Arnaldo Juan Contreras (born September 19, 1951) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
and coach. His brief time in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
, as well as the majority of his time as a coach, came with the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
. He currently serves as minor league pitching coordinator for the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
.
Playing career
With the Reds
Contreras was drafted at the age of 17, selected in the 12th round of the
1969 Major League Baseball draft
The 1969 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft took place prior to the 1969 MLB season. The draft featured future Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven (pick 55) and Dave Winfield (pick 882).
First round selections
The following are the first round picks ...
by the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. He began his career as a starting pitcher, pitching in the Reds' organization for four seasons, never rising above Class A ball.
With the Mets
Following the 1972 season, Contreras was drafted from the Reds by the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. The Mets moved him steadily up the minor league ladder over the next three seasons, and Contreras reached Triple-A with the
Tidewater Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...
in 1975. That season, his first full season as a relief pitcher, he posted an impressive 1.95 ERA in 60 innings. Still, the Mets released him during
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
in 1976.
With the Phillies
Ten days after his release by the Mets, Contreras signed a minor league contract with the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. He split the next two seasons between the Phillies' Double-A affiliate in
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
and their Triple-A club in
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
. In 1977, Contreras was moved back into Reading's starting rotation for part of the season, going 6–5 with a 3.23 ERA. Once again, however, Contreras was released during spring training in 1979.
With the White Sox
Contreras signed with the White Sox in May, and was assigned to the Triple-A
Iowa Oaks. Once more used mostly as a starter, his numbers were not as impressive in 1979. Although he won more than he lost at 7–6, his ERA shot up to 5.97. He returned to Iowa in 1980, this time posting better numbers (9-7, 4.19 ERA in 20 games, all as a starter), and got his first, and what would prove to be his only, shot at the major leagues.
Although he had been a starter in the minors in 1980, the White Sox used Contreras exclusively as a reliever during his two brief stints in the majors. He appeared in a total of eight games, with no wins or losses and a 5.93 ERA. Contreras was generally used as a mopup man, and the White Sox lost each of the eight games in which Contreras appeared.
Post-major leagues
Contreras returned to the minors for the White Sox, pitching sparingly over the next two seasons for their new Triple-A affiliate, the
Edmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in Edmonton, Alberta. They were a part of the Triple-A level in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Their home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton.
The ...
. Contreras appeared in 11 games in 1981 and just one in 1982. Contreras was out of organized ball for the next several years. He resurfaced in 1989, pitching briefly for the
St. Petersburg Pelicans
The St. Petersburg Pelicans were one of the eight original franchises that began playing in the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989. The team was managed by Bobby Tolan, while Dick Bosman, Ozzie Virgil, Sr. and Tom Zimmer served as c ...
of the short-lived
Senior Professional Baseball Association
The Senior Professional Baseball Association, referred to commonly as the ''Senior League'', was a winter baseball league based in Florida for players age 35 and over, with a minimum age of 32 for catchers. The league began play in 1989 and had ei ...
.
Coaching
Following his playing career, Contreras served as a coach in several major league organizations, including a few at the major league level. He was the pitching coach for the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
in 1995, the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
in 1997–98, and then with the team that gave him his shot at the majors, the White Sox, from 1998 until 2002. In 2005, he returned to the Yankees organization, where he currently serves as their minor league pitching coordinator. He gained recognition for developing
pitch count
In baseball statistics, pitch count is the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher in a game.
Pitch counts are especially a concern for young pitchers, pitchers recovering from injury, or pitchers who have a history of injuries. The pitcher wants ...
guidelines—styled "Joba rules"—for
Joba Chamberlain
Justin Louis "Joba" Chamberlain (''né'' Heath; ; born September 23, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and Cleveland ...
.
Contreras Controls Joba Rules
/ref>
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Contreras, Nardi
1951 births
Living people
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Baseball coaches from Florida
Baseball players from Tampa, Florida
Chicago White Sox coaches
Chicago White Sox players
Edmonton Trappers players
Iowa Oaks players
Key West Conchs players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball pitching coaches
New York Yankees coaches
Oklahoma City 89ers players
Raleigh-Durham Triangles players
Reading Phillies players
Seattle Mariners coaches
Sioux Falls Packers players
Tampa Tarpons (1957–1987) players
Tidewater Tides players
Visalia Mets players
Victoria Toros players