Brewers sign LHRP Neal Cotts (1/$3M)

[brewmann04]

i sure Mark A didn't mean this move as the one move . Krod is a fall back in case the deal does not get done . I sure we know something for sure by the time they hit Spring Training.

[Bombers]

I like it. Nice pick up for the bullpen.

Yep - I like it too. I like the 1 year deals

[pete]

I've failed to come up with a sense of him as a pitcher from poking around his stats. He wasn't very good last season, but nails the season before. Seems to be slightly better against lefties with the exception of power numbers that tilt the whole thing.

 

I'll guess that there's some up and down pattern that tracks with health and Melvin will have a couple stats to reflect that. The physical was reported as "hands on." I'm picturing them grabbing his leg and jerking it - "did that hurt"? Then harder - "how about that'?

 

Former 2nd round draft choice!

[pacopete4]

Nice signing. Adding Papelbon now is just shortening the game. Could have a deadly pen! Lots of options.

[superfly]

Seems pretty "meh" to me, but it's about the best we could do. Think i'd have rather had Gorzelanny though, he could swing start if need be. Still need to add another arm though because we have no elite SP to eat extra innings.

[MNBrew]

Seems pretty "meh" to me, but it's about the best we could do. Think i'd have rather had Gorzelanny though, he could swing start if need be. Still need to add another arm though because we have no elite SP to eat extra innings.

If by the bolded part you mean "he has started games before," then yes. But we all watched what happened the longer he started games. Last year Gorzelanny was rather fragile at least in the sense that they avoided using him in any high-leverage situations. It made his stats look good, but I think there was more to it than the numbers say.... That all seems to point rather obviously to the Brewers saying "no thanks" to him.

[JohnBriggs12]

Really good in 2013 with a 1.11 ERA, .947 WHIP and a 2.17 FIP

But then a 4.32 ERA, 3.58 FIP, and a 1.335 WHIP in 2014

 

Definitely fits Melvins thought process that relievers are good one year, down the next and then Hopefully back up the year after that

 

 

Except this guy's been around for more than a decade and he's had 2 good years. The rest have been pretty bad. $3 million seems like a lot. I'd have rather they hung on to Gorzelanny.

[Bombers]

Really good in 2013 with a 1.11 ERA, .947 WHIP and a 2.17 FIP

But then a 4.32 ERA, 3.58 FIP, and a 1.335 WHIP in 2014

 

Definitely fits Melvins thought process that relievers are good one year, down the next and then Hopefully back up the year after that

 

 

Except this guy's been around for more than a decade and he's had 2 good years. The rest have been pretty bad. $3 million seems like a lot. I'd have rather they hung on to Gorzelanny.

True but he had TJ in 2010, didn't play in 2011 and went to AAA in 2012. This article talks about the good and the bad

http://nolanwritin.com/2015/01/24/neal-cotts-will-not-be-a-texas-rangers/

[pogokat]

Seems pretty "meh" to me, but it's about the best we could do. Think i'd have rather had Gorzelanny though, he could swing start if need be. Still need to add another arm though because we have no elite SP to eat extra innings.

 

I'm thinking that by adding Cotts it will allow Smith to be stretched out. I'm going to guess the Brewers plan on having Thornburg or Smith in the swingman role this year. Both guys were starters in the minors---Thornburg was in line for a starting job with the Brewers until the Garza signing last year.

[adambr2]

The Brewers just aren't a very good match for Papelbon because of the no trade clause. Papelbon will insist that his $13M vesting option for 2016 be guaranteed. And it doesn't make any sense for the Phillies from their standpoint to eat part of a salary that they can get out of anyway if they keep him. So if the Brewers want the Phillies to eat $8M of the remaining $26M, the Phillies won't look at it like they're eating 8M of 26M, they'll look at it like they're eating 8M of 13M. Not a very good deal for them unless they get a really good prospect in return which is where the deal just doesn't make sense for is.

 

I'll be really disappointed if we give up someone like Coulter to make that happen.

[djoctagone]

They'll have to clear a 40 man spot for him..

michael blazek, johnny hellweg, shane peterson, juan ceteno or rob wooten? possibly a pitcher whose contract they purchased this offseason?

 

you'd think it would be a pitcher that they'd clear and not a position player . . . especially if they still are in on francisco rodriguez.

