Righty must clear waivers, but it's unlikely a team would pick up his hefty contract
Pitching coach Don Cooper said on the White Sox pregame show that the team is prepared to send right-hander Jose Contreras to the minor leagues. Contreras (0-5, 8.19 ERA) has struggled with his command, in particular with his forkball.
Any player with six or more years in the Major leagues has the right to refuse an assignment, and therefore could declare free agency. According to White Sox sources, Contreras wants to go to the minors to work on his command, and so will accept the assignment and sign a personal waiver.
Contreras must also clear waivers, which means that all other 29 teams have an opportunity to pick up Contreras and his $11 million contract. That's the reason why no team in baseball is likely to pick him up at this point, because they would have to assume the responsibility of the rest of the contract.
Once the White Sox put con on waivers, it takes 48 hours for him to clear before they can send him on assignment.
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Richard likely to replace Contreras
Left-hander will make first start of 2009 on Wednesday
Clayton Richard certainly was happy to hear Sunday's all-but-official news that he had been picked to start Wednesday afternoon's series finale in Cleveland.
The left-hander still reacted more like a composed veteran, as opposed to an excited, frenzied second-year Major Leaguer, knowing this opportunity should take him past the one trip to the mound at Progressive Field.
"Definitely, exactly," said Richard, when asked if he has designs on making the fourth starter job his own. "Any time you get an opportunity, you want to make the best of it and give them an opportunity to keep you there. Hopefully I can go out there and throw well and do what I'm capable of. You just try to put your team in position to get a win."
"This kid is going to be our future," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. "This kid is going to be starting in a couple of years. He's the best one in the bullpen right now for that role."
Richard was selected over right-handed long-relief options such as D.J. Carrasco and Lance Broadway, who have previous starting experience. The same can be said for Richard, 25, who was 2-5 with a 6.35 ERA in eight games as a starter in 2008. Guillen expressed the desire to have a southpaw go against the Indians, trying to neutralize the left-handed power of Grady Sizemore and Shin-Shoo Choo, but this is not a one-time opportunity based on matchups.
So one half of the rotation equation has been solved, leaving the question about Jose Contreras to be answered. Contreras was pulled from his starting gig by Guillen after giving up three earned runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings during a Friday loss to the Rangers.
Contreras slipped to 0-5 with an 8.19 ERA, and he appeared headed to the bullpen as of Sunday morning. The big right-hander threw a side session, as planned, before the series finale with the Rangers, and he said he continues to feel strong, through translator and White Sox coaching assistant Omer Munoz.
"Like every time I go out there, I felt fine today. With no hitters in front of me, I throw a lot of strikes," Contreras said. "If they are sending me to the bullpen, fine. I'm going to do whatever they want -- Ozzie, obviously, and [general manager] Kenny [Williams], whatever they want to do.
"I want to start, but it's up to them. It's whatever is going to help the team most."
As of Sunday night, no official announcement had been made regarding Contreras. But White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said during his regular segment on flagship station WSCR's pregame show that Contreras was going to the Minor Leagues to continue to get steady work and focus on his control.
Prior to being assigned to the Minors, Contreras would have to clear waivers and consent to the assignment since he has more than five years of Major League service. Cooper added during the pregame show that Contreras understood the situation and was willing to make the move, and with Contreras owed $10 million for 2009, he is unlikely to be claimed.
Moving Contreras to the Minors would make sense on a second level, in that Guillen would want another left-hander in the bullpen if Richard joined the starting rotation. Following Sunday's 7-1 loss to Texas, Guillen wouldn't go any deeper into the Contreras' situation.
"He's going to go to Cleveland with us, and we'll make the decision up there," Guillen said.
Since Contreras wasn't projected to return from his ruptured left Achilles, suffered last Aug. 9 when facing Boston, until early July, Guillen believes he still might be a little rough and not ready to perform consistently.
"In the meanwhile, we still like the way he throws," Guillen said. "We don't like the way he commands."
"Physically, I'm fine. There's nothing with wrong with me and nothing wrong with my arm, ankle, nothing," Contreras said. "I've just got to get a feel for the forkball and throw strikes."
Those strikes apparently will have to come from the Minor Leagues in the foreseeable future, with Richard sliding into the rotation.
"Coming up last year as a starter, and really my whole professional career is as a starter, I'm comfortable in that role and excited to get another opportunity," Richard said. "Just having an opportunity to help the team, whatever role it is, is what I'm here to do."
