Buehrle Probably Not The Answer
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As we get into the thick of the major league baseball season and the trade deadline looms, the annual white flag wholesales begin to take place.
This season the Chicago White Sox, currently 4th in the AL Central, appear to be the first team ready to put 2007 behind them and start looking towards the future. Just two seasons removed from a World Series ring, Ozzie Guillen isn’t looking like the brash and clever manager we all thought he was, and his post-game tyrants may weigh heavier on GM Kenny William’s mind now that the team is losing.
White Sox lefty Mark Buehrle, as of now, is the hottest name that appears to be available to contending teams. Naturally, the Red Sox are a team with interest. There’s no doubt he is a proven quality pitcher. At 28, Buehrle has started at least 32 games and pitched 200+ innings since 2001 (his first season as a starter). He’s consistent, a southpaw, and 5th in the AL in WHIP (1.054).
AP Photo - Washington Post
If the Sox were to acquire him, he could develop as the No. three pitcher for the next 3-5 seasons joining Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester– quite a formidable rotation.
Of course if this were to occur, it would become a classic ‘valued-player-for-prospects- trade.’ With all the positive talk about the Sox farm system, it would be tough to part with a Clay Buchholz or Jacoby Ellsbury or Kason Gabbard—virtually household names to Red Sox Nation even though only Gabbard has made it to the bigs.
There’s speculation that the Sox ulterior motive is to acquire Buehrle simply to keep him away from the Yankees; and if that’s the case, management has it all wrong. Mark Buehrle for half a season makes little sense—if the Sox falter in the playoffs, they are left with a pitcher, possibly about to begin the downside of his career, with one, maybe two, high-level prospects gone.
Simply put the deal isn’t worth it. With an expiring contact this season, the Sox most likely have to overpay and give Buehrle more seasons then they should if they re-sign him. Now is not the time to sell (part of) the farm. Many are on the cusp of becoming every day major leaguers, and returning to a short-term philosophy would ultimately ruin many of the Sox long-term objectives.
Stumble it!