I've been an Angels fan for several years now and one of my favorite Angels, Casey Kotchman, was the player I wanted at the plate more than any other when there were runners on base. He embodied clutch performance, good sportsmanship, and a humble demeanor. In other words, he was perhaps my favorite Angel. And now he's gone for a big name, a "rental" most likely, Mark Teixeira. I believe the trade was a mistake for several reasons:
1. Kotchman was just coming into his own.
2. Kotchman hardly ever struck out and led the Majors in least amount of strikeouts per at-bats.
3. Kotchman is a great fielder.
4. Kotchman fits with the Angels system.
5. Kotchman is a better long-term player considering age and contract price.
In the end, though, it's the intangible that makes Kotchman so compelling. To me, he was the spirit of the Angels team player. I'm sorry to see him go and a strong case has been made that trading him is a huge mistake in Future Angels Blog.
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