Cotts DFA Pool

by ambrosiadreams on Apr 21, 2009 11:14 PM CDT Comment 50 comments

While tonight's game was relatively stress free, it was not ideal to have to use Marmol with a fairly comfortable 5 run lead. Marmol was brought in, of course, because our L(n)OOGY put 2 of little Dusty's soldiers on base. Since Neal seems to be catching Lou's evil eye lately, I thought it would be fun to start a pool or hear your thoughts as to when you think he will be on a bus to Iowa. Anybody else think that we'll hear the news tomorrow morning?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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On a slightly related note.

Many of us wanted Beimel this offseason. Well it looks like he’s on his way to the DL. Okay so his injury was a little bit of a fluke, but this sucks for an already bad team.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090421&content_id=4358476&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Apr 21, 2009 11:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Should have kept him in there.

Walks clog the bases…right Dusty?

LET'S GO HAWKS!!!

by Hawks08 on Apr 21, 2009 11:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Cotts needs to go.

He wasn’t effective last year….or the year before that…..or the year before that……actually he was only good during the 2005 season. He hasn’t been a good pitcher since so I don’t know why we’ve given him so many chances. At this point I really don’t care what happens to him, but I don’t want to see him pitch again.

by Treebs on Apr 21, 2009 11:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What do you do with a LHP that can't throw strikes?

I’m not even sure the glue factory would accept a trade for Cotts right now…

by bdoubleu on Apr 22, 2009 12:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If he was a horse, Lou would have walked out to the mound and shot him.

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Apr 22, 2009 12:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Cotts just needs to be held down by towels and bludgeoned by socks filled with barsoap in the locker room

“This is my strike zone. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My strike zone is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I master my life. My strike zone, without me, is useless. Without my strike zone, I am useless. I must pitch to my strike zone true. I must pitch straighter than any enemy who is trying to hit me. I must strike him out before he hits me. I will….

My strike zone and myself know that what counts in this game is not the pitches we fire, the noise of our pitches, nor the grunts we make. We know that it is the strikes that count. We will throw strikes…

My strike zone is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weakness, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my strike zone clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will…

Before God I swear this creed. My strike zone and myself are the defenders of my team. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is the teams and there is no enemy, but Victory."

by bdoubleu on Apr 22, 2009 1:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you implying that Cotts may be a section 8?

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Apr 22, 2009 7:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Private Cotts!

Are you telling me you can’t throw 1 strike?! Get off my pitcher’s mound, Cotts!

by salparadise23 on Apr 22, 2009 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Private Cotts, you Cottssucker

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Apr 22, 2009 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it may have crossed Lou's mind anyway.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 22, 2009 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually this will be an interesting experiment into the inner workings of Lou's brain

We’ve got quite the battle going on here:

Lou’s left-brain (the logical side) surely must realize Cotts is pretty much stinking up the place.
vs.
Lou’s right-brain (the emotional side) is clinging to this notion that he must have a LOOGY in the bullpen.

Personally, I think the only way Cotts gets DFAed is if The Shark is brought up and inserted into the rotation. Then Marshall can become the LOOGY and Lou’s brain is at peace.

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Apr 22, 2009 2:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No, Jason Waddell could be recalled.

Waddell’s more of a traditional LOOGY anyway. Marshall would be wasted in that role.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Apr 22, 2009 4:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Until Shark is ready to start here

I think Jeff S. is being prepared to start and when he’s ready Marshall will be in the pen and Jeff starts.

Of course if Marshall pitches well in the starting role and Waddell does well in the pen in the majors it will allow Jeff to develop more.

Jay is our Quarterback. I REPEAT JAY IS OUR QUARTERBACK. Did I mention we have a Quarterback who happens to be named Jay?.

by cubstoseriesby100 on Apr 22, 2009 5:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why the need for a LOOGY

when they have a guy in Marshall that can come in from the ’pen and pitch 2-3 innings?

