Even the simplest questions posed to White Sox general manager Ken Williams these days are met with replies shrouded in mystery.
Asked Thursday if the signing of free-agent right-hander Bartolo Colon sets the starting rotation heading into spring training, Williams said, ''We will see.'' Translation: ''None of your business.''
That has been Williams' m.o. all offseason as he tries to piece together a roster that can defend the American League Central title. Whether Colon will help accomplish that remains to be seen, but the one thing Williams was open about was if the Sox were to add a veteran pitcher this winter, it would be done on the cheap.
Colon, 35, certainly was that. The terms of the deal, agreed upon Wednesday pending a physical, are one year at $1 million, though Colon can earn an additional $2 million based on innings pitched.
''We all know what Bartolo can do when he's healthy,'' Williams said. ''Bartolo has always been of interest to us, and we know him to a greater degree than most.''
This was the third time Williams pursued Colon. The Sox acquired him before the 2003 season in a trade, then scouted him heavily last offseason before he signed with the Boston Red Sox. In his one season on the South Side, Colon went 15-13 with a 3.87 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 34 starts, setting career highs with nine complete games and 242 innings.
But unless the hefty righty has discovered the Fountain of Youth, his best days are behind him. His 2008 season was plagued by back problems, though he was effective when he did pitch, going 4-2 with a 3.92 ERA and 27 strikeouts in seven starts. The Red Sox suspended him in September after an unexcused absence.
''I don't take into consideration any past situation in Boston,'' pitching coach Don Cooper said. ''Our dealings with Bartolo are upfront and honest. He's ready to go, and I really don't care what happened before.
''Can we keep Bartolo healthy? That's going to be our major undertaking. Right now, he's healthy and structurally sound. Kenny got us a guy who can help us win, a solid contributor in the fourth or fifth spot.''
Adding Colon also turns up the competition for those spots for youngsters such as Jeff Marquez and Clayton Richard.
As for further changes to the roster, Williams said any trade would have to be of equal salary. The Sox appear to have hit the ceiling on their 2009 payroll.
''I always listen, but I don't foresee anything out there I would classify as major,'' Williams said.
