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.
