VAfan Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 It seems a foregone conclusion that the Sox will bring up Danny Wright as the 5th starter Saturday against the M's. He started last Saturday, then pitched an inning out of the pen yesterday when that would make no sense if he was staying in Charlotte. On the other hand, Neal Cotts threw a no hitter for 7 innings his last outing, and the one before that was also outstanding through 7. With so many young pitchers having an impact this year (Willis, Williams, Webb, Harden), why can't Cotts be #5?? Frankly, what about bringing up both Wright and Cotts and shipping Rick White to Siberia and sending Matt Ginter down? Wright would add a power right handed arm to the pen, and Cotts would get the remaining #5 starts? I think this would make more sense than any of the trade rumors still out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Don't believe there is any available space on the 40-man roster for Cotts at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clujer420 Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Don't believe there is any available space on the 40-man roster for Cotts at the moment. Like Jim Fainter (I think it was him) said, they can make room for him -- it takes no time at all. And I like the idea of adding both to the team, and sending White out of here and Ginter back down to the minors. Good suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Fainter Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Right. If you want to bring up Cotts, someone has to go -- most likely White. He gets expunged from the 40 man roster faster than you can ask, "What's my role?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaSox35 Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 dont bring up cotts he has 52 walks in 93 innings he obviously has great potential with a 2.4 era and 117 k's but 52 walks in 93 innings isnt going to help us at the majors wait till next year with cotts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RibbieRubarb Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 I wouldn't mind Cotts coming up for a bullpen role. Look what it did for Buehrle in 2000. Gave him confidence and playoff experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 dont bring up cotts he has 52 walks in 93 innings he obviously has great potential with a 2.4 era and 117 k's but 52 walks in 93 innings isnt going to help us at the majors wait till next year with cotts Try and know what you are talking about, k??? How does 14 IP 1 H 0 R 3 BB 14K sound?? Take it from someone that has seen him all year. If called upon, Cotts is ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAfan Posted July 31, 2003 Author Share Posted July 31, 2003 Try and know what you are talking about, k??? How does 14 IP 1 H 0 R 3 BB 14K sound?? Take it from someone that has seen him all year. If called upon, Cotts is ready. So Rex, as someone who has watched Neal all year, how does he compare to the other phenoms we've seen this year -- Willis, Jerome Williams, B. Webb, and Rich Harden?? While it would be nice to see fewer walks, if they can't hit it, it seems like a small glitch. (I mean, Danny Wright walks too many batters too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CubKilla Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 dont bring up cotts he has 52 walks in 93 innings he obviously has great potential with a 2.4 era and 117 k's but 52 walks in 93 innings isnt going to help us at the majors wait till next year with cotts Exactly. Let Cotts learn control in the minors. Not against the best team in the AL right now. While I'm not a fan of Danny Wright, he has had some success in Seattle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 Try and know what you are talking about, k??? How does 14 IP 1 H 0 R 3 BB 14K sound?? Take it from someone that has seen him all year. If called upon, Cotts is ready. So Rex, as someone who has watched Neal all year, how does he compare to the other phenoms we've seen this year -- Willis, Jerome Williams, B. Webb, and Rich Harden?? While it would be nice to see fewer walks, if they can't hit it, it seems like a small glitch. (I mean, Danny Wright walks too many batters too.) Neal's weakness is definitely walks and that is a concern. It has been for me (and I am sure for him) all season long. However, I have seen progress in the last month. Four out of his last five outings have been solid in terms of walks and he keeps going deeper and deeper into games, which means his pitch counts are lower as are his walks. He has also gotten more efficient with his pitches recently, which only helps. I really can't compare him to the other guys because I haven't seen them that much. I have seen Willis a few times on TV and saw him in Birmingham earlier this year (6 IP 5 H 0 R 1 BB 8 K). The only time I have seen Hardin is the one inning he pitched in the Future's game. I have not seen anything of Williams or Webb other than an occasional Sportscenter highlight. I am not saying that Neal is ready to come in and dominate the American League. I am not even sure he will be ready to jump into the rotation at the beginning of next season. But he is pitching very well right now and I have no doubt that he could hold his own in the 5th spot in the rotation if called upon. I don't think it will happen unless Wright really falters on Saturday, but I like what I see from him a lot more now than I did earlier in the year. And I liked what I saw from him then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAfan Posted July 31, 2003 Author Share Posted July 31, 2003 Neal's weakness is definitely walks and that is a concern. It has been for me (and I am sure for him) all season long. However, I have seen progress in the last month. Four out of his last five outings have been solid in terms of walks and he keeps going deeper and deeper into games, which means his pitch counts are lower as are his walks. He has also gotten more efficient with his pitches recently, which only helps. I really can't compare him to the other guys because I haven't seen them that much. I have seen Willis a few times on TV and saw him in Birmingham earlier this year (6 IP 5 H 0 R 1 BB 8 K). The only time I have seen Hardin is the one inning he pitched in the Future's game. I have not seen anything of Williams or Webb other than an occasional Sportscenter highlight. I am not saying that Neal is ready to come in and dominate the American League. I am not even sure he will be ready to jump into the rotation at the beginning of next season. But he is pitching very well right now and I have no doubt that he could hold his own in the 5th spot in the rotation if called upon. I don't think it will happen unless Wright really falters on Saturday, but I like what I see from him a lot more now than I did earlier in the year. And I liked what I saw from him then! Thanks for the response. Now let me ask you a second question. One of the reasons I think the Sox should go with Cotts this year is because he has a chance of really shutting down a team, at least through 6 or 7 innings, as he has recently, where his pitching performance wins the ball game. The best we can really hope out of Danny Wright, on the other hand, is to get the misnamed "quality start" (6 IP, 3 ER), where the offense has to win the game. Now maybe this doesn't make that much of a difference for the few games we'll need a 5th starter in to the end of the season, but you never know. So my question is whether you agree that Cotts -- right now -- is more likely to shut down another team than Danny Wright. The final reason I like Cotts is because I wonder if Danny Wright shouldn't be moved to the pen for the rest of the year to give us a power right handed arm. Cotts starts, and Wright replaces White in the bullpen. To my mind, that would give us the best possible staff at this point in the year. Buehrle, Colon, Loaiza, Garland, Cotts Gordon, Marte, Wunsch, Schoney, Wright, Koch What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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