Chicago at Baltimore

Jose Contreras was 9-0 to start the season last year. He has since been 9-19. The wheels have come off. He opened the season pitching fairly well, as he started 4-4, 3.71. He has gone down hill since. Contreras numbers since have been 1-6 and a 7.80 ERA. He has allowed 65 hits in his last 45 innings. He has a long history of struggles against left-handed hitters, and he could face a lineup stacked with eight of them today. On the season, Contreras has allowed a .311 average against them. The Orioles have actually played much better as they have been 11-9 in their last 20, not a bad stretch for a team 11 games below .500. Garrett Olsen gets the start for the O's and he has one thing going for him. He is a LHP, and the White Sox are anemic against them, as they have posted a 9-17 record on the season. The Sox pitching has allowed 67 runs in their last nine games, or over seven a game, and the pen coughed it up last night once again. Birds have the value here.