New stance but no deal
Buehrle ditches no-trade clause, but Sox still won't buy it, agent says
July 8, 2007
BY TONI GINNETTI tginnetti@suntimes.com
Mark Buehrle was ''100 percent sure'' last Monday that he'd make his next start for the White Sox, and he was right, going eight scoreless innings against the Minnesota Twins.
But after Buehrle's gem in a 3-1 victory Saturday at U.S. Cellular Field, his answer to the same question was bereft of confidence.
''I don't know if I can say that and be honest,'' he admitted, calling his chances of pitching again in a Sox uniform 50-50. ''I don't know what's going to happen.''
Buehrle's future with the Sox appeared even bleaker Saturday night, when agent Jeff Berry issued a statement indicating contract talks have collapsed and a trade might come during the All-Star break that begins Monday. Buehrle reportedly backed off his stance on a no-trade clause, suggesting instead that if he were traded in the middle of the four-year, $56 million contract the two sides had agreed upon, a $17 million player option for 2012 would automatically kick in.
The Sox rejected the option idea, prompting Berry's statement.
''Mark loves playing for the White Sox,'' Berry said. ''He has the utmost respect for everybody in the organization. In an effort to bridge the contractual impasse, Mark offered a sensible alternative to the full no-trade clause. Those alternatives were rejected, and Mark hopes for resolution before the second half.''
Buehrle (6-4), who already has begun clearing his locker, said he has discussed the contract impasse with general manager Ken Williams, assistant GM Rick Hahn and team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to voice his desire to stay with the Sox.
''I did kind of go to [Berry] and said something about taking an offer off the table just to get everything over with,'' Buehrle said. ''The only deadline there really is in my mind is July 31 [the non-waiver trading deadline]. So we've got about 3? weeks for something to happen. I told them if something's going to happen to kind of hurry up and do it because it's getting kind of old constantly avoiding [the media].''
Told of Buehrle's postgame comments, Williams said by e-mail he was ''tired of the public nature of this. We've only added, not subtracted [from the offer].''
The continuing uncertainty of Buehrle's future again was the focal point for his teammates and the fans.
''We have him, and I say, don't let him go,'' said Paul Konerko, whose two-run homer in the fourth off Boof Bonser (5-6) was the key blow in the three-run inning. ''I'm like everyone else, just hoping. We don't want to see him go anywhere.''
Konerko orchestrated his own tribute to Buehrle in the eighth, but the crowd of 36,791 didn't catch on.
''I turned around in the eighth, and no one was on the field after I threw five warmup pitches,'' Buehrle said. ''Konerko said he tried to hold everyone off the field just in case it was my last time out there. He said the fans didn't pay much attention to it. I didn't know what he was doing, and I guess the fans didn't know, either.''
Though Konerko's tribute backfired, as he put it, the fans showed they're keenly aware of Buehrle's situation. Their chants of ''Re-sign Buehrle'' echoed through the stands as they had on Monday.
''It's been nice to see the fans come out and support me,'' Buehrle said. ''Seems like every time they chant 'Re-sign Buehrle,' I give up a hit. So write this and tell them to kind of be quiet if it happens the next time.''
Manager Ozzie Guillen is hoping there is a next time.
''Buehrle is a special kid,'' he said.
Buehrle ditches no-trade clause, but Sox still won't buy it, agent says
July 8, 2007
BY TONI GINNETTI tginnetti@suntimes.com
Mark Buehrle was ''100 percent sure'' last Monday that he'd make his next start for the White Sox, and he was right, going eight scoreless innings against the Minnesota Twins.
But after Buehrle's gem in a 3-1 victory Saturday at U.S. Cellular Field, his answer to the same question was bereft of confidence.
''I don't know if I can say that and be honest,'' he admitted, calling his chances of pitching again in a Sox uniform 50-50. ''I don't know what's going to happen.''
Buehrle's future with the Sox appeared even bleaker Saturday night, when agent Jeff Berry issued a statement indicating contract talks have collapsed and a trade might come during the All-Star break that begins Monday. Buehrle reportedly backed off his stance on a no-trade clause, suggesting instead that if he were traded in the middle of the four-year, $56 million contract the two sides had agreed upon, a $17 million player option for 2012 would automatically kick in.
The Sox rejected the option idea, prompting Berry's statement.
''Mark loves playing for the White Sox,'' Berry said. ''He has the utmost respect for everybody in the organization. In an effort to bridge the contractual impasse, Mark offered a sensible alternative to the full no-trade clause. Those alternatives were rejected, and Mark hopes for resolution before the second half.''
Buehrle (6-4), who already has begun clearing his locker, said he has discussed the contract impasse with general manager Ken Williams, assistant GM Rick Hahn and team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to voice his desire to stay with the Sox.
''I did kind of go to [Berry] and said something about taking an offer off the table just to get everything over with,'' Buehrle said. ''The only deadline there really is in my mind is July 31 [the non-waiver trading deadline]. So we've got about 3? weeks for something to happen. I told them if something's going to happen to kind of hurry up and do it because it's getting kind of old constantly avoiding [the media].''
Told of Buehrle's postgame comments, Williams said by e-mail he was ''tired of the public nature of this. We've only added, not subtracted [from the offer].''
The continuing uncertainty of Buehrle's future again was the focal point for his teammates and the fans.
''We have him, and I say, don't let him go,'' said Paul Konerko, whose two-run homer in the fourth off Boof Bonser (5-6) was the key blow in the three-run inning. ''I'm like everyone else, just hoping. We don't want to see him go anywhere.''
Konerko orchestrated his own tribute to Buehrle in the eighth, but the crowd of 36,791 didn't catch on.
''I turned around in the eighth, and no one was on the field after I threw five warmup pitches,'' Buehrle said. ''Konerko said he tried to hold everyone off the field just in case it was my last time out there. He said the fans didn't pay much attention to it. I didn't know what he was doing, and I guess the fans didn't know, either.''
Though Konerko's tribute backfired, as he put it, the fans showed they're keenly aware of Buehrle's situation. Their chants of ''Re-sign Buehrle'' echoed through the stands as they had on Monday.
''It's been nice to see the fans come out and support me,'' Buehrle said. ''Seems like every time they chant 'Re-sign Buehrle,' I give up a hit. So write this and tell them to kind of be quiet if it happens the next time.''
Manager Ozzie Guillen is hoping there is a next time.
''Buehrle is a special kid,'' he said.
