Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
July 08, 2007
Out of Options?

The Mark Buehrle contract talks continue to mystify me.

The White Sox have rejected a suggested compromise from pitcher Mark Buehrle, making it possible the 28-year-old left-hander could break off negotiations entirely, according to a major league source.

Buehrle approached White Sox management with an alternative on the complete no-trade protection that Buehrle wanted but the team has refused to give him. The suggestion: a fifth-year player option that would kick in only if he were traded, according to the source.

Buehrle's proposed deal is worth $56 million over four years. The additional year would have been worth $17 million and pushed the total worth of the deal to $73 million, which would have equaled that of Roy Oswalt's current deal with the Houston Astros.

But the White Sox nixed the idea, and the two sides remain at an impasse over a 20-month gap in which Buehrle would lack no-trade protection in his new contract.

Buehrle pitched eight shutout innings yesterday, shutting down a Twins offense that score 32 runs the previous day. A game like that only increases his value. It's becoming clear to me that Chicago wants to do with Buehrle what the Red Sox did with Bronson Arroyo; sign him to a below market contract then trade him. They see $56 million for four years as a bargain that will bring them players if they decide they need to move Mark after the 2008 season. I don't think the fifth year at $17 million if he is traded changes that. That's Zito money in 2007. In 2012 that could be Ted Lilly money. Unless the White Sox know something about Buehrle's health that we don't I can't understand why this deal isn't done.


Posted by David Pinto at 08:06 AM | Management | TrackBack (0)
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