Contreras, White Sox, not close to deal

by The Cheat on Dec 20, 2005 12:41 AM CST in News Comment 1 comment

Money Bags Last week I thought it was a certainty that Contreras would be signed before then end of the year. Tonight, it appears much less likely as the Sox start to feel the ripples from the out of control market for pitching.

[Chicago Tribune]

In addition, it's not axiomatic that the Sox and pitcher Jose Contreras will strike an extension soon.

Jaime Torres, Contreras' agent, said Monday he wasn't encouraged by the White Sox's initial offer to keep him past 2006.

"We have to look at today's market," Torres said.

The reported contract that the Sox offered Jon Garland was something in the 3 years, $24-27M, which is nowhere near what his market value would be. Contreras would likely exceed that deal on the market too, but it would be by less than Garland. For that reason, I assumed -- and you remember what your mother used to tell you about assuming -- that Contreras would be much more likely to stay.

Right now, I don't know what is going to happen. I would go into the season with McCarthy in the pen, Garland and Contreras in rotation, and see which one of the impending free agents appeared more likely to repeat their '05 performance over the life of the next contract. I would sign that one, whatever the cost, and ship the other out at the deadline for top prospects or whatever the team currently needed at the time.

It's going to be a much more entertaining rest-of-December and January that I had first envisioned.

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Trading an 18-game winner Mid-Season??

When was the last time a team in the middle of a hunt traded a potential 18-game winner in the middle of the season and lived to tell about it? Assuming (there we go again with that word) that both Contreras and Garland have similar years to 2005, trading either one of them in mid-season would just about negate all the good will Kenny Williams has built up to now. Teams in the hunt should be acquiring impact players at that point, not trading them. Even if it is the right move for the long run, that dog just won't hunt with the fans at that particular juncture of the year. And even if you disregard the fan reaction, a trade like that eats into the continuity of the season and would be felt in the clubhouse. For that reason I'd much prefer a trade before opening day.

Turning the Chicago Baseball Tide - One Championship at a Time

by WestSideSoxFan on Dec 20, 2005 10:19 AM CST reply actions 0 recs