Contreras and Contracts

[Gregory Pratt]

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/whitesox.asp?id=177210

 

I'd fire that agent.

 

Contreras, Buehrle and McCarthy are the only indispensable pitchers as far as starters go, IMO. I like Garland and Garcia and Vazquez just fine -- Vazquez I'm particularly fond of -- but those three are the best, I think, and Contreras is particularly fierce. I'm happy to have him, but stunned by that piece.

[Spiegle]

The lack of communication with his agent is appauling, however...

 

 

when Contreras says things like "Im a wealthy man already, you guys rescued me, you are family"... it makes me fall in love with the guy all over again.

 

If what he says is true (which I assume is, why would he say that if he didnt at least sort of mean it?), then he is exactly the type of guy I would want on the team for the rest of his days on the mound (however many that might be... who knows exactly how old the guy is).

[Jimbo's Drinker]

The lack of communication with his agent is appauling, however...

when Contreras says things like "Im a wealthy man already, you guys rescued me, you are family"... it makes me fall in love with the guy all over again.

 

If what he says is true (which I assume is, why would he say that if he didnt at least sort of mean it?), then he is exactly the type of guy I would want on the team for the rest of his days on the mound (however many that might be... who knows exactly how old the guy is).

 

 

That agent sucks, what a pos

[My Dixie Normus]

It is stories like that that make you think this is more than a one year fluke. They are building a winning tradition and the years of the "white flag" trades are long past.

 

[T R U]

haha, and we got him for Esteban Loaiza

[hi8is]

he does have a big heart and a soft spot... such a great person....

 

the day after a spring training game in 2005 in which he had given up 6 runs in 4 IP.... i told him, "you threw the ball great yesterday Jose, dont worry... your going to do great this year"

 

the way he looked at me was somewhat shocked and somewhat touched. what i said truly effected him. it was probably unreal for him to go out there and make a dozen or so mistakes and then have a fan tell him he threw the ball well... the last spring training he had in 2004 with the yankees, people were probably hostile with him.

 

its one of my fondest recent memories.

[Soxbadger]

Tru,

 

The haha is at the experts who said that some how the White Sox lost that deal.

 

Ah to be an expert.

[greasywheels121]

Cool story. Count's been nothing but good for us, and he definitely could've raked it in big time outside of Chicago. It's really nice to hear that players want to play/stay here now.

[Controlled Chaos]

he does have a big heart and a soft spot... such a great person....

 

the day after a spring training game in 2005 in which he had given up 6 runs in 4 IP.... i told him, "you threw the ball great yesterday Jose, dont worry... your going to do great this year"

 

the way he looked at me was somewhat shocked and somewhat touched. what i said truly effected him. it was probably unreal for him to go out there and make a dozen or so mistakes and then have a fan tell him he threw the ball well... the last spring training he had in 2004 with the yankees, people were probably hostile with him.

 

its one of my fondest recent memories.

 

You sure he didn't look at you like...."What the f*** are you saying dude? I don't understand English"

[Kyyle23]

he does have a big heart and a soft spot... such a great person....

 

the day after a spring training game in 2005 in which he had given up 6 runs in 4 IP.... i told him, "you threw the ball great yesterday Jose, dont worry... your going to do great this year"

 

the way he looked at me was somewhat shocked and somewhat touched. what i said truly effected him. it was probably unreal for him to go out there and make a dozen or so mistakes and then have a fan tell him he threw the ball well... the last spring training he had in 2004 with the yankees, people were probably hostile with him.

 

its one of my fondest recent memories.

 

 

Did you say that in Spanish with a heavy Cuban accent?

[GreatScott82]

Jose C! He's on fire!!

[GoSox05]

Right now he's the best pitcher in the AL.

[DBAHO]

Right now he's the best pitcher in the AL.

You'd be hardpressed to find a better pitcher in all of the MLB since the ASG of 2005. And we're lucky to have him. Very lucky.

[EvilJester99]

You'd be hardpressed to find a better pitcher in all of the MLB since the ASG of 2005. And we're lucky to have him. Very lucky.

You're damn skippy we're lucky!!

[DBAHO]

You're damn skippy we're lucky!!

Skippy agrees;

[southsider2k5]

I remember thinking at the time that after Contreras's mess in NYC that he would probably sign a decent but not top of the market deal to stay in Chicago, just because he liked it here so much, and I was really shocked when negotiations fell apart so quickly. Turns out the negotiations were missing the key person and it would have been a done deal if it were done correctly.

[fathom]

The impressive thing about Contreras right now is that I don't even think he's close to having his great forkball yet. I went home and watched the tape of the game last night, and he was mowing hitters down with his sidearm fastball/slider.

[Kyyle23]

The impressive thing about Contreras right now is that I don't even think he's close to having his great forkball yet.  I went home and watched the tape of the game last night, and he was mowing hitters down with his sidearm fastball/slider.

 

since changing his delivery to a three-quarter angle in late July made a believer of Royals designated hitter Mike Sweeney.

 

"[Contreras] was dirty," he said. "Guys were coming back and shaking their heads. He was throwing his fastball at 95 m.p.h. from the side with his slider and 95 [m.p.h.] over the top with his [split-finger fastball]."

 

When he starts nailing that forkball again, this league doesnt stand a chance.

[WCSox]

Tru,

 

The haha is at the experts who said that some how the White Sox lost that deal.

 

Ah to be an expert.

 

I don't know what kind of "expert" would say that one of the best Cuban pitchers of his generation is inferior to somebody who has only had one really good year at the major-league level.

[tonyho7476]

He's going to have a shot at the Cy Young...no doubt...love this guy...love this team. He was fun to watch last night.

[Wedge]

He's going to have a shot at the Cy Young...no doubt...

 

I love this guy, too, but unfortunately I think that the East Coast Bias will end up favoring either Beckett or Schilling and the West Coast group will be in love with the best of the A's pitchers.

[nitetrain8601]

I love the Bronze Titan.

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

Yet another reason Jose it quickly becoming one of my favs. I love the KW quote "“His comment to me was, ‘I’m a wealthy person already. You guys rescued me and saved my career. This is my family, and I don’t want to go anywhere else,” Williams said."

[Rowand44]

I love this guy, too, but unfortunately I think that the East Coast Bias will end up favoring either Beckett or Schilling and the West Coast group will be in love with the best of the A's pitchers.

Schilling and Beckett won't pitch enough to win the cy young.

[Damen]

I love this guy, too, but unfortunately I think that the East Coast Bias will end up favoring either Beckett or Schilling and the West Coast group will be in love with the best of the A's pitchers.

 

Easy Mike North. It's not like Contreras is putting up these numbers for the Royals. The country, sportswriters residing on the East coast included, saw the Sox ride Contreras to a WS title last year. If he can continue putting up the numbers he's put up since last August, he'll be in as good of contention as anyone for a Cy Young.