The r?sum? suggests veteran right-hander Jose Contreras can help the Rockies down the stretch.

He did, after all, go 3-1 with a 3.09 ERA in four postseason starts in 2005 as the White Sox won the World Series for the first time since 1917. From late 2005 through mid-2006, he won a White Sox-

record 17 consecutive games.

But that's ancient history, something the 37-year-old Cuban seems to understand.

His 5-13 record and 5.42 ERA in 21 starts this year certainly haven't made fans giddy with anticipation, but Contreras expressed confidence he can help the Rockies .

"I just want fans to know that once I got traded, I feel like I got a clean start," he said through an interpreter Wednesday afternoon as he joined the Rockies after being traded from the White Sox late Monday night. "I feel like I was thinking too much in Chicago."

He will make his Rockies debut Saturday against Arizona. For now, he's a fill-in for opening day starter Aaron Cook, who's been derailed by a sore throwing shoulder.

A scout said Wednesday that Contreras still throws consistently in the low 90s and climbs to 95 mph on rare occasions, and has a good splitter. But he relies on guile much more than he used to.

"If he can get to the point where he can get to the strike zone, he's not an easy guy to hit," manager Jim Tracy said. "If he throws his fastball for strikes and it gets him to the point where he's able to throw his split near home plate, he's going to get bad swings from the opposition."

Little Stew. Third baseman Ian Stewart was back in the Rockies' starting lineup after missing Tuesday's game as his wife,

Susan, gave birth to the couple's first child. Ellsie Gray checked into the world at 7 1/2 pounds and 20 inches.

"We had a girl, a perfect baby, everything's good," Stewart said.

Footnotes. Ubaldo Jimenez is a finalist for the "Major League Baseball Clutch Performer of the Month" award. Fans can visit pepsiclutch.MLB.com to vote through Monday night. ? According to the Elias Sports Bureau, lefty Jorge De La Rosa

(13-3 since June 5) has equaled the highest win total of the past 30 years by a pitcher who started his season with at least six consecutive losses. De La Rosa (0-6 at the end of May) matched the total of Mike Boddicker (Baltimore and Boston), who posted a 13-15 mark after a 0-8 start in 1988.

Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post