White Sox Lock Up Garland

The White Sox resigned starting pitcher Jon Garland yesterday to a three year, 29 million dollar contract. The contract will pay Garland 7 million next season, 10 million in 2007 and 12 million in 2008. This move is surprising in the sense that it was thought that Garland was seeking an A.J. Burnett type deal (5 years and 12 million per year), but in the end Garland chose loyalty to the Sox over money. This is a great move for the Sox, as this deal locks up one of their good young pitchers for below market value. Now that Garland has resigned, the Sox have 4 starting pitchers (Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia, Javier Vasquez and Garland) who are now under contract through 2008. The talk is now that Jose Contreras, who can become a free agent after this upcoming season could be traded. I don't see that happening unless some team blows away Kenny Williams with an offer. I see one of two things happening. One, the Sox resign Contreras and then trade either him or Garland for a stud player in return like Miguel Tejada. Two, the Sox let Contreras pitch through the year, and then let him walk in the off-season. Of those two scenarios, I think number two is most likely since it appears that the Sox aren't close to resigning Contreras. Contreras is looking for 11 to 12 million a year, and with the Sox paying 11 million for Vasquez, 7.7 million for Buehrle, 7 million for Garland, 8.5 million for Garcia and the emergence of Brandon McCarthy last season, the Sox are unlikely to give Contreras that kind of money unless he pitches all of 2006 like he did after the All-Star Game last season.