I’m more interested in having pitchers that get guys out.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Apr 22, 2009 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

you can't do that every day.

Put Marshall in the pen, and he can’t pitch 2-3 innings every day. Get a LOOGY, and they CAN pitch every day.

"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella

by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know that he can't do 2-3 every day

Buy a LOOGY would probably be “ruled out” to pitch after going 3 straight.

I’m more concerned with getting outs than purely situational. It seems so many teams are amped up about this whole LOOGY thing but what they really want is pitchers to get guys out.

Marshall does that better than some of the guys currently in the ’pen.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Apr 22, 2009 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

this, I agree with.

"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella

by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe I'm taking this whole "LOOGY" thing too literally...

…but, again, Cotts splits don’t support his use as a LOOGY, nor do Sean Marshall’s. In fact, Sean is even less of a LOOGY because he’s proven that he’s much more valuable than a “one-out guy.” Just because a guy throws with his left hand/arm doesn’t make him a LOOGY.

Let me be clear that I’m not trying to make excuses for Cotts. He’s got to throw strikes and get outs when he’s called upon. I just wonder whether Lou is assuming that Cotts is automatically the best choice vs. left-handed hitters only because he’s a lefty, when perhaps it would be better to look at specific matchups.

In any case, I find it doubtful that Samardzija is ready to be a starting pitcher just yet. I think if he is brought up, it will be out of desperation to stabilize the pen. My guess is Lou likes having two lefties in the rotation, and he doesn’t (or at least shouldn’t) feel like he absolutely must have a lefty reliever. If he does feel that way, and Cotts is indeed released, I’d like to see Waddell at least get a shot.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 22, 2009 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And he stayed on the roster for a couple of weeks so he can hopefully be the answer to a trivia question.

Who is the only player to play on a world championship team for both the Cubs and the Sox?

Jay is our Quarterback. I REPEAT JAY IS OUR QUARTERBACK. Did I mention we have a Quarterback who happens to be named Jay?.

by cubstoseriesby100 on Apr 22, 2009 6:27 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He'd have to share with Luis Vizcaino

Eamus Ursuli!

by WGNstatic on Apr 22, 2009 7:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Score

Yesterday all afternoon the Score was exclusively reporting Jeff S. might be called up soon.

Wow tomorrow they will announce they heard exclusively the sun rose in the east.

Deep in depth reporting there Score!

Jay is our Quarterback. I REPEAT JAY IS OUR QUARTERBACK. Did I mention we have a Quarterback who happens to be named Jay?.

by cubstoseriesby100 on Apr 22, 2009 6:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I may regret this, but . . .

If you don’t like the Score or Boers and Bernstien (as you implied last week) – why do you listen to it?

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Apr 22, 2009 7:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

Plenty of options up and down the dial…

Brian McRae's 5 o'clock shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Apr 22, 2009 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i LIKE

I like B&B for the most part. They’re the tallest midget in that slot in my opinion.

Jay is our Quarterback. I REPEAT JAY IS OUR QUARTERBACK. Did I mention we have a Quarterback who happens to be named Jay?.

by cubstoseriesby100 on Apr 22, 2009 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Midget

Can be considered derogatory, I suggest you use the politically correct term “Little Person”

"Ask Dad. He'll know. And on the off chance he doesn't, he'll make something up"

by StevenABQ on Apr 22, 2009 4:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shark's a starter; we don't really need a starter.

My arch-nemesis Ms. Muskat seems to think that the call up isn’t a done deal just yet, FWIW. Personally I agree with her; Shark is probably being stretched out to be used as a starter. Look for Waddell (LH RP) to come up if Lou wants a pen arm.

How long should we give sig lines at the bottom of the comments?
Bradley watch -- out 4 games of 12

by znohitter on Apr 22, 2009 8:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yep, this is how I see it, too.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 22, 2009 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thirded.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Apr 22, 2009 10:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

fourfed!

