Williams on Sox FA

[Soxfest]

Buehrle isn't alone, however. Outfielder Jermaine Dye and second baseman Tadahito Iguchi are also free agents at the end of the season.

 

Williams said on Saturday that the club has no plans to talk contract extension with any of the three, and even took it a step further by telling them each to go and explore the free-agent market.

 

''The market being what it is, and with whoever our free agents are, I think they owe it to themselves to go out there and see what's on the market,'' Williams said. ''It doesn't mean that we aren't bringing any of them back, it just means that the market is such that they should at least see what they can get.

 

''I respect these guys enough, and I think the fans should, where we don't get caught up in the last dollar. They have to make some decisions that are best for themselves and their families.''

 

Buehrle sounds eager to follow Williams' advice.

 

''That's kind of what [Williams] said to me at SoxFest,'' Buehrle said. ''He told me if that's what happens he totally respects me. He said he would like to have me back, but he knows where the market is at and he doesn't know if he could pay someone like me, and not just me, Jermaine and Iguchi. The market is where it's at, and I'll look at both ends of it.

 

''As far as how the fans look at it, I just hope they understand. That's all I can do.''

[fathom]

Why can't KW just shut the hell up? This "small" market whining is ridiculous after last season.

[Sonik22]

KW is just pissing me off now!

[The Critic]

I can understand not wanting to overpay, but to shy away from the process with your own guys is discouraging.

I can only hope this is public posturing by KW, although that seems unlikely if he's telling the guys this stuff away from the press.

[Kalapse]

If there's one position the Sox can't afford to lose a starter it's on the infield, there's NO ONE that could fill Iguchi's spot internally. This organization sure seems to love to talk though, I'm not sure I've ever seen a more outspoken coaching staff/front office in any sport and it's really starting to get annoying.

[knightni]

Damn.

 

They're taking our money from '05, '06 and '07 and rebuilding the team with kids.

[fathom]

I know I'm quite the pessimist, but does it seem to others like there is a terrible aura surrounding this organization right now? It seems like it's going to get ugly during the season with the Buehrle contract talk, etc.

[jackie hayes]

Buehrle isn't alone, however. Outfielder Jermaine Dye and second baseman Tadahito Iguchi are also free agents at the end of the season.

You forgot Crede.

[Kalapse]

I know I'm quite the pessimist, but does it seem to others like there is a terrible aura surrounding this organization right now? It seems like it's going to get ugly during the season with the Buehrle contract talk, etc.

Well considering Williams' history of degrading free agents in their final year with the team and a few years after they walk I'm sure this has a good chance of getting incredibly ugly, of course if Buehrle wants he can prevent any ugliness from happening by just staying classy and not getting into a war of words with KW in the media.

 

I just wish the people in power within this organization would just cut the bulls***, it seems every other day we have a whole new set of quotes from these guys that just makes you cringe.

[Gregory Pratt]

I was shocked when I read this in the paper this morning. This is bananas!

[Kalapse]

For anyone that wanted to read the whole story, this is only a segment from a Joe Cowley article printed today.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...T-sox18.article

They owe it to themselves to see what's on the market'

Sox GM Ken Williams tells Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye and Tadahito Iguchi they can go into free agency before seeing if he can re-sign any or all of them

 

February 18, 2007

BY JOE COWLEY Staff Reporter

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- At least Mark Buehrle provided a warning to his general manager.

 

That didn't change the fact that Ken Williams awoke on Saturday morning just to find out that Buehrle had indeed admitted to the media on Friday that he was given a contract offer by the White Sox last July -- an offer that the left-handed pitcher turned down with ''no regrets.''

 

Just like that, the dirty little secret that Williams was hoping to keep in-house was now out.

 

''That's why I was willing to take the heat, and I told him that I was never going to say anything about our dealings last season because I would rather take that hit,'' Williams said Saturday. ''I would rather have myself and the organization take that hit and the thinking be that we just didn't want to go down that road rather than we made the offer and he said no.

 

''I was worried about what the perception the fans would have of him and not understand it. He warned me that he talked about it [on Friday]. All I can say now is that I assure [the media] and all of our fans that now that it has been made public by Mark ... just hope that it doesn't change the opinion of Mark Buehrle.''

 

Neither side will confirm the money involved in the offer, but a source said it was a three-year deal, near the $34 million mark, with an option for a fourth season.

