http://www.yardbarker.com/rss/player/134 Recent articles about Jose Contreras en-us Pitchers like Jose Contreras(notes) and Aroldis Chapman aren't the only Cuban baseball figures who had designs on defecting.El Nuevo Herald is reporting that the latest baseball bud to ditch Fidel Castro is none other than umpire Nelson Diaz, a 26-year veteran of the Cuban national baseball system. Diaz arrived in Miami with his family on Sunday and reportedly made the decision to leave after Cuba did not allow him to travel to Japan so he could work during the 2009 World Baseball Classic... Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:58:01 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Well_known_Cuban_umpire_defects_to_the_United_States/1660623 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Well_known_Cuban_umpire_defects_to_the_United_States/1660623 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Well_known_Cuban_umpire_defects_to_the_United_States/1660623 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/f/8f9088fafe134cc73e731880e0c1ea1f882021a1/small/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f1857042.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d17A4AD9FDB9CF1935BBE657AC86A9648E1BB1A167776C158.jpg Be sure to take a look at the writeup on Cuban pitching prospect Aroldis Chapman over at www.mlbfantasyprospects.com. Chapman is being courted by many teams including the Yankees, Red Sox, Giants and Cardinals, among others. Here's a snippet: It’s obvious I have major reservations about Chapman. In fact, there’s a real possibility he only ends up slightly better than fellow Cuban, Jose Contreras, if he remains a starting pitcher. Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:35:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Down_on_the_Farm_Profiling_Aroldis_Chapman/1648677 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Down_on_the_Farm_Profiling_Aroldis_Chapman/1648677 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Down_on_the_Farm_Profiling_Aroldis_Chapman/1648677 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/c/6c84b8e9949ad320264b2d5bef815b4750c7b234/small/Jose_Contreras_pitches_a30c.jpg Its a trend that's been going on for some time now. I'm not sure when exactly it started, maybe it began with the Jose Contreras bidding, or maybe its part of the post 2004 paranoia that should have been banished last October. Regardless, I will never understand the fixation that most Yankees fans seem to have on the Boston Red Sox.Whenever we're discussing a potential move for the Yankees, the debate usually starts out pretty reasonable. Arguments are pretty logical and, generall... Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:40:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Pay_No_Attention_to_That_Team_Up_North/1614454 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Pay_No_Attention_to_That_Team_Up_North/1614454 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Pay_No_Attention_to_That_Team_Up_North/1614454 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/f/8f9088fafe134cc73e731880e0c1ea1f882021a1/small/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f1857042.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d17A4AD9FDB9CF1935BBE657AC86A9648E1BB1A167776C158.jpg More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP Jose Contreras pitched well with the Rockies, but his stay already seems in jeopardy after he strained his right quadriceps while batting on Thursday. Browse more photos » The Colorado Rockies rallied to score five runs with two outs off of Kip Wells in the third inning on Thursday afternoon and wound up beating the Cincinnati Reds, 5-1 and improve to 81-60 on the sea... Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:55:14 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Rockies_ride_five_run_third_inning_to_seventh_straight_win_but_Jose_Contreras_joins_list_of_injured/1147481 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Rockies_ride_five_run_third_inning_to_seventh_straight_win_but_Jose_Contreras_joins_list_of_injured/1147481 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Rockies_ride_five_run_third_inning_to_seventh_straight_win_but_Jose_Contreras_joins_list_of_injured/1147481 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/9/f976d60aa7e2a63c4ae69609d108117db3435556/small/Jose_Contreras_on_1d6b.jpg DENVER(AP) Jose Contreras paid immediate dividends for the Colorado Rockies . Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:55:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Contreras_shines_for_Rockies/1121688 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Contreras_shines_for_Rockies/1121688 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Contreras_shines_for_Rockies/1121688 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/4/74d62875fbff06adafb8168b5aba0f4891eb3c79/small/Contreras_pitches_9aae.jpg The White Sox have traded right-hander Jose Contreras to the Colorado Rockies for right-hander Brandon Hynick. Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:58:09 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Rockies_get_Contreras_for_rotation_help/1090940 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Rockies_get_Contreras_for_rotation_help/1090940 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Rockies_get_Contreras_for_rotation_help/1090940 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/5/b5b4ad11509475e3f5e4ce4051e6eff767268bcc/small/Jose_Contreras_pitches_d18a.jpg The White Sox have traded right-hander Jose Contreras to the Colorado Rockies for right-hander Brandon Hynick, a major league source told FOXSports.com. