Bartolo Colon answered Ozzie Guillen's challenge with 4+ impressive innings against the A's Wednesday. Colon was reportedly topping out at about 92 MPH on the gun, and felt stronger as his outing wore on.

"He threw the ball better," Guillen said. "The thing that was the best was his command — he threw a lot of strikes. You see results when you throw strikes at the big-league level. I don’t care how hard you throw, [if] your location is fine, you move the ball around, you’re going to have success.

"I’ve never seen [pitching coach Don Cooper] so excited. I know I’m excited because I didn’t think he could go out there for five innings and do what he did."

But Ozzie would like to see Colon do it again before he starts penciling him into the rotation.

"I don’t know yet," Guillen said. "I’d rather wait and be sure — and dream. I like to be honest with myself, and I have to see how he throws the next few times."

Jose Contreras was less impressive in his 4 innings, but certainly didn't do anything to remove himself from consideration. The Sox seem far less concerned with Contreras than are with Colon.

Sox Exploring CF Options?

The Yankees are telling clubs that they are open to moving outfielder Melky Cabrera, who would be a perfect fit for the White Sox.

[...]

Angels outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. could be another possibility for the White Sox, but a source with direct knowledge of the team's thinking refuted a previous item, saying that the club was not interested in acquiring him. The Angels recognize that they cannot trade Matthews unless they pay the vast majority of the $33 million remaining on the final three years of his contract, another source said.

If the Sox had any money available for a move, I have to believe they would have made it by now.