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Contreras coming back to White Sox
Veteran right-hander expected to start on Monday night
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
06/07/09 2:45 PM ET
CHICAGO -- Jose Contreras walked through the White Sox clubhouse early Sunday morning, stopped briefly to exchange pleasantries with the media and then disappeared in street clothes into the training room.
The right-hander has all but officially returned to Chicago, but he won't be needed until the night version of Monday's split doubleheader against the Tigers. Contreras has not pitched for the White Sox since May 8 against the Rangers, when he gave up five runs -- three earned -- on six hits over 3 2/3 innings.
Since that appearance, Contreras voluntarily moved to Triple-A Charlotte in order to find himself on the mound once again. The focus for Contreras while with the Knights was location and harnessing his devastating splitfinger out-pitch, and he seemed to achieve those goals with a 3-1 record and 2.70 ERA in five starts.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen also received positive reports concerning the veteran hurler.
"He feels great, and Jose is throwing the ball well," said Guillen of Contreras, who finished with 27 strikeouts, 16 walks and just 19 hits allowed over 33 1/3 innings for Charlotte. "Last outing, he walked less people than he did the outing before. He threw more strikes. His forkball, splitfinger is a lot better.
"Hopefully he can come out and throw the ball good. We expect him to do it. We want him to do it. Then the decision after he pitches has to be made -- if he stays in the rotation or goes in the bullpen. What kind of move we're going to make, I don't know yet."
Prior to his trip to the Minors, Contreras had posted a dismal 0-5 record with an 8.19 ERA in six starts. Only one start was of the quality variety. Guillen mentioned how the White Sox have to decide what to do with Contreras after Monday's start, but the options seem limited.
Moving Contreras to the bullpen in long relief is a possibility, but it doesn't seem likely. Contreras could replace Bartolo Colon in the rotation, although Colon certainly is not a candidate for the bullpen and the White Sox don't look as if they are ready to cut ties with Colon and his 3.75 ERA entering Sunday's start.
Clayton Richard worked in relief at the 2009 season's outset, and he would fit the bill for long relief, but Guillen already has gone on record saying that Richard is better suited as a starter. Then again, a six-man rotation doesn't seem plausible because of too much rest between starts for other members of the rotation.
Richard, who will make his sixth start of the season in Monday's first game, isn't trying to figure out the rotation ramifications.
"That's something that they're in control of, and I can't worry anything about that because I have no say in it," Richard said. "All I can do is go out and throw when I get the opportunity."
Contreras was slotted for Game 2 so the White Sox can have their full complement of relievers in the afternoon game, with a move to come between games to activate Contreras. The decision with Contreras following that move could be predicated on how the right-hander performs.
"I hope he throws seven innings, at least," Guillen said. "We're going to see how we look at that. Because Colon is pitching today [and] Jose is pitching tomorrow, then there's going to be space there for the bullpen. I don't want to go to a six-man rotation yet. I don't think we're going to do it. But after tomorrow, we have to make the decision.
"It's not going to be an easy one, but we'll have to make one. I don't want to lose [Contreras]. I don't think we should. He's healthy. He talked to us about how good he feels. We sent him to the Minor Leagues a month ago, whatever it was, for a reason. That's the reason -- to bring him back and keep him here."
_________________ Joe Orr Road Rod wrote: It's more fun to be a victim Caller Bob wrote: There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.
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