Dec. 19--After making significant moves at the winter meetings, the White Sox and Cubs also were looking this week for backup catchers.
The White Sox on Thursday signed catcher George Kottaras, according to cbssports.com, to compete for a spot behind Tyler Flowers, while the Cubs still are looking at signing Red Sox veteran David Ross.
Kottaras, 31, is expected to compete with Adrian Nieto and Rob Brantly. The Sox were unavailable for comment.
A lifetime .215 hitter with seven teams, Kottaras signed a one-year, $1.075 million deal with the Cubs last winter, hours after free agent Dioner Navarro signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Blue Jays.
Kottaras was expected to be Welington Castillo's backup, but his dog, Leo had a better spring training in Mesa, Ariz., and Kottaras was beaten out for the job by John Baker and released at the end of camp. He wound up getting 30 major league at-bats in 18 games for three teams in 2014.
The Indians signed Kottaras and designated him for assignment in early July. The Cardinals claimed him off waivers, but released him two weeks later when they signed A.J. Pierzynski, who'd been released by the Red Sox. Kottaras finished up with the Blue Jays and became a free agent.
The Cubs meanwhile, are looking at Ross as a backup, despite moving Castillo to a backup role after acquiring the Diamondbacks' Miguel Montero. Ross was deciding between offers from the Cubs , Red Sox and Padres, according to weei.com. The 37-year-old hit .184 in 50 games for the Red Sox. He's reportedty close with new Cubs ace Jon Lester, his former Red Sox teammate.
The Cubs were unavailable for comment.
