southsider2k5 Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-01...icago-white-sox Cotts considered comeback with Sox in 2011 January 29, 2012|By Mark Gonzales | Tribune reporter Left-handed reliever Neal Cotts, one of the heroes of the Chicago White Sox's 2005 World Series championship season, confirmed during SoxFest that he considered returning to the Sox before the 2011 season. "I was considering returning," said Cotts, 31, who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2009 with the Cubs. "I felt good about other situations, though." Cotts ended up signing with the New York Yankees but failed a physical examination before spring training because of a right hip injury that continues to harness him from returning to a major league camp. "I’m trying, but once you get told 'no' a few times, there’s nothing I can really change in terms of the MRI," Cotts said of his comeback hopes. "It’s not going to change or heal." Cotts posted a 1.94 ERA in 69 appearances in 2005, as he and Cliff Politte emerged as valuable set-up men to Bobby Jenks during the Sox's championship season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodAsGould Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Thats too bad, I was always a Cotts fan. He always seemed like a good guy and obviously was pretty amazing that season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 29, 2012 -> 08:17 PM) I doubt many GM's can hire/fire the manager without approval of the owner. Guillen was the first to go, Chairman Reinsdorf has put Kenny on the clock. I don't think Sox management is anywhere near Geo. Steinbrenner like, but I think KW shoud have been fired just as much as some thought Ozzie should have been gone for the 2011 debacle. If you accept Jerry's statement that he encouraged Ozzie to go simply out of some paternal feelings for Ozzie then you see that KW staying is more a fatherly thing on the part of Reinsdorf. He is very loyal to his people. I also think the owner does have a right to intervene, if he sees the need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daa84 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 its so nice outside....feels like spring and reminds me that baseball is just around the corner...which is awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 QUOTE (daa84 @ Jan 31, 2012 -> 11:14 AM) its so nice outside....feels like spring and reminds me that baseball is just around the corner...which is awesome And then you start thinking about the team you get to watch come spring... less awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jan 31, 2012 -> 10:50 AM) And then you start thinking about the team you get to watch come spring... less awesome. I'm still excited about it. I look at it like this: Last year was "All In", and it was one of the most frustrating and depressing seasons I've seen. This year with some fresh blood and a new coaching staff, I'm looking forward to seeing how the young guys do and if the disappointing ones can rebound. I'm not expecting a title run, but if we can start seeing what the future of the Sox looks like, and it looks good, I'm okay with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jan 31, 2012 -> 10:50 AM) And then you start thinking about the team you get to watch come spring... less awesome. Baseball is always awesome. Its all perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 31, 2012 -> 01:28 PM) Baseball is always awesome. Its all perspective. I'm becoming a bitter old man, Southsider. Although i can't deny i do get a kind of tingly feeling when those first pictures of the pitchers and catchers start coming out from Camelback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jan 31, 2012 -> 04:50 PM) And then you start thinking about the team you get to watch come spring... less awesome. I agree. It'd be nice for this team to overachieve and individual players earn their salaries this year. Last year only a couple earned all that loot (Paulie, Mark, couple others maybe). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) QUOTE (greg775 @ Jan 31, 2012 -> 11:37 PM) I agree. It'd be nice for this team to overachieve and individual players earn their salaries this year. Last year only a couple earned all that loot (Paulie, Mark, couple others maybe). Alexei, big time. Edited February 1, 2012 by JoeCoolMan24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptatc Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 31, 2012 -> 12:28 PM) Baseball is always awesome. Its all perspective. I agree. I love going to baseball games because I enjoy baseball. I enjoy it more when the Sox win but I guess I'm in the minority where I can enjoy baseball because it's baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Jan 31, 2012 -> 11:58 PM) Alexei, big time. Alexei may have "Earned his money", but he's still on the list of guys that could and should have been better. Dude was a ground ball to the shortstop machine last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 07:38 AM) Alexei may have "Earned his money", but he's still on the list of guys that could and should have been better. Dude was a ground ball to the shortstop machine last year. Defensively he was awesome. But you're right about his hitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 08:57 AM) Defensively he was awesome. But you're right about his hitting. Out of last year's 25 man roster, there's only like 6-7 guys I would say didn't have a season I could call disappointing in some way. Konerko, Buehrle, Lillibridge, Crain, Ohman, maybe Pierzynski, maybe Jackson. Everyone else, I can look at them and say "This guy needed to do x better and should have been able to do so". