Contreras agrees to 2-year deal
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Contreras agrees to 2-year deal
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
UPDATE:
The Phillies have confirmed the signing of Jose Contreras to a 2-year deal with a club option for 2013. He is guaranteed to make $5.5 million and could potentially add with performance bonuses.
“Jose was as consistent a reliever as we had last year,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said in a statement. “We were pleasantly surprised by his durability since it was his first full year in a relief role. Jose has fit in extremely well in our clubhouse and he is a quality, back-end of the bullpen pitcher who showed versatility in a variety of roles in 2010. We’re pleased to have him on board for the next couple of years.”
In his major league career, Contreras is 77-67 with four saves and a 4.55 ERA in 258 games (175 starts) for the New York Yankees (2003-04), Chicago White Sox (2004-09), Colorado Rockies (2009) and Phillies (2010). In 18 career playoff games (four starts), the right-hander is 4-3 with a 3.49 ERA.
EARLIER:
According to an ESPNDeportes report, the Phillies are close to a two-year, $5 million deal with veteran righthander Jose Contreras.
The report indicates the contract would include numerous incentives and an option for a third year.
Signing Contreras would seem to leave the Phillies with a veteran left-handed reliever as their top free agent priority in the bullpen. One name that has surfaced as a potential addition is Mets lefty Hisanori Takahashi, who excelled in relief last season and can also fill-in as a starter.
Blue Jays lefty Scott Downs is probably the biggest name on the market, but he is a Type A Free agent, which means a team could have to forfeit a draft pick if they sign him.
Contreras, who turns 39 in December, thrived in his first full season as a reliever, going 6-4 with a 3.35 ERA with 57 strikeouts and just 16 walks in 56 2/3 innings. He saved four games during a brief stint as the Phils' closer during the spring when Brad Lidge was on the disabled list.
Comments (49)
Great, this should start to fill in the blanks of the bullpen. One of the other things the Phillies are probably trying to do now is to find a right-handed version of Ross Gload. An intriguing player from the Phillies's point of view should be Wes Timmons, a 3rd baseman until now in the Braves organization. He has been stuck in the minors because of Chipper Jones and his own lack of home run power. But what he does have, and what the Phillies desperately need, is great on-base numbers. Also, if he can be given some experience in the outfield, he could be made into a good super-utility player. At the very least he would add depth at triple A.— JayW- Good move, he was actually most consistent reliever wire-to-wire. Durbin is past his point of usefulness— davi
Comment removed.- Glad to see this. Takahashi would be a great addition to the bullpen, as well. Better stuff than Romero and much more versatile.
- do NOT sign Downs or Fuentes or any type A free agent...we will over pay and lose a draft pick...the later we can ill afford...this organization needs as many high picks as possible after all the trades the last few years— TheLon
- SIGN TAKAHASHI NOW!!!!— Menace.II.Sobriety
- Comment removed.
- Good signing, assuming it gets done. Now go sign a decent lefty for the pen.
- Yeah, if the Phils have a chance to win now, do it but at the same time, they do need to save the draft picks...its a double-edged sword, so to say. Getting Contreras back is good as he was one of the 4 guys in the 'pen that Charlie trusted. I would love Downs, and hopefully Doc can talk him into coming here for a little less than he is asking. If not, heck with it and sign him anyways.— ESFjellin
- Contreras is more like 50. Can't trust those Cuban birth certificates!
- Best nickname in the team... "Big Truck"— BammBamm
- I would rather see Brian Fuentes brought in as the situational lefty, since he has the ability to pitch the ninth inning on nights that Lidge is off..— patrickstar
Good move, he will be dependable and it;s not a long-term contract.- Nice to see some positive comments...I guess all the trolls are still sleeping in today to prep for MNF...— stan the man too
- Like it a lot. His stuff is filthy, he can close if needed and he fits in well with the Phils. Downs would be a great fit; however, the Phils have to wait to see if he is offered arbitration by the Jays.— syddan26
- Good deal - $5M for 2 years is about right for both sides. Contreas was steady all year. You know what you're getting. He's a pro/crafty veteran all the way around and he seems to have a very positive effect on the yound guys in the 'pen. Nice job. Keep it up FO.— DennyP
- Good move. Better off going for Feliciano. That way Howard and Utley will have a chance late vs. Mets.
— Relocator - Seems like a bargain. He pitched very well for the most part in his first full year as a reliever. Has some serious stuff on his pitches. Let Durbin go, bring in some Lefties who can throw strikes and get lefthanded batters out.— PHS Member
I'm not crazy about this deal, mainly because of the 2 year duration of it. The guy is atleast 40....probably older because the Cubans doctor birth certificates....and I just don't trust him to hold up over the next two years.— djlen- I like the signing, and I think he makes Baez better since they are friends. I expect a rebound year from Baez. Relievers are known to have up and down years and he is due.— ronin32
- Me gusta mucho el cubano grande! Viva Contreras!!!— cadilacjack
- Jose takes the ball in crucial situations and usually gets the job done. $5 million for 2 yrs. should not cripple their ability to do other things regardless how it shakes out. Also a great move signing Sandberg. When Charlie decides to hang it up, there's your next skipper.— dasher
The Big Truck throws 95+. He hasn't been on the DL. He got it done for the Phillies. Good signing.— DaveCicc
davi...You are basing this off of the post season obviously. Durbin is solid, would make sense to retain him.- hopefully they sign him, but instead of 1, the Phils need 2 left handers in the bullpen.— jwatson
Good decision - most dependable BP arm all season. So now the 7-8-9 innings looks like this (so far): Contreras/Unknown lefthander, Madson, Lidge. Am I the only one who thinks Bastardo can be the guy? If so, then you just need another Romero type to get that one out you need against a lefty hitter/pinch hitter.— jpk- Good news. Contreras was a nice surprise this season. 2 years for 5 million is reasonable. Too bad they signed Baez to more than 1 year.— P Even
- At this point, looks like a good signing if it gets done. Liked his intimidation factor last year in late innings.— M60tanker
- Good move....now, I would try to trade Raul, Blanton, Kendrick, Mayberry, and that Reading 1B to the White Sox for Juan Pierre...put either him or Victorino in RF...Platoon Francisco and DBrown in Left, and go after Lee
- Comment removed.
