Buehrle Wants a Five Year Contract

[SoxPride56]

My understanding (recollection?) is a 3 year extension, $34M.

 

 

You can not blame Mark for not signing that.

[iamshack]

Well that's pretty close to what Vazquez got, which isn't the point, but I'm wondering what number Steff is referring to?

[southsideirish71]

To me when I think of what a young pitcher should aspire to be from a mental makeup its Mark Buerhle. He is a bulldog, a guy who goes out and competes. He is also a very likeable personality. I will miss him from a competitor standpoint, and from a persona standpoint. He is one of those players you can get behind.

 

However the sox have a 3 year rule. Throwing a baseball overhand is not a natural thing. The minute you start to throw overhand you start to strain your body. Now granted Mark is not a max effort guy, however he has a lot of innings under his belt. And I can guarantee you that last years dead arm period for the entire 2nd half scared the sox away from making an exception. For better or worse when it comes to pitchers, the sox have made the right decision on their 3 year rule. I cant think of a pitcher who has left, who has dominated for years once he leaves the sox. Mark maybe the first, but you never know.

 

If Mark really really wanted to be here, he would of instructed his agent to contact the sox about an extension and they would of negotiated. But Mark, and for no fault of his own, wants to see what he can get. I cant blame him. I would do the same thing. We all get wrapped up into personalities, and names. They change all the time. When a Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura, Alex Fernandez, Wilson Alvarez, Jack McDowell and all can move on, you can see that its not just one superstar. Its a process of Free Agency.

 

I just hope we can get a good package of talent that can start to help us right this ship for the long term.

[WHITESOXRANDY]

I am rarely in favor of doing this but in this circumstance if I were KW, I would offer Buehrle 5 years for $ 75 mil. right now.

 

That would actually solve a lot of problems for the Sox - if he would accept it.

 

Firstly, they could then trade Contreras and Vazquez or Garland. They could get a lot for these guys because they are signed. Look at what the Sox gave up to get Javy and then double it.

 

Secondly, they would be retaining the best pitcher of the bunch instead of getting rid of their best pitcher.

 

Thirdly, Buehrle would be much more help to Danks and Gio than any of these other guys will be to any young pitchers.

 

Fourthly, attendance. Need I say more ?

 

Lastly, clubhouse influence for whatever it's worth. Buehrle is a leader on that team and the other 3 are certainly not.

[Kalapse]

In 2005 Roy Halladay put up a 2.41 ERA, 0.960 WHIP, 5 CG, 2 SHO, 184 ERA+ but broke his leg at the end of July and missed the rest of the season. He showed up to spring training healthy and on March 16th, 2006 signed a 3 year, $40M extension with the Blue Jays, this for a Cy Young award winner who, when not on the DL due to some fluky injury is giving you 224 IP and a 3.65 ERA. He was 28 years old at the time of the extension and headed into a contract year.

 

On August 29th, 2006 Roy Oswalt signed a 5 year, $73M extension. This for a starter who over a 5 year career as a full time starter has had fewer than 32 GS and 220 IP in a season only once (2003) while putting up seasonal averages of 33 GS, 224 IP, 3.09 ERA, 1.193 WHIP and a 141 ERA+. He was 28 years old at the time and headed into free agency.

 

On December 4th, 2006 Chris Carpenter restructured his contract to make it a 5 year, $63.5M deal. He was 31 at the time of the extension.

 

So:

 

Roy Halladay, 3/16/06, 3 year, $40M extension, 28 years old

 

Roy Oswalt, 8/29/06, 5 year, $73M extension, 28 years old

 

Chris Carpenter, 12/4/06, 5 year, $63.5M extension, 31 years old

[dagotony06]

Would you mind posting the deal that was offered to Mark because by all accounts I have heard, including the slip from Hawk and Kenny at Soxfest, it was NOTHING remotely close to what Vaz got.

My fault it was reported that it was the same deal as JV got. I heard it on CTL from Phil Rogers I believe. The point is, sign the f***ing guy to a contract he deserves.

[Steff]

My understanding (recollection?) is a 3 year extension, $34M.

 

My recollection is 3 years, $38M, with a boatload of incentives that would have made Mark very happy if he continues to pitch as all the Ms Cleo's seem to think he will. Regardless, it's not the same deal as JV.

 

My fault it was reported that it was the same deal as JV got. I heard it on CTL from Phil Rogers I believe. The point is, sign the f***ing guy to a contract he deserves.

 

 

Can you ever attempt to make a point without using foul language?

 

The bottom line is, he'll get offered the contract he deserves. If he chooses not to take it and finds some moron to pay him more than he "deserves", then that is what will happen.

 

 

 

Lastly, clubhouse influence for whatever it's worth. Buehrle is a leader on that team and the other 3 are certainly not.

 

 

I don't quite understand why, but Paul Konerko is the clubhouse leader not Mark.

