Buehrle For Milledge?
Here’s a new one, courtesy of Scott Merkin of MLB.com.
The White Sox could send Mark Buehrle to the Mets for Lastings Milledge. An interesting idea, kind of the opposite of Kenny Williams’s Chris Young for Javier Vazquez deal last winter.
However, Merkin quotes Williams as desiring young pitching as the return for one of his veteran starters. Would the Mets entertain Mike Pelfrey for Buehrle? Just throwing it out there.
Kenny Williams has made a couple of deals with Omar Minaya in the past. In January of 2003, the Sox sent Rocky Biddle, Orlando Hernandez, Jeff Liefer, and cash to Montreal for Bartolo Colon and Jorge Nunoz. And in July of 2004, Williams acquired Carl Everett for Jon Rauch and Gary Majewski.
Kenny Williams, Dealmaker
Either Ken Williams is keeping busy at the GM meetings, or the reporters covering the Sox have very fertile imaginations. I’m sure the truth is somewhere in between. In addition to the Andruw Jones deal I mentioned in the previous post, here’s a roundup of possible White Sox moves:
Chris De Luca reports on a possible Freddy Garcia / Ervin Santana swap. Oddly enough, his sources say that the "package" would be built around Santana. Garcia might be a better pitcher right now, but just barely: last year, Garcia was worth 15 win shares, while Santana was worth 13. Santana’s younger, and is under the Angels control for four more years. Bill Stoneman couldn’t covet Garcia that much, could he? South Side Sox chimes in on the improbability of that deal.
De Luca also repeats the thinking that Williams could bring Aaron Rowand back, especially if the Phillies land Alfonso Soriano.
Phil Rogers has a flurry of rumors, some of the recycled variety. He keeps stoking the flames of Javier Vazquez-to-the-Mets, and suggests there’s the makings of a "monster deal" between the Sox and Rangers with Vazquez or Mark Buerhle headed to Texas. Rogers is clearly speculating, but if his source is correct that John Danks is in play, there’s certainly the possibility of something getting done.
By Jeff Sackmann
Mark Buehrle To The Cardinals
Disclaimer: this one is pure speculation.
Over at the premiere Cardinals blog, Viva El Birdos, lboros dropped a very intriguing name: Mark Buehrle. There haven’t been many published reports of Buehrle being available. Here’s the logic behind the Buehrle idea according to commenters Demetre and lboros.
Demetre: There really isn’t anything concrete about Buehrle being available (I don’t think) except for his unapolegitic, vocal, native STL love and desire to be a Cardinal at all costs.
Its about as pre-ordained a cardinal pitcher-to-be as i can remember outside the system.
lboros: the Buehrle is pure speculation on my part, but based on two considerations:
- He’s due to be a free agent in 2007 and almost surely will leave Chicago, as Reinsdorf won’t pay big money for him.
- Reinsdorf is well known for blowing his teams up. A few years back he even dumped half the team when they were only 3 or 4 games out of 1st place. If the sox aren’t doing well at midseason, Reinsdorf may be tempted to get frugal, and get what he can for Buehrle.
This is very sound logic (although it comes from a couple of die-hard Cards fans).
If the White Sox are looking to trim payroll and get the best value for Buehrle before free agency, the Cardinals would be the ideal trading partner. Jocketty’s Mark Mulder trade set a precedent that he’s willing to give up top prospects for proven pitching. If Jocketty made Jason Marquis and Anthony Reyes available, I think Kenny Williams would pull the trigger on this blockbuster.
What do you think?