rays' active roster. On August 9, 2011, Kotchman hit a walk-off home run off

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...

reliever Blake Wood to give the Rays a 2-1 win. Through 2019, he had the best career fielding percentage among major league first basemen (.998), ahead of Kevin Youkilis.

Cleveland Indians

Kotchman signed a one-year contract with the

on February 3, 2012.

Miami Marlins

On February 15, 2013, he signed a minor league contract with the

. He was released on August 26, 2013.

Kansas City Royals

After sitting all of the 2014 season retired from baseball, Kotchman signed a minor league deal with the

on March 6, 2015. He played in 90 games for the Triple-A

Omaha Storm Chasers The Omaha Storm Chasers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They are located in Papillion, Nebraska, a suburb southwest of Omaha, Nebraska, Omah ...

, hitting .290/.374/.426 with 7 home runs and 44 RBI. He elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2015.

Toronto Blue Jays

On November 23, 2015, Kotchman signed a minor league contract with the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

that included an invitation to spring training. In 102 games for the Triple–A

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

, he batted .256/.343/.383 with eight home runs and 34 RBI. Kotchman elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2016.

Personal life

He is the son of Tom Kotchman, longtime Angels'

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...

and

scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom ** Scouts BSA, sect ...

. His mother, Sue Kotchman, works as a principal and was formerly a teacher. She suffered a brain hemorrhage during the 2008 season; as a result Kotchman had to be placed on the Major League bereavement list, and later the restricted list. She recovered, however. His sister Christal Kotchman is a former

College of Charleston The College of Charleston (CofC or Charleston) is a public university in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, it is the oldest university in South Carolina, the 13th-oldest institution of higher lea ...

softball Softball is a Variations of baseball, variation of baseball, the difference being that it is played with a larger ball, on a smaller field, and with only underhand pitches (where the ball is released while the hand is primarily below the ball) ...

team member.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kotchman, Casey 1983 births Living people Anaheim Angels players Arkansas Travelers players Arizona League Angels players Atlanta Braves players Baseball players from St. Petersburg, Florida Boston Red Sox players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Cedar Rapids Kernels players Cleveland Indians players Durham Bulls players Gwinnett Braves players Jupiter Hammerheads players Los Angeles Angels players Major League Baseball first basemen Miami Marlins players Omaha Storm Chasers players Provo Angels players Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players Salt Lake Bees players Salt Lake Stingers players Seattle Mariners players Seminole High School (Pinellas County, Florida) alumni Tampa Bay Rays players United States national baseball team players Baseball players at the 2015 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in baseball