He’s just not good

The Chicago White Sox had three big question marks when they arrived in Glendale for Spring Training in early February. One, who is going to leadoff and play centerfield? Two, who is going to win the three-man battle for second base? And three, who is going to fill out the back end of the rotation?

Dewayne Wise won the centerfield job and was named leadoff hitter on Opening Day. That lasted two games until he was replaced at the top by Chris Getz who won the second base job. Wise has seen been placed on the 15-day DL with a Grade 3 shoulder separation. He is expected to miss 6-8 weeks.

The White Sox signed Bartolo Colon in January with the hope that he would be fully recovered from arm and back problems that plagued him last season when he was with the Red Sox and Class AAA Pawtucket. The other spot was expected to go to either lefty Clayton Richard who made his ML debut last season, going 2-5 with a 6.04 ERA (32/47.2 IP) or Jeff Marquez who was acquired along with Wilson Betemit in a deal which sent Nick Swisher to the New York Yankees. Jose Contreras, many believed, would not be available until after the All-Star break after rupturing an Achilles tendon last August.

The big Cuban right-hander proved everyone wrong. He showed up to camp healthy and in great shape and by mid-March, he was throwing in Cactus League games. It seemed he would be ready to take one of those final two spots in April, not July or August as some (myself included) had figured.

Contreras, who will become a free agent after this season, has made three starts in 2009, going 0-3 with an 8.04 ERA (14 ER/15.2 IP). Last night against the Orioles, he allowed six earned runs on seven hits in 5.1 IP. He has 11 walks to just nine strikeouts in the early going. Healthy? Yes, but he’s just not good anymore.

Contreras was strong in the early going last season. From 4/4-6/5, he posted a record of 6-3 with a 2.76 ERA. In eight starts after that, he claimed only one win and allowed at least three earned runs each time out. After surrendering seven runs in 4.0 IP on 7/13 at Texas, Contreras was placed on the 15-day DL with elbow tendonitis. His first start back, 8/9 vs. Boston, was the game he ruptured the Achilles. Here is a picture of Contreras being helped off the field that night (1):

Long gone is the man who won rattled off 17 straight wins from August ’05 – July ’06. Perhaps Jose Contreras’ best days are behind him and it’s time for manager Ozzie Guillen and pitching coach Don Cooper to think about a new role. They could give the ball to Richard to start games and relegate Contreras to the bullpen as they did near the end of 2007. Regardless of their decision, I’m not sure how much longer Sox fans are willing wait on Jose.

Photo Credits:
1 – http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/2008/writers/john_donovan/08/11/donovan.keyinjuries/ContrerasAP2.jpg