i LOVE kotsay, which is a little strange for me as a stathead-oriented A's fan because he doesn't walk much or hit for power, despite being one of the highest-paid players on the team. but he hits for enough average that his offensive contribution is still decent, and i absolutely trust that if a ball goes out to center and it can be caught, he'll catch it. that's a good feeling. plus, he's come up with big plays and big hits to win ballgames a disproportionate number of times. that's kind of a subjective impression, but that's how it is with blue-collar guys. :)

another thing about kotsay that doesn't get mentioned enough is his arm. he doesn't have a cannon, but it's pretty strong, and most importantly, his throws are always on the mark. he doesn't airmail the cutoff man or throw to the wrong base. that's why he's got so many outfield assists (more than anybody in baseball over the last six or so years). just a guy who's always got his head in the game.