Colon comes cheap, but may pay big dividends
Kenny Williams admitted something most major-league general managers prefer keeping to themselves - he is jealous of Yankees counterpart Brian Cashman.
"We're just not to the point of the New York Yankees' flexibility," Williams said Thursday in a classic understatement. "I don't know how I'd react if (White Sox chairman) Jerry Reinsdorf turned to me and said: 'You can do what ever you want.' ''
Cashman basically received that edict this winter from the Steinbrenner family and promptly spent $423.5 million on three free agents - starting pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett and first baseman Mark Teixeira.
The White Sox have had one of the top payrolls in baseball the last three seasons, but the troubled economy has forced Williams to become much more thrifty this off-season.
"Times are tough out there and professional sports haven't been immune to what's going on in the economy," Williams said. "You can't ignore there are issues out there."
Maybe the Yankees can, but Williams has been spending much of his time shopping for bargains.
On Thursday, the Sox' GM hopes he found one in veteran starting pitcher Bartolo Colon.
Slowed by back, shoulder and elbow injures the past three seasons, Colon agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the White Sox. If the 35-year-old starter stays healthy, he can earn an additional $2 million based on innings pitched.
"I think everyone knows what Bartolo can do when he's healthy," Williams said. "With all of the information we accumulated, from Dr. (James) Andrews and our own doctors, we felt he was on the other side of the injuries that derailed him the last few years."
Colon, a career 150-97 with a 4.09 ERA, is projected to be the Sox' No. 4 starter behind Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd and John Danks.
The 5-foot-11, 245-pound Colon spent the 2008 season with the Red Sox, going 4-2 with a 3.92 ERA in 7 starts. He was on the disabled list from June 17-Sept. 7 with back stiffness.
Before joining Boston last year, the White Sox tried signing Colon.
"Bartolo's always been of interest to us," Williams said. "We had him before and we know him to a greater degree than most clubs."
Colon pitched for the White Sox in 2003, going 15-13 with a 3.87 ERA in 34 starts while setting a career high with 9 complete games.
Sox pitching coach Don Cooper is thrilled to have Colon back.
"There's no question about Bartolo's experience, ability, how he can cut a ball and sink a ball," said Cooper, who took over as the White Sox' pitching coach on July 22, 2002. "The only question is, can we keep Bartolo healthy? We've got to come up with a plan, and right now it's already in place to get his body in the best shape and get his arm strength in the best shape.
"We're not expecting him to throw 99 (mph) in the ninth inning anymore, but Kenny got us a guy that can obviously help us win."