Cotts to the Cubs

[RockRaines]

Left handed relief is probably second most desired commodity in MLB-and we dont get much for an established pitcher.

 

My guess is they return Cotts to starter-because they already have Eyre and Howry-a complete Sox bullpen

I wouldnt say one good season merits being called an established reliever. He was beyond brutal last year, and has since developed a habit for giving up the long ball. He wasnt needed, so we dealt him.

[WCSox]

What I find troubling is that we give up on a young guy after one bad season.

 

I guess KW thinks the league figured him out and he won't/can't return to 2005 form. I tend to disagree and believe that Cotts will really be solid out of the pen again very soon.

 

It wasn't just one bad season. Cotts was even worse in '04.

 

But I agree that KW may have prematurely pulled the plug on Cotts. Only time will tell.

[southsider2k5]

I'd be surprised if he wasn't on the opening day roster. He has a nice arm and when he throws strikes he's pretty tough to hit.

 

Easier said than done there...

[fathom]

According to my source, this Vasquez guy isn't a prospect at all.

[Reddy]

Neal Cotts

 

2003 only 13 innings 8 ERA

2004 65 innings 5.65 ERA

2005 60 innings 1.94 ERA

2006 54 innings 5.17 ERA He also did a Mike Jackson impersonation and gave up everyone elses runs also.

 

Now people what looks like the fluke, the year he had in 06, or maybe just maybe the magical 05 season.

Neal is a deception guy who had one year were he could throw strikes and had pinpoint control. But if you look at his history in the majors, and in the minors this was a guy who couldnt throw strikes. So what do you think happens to one pitch pitchers, who cant locate and get into hitters counts all the time.

 

Did you really want Cotts doing something similiar to his career averages on the Southside next year. I mean do I think we might have been able to get something else, maybe. But lets take a look at the FA market where a crappy player like Juan Pierre is going to get 3/30, or a LOOGY might get a few million a year and a guarenteed 3 year deal. If you can pick up another live arm out of the pen. It really plays into shortening up the game. With our homer based stadium we need two types of pitchers, either sinkerballers or strikeout guys, especially late in games. So another hard thrower, who can make a mistake and miss a bat instead of a guy lobbing up a 90 mph fastball on 3-1 which will be hitting some poor fan in the head.

Thornton couldnt throw strikes at all before he came here.

 

Jenks couldnt hit the side of a barn before he got here also.

 

Doesnt AArdsma sound like a few other guys we have picked up. The hard throwing projects.

 

consider me officially convinced.

[Rowand44]

I really wanted to keep Neal so this trade irks me a bit. That being said, we got two good arms in exchange for one. And if Kenny's trade history is an indication then it wouldn't shock me to see one of these guys become a pretty solid reliever for us next season. Wait and see is the best approach here, though I'm sad to see Neal go as I still think he's a good reliever and will dominate the National League.

[Balta1701]

According to my source, this Vasquez guy isn't a prospect at all.

So um, what exactly is he? Cyborg?

[Rowand44]

According to my source, this Vasquez guy isn't a prospect at all.

The same source that said Tracey would never pitch for the Sox again before he got called up? I'm just playin wit ya, but his number do seem to indicate otherwise, though I like to see pitchers pitch before I make any choices and I have not seen him pitch before.

[southsideirish71]

consider me officially convinced.

 

The funny thing is over on nsbb they think that Cotts is the answer to their starter woes. Wait till the wind blows out, and Mr. one pitch is gooving fastballs down the cock. But then again, the twits in the stands who follow that rubish they call a team will be good and drunk by that point.

Edited November 16, 2006 by southsideirish71

[KevHead0881]

The funny thing is over on nsbb they think that Cotts is the answer to their starter woes. Wait till the wind blows out, and Mr. one pitch is gooving fastballs down the cock. But then again, the twits in the stands who follow that rubish they call a team will be good and drunk by that point.

 

At this point in his career, without at least a developed second pitch, the notion of Cotts as a starter is quite comical. I cringed every time it was brought up when he was here.

[Flash Tizzle]

If I were to judge this transaction alone -- without the possibility of Aardsma/Vasquez included in another trade -- I'm honestly not too upset.

 

The reason? I wouldn't be shocked if an injury is disclosed within the next year concerning Neal. His delivery was COMPLETELY altered the second half of last season. I mentioned this observation numerous times in game threads. If this is the best offer we could receive for Cotts, one season removed from dominance in the bullpen, then better something now while he has some value.

 

In his delivery post ASB, when I began to wonder why Cotts became batting practice, I noticed the hitch/pump action (whatever you may label it) which disrupted a hitters timing was absent. I even went so far as to watch the Sox Pride DVD immediately before one of his appearances. Cotts began releasing pitches through one continuous motion. There was no deception anymore to hide his mediocre 91mph fastball.

 

Now, what you have to ask yourself is exactly why Neal abandons the one thing responsible for his success, if not for injury? Surely Williams knew the price of Cotts, and the ceiling he presents when performing at a peak capabilities.

 

Aardsma possess a legitimate fastball without the need for deception. As with Thorton, you can't teach somone velocity. Control and secondary pitchers can be developed. Far as Vasquez? I can't complain. We're not exactly stacked with capable lefthanded pitching prospects.

Edited November 16, 2006 by Flash Tizzle

[southsideirish71]

More of that high end insight from rotoworld.com or I mean the associated cub fan who writes for mlbtraderumors.com

 

 

Cubs acquired LHP Neal Cotts from the White Sox for RHP David Aardsma and LHP Carlos Vasquez.