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:40:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Source_Rockies_get_Contreras_for_rotation_help/1090645 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Source_Rockies_get_Contreras_for_rotation_help/1090645 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Source_Rockies_get_Contreras_for_rotation_help/1090645 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/f/8f9088fafe134cc73e731880e0c1ea1f882021a1/small/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f1857042.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d17A4AD9FDB9CF1935BBE657AC86A9648E1BB1A167776C158.jpg More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP He's no Jon Garland, but he just might be enough to put Colorado over the top and into the playoffs. Browse more photos » At the postseason-roster and waiver trade deadline tonight, the Colorado Rockies acquired SP Jose Contreras from the Chicago White Sox, according to Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman. According to Mark Gonzalez of the Chicago Tribune, the Rock... Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:35:13 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Colorado_Rockies_Acquire_Jose_Contreras/1090623 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Colorado_Rockies_Acquire_Jose_Contreras/1090623 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Colorado_Rockies_Acquire_Jose_Contreras/1090623 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/9/f976d60aa7e2a63c4ae69609d108117db3435556/small/Jose_Contreras_on_1d6b.jpg All season, the White Sox viewed Jose Contreras(notes) like the aging Ford Taurus in the driveway — a little battered and bruised, sure, but armed with at least a few good miles in there. As such, they told fans that he'd be fine for small tasks, like going five innings and for short trips to the grocery store ... so long as they crossed their fingers, of course. Contreras showed signs of his old self here and there, but for the most part he produced one malfunction after another an... Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:19:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Photo_Old_and_broken_Jose_Contreras_sputters_into_the_shop/1041655 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Photo_Old_and_broken_Jose_Contreras_sputters_into_the_shop/1041655 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Photo_Old_and_broken_Jose_Contreras_sputters_into_the_shop/1041655 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/6/96a0e5a5f7ab30af10156068fb1287120a9867bf/small/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f2728597.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d17A4AD9FDB9CF1930CAC8EAFC893BBEBBA9140806A96E846.jpg First things first: Thank you, Jose Contreras. Because if you hadn't booted that bases-loaded dribbler that Ortiz unceremoniously corked off with two outs in the bottom of the third, we wouldn't have snagged six unearned runs and we might have been staring at our second loss in a row, and our third in four games. Clay didn't have it last night, giving up seven earned runs in just 4.2 innings, but Contreras' miscue gave us all the momentum we needed to snag the W. So, again, th... Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:30:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Welcome_to_the_Rest_of_the_Season/1040888 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Welcome_to_the_Rest_of_the_Season/1040888 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Welcome_to_the_Rest_of_the_Season/1040888 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/c/4cdc87e750d68a46fc84dc14f7363e36050672d2/small/Jose_Contreras_pitches_4369.jpg Newsday is reporting that the two Cuban baseball players that defected from Cuba late last year, are now in New York and readying themselves to play baseball as soon as Opening Day. According to the article, both Yadel Marti and Yasser Gomez are negotiating with agent Jaimie Torres who happens to represent Jose Contreras. They are each working out and taking steps to do whatever it takes to fulfill their dreams and play in the Major Leagues. In November, Marti, 29, and Gomez, 28, were expell... Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:09:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Cuban_Stars_Could_Be_Ready_To_Play_By_Opening_Day/473969 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Cuban_Stars_Could_Be_Ready_To_Play_By_Opening_Day/473969 I think the AngryT is right we do need another basball award. Since these guys are adults it won't hurt their self-esteem to be labeled a "Go Away Player of the Year". The Ultimate Go Away Palyer of the Year would be the player who went in the tank in a contract year. Tue, 28 Aug 2007 13:47:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/The_MLB_Go_Away_Player_of_Year_Set_to_Be_Announced_Shorlty_After_Comeback_Player_of_the_Year/25140 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/The_MLB_Go_Away_Player_of_Year_Set_to_Be_Announced_Shorlty_After_Comeback_Player_of_the_Year/25140