Former
Redbird named top MLB setup man
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[DEC. 16, 2005]
NORMAL -- In the wake of a World Series
championship, former Redbird pitcher
Neal Cotts received an early
Christmas present, when MLB.com fans voted the Chicago White Sox
reliever the Setup Man of the Year in the "This Year in Baseball"
awards for 2005. MLB.com, the official website of Major League
Baseball, announced the winners in 10 award categories on Thursday.
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Cotts collected 21.7 percent of the vote, finishing three points
ahead of World Series foe Dan Wheeler of the Houston Astros, who had
18.2 percent. Former White Sox reliever Tom Gordon garnered 12.8
percent of the vote, and Cotts’ teammate Cliff Polite finished
fourth with 9.7 percent of the vote. In addition, Cotts’ manager,
Ozzie Guillen, was named Manager of the Year in the voting. The
25-year-old left-hander put together a career year in 2005 and
helped the White Sox to the team’s first World Series championship
in 88 years. Cotts finished the regular season with a perfect 4-0
record and a 1.94 ERA in 69 appearances on the mound. He continued
his solid pitching into the postseason as well, not allowing an
earned run in six appearances and earning the win in Game 2 of the
World Series in Chicago.
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![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2005/Dec/16/images/ads/current/donpeasley.jpg) MLB.com started the This Year in Baseball awards in 2002 to give
fans the opportunity to express their opinions on the top players,
managers and moments from each season. This year, over 3.3 million
votes were cast by fans on MLB.com, up from 800,000 votes from 2004.
Awards will be presented to the winners during pre-game, on-field
ceremonies early in the 2006 season.
[Illinois
State University news release from Mike Williams]
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