[beck72]

I predict the sox will sign Buehrle to the long term contract he wants and deserves. Few other teams will go overboard and offer him a Zito like deal. My guess is the Cards are the only other team Mark would be willing to go to. And the sox can still come in with a 5 yr deal that they can afford to pay--as they'll have Danks and another young SP [FLoyd, or Gio] in the rotation in 2008.

[DBAHO]

I didn't see this anywhere (apologies if posted already);

 

BUEHRLE WINDOW: NOT HAPPENING

If the White Sox move left-hander Mark Buehrle, they will not grant a 72-hour negotiating window for a prospective trade partner to sign the pitcher long-term, a major-league source says.

 

A club would be willing to part with better talent if it could lock up Buehrle, who is a free agent at the end of the season. However, the three-day period of uncertainty would be disruptive, especially if the deal collapsed.

 

The Cardinals are probably the only club that would benefit from a window; they are the overwhelming favorites to land Buehrle, a native of St. Charles, Mo., as a free agent. They could offer a strong package for Buehrle regardless; he would be practically a signed player.

 

The problem for the Cardinals is that they would be reluctant to part with any of their emerging Double-A prospects when they're barely contenders. Better they should wait for Buehrle while retaining their young players.

 

Approximately 10 teams are believed to be interested in Buehrle, including the Mets, Braves, Yankees and Mariners.

[chisox2334]

Memo to Sox: Pay Buehrle or pay dearly

 

June 23, 2007

 

 

White Sox fans looking for good news in the wake of Friday's 5-1 loss to the Cubs might want to consider this:

 

A source close to Mark Buehrle said Friday he was "99 percent sure" the pitcher would be in a Sox uniform next season.

 

"Well, that might be a little high," the source conceded. "But Mark's agent has been talking to someone. Whether it's Ken Williams or Rick Hahn, I don't know, but there have been discussions."

 

Friday, Carlos Zambrano was the talk of The Cell, quite correctly. He struck out 12 Sox and limited the hosts to three hits over eight innings in improving to 8-6.

 

Buehrle, meanwhile, fell to 4-4 despite lowering his ERA to 3.39 after a seven-inning stint in which he allowed just four hits -- two of those going for solo homers in the first inning and accounting for the only runs he gave up.

 

This, while suffering from "flu-like symptoms," a Sox spokesman said, during the game. A dehydrated Buehrle left the ballpark without comment, though another gritty effort spoke volumes about why the Sox can ill afford to go into next season without him.

 

The Cubs would seem to be in the same boat with Zambrano, but with an ownership in flux and a pitcher straddling the line between brilliant and bonkers, you can almost excuse the stalled contract talks on the North Side.

 

The Sox have no such excuse. And while they might have sought to suspend talks in fear they might distract from a pennant race, they ought to realize Sox Nation could use all the distractions it can get at the moment.

 

As an organization, they believe in winning with pitching and within a budget. They can't possibly believe they can get a pitching staff to be both better and cheaper without Buehrle.

 

To put it another way, if the Sox traded Buehrle for prospects, they'd end up either packaging those prospects with others to trade for a front-line starter, or hope to find a reasonably priced veteran on the free-agent market.

 

Why not just make a fair offer to Buehrle now? Why not figure, if Javier Vazquez is worth three years and $34.5 million -- a deal he got in March -- that Buehrle is worth four years and $60 million?

 

Frankly, $15 million a year is the right number for Buehrle. It would make him the highest-paid player on the team (by $1 million, over Jim Thome), which he deserves to be based on tenure and production. But it would leave him a bit short of top pitching money in the majors, which lacking a Cy Young or a 20-win season, he hasn't earned.

 

A Sox source conceded Friday there has been an "ongoing dialogue" with Buehrle's agent, Jeff Berry, but said those discussions could not be characterized as negotiations.

 

Again, why not? Because Williams is holding out hope for a "market correction" that would enable him to get Buehrle for less than the going rates established last year by Barry Zito's seven-year, $126 million deal with San Francisco. And because Berry has made it clear he would like Buehrle to test the open market, leading to the decision to suspend negotiations during the season.

 

Of course, both sides like to leave the impression that it is the other camp which really prefers not to negotiate.

 

But if Buehrle, as he claims, truly wants to stay with the Sox, he should suggest they make him an offer now. If the Sox can resist the temptation to lowball him, they should take him up on the offer -- and he may make it worth their while.

 

Reiterating sentiments Buehrle expressed last winter at SoxFest, the source confirmed Buehrle has not ruled out giving the Sox a hometown discount.

 

"That has been discussed (within the Buehrle camp)," the source said. "Mark wants to stay with the Sox."

 

Buehrle shouldn't need to squeeze every last dollar out of this opportunity to afford a lovely standard of living in Lemont, where he resides during the season. Nor should the Sox stick to what has been a blanket policy regarding pitchers' contracts since the days of Jaime Navarro.

