Is Casey Kotchman really an upgrade at first base for the Indians? Hey, Hoynsie!

The Indians' personnel moves around first base dominate this week's mailbag.

View full sizeAP fileCasey Kotchman isn't a typical power hitter at first base, but his higher on-base average could keep rallies going longer for the Indians.

Hey, Hoynsie: I'm not sure I understand the Casey Kotchman signing. I see where ESPN's Buster Olney projects him hitting fifth (usually a team's second-best power hitter), but in 148 more at-bats than LaPorta, he hit fewer homers and drove in fewer runs. How, exactly, does this help? -- Rory Wohl, Chagrin Falls

Hey, Rory: Not sure where Kotchman is going to hit. Last year with the Rays, he hit anywhere from third through ninth. He spent most of his time hitting fifth (42 games, .324 average), sixth (36 games, .346) and seventh (47 games, .272).

Kotchman is not a power hitter, but he has a good on-base percentage, which is needed on a team that struck out the second most times in the AL last year.

Hey, Hoynsie: With the Tribe getting Casey Kotchman, what's going to happen to Matt LaPorta? I hope you're not going to say platoon at DH with Vlad Guerrero still available. -- Jeff Kosakowski, Olmsted Falls

Hey, Jeff: All indications have LaPorta starting the season at Class AAA Columbus.

Hey, Hoynsie: Why are the Indians wasting their time and money looking at Yoenis Cespedes? We all know the Dolans aren't going to open up their wallet for him and I don't think Cespedes is looking for a minor-league contract. -- Bobby Kuhn, Middleburg Heights

Hey, Bobby: It never hurts to ask. Maybe they don't get Cespedes, but the agent might steer his next client to them. A long time ago, that helped them sign Danys Baez, another Cuban defector.

Hey, Hoynsie: Now that the Nationals have signed Edwin Jackson, they have too many starting pitchers. They need someone to play center field. The rumor is that they will try to trade John Lannan. The Tribe has a lot of outfielders and no left-handed starters. My idea is to trade Grady Sizemore to the Nationals for Lannan. They will both make $5 million this year so there will be no impact on payroll. Lannan pitches 180 to 200 innings per year with an ERA under 4.00 and is a ground ball pitcher. He would really improve our staff and rid the team of all the risks and strikeouts associated with Grady. -- Denny Pinch, Arlington, Va.

Hey, Denny: Lannan was Manny Acta's opening day starter for the Nationals in 2009 so he knows what kind of pitcher he'd be getting. That being said, I think the Nationals would have to see Sizemore play for an extended period of time before making such a deal.

Three of their reported starters, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Chien-Ming Wang, are all coming off surgeries. I think they'd have to feel really confident that Sizemore could play between 100 and 120 games this season before making such a deal.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is it mere coincidence or is there a good reason that the Tribe only signed Casey Kotchman to a one-year deal? This gives Matt LaPorta one more chance to prove he can cut it in the majors and if he does, then they won't bring Kotchman back in 2013. -- Dale Brodt, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Hey, Dale: The Indians and Kotchman never really talked about anything but a one-year deal. It allowed both sides to keep their options open in 2013. Kotchman can re-enter the free agent market and maybe the Tribe will take another look at LaPorta.

Hey, Hoynsie: In one of your articles, it read as if GM Chris Antonetti and President Mark Shapiro built their offense around left-handed hitters due to statistics at Progressive Field. Did anyone ask why no left-handed starting pitchers to control opponents? -- Vince Davidson, Cleveland

Hey, Vince: Interesting question. Lefties hit .286 against the Indians last year, while right-handers hit .242. At Progressive Field, the opposition hit .259 overall against the Tribe and .268 on the road.

Last year, according to the Bill James 2012 Handbook, Indians left-handed hitters out-homered the opposition at Progressive Field, 71-40. Over the last three years, Tribe lefties have out-homered the opposition at home, 134-115. On the flip side, last year opposing lefties out-hit the Tribe's lefties, .275-.258, at home. Over the last three years, opposing lefties enjoy a .269-.263 advantage.

So maybe a left-handed starter would help the Tribe.

The Indians like their left-handed heavy lineup at home because it's difficult for a right-handed hitter to clear the 19-foot wall in left field unless he hits it down the line.

Hey, Hoynsie: What is the health status of Anthony Reyes? Will he be in big-league camp? -- J.S., Green City, Mo.

Hey, J.S.: Anthony Reyes is no longer with the Indians.

Hey, Hoynsie: In regard to recent sports phenomenon, the 2007 Cleveland Indians have to be at the top of the list. I know the season hasn't started, but does this team have the potential to match that team's performance? -- Frank B., Freihung, Germany

Hey, Frank: The 2007 team came out of nowhere so I guess the 2012 Indians could do the same. On paper, given the advantage of hindsight, there's no comparison.

The 2007 Tribe had five players hit 20 or more homers. Casey Blake (18) and Franklin Gutierrez (13) contributed as well. Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore were still healthy and hit like it. Victor Martinez led the club with 114 RBI.

CC Sabathia won the Cy Young with 19 victories. The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona matched him with 19 victories, a total he hasn't come close to since. Paul Byrd, fueled by HGH, won 15 games and Joe Borowski led the AL with 45 of the ugliest saves you'll ever see.

Except for this year's bullpen, I don't see much comparison.

Hey, Hoynsie: If the Indians ever draft a player that turns into a superstar, will they be able to afford the player for six years? The Giants offered Tim Lincecum $17 million in arbitration and then signed him to a two-year deal worth $40.5 million. -- Ben Beilstein, McKinney, Texas

Hey, Ben: Let's not put the cart before the horse. First, the Indians have to draft a superstar, then we'll talk. Seriously, though, they did it with CC Sabathia. He was a No.1 pick and pitched 7 1/2 years in Cleveland before they traded him.

Hey, Hoynsie: I know Buddy Bell was very popular while playing third base for the Tribe for several years. I attended many games back in that period, and it seems to me almost every game I went to, Bell would make one or more errors. I think one game he made three. Overall, isn't Bell considered to have been an above-average fielder?

If so, I guess I just went when he had an off-day. -- Bruce Allen, Land O' Lakes, Fla.

Hey, Bruce: Not to be a wise guy, but you must have missed the six Gold Gloves that Bell won in as many years with Texas for his play at third base.

Bell was 20 when the Indians brought him to the big leagues in 1972. He played with the Tribe through 1978 and went through some growing pains. He blossomed in Texas, going to four All-Star Games.

-- Hoynsie

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2012/02/is_casey_kotchman_really_an_up.html

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