 

According to Williams, the details of the deal aren't his concern as much as Buehrle's reputation now falling into the court of public opinion, a place where some are considered guilty until proven innocent.

 

Stereotype or not, the South Side is considered a blue-collar fan base. When dealing with making $12 million a year compared to $13 million or $14 million, that might be hard for the average 9-to-5 fan to swallow.

 

''He's just a quality guy,'' Williams continued, poised to do his best damage control. ''He's still the guy that goes out there at home games and catches the first ceremonial pitch and all that. I was perfectly willing to take the hit for him. Now that he has put it out there ... you know what? He never ceases to stop surprising me.''

 

Buehrle's pending free agency has become a big topic with the Sox this offseason, and the southpaw found out just how important it was to fans at last month's SoxFest.

 

''I hope that it doesn't matter to the fans because it's not like the first time someone has been offered a contract and turned it down,'' Buehrle said. ''I didn't want to sign it. We didn't think it was fair and didn't want to sign it at the time. I hope everyone knows that I want to stay here and I'm going to do what I can to stay here, but at the same time I have to watch out for myself.

 

''There's two sides to that. Even at SoxFest I had a ton of people come up to me and some said, 'Hey, sign back here and why didn't you take the deal?' And then some said, 'Screw it, go get everything you can get.' So no matter what I do there's going to be people with two different feelings about it.''

 

Buehrle isn't alone, however. Outfielder Jermaine Dye and second baseman Tadahito Iguchi are also free agents at the end of the season.

 

Williams said on Saturday that the club has no plans to talk contract extension with any of the three, and even took it a step further by telling them each to go and explore the free-agent market.

 

''The market being what it is, and with whoever our free agents are, I think they owe it to themselves to go out there and see what's on the market,'' Williams said. ''It doesn't mean that we aren't bringing any of them back, it just means that the market is such that they should at least see what they can get.

 

''I respect these guys enough, and I think the fans should, where we don't get caught up in the last dollar. They have to make some decisions that are best for themselves and their families.''

 

Buehrle sounds eager to follow Williams' advice.

 

''That's kind of what [Williams] said to me at SoxFest,'' Buehrle said. ''He told me if that's what happens he totally respects me. He said he would like to have me back, but he knows where the market is at and he doesn't know if he could pay someone like me, and not just me, Jermaine and Iguchi. The market is where it's at, and I'll look at both ends of it.

 

''As far as how the fans look at it, I just hope they understand. That's all I can do.''

[Milkman delivers]

I'm thinking maybe KW expects the market to go back to normal this offseason. That way, these guys can go out there and realize they're not going to get as much money as they previously thought they would, and maybe they'll re-sign for a fair contract. If KW offers them what he considers a "fair" contract today, it might seem like they're being lowballed. If he actually expects the market to return to some form of normality, he can offer them the exact same contracts and it won't be a slap in their faces?

 

I'm really just stretching to make some sense of this. I just have to trust KW.

[elrockinMT]

I think for the most part MLB players are spoiled. They get way to much money for playing a kids game. The teams perpetuate this FA craziness by being willing to pay exorbitant salaries for medicority and even more than exorbitant for a player that may be regarded as a premium player- a star if you will. The fans support this craze by continuing to fork over their weekly paychecks when they attend games and buy ticketsm souveniers, hotdogs and beer. I don't see it stopping though until bankruptcies occur. Saying all that I still think the Sox should try and sign Buerhle, Dye anda Iguchi, but my guess is it won't happen. We may see Buerhle gone this season before the other two.

[Dick Allen]

KW's new attitude towards impending free agents is beyond troubling. Its what small market teams do. Apparently he feels the White Sox should not offer market value contracts to players until he sees they can get market value somewhere else. Its exactly the kind of attitude that will make the White Sox go back to insignificant with most of Chicago almost as quickly as they became the top story. Its not going to go over very well with the fanbase, who have stepped up, when you don't want to even make offers to your impending free agent good players anymore.

[jphat007]

They are going to try and sign them. Just not right now. KW would only be able to go with what is seen as a 'lowball' offer before free agency actually starts and then he'd just have to hear about how he was lowballing them all like he will with Buerhle now. I would imagine that he'll go a little bit above and beyond with Iguchi, but he's not going to try it in this market. Like Milkman says, he is hoping to see it go down a lil bit next year, and if that is the case, offering them anything right now wouldn't be very smart. Let's al hope he is right. THere are always teams like the Cubs willing to overpay out the ass.

