- Tom Kotchman
John Thomas Kotchman (born
August 14 ,1954 , atGrafton, North Dakota ) is a scout and a manager in thefarm system of theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim ofMajor League Baseball . He is the father ofCasey Kotchman , an Atlanta Braves first baseman.Tom Kotchman attended high school in
Seminole, Florida , and played baseball atChipola Junior College in Florida andGeorgia Southern University . He was signed by theCincinnati Reds in 1977 and played two seasons (1977-78) in their farm system at the Class A level. Athird baseman , he threw and batted right-handed, stood 6'1" (185 cm) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg).The 2008 season marked Kotchman's 30th consecutive year as a minor league manager. He began his career in 1979 at age 24 with the
Auburn, New York , club in the Short-Season Class ANew York-Penn League . The Auburn franchise — nicknamed the "Red Stars" in 1979 and the "Americans" in 1980 — lacked a Player Development Contract and was designated a "co-op" team, receiving its players on loan from multiple major league organizations. After two seasons there, Kotchman moved to affiliated, full-season assignments in theDetroit Tigers (1981, with theMacon Peaches of the Class ASouth Atlantic League ) andBoston Red Sox (1982-83, with theWinter Haven Red Sox of the Class AFlorida State League ) organizations.In 1984, he joined the Angels' farm system. From 1984-86, he was manager of their Class A
California League farm clubs, theRedwood Pioneers , based inRohnert Park, California , and thePalm Springs Angels . Success there led to a promotion to the Angels' Triple-AEdmonton Trappers affiliate in thePacific Coast League , where he also spent three seasons (1987-89). In 1990, Kotchman assumed his current role, as a Florida-based scout and manager of the Angels' Short-Season Class A or Rookie-level teams in theNorthwest League and the Pioneer League. He skippered theBoise Hawks of the NWL for 11 seasons (1990-2000) during which time the Hawks never finished lower than second place and never compiled a losing record. Since 2001, he has managed in the Pioneer League with theProvo Angels (2001-04) and theOrem Owlz (since 2005). Through 2007, he had compiled a career managerial record of 1,481 victories and 1,279 defeats, a winning percentage of .537, with seven league championships. His 2008 Owlz won the Pioneer League's first-half Southern Division championship.External links
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Tom_Kotchman BR Bullpen]
References
* Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolf, Miles, ed., "The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball," 3rd edition. Durham, N.C.:
Baseball America , 2007.
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