- sign Feliciano?? yea, like we're real worried about the Mutts in ANY inning, let alone late after they've already quit and gone home..— spittooncj
- don't care how old contreras is 5 million for 2yrs is not alot of money plus he throws hard and can pitch.— only 9
- Is Amaro joking? Contreras should absolutely NOT be signed - why? First of all, in 56.2 innings, the man gave up 5 homers and 15 walks and although that might sound deceptively acceptable, it ISN'T when you consider his role was to hold down the opposition in the late innings and despite his 3.34 ERA, he gave up those big hits in critical moments such as homers and doubles etc. that killed any chance for the Phils to win those particular games. Contreras was OK when the Phils had a decent lead and there was no intense pressure but when he was out there during critical mass with the game on the line, he often blew it by giving up disastrous big hits. I think Contreras was part of the bullpen's problems NOT part of their success. Get rid of him, and find a solid, grade A bullpen ace like Scott Downs, the bullpen was a disaster last year until late July and August when by some miracle Lidge and Madson found their groove and were amazingly able to hold the fort. Outside of those two, the remaining bullpen was still a train wreck. Amaro should have fixed that last off season and the lesson learned, if any, is that without an effective bullpen they have no chance which was clearly evident when they fell as much as 7 games out of first before Lidge and Madson got their act together. However, Contreras, Baez and the others were wholly erratic and incompetent in my humble opinion. Give Jose a bus ticket to the minors.— daystrum
- OK, I will say it again. Lets play GM. If I were GM, I would "try" to do the following or at least make a major league effort to:
1. Trade Ibanez to an AL team who needs a LH hitting DH for a solid bullpen reliever, preferably left handed.
2. Sign Werth then start Brown in left field platooned with Mayberry if necessary (at least until Brown proves he handles LH pitching).
3. Make an effort to draft and develop a future power hitting third baseman with hopefully good defensive skills.
4. Retire Cholly once and for because, again, the Phils won despite his horrendously, incompetent field management.
5. Try and trade Blanton anywhere to dump his salary and play your cards on Vance Worely who could become the missing 4th ace
6. Give shot at talking to Cliff Lee and its out of reach, go for a solid left hand pitcher who YOUNG and worth taking a chance on.— daystrum - and lastly, help Dr. Daystrum learn to type without 4 billion typos:-)— daystrum
- Good signing, esp. if the third-year is a club (not Contreras) option.— eman
- Take Takahashi over to Sagami for some sushi...He'll surely sign here after going there.. He'd be a nice acquisition.— bradco
- If he finishes out a three year deal it will work out for him as he can just start collecting his Social Security— lancastermike
- Contreras had excellent stuff last year. I wish they had more depth so they could use him as fifth starter.— VicM
- If you don't like this signing, then you really weren't watching Phillies baseball last year. Takahashi would be a great LH addition to the 'pen...sign him next.— Phront_Runner
- Good move, but I find myself agreeing with other folks on this blog about not going after Downs. Phightins' have guys in the organization - Bastardo - Mathieson and Worley who could fill those roles.PLus they should resign Durbin. He's done all they ask him to do and he's a good guy. They need to concentrate on getting the outfield straight when Werth goes (it's too bad but it still reminds me of Rowand and that worked out OK). I'm good with Ibanez-Fransico - Victorino-Brown unless we can trade for Uggla and move him to left.— Phillyexp
- We sure love to sign older players to multi-year deals. Its going to catch up with sooner or later.— brannigan73
- I like Contreras, and I'm happy he will be back, but was it necessary to offer a set-up reliever another multi-year pact? - - - - - How many teams out there would have been willing to offer him two years, aside from the Phillies?— PhightinPhil
- Nice. Contreras had some nasty, nasty pitches this season AND velocity.
- DavezMental.Com - what makes you think the White Sox want Raul, Blanton or Kendrick, especially Raul's salary?— kmon
- good— chollie
- IBANEZ HAS A NO TRADE CLAUSE. YOU ARE ALL MORONS.— Steveo31
I'm ok with Contreras getting this contract... I only hope this was not "Werth Money" that can now not be spent on our star rightfielder...- Daystrum, it's not about typing skill, bro, it's about taking the time to proofread what you typed after you typed it, making the proper corrections, and only then hitting the "submit" button... What's so hard about being thorough? All it takes is a little pride in one's efforts...
1
Popular Posts
About this blog
High Cheese is your place for the best Phillies coverage from the Daily News.
David Murphy
Daily News Staff Writer
Ryan Lawrence
Daily News Staff Writer
Search this blog:
Classifieds:
Site Services:
Partners:
Powered By:
