Former Brewer, now a member of the El Paso Dawgs, Jonathan Koch was named the SJL Player of the Week for this past week. And this is just the latest honor in a terrific season for the diminutive second baseman, who was also named to his second All-Star game earlier this season.
Koch had some good years with the Brewers after having joined the team as a minor league throw-in in a multi-player deal with San Antonio in July of 1976. After having been a first-round (supplemental, #27) draft pick in the 1966 draft, the Keys sent him, along with veteran left-handed starting pitcher Ricky Diaz and catching prospect Kevin Curtis, who would also become a starter for the Brewers for several seasons, and former long-time Brewer super-sub Oscar Vargas for then aging super-star third baseman A.J. White and a number of minor leaguers who never really worked out.
Koch's best year in Denver was also his first full-season with the club- 1973- when he earned his first All-Star appearance, hit .301 with 18 homers and 108 RBI, and put up 3.6 WAR. He has almost equaled that WAR already this season and is on pace for a 5 WAR campaign.
The Brewers, of course, have Bobby Erbakan at second and he is on an MVP pace so it's not so much that they wish they had Koch back but they are awfully glad he is playing in the other league, where they wish him the best. If there was a Comeback Player of the Year award in the WPK, this guy would be a prime candidate this season.