It’s never a bad thing to have too many arms. With that in mind, the Phillies inked Jose Contreras to a one-year, $1.5 million deal.
Charlie Manuel said Contreras will work as a starter when spring training starts, but then the veteran righty seems destined for a spot in the bullpen. The Phillies did the same thing with Chan Ho Park last season.
“Our scouts feel that at this stage of his career, he’s best suited to being in the bullpen,” Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “But the fact that he has started for the bulk of his career, that gives us a little bit of depth there, too.”
Of course, the fifth spot is up for grabs, especially if favorites Jamie Moyer or Kyle Kendrick look rusty.
“My preference is to start, but I’ll do what is necessary,” Contreras said.