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quin Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 08:11 AM) Out of last year's 25 man roster, there's only like 6-7 guys I would say didn't have a season I could call disappointing in some way. Konerko, Buehrle, Lillibridge, Crain, Ohman, maybe Pierzynski, maybe Jackson. Everyone else, I can look at them and say "This guy needed to do x better and should have been able to do so". Santos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 08:11 AM) Out of last year's 25 man roster, there's only like 6-7 guys I would say didn't have a season I could call disappointing in some way. Konerko, Buehrle, Lillibridge, Crain, Ohman, maybe Pierzynski, maybe Jackson. Everyone else, I can look at them and say "This guy needed to do x better and should have been able to do so". Phil Humber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 01:10 PM) Santos? Santos excelled early in the season but he wore down late again, had a terrible september. He was also somewhat inconsistent, had a really bad june. Greg isn't lying when he says Serg blew more saves than you'd like out of a closer, especially one who didn't have the job the full year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eminor3rd Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 07:38 AM) Alexei may have "Earned his money", but he's still on the list of guys that could and should have been better. Dude was a ground ball to the shortstop machine last year. Alexei posted the highest WAR of his career (4.9) and the highest on our team by a lot (Konerko 2nd with 3.1). It was actually his career year so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 03:25 PM) Alexei posted the highest WAR of his career (4.9) and the highest on our team by a lot (Konerko 2nd with 3.1). It was actually his career year so far. But he also posted his 2nd lowest OPS of his career (.727), the lowest batting average of his career, most strikeouts of his career, tied for the fewest HR of his career, and most double plays of his career. If you switch to bWAR, his 2010 season was a higher bWAR than 2011, despite him taking a ton more walks, because everything else he did with the bats got worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eminor3rd Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 02:36 PM) But he also posted his 2nd lowest OPS of his career (.727), the lowest batting average of his career, most strikeouts of his career, tied for the fewest HR of his career, and most double plays of his career. If you switch to bWAR, his 2010 season was a higher bWAR than 2011, despite him taking a ton more walks, because everything else he did with the bats got worse. His wOBA dropped from .322 to .319. The drops in his BA and SLG were nearly totally made up with his increase in OBP. His wRC+ actually went up from 95 to 96. His offense was worse, but not by much at all when you look beyond the counting stats, and his defense and baserunning improved enough to make up the difference and then some. I guess my point is that Alexei was not the problem at all. I'll take 4.9 fWAR out of him any year. He is not the cornerstone of a successful team. He's a terrific MLB SS, but only the couple elite SS's can touch the production that it takes to carry a team these days. I don't think we should blame Alexei for only puting up 4.9 fWAR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Dye Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 There are sooo many other things to go after besides Alexei. Alexei's fine. PK and a few starters. The rest of it is botched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 03:45 PM) There are sooo many other things to go after besides Alexei. Alexei's fine. PK and a few starters. The rest of it is botched. If saying that Alexei could and should have done better on offense last year is "Going after him", then fine, I'm going after him, but then I think I'm "Going after" at least 20+ members of last year's team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 06:27 PM) Santos excelled early in the season but he wore down late again, had a terrible september. He was also somewhat inconsistent, had a really bad june. Greg isn't lying when he says Serg blew more saves than you'd like out of a closer, especially one who didn't have the job the full year. But man oh man did him and Sale combine on a great blown save to end the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 04:18 PM) But man oh man did him and Sale combine on a great blown save to end the season. Except for the first 2 months of the year, when Sale couldn't find a reliable release point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 1, 2012 -> 10:19 PM) Except for the first 2 months of the year, when Sale couldn't find a reliable release point. Huh? I was just saying that I was happy with Santos' parting gift, which was a higher draft spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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