George Kottaras facts for kids
Quick facts for kids George Kottaras |
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Kottaras with the Kansas City Royals
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: May 10, 1983 Scarborough, Ontario, Canada |
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| debut | |||
| September 13, 2008, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 28, 2014, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .215 | ||
| Home runs | 32 | ||
| Runs batted in | 101 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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George Kottaras (/kəˈteɪrəs/ kə-TAY-rəs; born May 10, 1983) is a Canadian former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These include the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, and Toronto Blue Jays.
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About George Kottaras
Early Life and Background
George Kottaras was born in Scarborough, a part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His parents were both born in Greece before they moved to Canada. George went to Milliken Mills High School in Markham, which is a nearby town.
Starting His Baseball Journey
George Kottaras began his professional baseball career after being chosen by the San Diego Padres. This happened in the 20th round of the 2002 MLB draft. He signed with the Padres in May 2003. Before that, he spent one year playing at Connors State College in Oklahoma.
Kottaras started playing for the Idaho Falls Padres. This team was part of the Pioneer League. He then moved up through the Padres' minor league teams. By 2006, he reached the Triple-A Portland Beavers. He even played in the 2006 All-Star Futures Game for Team World.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Time with the Boston Red Sox
On September 5, 2006, George Kottaras was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He joined their Double-A team, the Portland Sea Dogs. He helped them win the 2006 Eastern League Championship.
Kottaras spent the entire 2007 season with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. He was called up to MLB on September 8, 2008. On September 13, 2008, he made his first MLB appearance. This was in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. He scored the only run for the Red Sox in that game.
In 2009, Kottaras often caught for knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield. He hit his first MLB home run on July 3, 2009. This was against the Seattle Mariners' Mark Lowe. The Red Sox released him in November 2009.
Joining the Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers picked up George Kottaras in November 2009. This was just hours after the Red Sox released him.
On September 3, 2011, Kottaras achieved something special. He hit for the cycle in a game against the Houston Astros. This means he hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. He was the seventh Brewers player to do this. He was also the third Brewers catcher to achieve this feat. In 2011, Kottaras had a batting average of .252. He hit five home runs. He left the Brewers in July 2012.
Moving to the Oakland Athletics
On July 27, 2012, Kottaras was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He signed a one-year deal with them in January 2013. However, he was then moved off the team's main roster.
Playing for the Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals claimed George Kottaras in January 2013. In 2013, his locker was next to Mike Moustakas. Moustakas also has Greek family roots. Kottaras thought it was cool to have two Greek players on the same team. He was moved off the Royals' main roster in November 2013.
Short Stays with Other Teams
Kottaras was traded to the Chicago Cubs in November 2013. He signed a one-year deal with them but was released in March 2014.
He then signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians in March 2014. He played a few games for them. He was the only player to hit two home runs in his first two times at bat for the Indians. He left the Indians in July 2014.
Kottaras was then picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals in July 2014. He was with them for a short time before being released later that month.
Final MLB Team: Toronto Blue Jays
On August 6, 2014, Kottaras signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was called up to the Blue Jays on September 1. He made his debut for the Blue Jays on September 17. He played his first game as a starter for Toronto on September 25. He finished the 2014 season with a .233 batting average and three home runs. After the season, he chose to become a free agent.
Later Career Teams
Kottaras signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox in December 2014. He was released in August 2015.
He returned to the Toronto Blue Jays organization in August 2015. He then became a free agent again in November.
In January 2016, Kottaras signed with the San Francisco Giants. He played for their Triple-A team. He was released in July 2016.
Finally, Kottaras signed with the Atlanta Braves in July 2016. He was released in August 2016.
International Baseball Experience
Representing Greece
In 2004, George Kottaras played for the Greece national baseball team. This was during the 2004 Summer Olympics. He could play for Greece because both of his parents were Greek immigrants. During the Olympics, Kottaras played as a first baseman and also as a backup catcher. On July 21, 2004, he had three hits. This helped Greece win against Italy 11–7. This was Greece's only win in the tournament.
Playing for Canada
Kottaras also played for the Canada national baseball team. He represented Canada at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
