GLENDALE, Ariz. -- When the White Sox begin spring play Wednesday in Tempe against the Angels, southpaw Clayton Richard will get the call as the team's first Cactus League starter.

Jeff Marquez also will work in that game, pairing together two of the prime fifth-starter candidates. But hope still exists that both Jose Contreras and Bartolo Colon could be ready by the first week of the 2009 regular season, giving the White Sox a veteran presence at all five rotation spots.

"I'm going to predict this -- if we have Contreras and Colon, watch out," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, after Friday's workout at Camelback Ranch. "It's going to be a pretty good club. We're good without them, but I think we're going to be better."

Guillen had just talked to Colon prior to speaking with the media, and couldn't give an exact update as to how the big right-hander felt or when he would start during Spring Training. Colon, 35, who is building up arm strength after fall surgery to remove bone chips in his right elbow, did tell his manager that he will be there "sooner than people think."

As for Contreras, Guillen believes that if Contreras was given the baseball to be on the mound Saturday, he'd be able to start the game.

"That's how good he feels," said Guillen of Contreras. "We have a plan for him. He will start in Spring Training, but I don't know what day."

Contreras couldn't shed any more light on his target date for return, adding only that he continues to feel fine.

"There's no Jose Contreras comeback day," said a smiling Contreras, through translator and White Sox coach Omer Munoz. "I'm working hard every day, and whenever [White Sox athletic trainer] Herm [Schneider] and Ozzie tell me to go, I'm ready."

Reliever Matt Thornton will pitch Wednesday and then again next Saturday against the Cubs in Mesa, getting in two appearances before leaving for the World Baseball Classic. Pitching coach Don Cooper currently has his starters lined up as if Contreras and Colon are not a part of the rotation -- for now.

"Right now, in my mind, I'm still proceeding like Bartolo and Contreras will not be ready," Cooper said. "If they are ready, then we will change things up. But we are proceeding like the competition is wide open at No. 4 and No. 5."