Our best pitcher right now is Contreras

[Yeast Confection]

You know what?

 

For a 5th starter, El Duke actually looked pretty good if he turns that routine DP (the sequence to A-Rod would have been different with 2 outs and runner at third, obviously). The only thing I would change about his Sunday's outing is using more fastballs - he was consistently blowing that 88-91 mph belt-high fastball with movement by A-Rod and Co., but that slider either missed a lot which got him into hitter's counts or it hung up there nicely.... Come to think of it, more change-ups would have been welcome, too.

 

If El Duke can only give up 3 runs in that snake pit we know as Fenway in October back in '04 when he had NOTHING in terms of velocity or movement... I have a feeling he will suprise the hell out of us this upcoming postseason since his stuff, which he was missing against Texas among others in June, is pretty much back. Now the key is for Ozzie to keep on strict 80-90 pitch counts and pray that shoulder holds. Then trade him in the off-season.

 

Which is dumbf*** for... I don't much trust Contreras, either. Buerhle-Garland-Garcia are gonna have to come through in October - OR WE GAWNE!

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

^

 

Exactly.  I am thrilled with what we have gotten out of Contreras.  And actually as well as he has pitched, I still think he would be the perfect guy to use out of the pen for the playoffs.  Give him long relief and maybe some set up work.  Think about that arm without having to hold anything back, or to work hitters thinking of later ABs.  He could go with his A stuff for the whole outing.

 

You're right on about Contreras SS. Anyone who thinks our Big 3 won't be starting IF we make the playoffs has brain damage.

 

When I was on vacation in June I saw Contreras stink up the joint against the DBack's. He'll absolutely be in the pen unless he's dominant till the close of the season. El Duque will get a start just because he has a great post season record no matter how mediocre anyone thinks he's been. When it comes to clutch pitching he's the man. That's one reason the Sox got him.

[BigSqwert]

Didn't he start off 6-0 and has steadily declined in his more recent playoff outings?

 

Don't start talking about trends. I almost got my head ripped off for bringing them up.

[DBAHO]

Ironic how the majority here wanted Contreras BANISHED from the White Sox Kingdom after the performances he put up around the ASB (especially the Oakland game), and now people wouldn't mind him in our playoff rotation. Just noting how volatile people's opinions are and how much they can fluctuate over a given period of time.

[mmmmmbeeer]

BOS is going to be a thorn in our sides with neither MB or Contreras being effective against them. Chances are that if we see BOS it will be in the best of 7 ALCS, which will more than likely require a 4 man rotation...don't know how much I like that.

 

As far as Count being in the playoff rotation, I'm not completely convinced yet. I can't think of a game with more pressure than his gem in NY against his former mates in front of a crowd that despises him. That outing showed that he appears to be turning a corner because that game REQUIRED a strong mental approach, and he definitely had his brain working the right way. If he keeps this up over the rest of the season, you've got to really consider him worthy of a rotation spot. Same with Mark, he looks completely lost on the mound in his last few starts. He's gotten consistently bombed by 2 teams who could be our opponents in the playoffs. I mean s***, if a team has him figured out and has proven they'll run him out of a ballgame in a hurry, why the hell would ozzie start him, especially in a game 1? There's no doubt that if MB gets back to pitching the way he was earlier in the season, he'd warrant that #1 slot, but not if he can't get it back together by the end of the season. The dude earlier posted our rotation's #s for the season, let's look at the last month, that's what's important. Come Oct, whatever MB did in May is completely useless, if he's off, he's off. We've just got to trust Ozzie. It's not like he'd be sitting an RJ or Santana, a near guaranteed win. Our rotation is much different than most playoff staffs being we've got 5 starters who are all capable of shutting an offense down, but cannot be counted on to shut an offense down. You've got to go with the hot hands.