 

Buehrle is only 28 years old. He has a history of health and durability lacking in many pitchers who left the Sox in the recent past to find their fortunes elsewhere. He also helped bring Jerry Reinsdorf a World Series ring -- and helped bring all those gate receipts into the park that should be going for something a little more exciting than Jose Contreras and Vazquez as your Nos. 1 and 2 starters in 2009.

 

"Be equitable for everyone," the source said, "and everything will work out."

 

It would be nice, in this season, if something did.

 

Phil Arvia

[fathom]

That's the most promising article I've heard yet about Buehrle. However, you have to worry that once he gets to test the market, other teams will blow us out of the water.

[spataro51]

Good point FATHOM.....Lets not hope that when he does you don't get someone that will through everything they have at him to get him just to sign. But the article does give me a sigh of a little relief that if this is article is true at least there is some talking at least going on instead of nothing at all. LOCK HIM UP!

[fathom]

Good point FATHOM.....Lets not hope that when he does you don't get someone that will through everything they have at him to get him just to sign. But the article does give me a sigh of a little relief that if this is article is true at least there is some talking at least going on instead of nothing at all. LOCK HIM UP!

 

I'll make the prediction that if Zambrano stays with the Cubs, the Mets will offer Buehrle in the 17 to 18 million range for 5 years.

[chisox2334]

Well... you might be suprised what happeneds here.. I remember hearing yesterday sox not only taking offers for buerhele.. so if sox unload contreas or garland ... sox might give buerhle what he wants.

[GreatScott82]

Well... you might be suprised what happeneds here.. I remember hearing yesterday sox not only taking offers for buerhele.. so if sox unload contreas or garland ... sox might give buerhle what he wants.

It better be Contreras and not Garland if they want to try and compete next year. Mark and Jon are by far our best pitchers, trade Dye and Contreras after the Cubs series. That will free up enough money to sign Buerhle to the contract he deserves.

 

However, we are all focusing our attention on Buerhle's contract. But what about our other problems.. like Uribes lack of everything this year, our ridiculous excuse for a bullpen, our offense, our lack of a leadoff hitter, our lack of a legit farm system? This team has major issues right now and starting pitching is the least of my concern. Keep Buerhle, you have Jon G, Vazquez who is still iffy but for the most part keeps you in most games, Danks is showing that he can grow quickly at the MLB level. You go out and sign a veteran SP free agent this winter and will be even better (that is if we trade Jose of course). Because our next best option is Gio and he isn't ready yet. I want to see him up here in 2009. Any objections to bringing back Colon? I know he has health issues.... but when healthy he's still got game. We can probably get him cheap for a 2 year deal around 8 mill/season.

[bulokis]

I want Buerhle to stay. We need to rebuilt this team and the way to start is from starting pitching. We know what we have in Buerhle and I'd vote to keep him. Mark, Jon and Danks should be our set SP's. trade Vazquez and Contreras. Vazquez has been underwhelming. Buerhle deserves to be with the SOX more than Javy.

[Shamrock4Life]

i think if we lowball him and let him go back to sliding on tarps we can get him.

[The Beast]

i think if we lowball him and let him go back to sliding on tarps we can get him.

Speaking of which, I hope some fans jump on the field and slide on the tarp today like it happened at the May 15 Yankees rain out.

 

I think that we could unload Contreras, but the real question is, who would take him and what part of his deal would we have to pay?

 

And I don't know, the optimist side of me says with all of the good rumors floating around about Buehrle that he is more likely to stay.

[fathom]

I think the Mariners could be a player for Contreras.

[South Side Fireworks Man]

It better be Contreras and not Garland if they want to try and compete next year. Mark and Jon are by far our best pitchers, trade Dye and Contreras after the Cubs series. That will free up enough money to sign Buerhle to the contract he deserves.

I agree. If the Sox do trade Garland, it better be something along the lines of Cano, Cabrera and that Kennedy kid from the Yankees for Garland and Iguchi. You don't trade Garland for a package of "prospects" (suspects).

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

I think the Mariners could be a player for Contreras.

 

Maybe we could get Jeremy Reed back. Green?

[fathom]

I agree. If the Sox do trade Garland, it better be something along the lines of Cano, Cabrera and that Kennedy kid from the Yankees for Garland and Iguchi. You don't trade Garland for a package of "prospects" (suspects).

 

That's just not realistic at all. Cano and Cabrera are their two main offensive young guys, and Kennedy is a big time pitching prospect. You would be hard pressed to even get one of those guys for Garland, and you definitely wouldn't get Cano.

[Kalapse]

There's no way I'd deal Garland away for Cano even if the Yankees were willing to do it. He's just not that good of a player.

[South Side Fireworks Man]

That's just not realistic at all. Cano and Cabrera are their two main offensive young guys, and Kennedy is a big time pitching prospect. You would be hard pressed to even get one of those guys for Garland, and you definitely wouldn't get Cano.

That's OK. I'm not looking to trade Garland at all. But if they do trade him, that's what I would want.

[Gregory Pratt]

I think the Mariners could be a player for Contreras.

 

Wouldn't it be nice to rip off Bavasi?