Neal Cotts
Encyclopedia
Neal James Cotts is a left-handed
Major League Baseball
pitcher
who is currently a Free Agent
, and won first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors and was named to the ABCA All-Midwest Region team. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics
69th overall in the 2nd round of the draft, becoming the second highest player drafted in the history of Illinois State. Neal finished his collegiate career ranked fifth all-time in strikeout
s with 263 in just three seasons with the Redbirds.
of the California League
, winning
12 games in 28 starts
. Over the off-season, Cotts was traded to the Chicago White Sox
in a six-player deal involving relief pitchers Billy Koch
and Keith Foulke
.
Cotts began the season ranked as the number three prospect in the White Sox farm system. He started his year at Double-A Birmingham
, of the Southern League
, going 9-6 with a 2.12 ERA
, and 131 strikeouts. In July 2003, Cotts started for the United States in Major League Baseball's Futures Game. He debuted for Chicago on August 12, 2003, starting against the Anaheim Angels and pitched 2.1 innings
, allowing two runs
, two hits
and six walks
. He received a no-decision in the game. On August 22, Cotts won his first game against the Texas Rangers
, pitching five innings and allowing five hits. Cotts ended the season with a record of 1-1 and an 8.10 ERA.
In , new manager Ozzie Guillén
inserted Cotts into the bullpen. Cotts finished April with a 0.90 ERA, but from May–July had an ERA of 8.28. He finished the season with 65.1 innings pitched, a 4-4 record, and an ERA of 5.65. On June 18, Cotts got his first major league hit, a double
, off Luis Ayala
of the Montreal Expos
.
In , Cotts went 4-0 while appearing in 69 games, throwing 60.1 innings and compiling a 1.94 ERA, 58 strikeouts, and yielding just 1 home run
. MLB.com awarded Cotts the "Setup Man of the Year Award", an award determined by fan voting. In the American League Championship Series
, Cotts was the only person to pitch out of the bullpen in the Sox 4-1 series win, throwing 2/3 of an inning in Game 1. Cotts pitched in all four games of the World Series
and was the winning pitcher Game 2.
On November 16, , Cotts was traded to the Chicago Cubs
for relief pitcher David Aardsma
and minor league pitcher Carlos Vásquez
.
On May 21, , the Cubs optioned Cotts to Triple-A Iowa
, recalling left-handed
pitcher Sean Marshall
.
On December 13, 2007, the Cubs re-signed Cotts to a one-year contract for $800,000. Cotts began the season in AAA, as he'd ended the previous season. He would be recalled from AAA, however, in May and has remained on the major league roster since. Having traded Scott Eyre
, it appears that the Cubs will continue to use Cotts as a left-handed specialist for the remainder of the 2008 season.
Cotts underwent successful Tommy John Surgery
in July 2009. He was non-tendered on December 12 and became a free agent.
On January 4, 2010, Cotts signed a minor-league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates
with an invite to spring training. On September 17, 2010 Cotts was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates
.
On November 22, 2010 Cotts signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees
with an invitation to 2011 spring training. Cotts was released by the Yankees on February 16, 2011 due to the results of his physical.
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who is currently a Free Agent
College career
Cotts attended Illinois State UniversityIllinois State University
Illinois State University , founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois; it is located in the town of Normal. ISU is considered a "national university" that grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research; it is also recognized as one of the top ten largest...
, and won first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors and was named to the ABCA All-Midwest Region team. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
69th overall in the 2nd round of the draft, becoming the second highest player drafted in the history of Illinois State. Neal finished his collegiate career ranked fifth all-time in strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s with 263 in just three seasons with the Redbirds.
Professional career
Cotts spent the season at Single-A ModestoModesto Nuts
The Modesto Nuts are a minor league baseball team in Modesto, California, USA. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and a farm team of the Colorado Rockies. The Modesto Nuts play home games at John Thurman Field. Opened in 1955 and renovated in 1997, the park seats 4,000 fans...
of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
, winning
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
12 games in 28 starts
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
. Over the off-season, Cotts was traded to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in a six-player deal involving relief pitchers Billy Koch
Billy Koch
William Koch is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He entered the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays and most recently pitched for the Florida Marlins in 2004.- Baseball career :...
and Keith Foulke
Keith Foulke
-Career:After graduating from Hargrave High School in Huffman, Texas in 1991, he attended Galveston College and Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho. He began his career in the minor-league system of the San Francisco Giants, but was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1997 with five other prospects...
