Why Signing Bartolo Colon Was a Good Move by the White Sox

On Wednesday, the Chicago White Sox signed veteran starter Bartolo Colon to a one-year contract, pending a physical.

Colon missed a healthy chunk of 2008 due to injuries, but still managed to go 4-2 with a respectable 3.92 ERA. He has not thrown more than 99.1 innings in a season since 2005, his first in Anaheim.

What does this realistically mean for the White Sox?

First, it gives them an option at the end of their rotation. Since his incredible streak to end 2005 and begin 2006, Jose Contreras has alternated between two starts and two weeks on the disabled list. Youngster Aaron Poreda might be more inclined to serve in the bullpen because he has just one dominant, major league pitch right now. And the other in-house options to fill the rotation (Lance Broadway, Charlie Haeger, etc) haven't worked out yet.

Colon is a solid presence that has thrown well in Chicago before. Not only was he ace of the Cleveland staff at the beginning of this decade, but he spent one summer on the South Side, going 15-13 while throwing over 240 innings in 2003.

Secondly, in light of the departure of Javy Vazquez in the trade to Atlanta, the White Sox now stand to see a starting rotation of Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, John Danks, and... Clayton Richard? The trouble with the Sox rotation as it stands now is that there isn't a power pitcher. If healthy, Colon could become that arm. He's also another right handed pitcher, something the Sox have an unusually limited number of in key positions on their staff.

If you look at their potential starting rotation for 2009, Richard, Buehrle, and Danks are all lefties. In the bullpen, Matt Thornton is perhaps the Sox best set-up man, and he's also a southpaw. The right handed options the Sox have are few and the quality is far between.

Third, Colon brings a machismo to the staff. Buehrle is a soft spoken leader who's personality reflects his stuff on the mound: calm and effective. Colon is a fireball who brings energy and enthusiasm to the hill. This isn't to say that any Sox pitchers lack confidence, but their workman-like approach is an ironic antithesis to their manager's flamboyant demeanor.

Ozzie Guillen will say anything at any time to anyone, and doesn't care about what comes from it. Similarly, Colon will throw where he wants no matter the batter, and (when healthy) believes his stuff is better than any hitter in baseball.

Finally, Colon brings a cheap piece to the back end of a puzzle that has worked. Last year, when the crunch on the Sox was a tight as it has ever been, Floyd, Danks and Buehrle pitched as well as any Sox pitchers since 2005. Vazquez was not only an enormous disappointment, but he was a significant drag on the payroll as well.

Replacing him with a deal that, though salary numbers have not yet been disclosed, would seemingly be a lighter cap number given Colon's recent health issues, it gives Kenny Williams the flexibility to make other moves to improve the ballclub in the future.

All in all, while there are certainly question marks all over Colon's health history, his track record while on the mound has as many answers as his back and arm present questions. If he can perform to the level he has in his career, a one-year deal with Colon might be the quietest big deal in baseball this off season.