Guillen not giving up on resurgent Contreras
With two weeks to go in the season, the White Sox are trying to pile up as many positives as they can.
The pickings are slim, but the re-emergence of starting pitcher Jose Contreras is giving Sox manager Ozzie Guillen some hope for the future.
After pitching 7½ innings and allowing 3 runs on 11 hits Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels, Contreras (9-16) won his third straight decision.
The 35-year-old right-hander had dropped nine of 10 before his current bid to salvage some of the season.
There is a chance -- probably a good one -- the White Sox will try to trade Contreras over the winter, considering he is owed $10 million in each of the next two seasons.
But Guillen sounds like the veteran starter is staying put in the rotation.
"He's a guy we have to count (on),'' Guillen said. "You won't win without pitching and defense. If he throws the way we know he can throw the ball and sets himself mentally more than physically, then we'll be fine with him.''
Tough luck: White Sox starter Jon Garland labored through 7 innings against the Angels on Saturday, throwing 113 pitches while allowing 9 hits.
Still, Garland threw well enough to win, allowing 2 runs (1 earned).
"I like the way he was throwing,'' Ozzie Guillen said. "He was attacking the strike zone and he didn't give in to the hitters.''
Fast friends: Angels starter Bartolo Colon retired Jim Thome three times Friday night, holding the White Sox' designated hitter at 499 career home runs.
Afterward, Colon almost sounded disappointed. When he broke in with the Cleveland Indians in 1997, Colon said Thome helped him adapt.
"I never thought I would say this, but I would probably have been happy if he got it off me, only because of what he did for me," Colon told the Los Angeles Daily News. "He is one of the best examples for all ballplayers, not only what he does on the field but off the field."
Thome and Colon were teammates in Cleveland from 1997-2002.
Ozuna update: Pablo Ozuna continued taking batting and infield practice Saturday, and the White Sox' ace utility man still is hopeful about playing again this season, even if it's the final game.
Ozuna hasn't played since May 27, when he fractured his right leg while running the bases against Tampa Bay.
If he can't make it back this season, Ozuna is planning to return home to the Dominican Republic and play winter ball. Ozzie Guillen thinks Ozuna might be better off going to the Instructional League.
"That way, we'd have our own people there to make sure everything is OK,'' Guillen said.