White Sox Re-Sign Mark Buehrle

The White Sox have signed Mark Buehrle to a four-year contract extension.  It's the four-year, $56MM deal that's been rumored for many days now.  Definitely well below market value.

Buehrle has no-trade protection for 2008.  He also has a window during 2009-10 where a trade bumps his salary to $15MM annually and adds extends through 2012 for the same salary.

The often pessimistic PECOTA projection system finds Buehrle similar to Jim Kaat but values him at only about $26MM for the life of his new extension.  PECOTA feels Buehrle's hits allowed will spike and he'll manage only 150-160 innings annually.  It's hard for me to see how that's the most likely scenario.  I see 200-220 inning seasons with an ERA around 3.80-4.00, and that's easily worth $56MM. 

Anyway, which of the three remaining veteran Sox starters will be on the move this month?  Phil Rogers suggests Jon Garland.  Or do they sell high on Javier Vazquez?  Sell low on Jose Contreras?  Odds are Kenny Williams will do something unexpected.  He's still talking about being in buyer's mode at the moment.

Comments

[Ryhawk]

Yep it was announced right after the game on the tv, but it was shown on the jumbo tron for the fans at the game.

If you watched the game, you knew something was up. In the middle of the game it showed Mark come out of the clubhouse and into the dug out and was shaking a lot of peoples hands (ozzie, Garland, Danks) and pumped a few fists. I thought the hand shakes were the "it was great playing with you, good luck on your new team" handshakes, but im glad it was not.

[nrmax88]

4/56 and if he is traded he gets a player option that makes the contract 5/75. I think.

[godslayer429]

next stop fenway park!!

[usctrojans31]

Tim, the iphone ad is back

[Blutarski]

I can't believe they turned down the Red Sox offer. I heard they were willing to give Bucholz, Lester, Ellsbury and Wily Mo.

[quintjs]

Blutarski, you heard wrong.

Thank god this is over (hopefully)

[jmonahan7]

"I can't believe they turned down the Red Sox offer. I heard they were willing to give Bucholz, Lester, Ellsbury and Wily Mo."

LMAO. Theo would've gotten fired on the spot if he had done something stupid like that.

[schellis]

Glad to see that they were able to work out something. It would have been a shame if Buerhle was pitching somewhere else when he was practically bending over for the White Sox. I know as a Reds fan I would be furious if they let Harang after he gives them a very friendly discount just because he wanted some trade protection in one form or another.

[schellis]

As for the Red Sox trade I could see the White Sox getting two players from that list, especially Pena who I think the Red Sox have soured on...he's basically Adam Dunn without the walks. If all four were on the table I would have taken that deal in a heartbeat.

[rjs9009]

I officially boycott this site until those "congratulations" audio ads are gone. Of course I won't know when they are gone bu having to find rumors elsewhere sure beats those annoying ads.

[Ryhawk]

I have never seen an ad on this page. I always use opera instead of IE or firefox, and i had to open one of those to see an ad. Wierd.

[russell]

Whatever keeps this website up. Im up for. Even if i have to go through a million pop-ups.

Glad to hear some good news for the down and out white sox.

[Evil Empire]

Thank JeeSUS!

I was cringing at the thought of Theo sending one of our better prospects to Chicago for this bum leftie. I doubt he could ever pitch well in Fenway on a consistant basis.

But Ellsbury is gone. No room for him if Coco is here to play. The question is to where, and for whom.

[CubsAddictMG]

The iPhone ads are irritating, yes, but all you need to do is push the stop button on the bottom. Most of these ads have a stop or a mute button, and then you can go about your business.

[rangersorrobbers]

Congratulations to the White Sox and Buehrle. I do have to wonder if this would have happened without the no hitter - which was against my Rangers who could have traded for Buerhle last season for about the same as they gave up for McCarthy. I'm going to have to reassess where the Rangers go to get pitching in the off-season. I was a big fan of the idea of them signing Buehrle (who I think is a young, more stable and faster developing Kenny Rogers) who - as a lefty - would have been of extra value in The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington:

http://rangersorrobbers.wordpress.com/2007/07/08/robbers-evidence-bye-bye-buehrle/

[RotoAuthority]

Well, I really did check a box with my ad company TribalFusion to disable audio ads. I will get in touch with someone Monday to try to stop the iPhone one in particular. Sorry.

[bigbaddbobbyjenks]

"I was cringing at the thought of Theo sending one of our better prospects to Chicago for this bum leftie. I doubt he could ever pitch well in Fenway on a consistant basis."

you should definitely be a standup comedian. do you think that us cellular has 450ft fences or somethin? it IS referred to as Coors East to some ppl. he has put up numerous low-mid 3era seasons on his career, and is doing it again this yr. AND he hasnt had the injury problems of a schilling or a beckett. beckett has had as many quality seasons(beginning to end) as buehrle has had bad ones. so i dont wanna hear u and ur "bum leftie" talk unless u can back it up, which you cant. only thing u can say is "look at last season." really, it was only the 2nd half. i bad half in 7ish seasons? please, go take up golf or something....

[The Stone Cop]

Our long national nightmare is over!

[darkstar1661]

Yeah!

Hate the Sox big time, but I'm glad they made the amazingly easy choice and signed him at the huge discount and got all this disaster overwith. All it was doing was make them look bad, and this was so beyond the obvious choice...

Now I just hope I don't hear his name in talks again for 6 years...

[MWD1202]

The White Sox made the best move by not trading Buehrle. How many 28-year-old, reliable LHP starters come along that are battled tested in the AL? Unless they received a huge package of talent for him, the White Sox would've been doing themselves a disservice by letting him go.

As for Wily Mo Pena (as I saw his name thrown around on this topic), he does not have nearly as much value as Red Sox fans think he does. Is he tremendously talented? Yes. Everybody can see it. But when a player does not progress during his career and continues to commit the same bad mistakes he did when he was a rookie, sometimes you just have to say he's a bust. End of story.

[beauhoopman]

The White Sox waited a year and a half to get this out of Vazquez. Chris Young was a lot to give up, especially with their HORRENDOUS outfield, I just can't see them moving Javy. Garland and Contreras should be moved. For hitters (or bat-boys and a can of pine-tar in Contreras's case)

[Evil Empire]

Calling him a bum leftie may be extreme but that is most likely what he would become after pitching a year at the Fens. It takes a special shouthpaw to succeed there and I don't think Buehrle is all that special.