White Sox right-hander Jose Contreras agreed Saturday to a three-year, $29 million contract extension after being Chicago's most effective pitcher in the second half of their championship season a year ago.

 

Contreras, who was in the final year of a contract that will pay him $8 million this season, will get $9 million in 2007 and $10 million each in 2008 and 2009. Every member of the White Sox's starting rotation is now under contract through at least 2007.

 

The 34-year-old Contreras was 15-7 with a 3.61 ERA last season after a dramatic second-half turnaround that saw him go 11-2 following the All-Star break. He was 3-1 in the postseason and was the Game 1 starter in Chicago's series with Boston, the Angels and Houston.

 

Contreras had career highs in wins (15), starts (32), innings pitched (204) and strikeouts (154) last season. He is slated to be third in the rotation this season behind Mark Buehrle and Freddy Garcia.

 

After winning only one of his first eight outings a year ago, Contreras turned his season around and found his control, much of it attributed to a change in arm angle to three-quarters.

 

He was steady down the stretch, while the White Sox watched a 15-game lead in the AL Central dwindle to 1? games. He won eight of his last nine starts, helping Chicago win the division. The White Sox then won 11 of 12 games in the postseason for their first World Series title since 1917.

 

Contreras was wildly inconsistent for the New York Yankees after signing a $32 million, four-year contract following his defection from Cuba in October 2002. He was traded to the White Sox for Esteban Loaiza on July 31, 2004.

 

Contreras has a career mark of 35-18 with a 3.61 ERA in three major league seasons. He played seven years with the Cuban national team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2393026

Who gives a 36* year old pitcher that much money per season for three seasons?

 

*Age is very questionable.

strange...do they not want McCarthy to ever start?

Pretty ridiculous contract in my book. Especially like the aforementioned pitcher they have waiting in the wings.

I'm waiting for the White Sox to say "April Fools."

Well, he's certainly got the talent to live up to the contract. But is he going to with the age factor?

 

The salary is ok, years are too much imo.

i think this is a better move than burnett and the blue jays though

sounds like a bit too much money but considering his first contract and the fact that he has been able to turn his career around seems resonable

 

white sox got the pitching to compete for a long time ... even with an aging Contreras & Garcia

Considering the free agent contracts Pavano and Burnett signed, the money is fine, but Contreras is, as Festa alluded, old and probably older than he is acknowledged to be.

 

Plus, this takes away a huge bargaining chip from the White Sox since he was very tradeable and desireable operating in the last year of a reasonable contract.

This is a crap deal, but it's the White Sox, so, more power to them.