Not going to lie, I wasn’t that excited when I heard that the Phillies signed Jose Contreras in the offseason. This is a Phillies team that needed a little help in the bullpen, and adding someone like Contreras didn’t seem to be the addition that was needed.
Contreras has been a solid, if not spectacular pitcher during his 7 seasons in MLB. His best years were with the Yankees and he’ll most likely not put up numbers like those he put up in New York, but he’s a solid bullpen addition at this point in his career.
Signed to a 1 year, $1.5 million contract, the Phillies signed Contreras as insurance in case Jamie Moyer wasn’t ready for Opening Day and Kyle Kendrick wasn’t able to seize the 5th spot in the rotation. With both Kendrick and Moyer off to great starts this spring, it seems as if Contreras is destined for the bullpen.
However, he’s hit a few rough patches in his first few outings. Even though he pitched 2 scoreless innings in his first outing, the Yankees jumped all over him yesterday, lighting him up for 6 runs in and inning and 2/3. He gave up six hits to go along with three walks and a wild pitch. While he showed up to camp in good shape, those numbers just aren’t going to do it for this team.
The Phillies have slotted Contreras into the same type of long-relief/spot starter role that Chan Ho Park filled last season. He’ll most likely be used in games that get out of hand early, so as long as he can settle things down when he enters the game, he’ll be alright. Not too many pressure situations await him this season, so he can just settle down and pitch.
While he is listed at 38 years of age, there is really no way to tell how old this Cuban defector really is. With a ton of experience in the Cuban leagues in addition to his time in MLB, Contreras brings a veteran presence to the bullpen. With a few youngsters potentially making a run at open bullpen spots, it’s always nice to have a few seasoned vets in there to help them out.
It’s only one outing early in spring training, so there’s really nothing to worry about just yet. Contreras knows what he needs to do in the spring to get himself ready for the season, so I’m sure he’ll work on getting things in line. With a little under a month until Opening Day in D.C., he has some time.
