Buehrle Fest

[DBAHO]

Didn't see this posted elsewhere;

 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Ken Williams' cell phone got a bit quieter Tuesday.

 

That's usually what happens when a team decides to pull its biggest bargaining chip off the trade table.

 

That's usually what happens when a team decides to pull its biggest bargaining chip off the trade table.

 

The Boston Red Sox, who had jumped out as the clear favorite to acquire White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle during the weekend, have pulled out of the sweepstakes, according to one source. And not because the asking price of top minor-league prospects was too high or because they no longer coveted Buehrle's services, but because Buehrle is no longer on the trading block for the time being.

 

The Boston Red Sox, who had jumped out as the clear favorite to acquire White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle during the weekend, have pulled out of the sweepstakes, according to one source. And not because the asking price of top minor-league prospects was too high or because they no longer coveted Buehrle's services, but because Buehrle is no longer on the trading block for the time being.

 

The Sun-Times has learned that a change of heart in both the Buehrle and White Sox camps during the last 48 hours has led to talks about the sides somehow getting together and agreeing on a contract extension by the end of the week.

 

That sentiment also was expressed by one Sox player, who said the ''climate'' was right for Buehrle to sign an extension in the next few weeks.

 

''Call it a calm before the storm,'' the player said.

 

But attempts to get either camp to confirm those talks were met with responses that were ambiguous at best.

 

Even Buehrle was having fun with the speculation, dropping clues like cookie crumbs leading to a trail -- or simply trying to confuse the media about exactly what's going on.

 

Asked if he had heard the latest on the trade front, Buehrle smiled and said, ''It's wrong, it's wrong.''

 

What isn't wrong is that Williams has turned his attention to possibly shipping out other players, seemingly to clear salary to keep Buehrle as one of the cornerstones of the organization.

 

The New York Daily News reported Tuesday that Mets general manager Omar Minaya made it clear he has been in contact with Williams recently, though he never mentioned the Sox' GM by name.

 

''If people are out there publicly saying they're going to move players, I figure I owe it to myself to call them up,'' Minaya told the newspaper Monday.

 

Williams had said Sunday that the Sox were likely to make some changes and were open for business.

 

''We have some players that a lot of teams want,'' he said. ''And people are starting to be very aggressive.''

 

The Mets have been rumored to be hot on the trail of landing Sox right-hander Jose Contreras for the last week. Right-hander Javier Vazquez also might be a possibility, with the Mets showing interest in him going back to last season.

 

''It's just the checking-in stage right now,'' Minaya told the Daily News.

 

The Mets were one of three teams -- along with the Red Sox and Atlanta Braves -- to whom the Sox were willing to deal Buehrle because of the prospects they would get in return. If Contreras is sent to the Mets, he would bring back a smaller return than Buehrle.

 

So would right fielder Jermaine Dye and second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, both free agents-to-be, whom Williams is looking to move.

 

What is confirmed is that Buehrle's agent, Jeff Berry, was in the Tampa area with his client this week and that the White Sox remain Buehrle's first choice of where he wants to play past this season -- with any other team a distant second.

 

There was talk Monday that he even lowered the number of years he was looking for from five to four to remain with the Sox. Neither side would address that rumor.

 

If Williams can move Contreras or Vazquez, along with Dye and Iguchi, and lock up Buehrle, he would be left with players he now considers ''the core,'' changing on the fly during this disappointing season.

 

It also would leave him with a 2008 rotation that has Buehrle and Jon Garland in the top two spots, followed by rookie John Danks and Vazquez, if he survives the housecleaning.

 

The Sox think enough of Gavin Floyd, Nick Masset and Gio Gonzalez to let those three battle it out for the final spot or two.

 

''It means what I said in February and March applies -- that at the end of spring training, we said we will not be negotiating with any of our guys,'' Williams insisted Sunday, when asked about Buehrle. ''Now, could there possibly be something that, all of a sudden, his guy [berry] comes to us or we have an epiphany of some sort?''

 

The sense around the club is that an ''epiphany'' just might have shown up in Florida.

[beck72]

That would be the best news yet out of a horrible season. Building the rotation around Mark and his best friend Garland makes all the sense in the world.

[EvilJester99]

Hopefully this is true.. I would like to see Buehrle resigned. He has done way too much for this organization to just let him walk. IMO

[SoxFan1]

This is fantastic news to hear, and I hope it's true. This would make me feel so much better about this crappy season.

[rangercal]

please happen

[Dick Allen]

Cowley wrote Buerhle was, as Hawk would say, a gone goose last week. Does he really know anything?

[whtsox13]

I hope this happens by the end of the week like they say. It would be great to be able to cheer him on in his start at home on Monday.

[fathom]

This would be great news, especially if it's a result of getting rid of Contreras. However, last time we saw a promising article like this, there was a story the very next day stating he was 100 pct going to be traded.

[kapkomet]

If Contreras goes and MB stays, that would be a victory, the Mets dickheads not withstanding...

[greasywheels121]

Please happen.

[harfman77]

Jayson Stark just said on ESPN radio that three of the teams that he spoke with that had Buerhle interest were not told that he is no longer on the block. He said it was probably just posturing the way the Boston rumors were.

 

I dont know that I buy that, but I guess if some team feels that a deal is imminent they might go into a panic and offer up too much.

 

I think Mark will end up re-signing at this point.

[Kyyle23]

Cowley wrote Buerhle was, as Hawk would say, a gone goose last week. Does he really know anything?

 

I dont know that anyone anywhere thought anything different at the time, including Kenny and Mark. Last week this entire board had the team stocked with AAA stars from other systems, and the core was traded.

[Controlled Chaos]

Get it done.

[AirScott]

I'll be checking whitesox.com, mlb.com and espn.com even more frequently now. Before I was doing it to see if any Sox have been traded. I'm seriously against trading Buehrle for prospects. Obviously you don't know what you're going to get from unproven players, and Buehrle's had a subpar season (2003) and a poor second half (2006) in seven full seasons in the majors.

[GoSox05]

Just when things can't get any worse for the Sox. They get better.

[NorthSideSox72]

Please please please.

[SoxFan562004]

really hope this happens. MB has been a class act and a Sox product, it would be a shame to lose him. This team has fallen flat on its face this year, but the fans are coming out, and strong franchises keep their cornerstones, would love to see the Sox make this happen.

 

If it happens, I see a compromise of a 4 year deal with a 5th year team option

[EvilMonkey]

Jose gone and Buehrle staying would be a great thing, both for the future of the rotation and PR-wise.

[spiderman]

This is the scenario I was hoping for. Starting pitching has been the strength of the White Sox so why not leave that as a strength, at least up top with 1) Buerhle 2) Garland 3) Vazquez and then Denks...

 

Let's hopefully move Contreras, Dye, and Iguchi, add some prospects who are MLB or near it, and then patch some remaining holes in free agency.

[thedoctor]

Cowley wrote Buerhle was, as Hawk would say, a gone goose last week. Does he really know anything?

 

things change.

[chisox72]

Jose gone and Buehrle staying would be a great thing, both for the future of the rotation and PR-wise.

 

It would, by far and away, be the best possible scenario/outcome of this whole thing. Lets hope KW can make it happen. We get two wins in a row AND we *may* be keeping our main guy...what a week!

[Controlled Chaos]

Jose gone and Buehrle staying would be a great thing, both for the future of the rotation and PR-wise.

and IMO anyway, I also believe he has more impact on the rotation then his numbers.

[maggsmaggs]

Yes please sign Mark. Trade Count to the Mets and lets see what Gavin can do. If he was throwing 94 MPH, I think a 4.5 ERA isn't unreasonable since he has done his success in a hitter's paradise in Charlotte. This would be beatiful if we could keep Gar, Mark and Vaz. Then have the cheap backend of Floyd and Danks. Then, maybe next year trade Vaz to put Gio there.

[CanOfCorn]

Just beware that if we sign Mark, which I REALLY hope we do, we are probably going to have to trade 1 or 2 other starters. And that can be any combination of Contreras, Vazquez and Garland. Now, I'm sure Contreras is the one that all of us can agree on, but don't rule out Garland being shipped out. He probably would have more suitors and would get a better return than Vazquez...if only because Garland has been pretty consistent since 2005 and Vazquez has been a bit up and down.

 

I hope we have a rotation of MB/JG/JV/JD and one of Floyd/Masset/Gonzalez next year, but, if this breaking story tells you something, it's that anything can happen.

[The Ginger Kid]

would love to jetison Vaz and Count for some infield or pen help, then see a push to sign Zambrano in the off season, setting up an awesome rotation next season - Zambrano, Buehrle, Garland, Danks/Floyd/Gio.