So not only did the crosstown rivals pull of a trade, but Jim Hendry appears to have gotten the better of it? Cotts' ERA jumped from 1.94 to 5.17 last season, but he didn't lose any stuff. It'd be great if the Cubs got him with the idea of putting him in the rotation along with Carlos Zambrano and Rich Hill. If it turns out he can't handle it, he can always be shifted back to the pen later. However, the talent is there for him to be a third or fourth starter.

 

 

He didnt lose any stuff. Lets see Neal Cotts was winging a 93 mph fastball in there in 05 and had every batter on their heals because he pitched ahead an stayed ahead.

 

Now every other year outside of 05, Neal would work into hitting counts, and was hitting a 91 mph fastball and little to no secondary pitches. I still remember when he would Rick Ankiel a few into the backstop.

 

These reviews are funny at best. Especially when one of hte contributors is a cub fan. You have one year, that is completely differerent than any of their others. Yet lets jump on the one year and ride it into the sunset as the norm instead of the wierd thing.

Edited November 16, 2006 by southsideirish71

[RockRaines]

More of that high end insight from rotoworld.com or I mean the associated cub fan who writes for mlbtraderumors.com

He didnt lose any stuff. Lets see Neal Cotts was winging a 93 mph fastball in there in 05 and had every batter on their heals because he pitched ahead an stayed ahead.

 

Now every other year outside of 05, Neal would work into hitting counts, and was hitting a 91 mph fastball and little to no secondary pitches. I still remember when he would Rick Ankiel a few into the backstop.

 

These reviews are funny at best. Especially when one of hte contributors is a cub fan. You have one year, that is completely differerent than any of their others. Yet lets jump on the one year and ride it into the sunset as the norm instead of the wierd thing.

Oh god, from my perspective as a cubs hater, I hope they try to put Neal into the rotation.

[Rowand44]

If anyone thinks Neal can start, they're severely mistaken.

[RockRaines]

If anyone thinks Neal can start, they're severely mistaken.

Cubs fans and Hendry must not have seen enough of Neal to be able to judge his talent. He may tear up the NL because it is an inferior league, but from what I saw out of him last year, he is deceptive, and that is all.

[Flash Tizzle]

I don't know many trades of ours Rotoworld has agreed with. Cotts as a third/fourth starer wouldn't have been practical even during 2005. Obviously, this is an instance where people are forming opinions merely based upon statistics and video footage. Anyone watching him knows the percentage of pitchers thrown is atleast 95% fastball, 5% slider.

 

Anyways, Wiliams history has shown he typically comes up big in these small trades/signings involving discarded players from other ballclubs.

[ptatc]

The funny thing is over on nsbb they think that Cotts is the answer to their starter woes. Wait till the wind blows out, and Mr. one pitch is gooving fastballs down the cock. But then again, the twits in the stands who follow that rubish they call a team will be good and drunk by that point.

 

I don't know as a starter he'll throw the pitch of the game. Oh' that's right we're talking about the World's Largest Out door Beergarden here.

[southsideirish71]

Oh god, from my perspective as a cubs hater, I hope they try to put Neal into the rotation.

 

Well we have twits on nsbb running wild with Neal in their rotation check.

And then we had the resident redsox mouthpiece drop over to crap on the trade.

 

So pretty much I figure that Aarsdman will find his control and dominate due to both of those factors.

[RockRaines]

Maybe the cubs will solidify their rotation with Gil Meche and Neal Cotts....

 

If AArdsma can ever figure his stuff out, we have 4 relievers with closer-type stuff. Jenks, Thorton, MMAC, and AArdsma

[southsideirish71]

Maybe the cubs will solidify their rotation with Gil Meche and Neal Cotts....

 

Neal better pick out a nice towel to throw in ST.

 

This pretty much guarentees Tommy John surgery for Neal after next year.

[RME JICO]

For 2006, Inherited Runners / Inherited Runners Scored:

           IR / IS  PCT

Cotts      67 / 20  30%

Thornton   48 / 13  27%

McCarthy   36 / 14  39%

Jenks      30 /  5  17%

Riske      29 / 14  48%

MacDougal  20 /  5  25%

Logan      17 / 10  59%

Politte    11 /  3  27%

Montero    9  /  4  44%

Hermanson  7  /  3  43%

Haeger     6  /  1  17%

Tracey     3  /  2  67%

Nelson     3  /  1  33%

Surprisingly Cotts had the most inherited runners in 2006 (by a pretty big margin), and the two main lefties got the most work with runners on. Riske was pretty bad with inherited runners along with Logan and McCarthy.

[RockRaines]

Cubs fans also think that Cotts+Cedeno will bring them Westbrook from the tribe.

[Balta1701]

Cubs fans also think that Cotts+Cedeno will bring them Westbrook from the tribe.

You know, with Cleveland's bullpen...drop Cedeno and stick in another reliever and they might be open to it.

[southsideirish71]

Cubs fans also think that Cotts+Cedeno will bring them Westbrook from the tribe.

 

 

LOL

 

I would rather have our team face Cotts than Westbrook anyday. We never seem to have the ability to hit him.

 

 

If they use this to package anyone over to get Westbrook out of our division, then KW made a great deal.

[ptatc]

Neal better pick out a nice towel to throw in ST.

 

This pretty much guarentees Tommy John surgery for Neal after next year.

 

alot of people believe that with the Tom House/Rothschild/Homewood Flossmoor theory of pitching mechanics and training. i happen to be one of them who disagree with thier philosophy.