"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella

by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

fifthed

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Apr 22, 2009 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

whiskeyed?

by tootle on Apr 22, 2009 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

seconded!

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Apr 22, 2009 4:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But I don't like

whiskey.

"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella

by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, daver does!

Especially Scotch whiskey!

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Apr 22, 2009 9:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

More of a bourbon guy, actually.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 24, 2009 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I give Cotts 1 more week...tops!

Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?

by Kinky Reggae on Apr 22, 2009 8:43 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

regarding the arbitration clock

when would shark be able to be called up without having the year count against his arbitration time? he was up a couple months in 2008.

by tim815 on Apr 22, 2009 9:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

They'll give him time

But it won’t matter. I’ll say he’s kicked to the curb right before Memorial Day.

by salparadise23 on Apr 22, 2009 9:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If he is on the team until Memorial Day

I am going to have a heart attack.

Brian McRae's 5 o'clock shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Apr 22, 2009 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

An Open Letter to Neal Cotts

Dear Neal,

I tried, dude. I tried.

I’ve been trying to use your outstanding K:BB, K/9 and LOB% last season to calm the angry mob, but I can only do so much. My guess is Lou either sat you down recently and told you himself or telegraphed through Larry Rothschild that the one thing you could not – could not – do last night is walk a batter.

For the life of me, I don’t understand why you didn’t just go out there and throw nothing but fastballs over the plate and take your chances with Reds hitters. Sure, they may have hit the ball hard, but they also may have hit it right at the defense behind you. (Worked for Heilman.) Even if Lou had to pull you for Marmol then, you probably would’ve bought yourself some time. You must know Lou’s dictum about “letting hitters beat you” instead of putting them on base.

Now? I don’t know. I’m assuming you know the cruel fates met by Mssrs. Ohman, Pigniatello and Eyre before you. Maybe you can get Rothschild to go to bat for you. Hey, at least you can’t walk him! (Sorry, bad joke.) Maybe you can take up hypnosis and convince Lou you’re Rob Dibble reincarnated. (Wait, he’s still alive. And a righty.)

In any case, I wish you the best. If you do make a stunning comeback, I will of course take full credit. And if you do not, I’ll deny everything.

Sincerely,

dat cubfan daver

PS Honestly, I think you could’ve gotten out of that jam last night if Lou had left you in, but you probably knew damn well that wasn’t going to happen after you put Votto on first base. Anyway, good luck.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 22, 2009 10:46 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

what happened

to Piggy, anyway?

HOW’S YOUR ASSMAR, PIGGY?

"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella

by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wanna say he signed a minor league deal with the Twins.

Maybe someone can confirm.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 22, 2009 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

When i saw Cotts come in...

I told my buddy, if he gets an out I’ll get off the “hate cotts” train. He then gets a strike out and I was in pure shock, but of course this is Neal Cotts of 2009 so he of course followed up with a walk.

"Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by jkobus on Apr 22, 2009 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, he followed it up by inducing a ground ball...

…that happened to run up the middle for a hit. I still had hopes for some modicum of a comeback appearance at that point. As soon as he walked Votto, though, you could just see the disgust in Lou’s face. Game over.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 22, 2009 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that like a Dead Pool?

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Apr 22, 2009 11:36 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He should be so lucky.

designated for assignment back to the minor leagues. And if you’re out of options, possibly picked up off waivers by the Washington Nationals. A fate worse than death, if you ask me.

by bdoubleu on Apr 23, 2009 12:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

this is one cold thread ..

.. but chillingly blunt. Neal isn’t going to get much more syrup on his pancakes ..

Well, Next Year is here .. and Jack's century's gotta end some time .. GO CUBBIES!

by cubnational on Apr 22, 2009 10:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You want the truth Cotts?

You can’t handle the truth…….you need us, up in the bleachers, holding down the park for all the little kids and little old ladies who can’t bear to witness another walk with no outs, and Albert on deck…..etc, etc

by letsplay2two on Apr 23, 2009 7:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs