I'm glad Buehrle is signed. My concern is where we stand now as far as having any real $ to make this team a contender again. If my calculations are somewhat correct we have obligations to:
Thome-7 million ( our end )
Konerko-12
AJ-5.5
Hall-1.75
Ozuna-1
Buehrle-14
Garland 10
Vasquez-11.5
Contraras-10
Denks-1 ( rounding off)
Macdougal-2
Thorton-1
Jenks-1
That puts us at 77.5 million. Add approximately 8 million for the remainder of the 25/ 40 man roster guys;
Now we are at 85.5 million
Assume we pick up Uribe's option-5 million
Assume we pick up Erstadt option-3.5 million
Assume Crede is health and ready to start opening day-4 million?
These 3=12.5 million
77.5 + 8 million + 12.5 million =98 million
At this point,we still don't know who will play left, right or second.
If we don't pick up any of those 3 options then we don't know who is playing left, center, right, shortstop or second.
Assume we remain around a 105 million dollar payroll team......
Even with a trade of say-Contreras, my concern is where is there any money to fill all the needed holes we currently have? ( with a player that can make a difference) Doesn't seem like there will be any $ to go after any SIGNIFICANT free agents ie: Hunter, Ichiro, Castillo, bullpen help.
Are we stuck now in beging mediocre?