Billy Koch

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Billy Koch (born December 14, 1974 in Rockville Centre, New York) is a reliever for Major League Baseball.

Contents 1 Career 2 Accomplishments 3 Teams 4 Trivia 5 External links

Career

Billy Koch played college baseball for Clemson University from 1994-1996. He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1st round (4th pick) of the 1996 amateur draft and made his debut in 1999. Billy made an instant impression by regularly hitting 100 MPH on the radar gun. The pitch speed, posted on the SkyDome jumbotron after every pitch, consistently drew awes from the crowd.

Billy was groomed for the role of closer and had mixed success at the role over the next three seasons. While he was regarded as one of the most dominating pitchers in the league when he was at his best, at times he battled with his control and composure on the mound. Neverless, he continued to post improving save numbers (31, 33 and then 36) from 1999 to 2001.

On December 7, 2001, the Blue Jays, now under new management, traded Billy to the Oakland Athletics for Eric Hinske and Justin Miller. Oakland proved to be a good fit. Billy saved 44 games in 2002 while posting a respectable 3.27 ERA and 93 strikeouts in only 93 2/3 innings. He was, however, criticized for poor play in the playoffs that year.

On December 3, 2002, Billy was once again traded, this time to the Chicago White Sox along with two minor leaguers for Keith Foulke, Mark Johnson, Joe Valentine and cash. Billy was not able to duplicate either his success with Toronto or Oakland, however. Due to wildly inconsistent play, Jerry Manuel removed Billy from the role of closer, relegating him to middle relief. Billy finished the season with just 11 saves, and a 5.77 ERA. He was booed throughout US Cellular Field and fans soon learned that the beer man on the upper deck could throw more accurate than him.

Billy's troubles continued in 2004. In 2003, he was once again the closer but only saved 8 games in 24 games played, compiling an ERA of 5.40. He was traded to the Florida Marlins in June for Wilson Valdez, a minor-league second baseman who was assumed would replace Luis Castillo before Castillo signed a four-year contract to remain with Florida. Billy fared better in Florida than he did with Chicago, having a 1-2 record and a 3.51 ERA in 23 games while serving as a setup man for Armando Benitez. However, personal issues caused him to miss the last month of the regular season, and Florida released him at the end of the season.

Following the 2004 season he was signed to a 1-year contract by his original team, the Toronto Blue Jays. He was released by the team during Spring Training.

During Toronto's 2nd game of the season at Tampa Bay, Billy Koch showed up with an Aubrey Huff jersey on and wearing a Tampa Bay Hat. He joked with the Toronto Bullpen, heckling the Blue Jays and calling one of the pitchers a "bum".

Accomplishments

• AL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award winner (2002)
• Finished 2nd in American League in saves (2002, 44 saves)

Teams

• Toronto Blue Jays (1999-2001)
• Oakland Athletics (2002)
• Chicago White Sox (2003-2004)
• Florida Marlins (2004)

Trivia

• Billy was a star pitcher for West Babylon High School on Long Island, NY
• Billy's younger brother, Eric Koch, actually pitched West Babylon to it's first state championship, after Billy had already graduated
• Billy is famous for attending Boy's Brigade at the First Presbyterian Church of Babylon where he would play dodgeball and knock out the girls with his missile-like throws
• Billy was actually a premature baby
• At Clemson he was teamed with future major leaguers Kris Benson and Matt LeCroy. The three were also teamed together in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta where they won the bronze medal.
• He paid Justin Miller $1000 to get "I Love Billy Koch" tattooed on his buttocks.

External links

• Template:Baseball-reference