That player ended up being John Cotton, who was not even on the list of 39 players that the Committee was using the week prior. A veteran in his 12th minor-league season, Cotton was having the best year of his career at triple-A Colorado Springs, hitting .328 with 16 homers and 62 RBIs. A left-handed bat, he had less power than Johnson but more versatility, and was being looked at as a designated hitter and backup outfielder. It remained to be seen whether he would make it to Sydney, but he was going to get the chance, as the Committee chose Cotton as their last player above the cut line.
