Sox' Contreras headed to minor leagues?

Jose Contreras still is on the White Sox' 25-man roster, but his days appear to be numbered.

Two days after being removed from the starting rotation, Contreras (0-5, 8.19 ERA) is headed to the minor leagues, according to pitching coach Don Cooper on his pregame radio show Sunday morning.

Contreras has to clear waivers first, which takes 72 hours, so he will be in limbo for another day or two.

"I don't know yet," manager Ozzie Guillen said when asked about Contreras after Sunday's loss to Texas. "He's going to go to Cleveland with us and we'll make the decision up there."

Sending Contreras to the bullpen appears to be another option, and the 37-year-old pitcher is open for anything.

"If they're going to send me to the bullpen, fine," Contreras said through a translator. "I helped them out (pitching relief) two years ago, but I'm going to do whatever they want. Ozzie, obviously, and (GM) Kenny (Williams), whatever they want to do. I just want to help the team win. Whatever they decide to do is fine."

Richard gets the nod: Clayton Richard pitched one-third of an inning of relief Sunday, but the left-hander remains set to replace Jose Contreras and start Wednesday at Cleveland.

Richard was 2-5 with a 6.35 ERA as a temporary starter last season.

"Coming up last year as a starter and really my whole professional career is as a starter, so I'm comfortable in that role and excited to get another opportunity," Richard said.

"You want to make the best of it and give them an opportunity to keep you there. Hopefully I can go out there and throw well and do what I'm capable of."

Think pink: To promote breast cancer awareness, several White Sox players used pink bats and wore pink wristbands Sunday.

Gurnee's Mary Murphy threw out the ceremonial first pitch. She was selected as the Sox' winner of the "Honorary Bat Girl Essay Contest," a Major League Baseball campaign to recognize fans who are battling breast cancer in their daily lives.

All in the family: Ozney Guillen, youngest son of Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, is having another standout season at Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami.

The junior center fielder is batting .533.