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Mark Buehrle

Buehrle Cleans Out Locker

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And in other news, I tidied up my desk today.  Mark Buehrle’s housecleaning, however, is just barely newsworthy.  It could be a sign that a deal is impending, or it could just be plain old cleaning.  I can speak from experience: I only cleaned out my high school locker when school was out for summer.  And I found an old sandwich.  Just saying.

Ken Rosenthal mentioned today that various execs still expect Buehrle to be traded.  The Dodgers, Mets, and Mariners seem to be the top contenders. 

Buehrle, for his part, is as sick of the constant rumors as you are.  He’s planning on testing free agency if he doesn’t stay with Chicago.

UPDATE: Jayson Stark is reporting that Williams is asking for three players for Buehrle, two of which must be premium prospects.  Ultimately I think KW will settle for just one top prospect.  Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times would begrudgingly surrender center fielder Adam Jones.

Stark adds that the Red Sox are back in the Buehrle sweepstakes, trying to push Julio Lugo on the White Sox as part of the deal. 

Buehrle Contract Talks At Stalemate

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After Kenny Williams went public with negotiations the other day,  the only logical step for Jeff Berry (Mark Buehrle’s agent) was to do the same.  Williams had explained the gap as an 18-month period where Buehrle would lack no-trade protection.  Berry now describes that as 20 months, and says his client won’t budge on it.  Why should he?  He’s already about to sign a well below-market contract.  The White Sox can’t have their cake and eat it too.

Furthermore, Berry confirmed that if Buehrle is traded he will certainly exercise his right to free agency after the season.  He could give his new team extra consideration but he’ll still hit the open market.

Most fans would not consider Buehrle’s request unreasonable, so the White Sox will still have some ugly PR if this thing falls through over this issue. 

Buehrle Extension Lives

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UPDATE: Kenny Williams spoke to the press tonight; the White Sox have offered Buehrle no-trade protection except for an 18-month span.  It seems likely that the two sides reach an agreement.

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times believes tonight could be Mark Buehrle’s last start as a member of the White Sox.  His teammates have been collecting memorabilia, and extra support is expected tonight at U.S. Cellular.  Hard to believe that this thing died over a no-trade clause.  Perhaps Buehrle wanted a full and the Sox would only give a partial.  But how can they justify passing on a well below-market commitment of 4/54?  The Sox are definitely built to win in 2008.  Everyone Buster Olney talked to is stunned as well.

Dylan Hernandez and Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times reported this morning on discussions between the Dodgers and White Sox about Buehrle.  The Sox want outfielder Matt Kemp in a trade.  They may even be asking for more, perhaps Chad Billingsley or Jonathan Broxton.  We know that Kenny Williams’ starting point was each team’s two best prospects.  If the clubs ultimately settle on Kemp for Buehrle straight up – something the Dodgers hope to avoid – Williams will have done well.  He needs an outfielder he can build around.  The L.A. Daily News, however, says no deal is close and the Dodgers haven’t even talked to the White Sox since before extension negotiations died.

Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune believes the Mets, Braves, Red Sox, Brewers, and Dodgers will all now increase their interest in Buehrle.  And Lance Berkman of the Astros is now campaigning for him too.  Cowley mentions in his article that the Mets’ interest is now heating up.  And if you’re wondering what the Mariners might be able to offer, check out Dave Cameron’s take.

One long shot possibility: this is all just a noise by the White Sox and they’ll make an extension announcement before Buehrle takes the mound.  That’s the scenario Sox fans are hoping for at this point.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Dunn, Morris, Buehrle

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Ken Rosenthal’s got a new Full Count video over at FOXSports; have a look.  Trade rumors:

