Red Sox Continue Discussions For Dye
UPDATE: The Chicago Tribune cites two factors for the non-trade – a disagreement over the players involved and Dye’s lack of desire to go to Boston. The Hartford Courant adds that Kenny Williams demanded either Clay Buchholz or Jacoby Ellsbury.
UPDATE 2: Could the Phillies be the third team, working Michael Bourn into the mix somehow?
Ken Rosenthal has updated this post with some information regarding Boston’s ongoing pursuit of Jermaine Dye.
Apparently Dye was willing to waive his no-trade clause for some performance bonuses and a guarantee of playing five days a week. A third club would’ve been needed to somehow facilitate the deal Kenny Williams wanted. Rosenthal says talks are ongoing.
Tough to figure out how the Red Sox would pull off the five days a week thing. Dye has rarely played any positions other than the outfield corners. (Though he did play a game each at first base and shortstop in ’05 when the Sox were in a pinch).
If you consider Dye eligible to play first base, left field, right field, and DH, you can envision him starting five times a week. Kevin Youkilis’s homer tonight notwithstanding, he and J.D. Drew haven’t done a whole lot lately. Their playing time could be squeezed a bit, while Manny and Papi could use the extra rest. The problem? Dye is no picture of health himself and using him at multiple positions each week would probably increase the likelihood of injury.
Dye almost seems like a luxury for the Red Sox; why would they expend any serious effort to get him? Perhaps they aim more to keep him away from the Yankees or Angels. Dye could certainly be squeezed onto the Yankees’ roster as easily as Boston’s. Another motivation for Theo Epstein could be that he thinks he can give up players worth less than the draft picks he’d get for Dye. Kenny Williams is no fool though, so maybe that’s how the third team got roped in.
Buehrle’s Counteroffer Rejected
More Buehrle! You know you love it. According to Buster Olney, Mark Buehrle‘s camp proposed an alternative to the full no-trade clause contract. Buehrle’s side asked for the same four-year, $56MM deal, but with a $17MM player option for 2012 that would kick in in the event of a trade. That’d put Buehrle’s deal on par with Roy Oswalt‘s. The White Sox rejected the counteroffer. Ken Rosenthal confirms the info.
There must be something the Sox don’t like about Buehrle, or some secret rebuilding plan in the near future. The fact remains that the team rejected a heavily discounted contract to retain their 28 year-old ace. It’s damn near inexcusable to me, and I’m not even a Sox fan.
We’ve been down this road before – but it really looks like a trade is coming in the near future. Phil Rogers mentioned Kenny Williams’s affinity for Jacoby Ellsbury of the Red Sox and Carlos Gomez of the Mets. Gomez will be out for four to eight weeks with a fractured wrist bone, but that shouldn’t affect his trade value. Don’t forget the Dodgers – they could really use some rotation certainty. It’d probably cost them Matt Kemp.
Thanks to loyal reader Kramerica Industries for the tips.
Red Sox Emerge As Top Buehrle Suitor
Here’s something we didn’t see coming. According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Red Sox have emerged as the frontrunner for southpaw Mark Buehrle. They’ve jumped ahead of the Braves and Mets on the strength of their farm system.
Cowley says talks between Buehrle and the White Sox regarding an extension are basically dead. Now Boston has taken center stage, even sending assistant GM Allard Baird to watch Buehrle’s last start (a typical fine effort from him).
Cowley believes a major motivation for the Red Sox is keeping Buehrle away from the Yankees. The Red Sox would apparently give him a five year extension. Possible targets for Kenny Williams: Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Jed Lowrie. In my opinion: two of those guys, done deal. Buchholz is arguably the best pitching prospect in the minors, and would make White Sox fans forget about Buehrle fairly quickly.
Williams plans to sit back and listen to all offers first, of course. According to Cowley, at least seven teams have made serious contact.