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an opportunity on the roster.  An opportunity to improve or decline, depending on how the FO reacts to it..and of course depending on how the dice roll.
I think if Kotchman is .820ing or thereabouts come July, you've got a great opportunity to upgrade your DH production with virtually any bat available.  None of our players aside from Guti are mortal locks for their respective positions due to irreplaceability.  Ichiro is a very good COF and your leadoff guy, but even with him there's versatility.
The roster, as constructed, is perfectly primed to take advantage of whatEVER players come available.  If it's a CIF, great!  Kotchman's production can quite easily be upgraded, and it's not like Lopez is the second coming of (insert favorite 3B slugger here) at the plate.  LF is fluid, 1B is fluid, DH is WIDE open and to a degree 2B and 3B are also fluid due to Figgin's impressive defensive McLemore-ness.
Those are positions which are traditionally easy to find average/above average hitters to play, and we're really not locked into anybody at those spots.  If MB is .850'ing at the deadline, great!  He's your 50/50 LF/DH.  If Kotchman is .820'ing then you either have to include him in the trade for your big bopping 1B, or as you point out, figure a way to keep him on the club and in the order every day he's helping you.
Was hoping for another 'last gasp' from Jr., but looks like we already got that last year.  As you say, DH and LF are problems.  Not just concerns, but significant problems which need to be addressed.  Just so happens there are options out there this year that would fit us nearly perfectly.