  • The Padres went with the Barrett/Bradley acquisitions in part because the price on Adam Dunn was just too high.  Wayne Krivsky could get more teams involved if he exercises Dunn’s 2008 option and tries to trade him in the offseason, a la Gary Sheffield.  However, unlike Sheff, Dunn has full no-trade protection until June 15th if the option is picked up.  Then on June 15th it switches to a ten-team consent list of Dunn’s choosing.  The bottom line: the time to trade him is now.
  • The Giants are listening to offers for Matt Morris, but might prefer to just keep him.  He sets an example for younger pitchers and his contract isn’t terrible.  I think this would be a mistake on the part of Brian Sabean.  Morris’s performance this year just seems unsustainable given his 4.5 K/9.  While I recently mentioned Jason Jennings as the best available starter after Buehrle, Jennings’ health issues could push Morris to #2.
  • Rosenthal also mentioned that should he reach free agency, Mark Buehrle is no lock to sign with the Cardinals.  The Cards aren’t apt to pay full price, and Buehrle isn’t necessarily desperate to pitch close to home.

No-Trade Clause Holds Up Buehrle Extension

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According to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, the White Sox are currently unwilling to include a no-trade clause in Mark Buehrle’s contract extension.  It’s not enough that the Sox would get Buehrle well below market value at four years and $54MM.  Buster Olney, by the way, wonders whether the players’ union would give Buehrle a call for signing a deal like that.

Buehrle broke into the Majors in 2000, so 10-5 no-trade rights wouldn’t kick in until 2010.  The two parties might find a middle ground in a partial no-trade clause.  Paul Konerko, for example, was able to list six teams to which he can’t be traded without consent.  My guess is that Buehrle gets something similar.

Gonzales says that if a deal can’t be reached by this weekend, Buehrle will return to the trading block.  If Buehrle does sign, Jason Jennings may become the best available starter. 

Stark’s Latest: Tejada, Buehrle, Morris

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Jayson Stark posted a new column for ESPN yesterday; let’s take a glance at the trade rumors therein.

  • Miguel Tejada’s out until August, so that obviously means he won’t be traded this season.  Right?  Wrong – Stark and an AL exec think $30MM or so due to Tejada for the remaining 2.3 seasons on his contract would allow him to pass through waivers.  Miggy could be a hot topic for the August 31st trade deadline.  You may recall that last August Andruw Jones was placed on waivers, claimed, and pulled back.  Andruw called the affair "rude."  Here is a refresher on the waiver trade rules, in case you want to get a head start.
  • Steve Trachsel is the Oriole Stark expects to be traded at the July deadline.  They should move fast, as Trachsel’s stock is plummetting as expected.
  • Stark says Kenny Williams was asking for a ton for Mark Buehrle before extension talks picked up: two of each team’s best three prospects.  Makes sense; ask for that, and then settle for one Grade A prospect if you can get it.  Should Buehrle end up back on the trading block, the White Sox may have to break down and grant that 72 hour negotiating window for an extension.  Stark’s source makes a great point – if Buehrle signs with the Cardinals this offseason, the draft picks going to the team he departs will be the 38th pick and a second-rounder.  Not that thrilling.  But still, the smart money is on a contract extension with the White Sox for Buehrle.
  • Matt Morris is officially on the market, as he should be.  He’s over his head with a 3.39 ERA, but remains a solid, veteran innings eater with over 70 innings of playoff experience.  Morris will make another $5MM this year, $9.5MM in ’08, and $2MM signing bonus due at the end of his contract.  He’s also got a $9MM club option for ’09 with a $1MM buyout attached.  Giants GM Brian Sabean has always been a buyer at the trade deadline, acquiring players like Jason Schmidt, Kenny Lofton, Sidney Ponson, and Randy Winn.  Getting a decent prospect for Morris will be a new situation for Sabean.

Latest On Mark Buehrle

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It’s all Mark Buehrle, all the time here at MLBTradeRumors.  The latest:

  • Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times says a lot of the recent confusion stems from semantics.  Sure, Buehrle’s agent and Kenny Williams haven’t spoken.  However, intermediaries from both sides have been in contact about a four-year contract extension.  It appears that if the White Sox leave Florida tonight without a deal in place, Williams will move forward and trade Buehrle.  Cowley says the Mets, Braves, and Dodgers would all be in contention for him.  However, I would not be shocked if talks were to extend into the weekend. 
  • On the other hand, Buehrle’s agent Jeff Berry was very clear yesterday afternoon: "There are no ongoing discussions.  I don’t know what else to say other than there are no ongoing discussions. Maybe the White Sox are trying to gain the interest of other teams."
  • The reports of Buehrle signing a 4/50 contract were definitely premature.  But Buehrle does prefer Chicago over even St. Louis and Ozzie Guillen thinks he’ll stay.
  • Scot Gregor could see an agreement happening today.
  • Barry Rozner seems to indicate that Jerry Reinsdorf has approved four years, and that a sign and trade could be an option.
  • An official with a team looking to acquire Buehrle was told he’s off the market.  The extension should be in the $50-60MM range.
  • Yahoo’s Tim Brown says Kenny Williams asked for Mike Pelfrey from the Mets and Jon Lester from the Red Sox for Buehrle.

Buehrle Extension Possible

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UPDATE: Ozzie Guillen makes some comments that seem to hint that extension talks are ongoing.  And Ken Rosenthal’s sources generally believe the Sox are close to signing Buehrle.

UPDATE: Now Gonzales says the White Sox sent their assistant GM to St. Petersburg, where Mark Buehrle’s agent is.  So there could be some talks after all.

I don’t know who to believe anymore.  It’s starting to sound like Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times has been fed some bad information.  The Sun-Times had the Red Sox as frontrunners for Mark Buehrle, and then today broke the story of an impending contract extension instead.

The Chicago Tribune has been singing a different tune the whole time, and now Mark Gonzales reports that there are no extension talks.  Gonzales spoke to Buehrle’s agent.

Fun stuff, all this manipulation and deception.  4/50 sounded too good to be true; perhaps the same person has been feeding bad information to Joe Cowley and 670 The Score.  A White Sox spokesman would not confirm the report from The Score. 

White Sox Buehrle Extension Close?

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UPDATE: Readers are writing in saying 670 AM The Score in Chicago is reporting that Buehrle is "likely" to sign an extension for four years and "around" $50MM.

In a surprising turnabout, White Sox starter Mark Buehrle is off the trading block.  Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the exclusive – the two sides might agree on a contract extension by week’s end.  It’s possible that Buehrle has reduced his demand from five years to four.  Would 4/60 get it done?  Cowley says the White Sox remain Buehrle’s #1 choice for the future, by a long shot.  Even over the Cardinals, apparently.

While the White Sox may lock up Buehrle, they’re still looking to trade Tadahito Iguchi and Jermaine Dye.  Additionally, Jose Contreras or Javier Vazquez may be shopped.  In Vazquez, the Sox would still probably own the best starter on the trading block.  The Astros and Braves were known to be scouting last night’s White Sox-Devil Rays game.

White Sox Planted Buehrle To Boston Rumor

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Keith Law, on ESPNEWS yesterday, reported that the Mark Buehrle-to-Boston rumor is bogus and almost certainly planted by the White Sox front office.  Couldn’t hurt to try, unless the plant damages relations with the Red Sox in the future.  This type of practice is probably more common than we realize, though.

Furthermore, Tony Massarotti of the Boston Herald says the Red Sox are out of this thing (if they were ever really in it).  By the way, the reason for the refusal to allow a 72-hour negotiating window:  Buehrle’s likelihood of signing with St. Louis after the season.    

A loyal MLBTR reader, summing up Ken Rosenthal’s recent comments on WEEI, noted that the Yankees are not actually involved on Buehrle.  A GM always wants the Yankees and Red Sox involved when conducting a player auction, but it looks like that’s not the case with Buehrle.  Perhaps the Mets-Braves rivalry can be exploited instead.

Another Buehrle note – R.J. Anderson of D-Rays Bay informs me that radio host Dan Sileo of 620 WDAE has a source indicating that the Devil Rays are interested in Buehrle.  This doesn’t make much sense on the surface with the Rays out of contention.  However, maybe Andrew Friedman and Co. will offer players that they value less than the two compensatory draft picks.  That could be the main motivation, with the ancillary benefits of sparking the fanbase and having Buehrle around for three months to work with the younger pitchers.      

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