Article: Twins Acquire LHP Neal Cotts from Brewers

[Seth Stohs]

According to the Twitter feed of the Milwaukee Brewers, the Twins have acquired left-handed reliever Neal Cotts for a player to be named later.Cotts has been around a long time. The 35-year-old left-hander began his big league career in 2003 with the Chicago White Sox. He moved to the bullpen in 2004 and has been there ever since.

 

He pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 2007 through 2009. He had Tommy John surgery in 2010 and missed a lot of time. He signed with the Pirates and Yankees but was unable to pitch. He returned to the big leagues for the Texas Rangers in 2013. He went 8-3 with a 1.11 ERA in 58 games for the Rangers that season. He was then 2-9 with a 4.32 ERA in 2014.

 

He was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers this year. He is 1-0 with a 3.28 ERA in 49.1 innings. He has been very good against left-handers. They have hit just .185/.230/.346 (.576) against him.

 

To make the move official, the Twins will need to make a move on their 25-man roster as well as their 40-man roster.

 

The team would need to send a layer to the Brewers within six months, though generally it happens much sooner than that.

 

To make room for Cotts, the Twins optioned RHP AJ Achter to Rochester.

 

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[Monkeypaws]

Wait what? O'Rourke and Duensing weren't good enough?!

 

Hope the ptbnl is Nolasco....

[nater79a]

I thought O'Rourke was fine as long as he was used strictly as a LOOGY. But, maybe it's not his roster spot in jeopardy. Can't see three lefties in the 'pen though (Duensing, O'Rourke, Cotts). Plus Perkins.

[SF Twins Fan]

He's been able to strike out people at least left handed batters.  That's a good thing.  I like O'Rourke as well, but he is young and inexperienced.  

[bluechipper]

A slight upgrade over Duensing then I suppose. AJ Achter is my guess for the player to be optioned.

[nater79a]

 

A slight upgrade over Duensing then I suppose. AJ Achter is my guess for the player to be optioned.

 

You are correct! Four lefties in the 'pen.

[sane]

I hope it is a player to be named later, because that player hasn't been born yet.

[Dr. Evil]

Hope he is better than what we got

[BeenHazy]

 

He moved to the bullpen in 2004 and has been there ever since.
 

Fun fact:  In the last game he ever started, he gave up home runs to Matt LeCroy and some rookie #8 hitter named Morneau.

[Mike Sixel]

Odd. Do they think they are a playoff team?

[Old Twins Cap]

Likely, Perkins going to DL.  Mix and match getting to Jepsen, new closer.

[Squirrel]

 

Odd. Do they think they are a playoff team?

Hey ... there's still a 4% chance!

[Puckett34]

 

Hey ... there's still a 4% chance!

http://www.impetuousexplorer.com/stuffgoeshere/uploads/2014/04/lloydchristmas.jpg

[Mike Sixel]

Hey ... there's still a 4% chance!

Fair enough. I am with Brock, this was a great idea weeks ago.....now, it seems like window dressing. Which I guess is better than nothing.

[Squirrel]

 

Fair enough. I am with Brock, this was a great idea weeks ago.....now, it seems like window dressing. Which I guess is better than nothing.

I was being a little sarcastic. And I agree.

 

But, it ain't over 'til it's over ... but whatever at this point.

[twinsnorth49]

At least it's an opportunity to see something different, a bit late but whatevs.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Odd. Do they think they are a playoff team?

 

They're like 2.5 games out. I would sure hope they haven't given up.

[David HK]

I like Cotts.  Achter going down, no doubt, but (and I say this with a somewhat heavy heart) if I'm GM, Dunse hits the waiver wire.

[John Kelsey]

And the best part, of course, is that his name is easily Gardy'd. Welcome aboard Cottsy!

[JustinCB]

I like Cotts. Achter going down, no doubt, but (and I say this with a somewhat heavy heart) if I'm GM, Dunse hits the waiver wire.

Your heart must get heavy a lot.

[h2oface]

I don't think this splash even has a ripple. Well, maybe a couple rings. We will see. I love 35 year old pitchers. It makes me feel like the rebuild is finished. At least he looks like he is in shape - eh, Perkins?

[TheLeviathan]

Odd. Do they think they are a playoff team?

They are less than three games out with plenty of time. How can anyone think this is strange? They added a competent arm for the last month. Hopefully it helps.

[Otto von Ballpark]

What's strange about it is, why now and not July? Or even the first week of August? The Twins were an even more likely playoff team at those points, our pen weakness was plainly evident, and I doubt that the asking price for Neal Cotts was any higher than now.

[JustinCB]

They are less than three games out with plenty of time. How can anyone think this is strange? They added a competent arm for the last month. Hopefully it helps.

88 wins is the lowest amount a team has gotten through with as a wild card since they started sending two from each league. That would require the Twins going 27-13 the rest of the way. Anybody think that's happening? Cotts is an improvement over Duensing (if that's even who they plan on replacing) but this team isn't playing nearly.700 baseball for 40 games.

[Otto von Ballpark]

88 wins is the lowest amount a team has gotten through with as a wild card since they started sending two from each league. That would require the Twins going 27-13 the rest of the way. Anybody think that's happening? Cotts is an improvement over Duensing (if that's even who they plan on replacing) but this team isn't playing nearly.700 baseball for 40 games.

Well, the Angels are on pace to claim that spot with only 83.5 wins, so it is possible we won't need 88.

[drjim]

 

What's strange about it is, why now and not July? Or even the first week of August? The Twins were an even more likely playoff team at those points, our pen weakness was plainly evident, and I doubt that the asking price for Neal Cotts was any higher than now.

 

I agree that it does seem strange they could not have gotten another cheap reliever in the last year of his deal at the deadline. I even think Jepsen and Cotts, while not exactly awe inspiring, would have been an acceptable deadline.

 

If they would have mixed that in with avoiding the May fiasco and just calling up Berrios at the time, the team would be in much better position, going for it with the kids, and still held the prospects for the real push that should happen over the next 2-3 years.

 

Took longer to get there than it should have over the past 3 weeks, but they are more or less where they should be (minus Berrios) for the stretch. Worst case the young guys get some experience they can build on. 

[HitInAPinch]

 

Odd. Do they think they are a playoff team?

I never did.  I think we should be really, really happy with the 61-61 record Twins have right now.

I suspect this move is one of:

1.  Admission that current minor leagues aren't really ready

2.  Cotts is only here because of #1 above.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Which young guys got experience recently? Achter and O'Rourke are both about 27 years old, and could have gotten that experience earlier in the year. Graham has been getting experience all year, as has May.

 

Worst case, the Twins slow conservative approach, against all reason, cost them a critical 2-3 wins, for no tangible benefit.

[TheLeviathan]

It can be both later than we'd have liked and still a fine move now.

[Willihammer]

 

What's strange about it is, why now and not July? Or even the first week of August?.

Gotta be the Perkins injury right?