[JohnBriggs12]

Really good in 2013 with a 1.11 ERA, .947 WHIP and a 2.17 FIP

But then a 4.32 ERA, 3.58 FIP, and a 1.335 WHIP in 2014

 

Definitely fits Melvins thought process that relievers are good one year, down the next and then Hopefully back up the year after that

 

 

Except this guy's been around for more than a decade and he's had 2 good years. The rest have been pretty bad. $3 million seems like a lot. I'd have rather they hung on to Gorzelanny.

True but he had TJ in 2010, didn't play in 2011 and went to AAA in 2012. This article talks about the good and the bad

http://nolanwritin.com/2015/01/24/neal-cotts-will-not-be-a-texas-rangers/

 

He's also had major hip problems. Seems to me he's certainly not worth triple what Detroit is paying Gorzelanny. I live in Chicago area and know a lot of Sox fans. Lets just stay Cotts overstayed his welcome on the south side.

[brewmann04]

One year deal and off the books not a bad investment

[patrickgpe]

seems like Melvin is trying to sign Duke V2.0, but he is completely different pitcher and 4 years older.

[fondybrewfan]

$3 Million is not going to hurt you either way. It isn't such a large commitment that RR and DM will need to stick with him if he isn't that good. This has potential to be a pretty nice signing; even if it doesn't work out I think the Crew has quite a bit of depth they can go to. Getting his 2013 production for $3 Million would be pretty fantastic.

[JohnBriggs12]

For all you defending spending $3 million on this guy, this is the same team that let Gorzelanny go to Detroit for $1 million. I thought Chicago overpaid giving Duke $5 million but I'd take Duke for $5 million over Cotts for $3 million.

 

Cotts is a guy that I thought would be fine for a minor league deal. $3 million is full retail and then some. It's ridiculous.

[BrewBalls]

This was a signing that needed to take place. We couldn't go into spring training with Smith, Willis and Storng as our only lefthanded reliever options. Cotts will be serviceable at worst with the potential to be lights out like he showed in 2013. I think $3 million is a little steep (thought we could sign him or Thatcher for $2 million tops) but its not a terrible overpay. The only moves I want DM to make are sign/trade for a late innings reliever (K-Rod, Soriano or Papelbon) and a back end starter on a minor league deal for depth (Beachy, Maholm, Morales, Ogando or Chen).

[jerichoholicninja]

At first I was meh but now reading what others have posted I'm less than meh. It's not much money and only one year but there were better, or at least more certain, options for a lefty. Just looking at who's left I would have taken Phil Coke, Paul Maholm, or Joe Thatcher over Cotts at the same price.

[pogokat]

the team can still grab one of those guys at less money as we get closer to spring training.

[Outlander]

I'm guessing Brooks Hall is removed from the 40 man and clears waivers.

[Roderick]

.

[djoctagone]

. I thought Chicago overpaid giving Duke $5 million but I'd take Duke for $5 million over Cotts for $3 million.

chicago guaranteed duke $15 million for three years. big difference from the pending cotts deal.

[BrewBalls]

At first I was meh but now reading what others have posted I'm less than meh. It's not much money and only one year but there were better, or at least more certain, options for a lefty. Just looking at who's left I would have taken Phil Coke, Paul Maholm, or Joe Thatcher over Cotts at the same price.

Here are all four players stats from 2014 per Fangraphs.

 

Player: ERA: / FIP: / K/9: / BB/9: / Holds: / GB%: / IP:

 

Cotts 4.52 / 3.58 / 8.51 / 3.11 / 19 / 34.7% / 66.2

Coke 3.88 / 3.98 / 6.36 / 3.10 / 5 / 55.6% / 58.0

Thatcher 3.86 / 3.43 / 8.01 / 1.19 / 6 / 34.4% / 30.1

Maholm 4.84 / 4.96 / 4.33 / 3.57 / 0 / 54.4% / 70.2 (8 starts)

 

Based on these numbers I would consider Cotts to be the most well rounded option. I did not realize his K/9 rate was so high. Coke has struggled the past couple seasons and shouldn't be counted on to produce like he did earlier in his career. Maholm would be seviceable at best as a starter (see Gorzelanny in 2013) while Thatcher is considered a true loogy meaning he would only be counted on to pitch less than 40 innings.

[patrickgpe]

Elian Herrera has been DFA'd to make this move official. Seems like a good decision. Lets keep on bullpen depth in Triple A.

[reillymcshane]

Elian Herrera has been DFA'd to make this move official. Seems like a good decision. Lets keep on bullpen depth in Triple A.

I'm good with this, even if someone claims Herrera. He's nice depth, but not crucial.