Phils sign Jose Contreras to a 1 year deal

Is expected to be a starter or, like Chan Ho Park, will he be in the bullpen?

I bumped this to the front page. Thanks eagleswin.

I voted “yes,” btw, but probably should make clear that I love it if he’s a reliever and dislike it if he’s a starter.

My guess is that he got the spiel Park got in December 2008: we’ll let you compete for #5, but no promises.

How much?

That 1.647 WHIP over those 17 IP with COL, to say nothing of his career 1.347, don’t bode well for my late inning blood pressure. I hope he can strike out a lot of guys with the bases loaded.

I’ll take it, put him in the bullpen or let him start the season like Chan Ho did last year and move him. Nice job Amaro.

Why do I feel like my team is shopping at Habor Freight to buy tools…

I suppose they will put him in the ‘pen right? If that’s the case,I like the signing.

I voted yes, but I agree that I like it more as a reliever and that is contingent on it not being for a TON of money…granted, it’s just a 1-year deal, so not a huge deal.

I honestly don’t even mind bringing him in with the idea of competing for the 5th spot in the rotation. I’m still not entirely sold on Kendrick, and Moyer’s a big question mark even if he gets healthy. Contreras is no great shakes, and seems to lose his head with men on base, but his sinker/slider mix is still decent, and I remember it looking pretty good for Colorado in last year’s NLDS. And for what it’s worth, Joe Sheehan thinks he’s a good value purchase…

Contreras has been better than his ERAs for two years running, and was victimized by an awful strand rate last season. He still has velocity and two good secondary pitches; the bigger concern is whether his aging body can take a full season’s worth of work. Signing him with a realistic expectation of 24 starts could produce a gain of a couple wins, a pretty good pickup in the back end of a rotation.

And if he winds up settling in as long man/middle reliever, then all the better. Decent little pick-up here for Amaro.

Seems like a move just to make a move to me.

Hes old and stunk it up last year… I dont see the point.

We now have two Cubans on the roster. Might be an all-time Phillies roster. Just sayin.

As relief yes

As a starter… HELL NO!!!

He would make a good addition to our pen, but a starter he is not.

That is the million dollar big question.

Signing an older pitcher is something I don’t necessarily like but when you don’t know their real age…what’s the upside that’s he’s older? If you buy a used car and there’s broken glass by the dashboard and a big grease smudge near the odometer then you just puirchased a car from PT Barnum.