There might not have been a better comeback story in baseball this year than that of Texas Rangers relief pitcher Neal Cotts.
Cotts overcame injury after injury as the 33-year-old lefty had basically been left in the garbage heap by several teams before the Rangers took a chance on him this year.
Prior to the 2013 season, Cotts hadn't pitched in the majors since 2009, when he threw just 11 innings for the Chicago Cubs before missing the rest of the season, and then he sat out the next three years before resurfacing in Texas this year.
All Cotts did was throw 57 innings for the Rangers and post an elite 1.11 ERA with 65 strikeouts and an 8-3 record as part of the Rangers' stellar bullpen.
For his performance this season, Cotts has been nominated for the 49th annual Hutch Award, given annually for displaying honor, courage and dedication. The award is named after former MLB player and manager Fred Hutchinson, who died of cancer in 1964 after a 10-year playing career and a 12-year managerial career.
The award will be presented on Jan. 30 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Hutchinson's hometown.