[Dick Allen]

I'm thinking maybe KW expects the market to go back to normal this offseason. That way, these guys can go out there and realize they're not going to get as much money as they previously thought they would, and maybe they'll re-sign for a fair contract. If KW offers them what he considers a "fair" contract today, it might seem like they're being lowballed. If he actually expects the market to return to some form of normality, he can offer them the exact same contracts and it won't be a slap in their faces?

 

I'm really just stretching to make some sense of this. I just have to trust KW.

I don't think "normalcy" will return to contracts for a while. The Yankees have a new stadium on the way and a lot of money coming off their books. That alone will keep the numbers for the real good players high. At some point, the White Sox are going to have to bite the bullet and pay someone a ridiculous amount of money for what they bring to the table, because they aren't going to thrive bringing up prospects every year.

[jphat007]

It just doesn't make any sense.

 

-Sox have an unbelievable year in attendance in 2006, drawing 2.9 million fans.

 

-Sox sign Darrin Erstad and Toby Hall. Give Macdougal an extension. Give a few players small raises.

 

-Sox have what is said to be a "97%" renewal rate on season tickets for 2007. Raise ticket prices, have already sold out 6-7 games, and look like at least 2.5-2.6 is a lock for next season.

 

-We are already getting quotes about the Sox big 3 FA's after 2007 exploring Free Agency.

 

I never, EVER had an idea of this organization being cheap in anyway, but the last few months have really put a bad taste in my mouth. I hope Kenny and the organization surprises me, and I think there is a good chance they will, I just don't like where things seem to be headed.

 

Am I missing something?

 

There is a difference between being cheap and not paying ridiculous contracts for players who aren't worth that amount of money. KW has always shown a willingness to sign people, he's just not going to overpay. It's not like we won't sign anybody to fill those holes next year. And like I, really Milkman, said above, he is hoping those prices come down so he can gets the ones on this team already.

 

Going cheap makes me think that our payroll would go way down, but we haven't seen any sign of that. It's just not going to go way up past 100 million, which it would have to do if you are going to give guys like Buerhle 5 year, 15 mil a year.

[Milkman delivers]

It just doesn't make any sense.

 

-Sox have an unbelievable year in attendance in 2006, drawing 2.9 million fans.

 

-Sox sign Darrin Erstad and Toby Hall. Give Macdougal an extension. Give a few players small raises.

 

-Sox have what is said to be a "97%" renewal rate on season tickets for 2007. Raise ticket prices, have already sold out 6-7 games, and look like at least 2.5-2.6 is a lock for next season.

 

-We are already getting quotes about the Sox big 3 FA's after 2007 exploring Free Agency.

 

I never, EVER had an idea of this organization being cheap in anyway, but the last few months have really put a bad taste in my mouth. I hope Kenny and the organization surprises me, and I think there is a good chance they will, I just don't like where things seem to be headed.

 

Am I missing something?

 

No, I was just trying my hardest to come up with something to defend KW. I've come to trust him more than anyone else in the organization, so I'm willing to go out on a limb with him.

[southsideirish71]

They need to resign Tad. Thats not even an option.

I would like to see them resign Dye, but if they are not send him to the Dodgers and pick up some nice young talent. For the Dodgers Dye would be the difference in getting past round one in the playoffs and maybe getting to the WS in a weak NL.

They need to ink someone, if they dont want to do a pitcher fine. But you cant say the same about the position players. You can go young with the pitching, but you still need to spend money on the position players.

 

 

The sox need to start to keep their top lip and their bottom lip together on contract negotiations.

 

There is a difference between being cheap and not paying ridiculous contracts for players who aren't worth that amount of money. KW has always shown a willingness to sign people, he's just not going to overpay. It's not like we won't sign anybody to fill those holes next year. And like I, really Milkman, said above, he is hoping those prices come down so he can gets the ones on this team already.

 

Going cheap makes me think that our payroll would go way down, but we haven't seen any sign of that. It's just not going to go way up past 100 million, which it would have to do if you are going to give guys like Buerhle 5 year, 15 mil a year.