.
Cotts began the season ranked as the number three prospect in the White Sox farm system. He started his year at Double-A Birmingham
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
, of the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
, going 9-6 with a 2.12 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, and 131 strikeouts. In July 2003, Cotts started for the United States in Major League Baseball's Futures Game. He debuted for Chicago on August 12, 2003, starting against the Anaheim Angels and pitched 2.1 innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
, allowing two runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, two hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and six walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. He received a no-decision in the game. On August 22, Cotts won his first game against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, pitching five innings and allowing five hits. Cotts ended the season with a record of 1-1 and an 8.10 ERA.
In , new manager Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
inserted Cotts into the bullpen. Cotts finished April with a 0.90 ERA, but from May–July had an ERA of 8.28. He finished the season with 65.1 innings pitched, a 4-4 record, and an ERA of 5.65. On June 18, Cotts got his first major league hit, a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, off Luis Ayala
Luis Ayala
Luis Ignacio Ayala is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He is 6' 2" and weighs 190 lbs. and bats and throws right-handed.-Mexican League:...
of the Montreal Expos
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
.
In , Cotts went 4-0 while appearing in 69 games, throwing 60.1 innings and compiling a 1.94 ERA, 58 strikeouts, and yielding just 1 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
. MLB.com awarded Cotts the "Setup Man of the Year Award", an award determined by fan voting. In the American League Championship Series
2005 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 2005 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, IllinoisIn the series opener, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim won 3–2 in their third game in as many nights and as many cities. The Angels took the lead in the second inning on a Garret Anderson home run. The Angels added two...
, Cotts was the only person to pitch out of the bullpen in the Sox 4-1 series win, throwing 2/3 of an inning in Game 1. Cotts pitched in all four games of the World Series
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series, the 101st Major League Baseball championship series, saw the American League champion Chicago White Sox sweep the National League champion Houston Astros four games to none in the best-of-seven-games series, winning their third championship and first since 1917.Home-field...
and was the winning pitcher Game 2.
On November 16, , Cotts was traded to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for relief pitcher David Aardsma
David Aardsma
David Allan Aardsma is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball. He is the first player alphabetically in the list of all-time Major League Baseball players, having displaced Hank Aaron upon his MLB debut....
and minor league pitcher Carlos Vásquez
Carlos Vásquez
Carlos Augusto Vásquez is a Minor League Baseball pitcher for the Florida Marlins organization.Vásquez was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Cubs on February 21, 2000. Vásquez missed the season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery on November 2, 2000.In , Vásquez spent...
.
On May 21, , the Cubs optioned Cotts to Triple-A Iowa
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
, recalling left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
pitcher Sean Marshall
Sean Marshall
Sean Christopher Marshall is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. After three minor league seasons, Marshall was added to the Cubs' 40-man roster in November . He was married to Alexis DelChiaro at the time a morning anchor at KSAZ in Phoenix, AZ...
.
On December 13, 2007, the Cubs re-signed Cotts to a one-year contract for $800,000. Cotts began the season in AAA, as he'd ended the previous season. He would be recalled from AAA, however, in May and has remained on the major league roster since. Having traded Scott Eyre
Scott Eyre
Scott Alan Eyre is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Career:Eyre attended the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Idaho and was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 9th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft...
, it appears that the Cubs will continue to use Cotts as a left-handed specialist for the remainder of the 2008 season.
Cotts underwent successful Tommy John Surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
in July 2009. He was non-tendered on December 12 and became a free agent.
On January 4, 2010, Cotts signed a minor-league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
with an invite to spring training. On September 17, 2010 Cotts was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
.
On November 22, 2010 Cotts signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
with an invitation to 2011 spring training. Cotts was released by the Yankees on February 16, 2011 due to the results of his physical.