Pitching coach Don Cooper said on the White Sox pregame show that the team is prepared to send right-hander Jose Contreras to the minor leagues. Contreras (0-5, 8.19 ERA) has struggled with his command, in particular with his forkball.
Any player with six or more years in the Major leagues has the right to refuse an assignment, and therefore could declare free agency. According to White Sox sources, Contreras wants to go to the minors to work on his command, and so will accept the assignment and sign a personal waiver.
Contreras must also clear waivers, which means that all other 29 teams have an opportunity to pick up Contreras and his $11 million contract. That's the reason why no team in baseball is likely to pick him up at this point, because they would have to assume the responsibility of the rest of the contract.
Once the White Sox put con on waivers, it takes 48 hours for him to clear before they can send him on assignment.
================
Richard likely to replace Contreras
Left-hander will make first start of 2009 on Wednesday
Clayton Richard certainly was happy to hear Sunday's all-but-official news that he had been picked to start Wednesday afternoon's series finale in Cleveland.
The left-hander still reacted more like a composed veteran, as opposed to an excited, frenzied second-year Major Leaguer, knowing this opportunity should take him past the one trip to the mound at Progressive Field.
"Definitely, exactly," said Richard, when asked if he has designs on making the fourth starter job his own. "Any time you get an opportunity, you want to make the best of it and give them an opportunity to keep you there. Hopefully I can go out there and throw well and do what I'm capable of. You just try to put your team in position to get a win."
"This kid is going to be our future," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. "This kid is going to be starting in a couple of years. He's the best one in the bullpen right now for that role."
Richard was selected over right-handed long-relief options such as D.J. Carrasco and Lance Broadway, who have previous starting experience. The same can be said for Richard, 25, who was 2-5 with a 6.35 ERA in eight games as a starter in 2008. Guillen expressed the desire to have a southpaw go against the Indians, trying to neutralize the left-handed power of Grady Sizemore and Shin-Shoo Choo, but this is not a one-time opportunity based on matchups.
So one half of the rotation equation has been solved, leaving the question about Jose Contreras to be answered. Contreras was pulled from his starting gig by Guillen after giving up three earned runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings during a Friday loss to the Rangers.
Contreras slipped to 0-5 with an 8.19 ERA, and he appeared headed to the bullpen as of Sunday morning. The big right-hander threw a side session, as planned, before the series finale with the Rangers, and he said he continues to feel strong, through translator and White Sox coaching assistant Omer Munoz.
"Like every time I go out there, I felt fine today. With no hitters in front of me, I throw a lot of strikes," Contreras said. "If they are sending me to the bullpen, fine. I'm going to do whatever they want -- Ozzie, obviously, and [general manager] Kenny [Williams], whatever they want to do.
"I want to start, but it's up to them. It's whatever is going to help the team most."
As of Sunday night, no official announcement had been made regarding Contreras. But White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said during his regular segment on flagship station WSCR's pregame show that Contreras was going to the Minor Leagues to continue to get steady work and focus on his control.
Prior to being assigned to the Minors, Contreras would have to clear waivers and consent to the assignment since he has more than five years of Major League service. Cooper added during the pregame show that Contreras understood the situation and was willing to make the move, and with Contreras owed $10 million for 2009, he is unlikely to be claimed.
Moving Contreras to the Minors would make sense on a second level, in that Guillen would want another left-hander in the bullpen if Richard joined the starting rotation. Following Sunday's 7-1 loss to Texas, Guillen wouldn't go any deeper into the Contreras' situation.
"He's going to go to Cleveland with us, and we'll make the decision up there," Guillen said.
Since Contreras wasn't projected to return from his ruptured left Achilles, suffered last Aug. 9 when facing Boston, until early July, Guillen believes he still might be a little rough and not ready to perform consistently.
"In the meanwhile, we still like the way he throws," Guillen said. "We don't like the way he commands."
"Physically, I'm fine. There's nothing with wrong with me and nothing wrong with my arm, ankle, nothing," Contreras said. "I've just got to get a feel for the forkball and throw strikes."
Those strikes apparently will have to come from the Minor Leagues in the foreseeable future, with Richard sliding into the rotation.
"Coming up last year as a starter, and really my whole professional career is as a starter, I'm comfortable in that role and excited to get another opportunity," Richard said. "Just having an opportunity to help the team, whatever role it is, is what I'm here to do."