 

When has the price of anything gone down. The teams are getting large profits from radio and broadcast rights like the Direct TV package. The agents know the money is there, and someone will pay it. Our minor league system cannot sustain a talent push to be an elite team if we dont infuse some top FA talent on the team.

[Whitewashed in '05]

I am tired of this f***ing, "we can't afford them in this market" bulls***.

[jphat007]

They need to resign Tad. Thats not even an option.

I would like to see them resign Dye, but if they are not send him to the Dodgers and pick up some nice young talent. For the Dodgers Dye would be the difference in getting past round one in the playoffs and maybe getting to the WS in a weak NL.

They need to ink someone, if they dont want to do a pitcher fine. But you cant say the same about the position players. You can go young with the pitching, but you still need to spend money on the position players.

The sox need to start to keep their top lip and their bottom lip together on contract negotiations.

When has the price of anything gone down. The teams are getting large profits from radio and broadcast rights like the Direct TV package. The agents know the money is there, and someone will pay it. Our minor league system cannot sustain a talent push to be an elite team if we dont infuse some top FA talent on the team.

 

To answer your first question, it came down some after the ridiculous contracts of 2000-2001.

 

Second, I agree, we'll need to sign some FA talent to sustain ourselves. KW has always shown a willingness to sign people though. I doubt our payroll is going to go much lower, if it all than 100 mil.

 

But who knows. Won't know until after next offseason

[bigruss]

There is a difference between being cheap and not paying ridiculous contracts for players who aren't worth that amount of money. KW has always shown a willingness to sign people, he's just not going to overpay. It's not like we won't sign anybody to fill those holes next year. And like I, really Milkman, said above, he is hoping those prices come down so he can gets the ones on this team already.

 

Going cheap makes me think that our payroll would go way down, but we haven't seen any sign of that. It's just not going to go way up past 100 million, which it would have to do if you are going to give guys like Buerhle 5 year, 15 mil a year.

 

thank you for somebody actually talking common sense here, the Sox have only raised their payroll from 2005, signed PK, traded for Thome, Vasquez, better (and more expensive) bench players, exercised options on their players, and all KW is hearing about is how cheap he is. He is just letting the fan base know that the sox will not have a payroll of much more than 100 mill, as even tho the increased ticket prices and attendance will help they still wont cover for that much of a rise in payroll (The sox do not have resources like the yankees where i have heard that their radio contract makes more than the sox TV contract) and so they will not be able to resign all of the players at the market price, hence the need for better scouting and the fans awareness that the future sox will be much different from the one right now. Does that mean we will suck? no, he may just find players that can help win at a cheaper price, its called business and guess what, it worked in 2005 and im sure it will work better than spending money on huge contracts restricting KW

[jphat007]

I am tired of this f***ing, "we can't afford them in this market" bulls***.

 

I don't think it's so much that "we can't afford them" as much as "we aren't going to overpay for them." Whether that's right or wrong is up for debate, but that's KW stance.

[Dick Allen]

To answer your first question, it came down some after the ridiculous contracts of 2000-2001.

 

Second, I agree, we'll need to sign some FA talent to sustain ourselves. KW has always shown a willingness to sign people though. I doubt our payroll is going to go much lower, if it all than 100 mil.

 

But who knows. Won't know until after next offseason

KW has signed free agents, but mostly with the exception of Konerko, and if the White Sox don't win the WS or at least make it there, Konerko is probably gone, at bargain basement prices. The fact is, all 3 of these guys are playing for way below market value in 2007. If he's so concerned about their families getting by on the millions these guys get paid, why when he heard Dye had a better deal somewhere else, didn't he tell him to take it? Or why won't he just pay them what the market bears, unless they are going to use lack of funds as an excuse. I know a few people who have made 5 year commitments to suites and that new thing in the old pressbox who aren't going to like this new approach. Unless of course, he has that money earmarked for Johan Santana and Miguel Cabrerra or even Zambrano. I can't see the Sox dropping payroll significantly. They would have to spend it elsewhere. But at the level all three of these guys get paid, if that's what they are willing to spend, the team is really going to dropoff in the next few years.

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

KW is seriously starting to piss me off. But the last time he pissed me off like this, he signed Count and Garland to extension within weeks of saying they would not be offered extension. I hope to have another opportunity to call KW out on "Who you Crappin'" soon.