CHICAGO (AP) -The Chicago Cubs and left-hander Neal Cotts agreed to a one-year, $800,000 contract Thursday and avoided salary arbitration.
Cotts began last season with the Cubs and was 0-1 with a 4.86 ERA in 16 relief appearances before he was sent to Triple-A Iowa on May 20. He never returned to the big leagues, going 2-2 with a 4.83 ERA in 24 appearances, including six starts.
Cotts was a key reliever for the 2005 World Series winning Chicago White Sox. He was traded to the Cubs for right-hander David Aardsma and minor league pitcher Carlos Vasquez on Nov. 16, 2006.
His deal includes performance bonuses of $25,000 for each plateau of 50, 55 or 60 games.
Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or
distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The
Associated Press is strictly prohibited.