Phillies sign Jose Contreras, eye Pedro Martinez?

The Phillies and Jose Contreras have agreed to a one year deal worth 1.5 million dollars, according to Rotoworld. The 38-year old right-hander struggled before joining the Rockies, posting a 1.59 ERA in seven appearances.

It is a small sample size, but if he can stay healthy he would be a nice addition to the bullpen, especially if Jamie Moyer can't stay healthy. 

The Phillies also have their eyes on right-hander Pedro Martinez, who was 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine starts down the stretch, including a 3.71 ERA in 17.0 postseason innings.

Martinez is considering a full-season contract, but his price appears to be too high for any team to bite. It is possible he could wait until June or July and then latch on with another NL contender to close out the stretch.

He could be in high demand if he holds out, considering the NL central race is expected to be particularly close (at least it looks that way on paper). 

The LA Dodgers have missed out on their second-tier targets, and could consider adding Martinez if his price comes down. Martinez is still an artist on the mound, changing speeds and locating his pitches all over the strike zone. You can expect to see someone take a chance on him for the 2010 season.