Brewers claim Kottaras
November 18th, 2009 | by adamburnett |The Brewers added depth behind the plate with the waiver claim of George Kottaras. The left-handed hitting catcher was made available by the Red Sox due to the fact that the team is set with Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek and that he’s out of minor league options. A few years back, Kottaras was a highly ranked prospect in the Padres organization, but was dealt to the Red Sox for David Wells. He never really got extended playing time in Beantown. Kottaras will compete with Angel Salome, Jonathon Lucroy, and possibly Mike Rivera this spring. Rivera is arbitration eligible with a deadline of Dec 12 to tender a contract for 2010.
In seven Minor League seasons, Kottaras is a .269 hitter with 66 ding-dongs and 289 RBIs. 2007 served as a career year as he batted .243 for Boston’s Triple-A affiliate with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs in 107 games. In 45 games with the Red Sox he hit .237 with 1 HR and 10 RBI. I really like this move by Doug Melvin because it’s a very low risk investment with potential upside. Left-handed hitting catchers with some pop don’t grow on trees. The 26 year old never got a legitimate shot in Boston, but this spring will be the opportunity to prove he belongs in the show.
Tags: Brewers, George Kottaras
