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From [url]overthemonster.com[/url]
Buehrle to Boston?
By now at least, you've heard about this rumor. In fact, you've probably heard it much earlier.
Rotoworld lists Buchholz, Bowden, Ellsbury, and Lowrie as players the White Sox are looking at. In other news, if we trade Mike Lowell to say, the Brewers (not that they need him, but bear with me), I'd like one or more of Ryan Braun, Yovani Gallardo, and Corey Hart.
What do I mean? I mean a 3-month rental of a Mark Buerhle isn't worth any of the prospects listed, except maybe Lowrie, since there's really no place for him in Boston unless his arm is strong enough for 3B. Also, of course the White Sox would like those players. Most teams in baseball would want those players if they were trading with the Sox.
The White Sox have a number of young pitchers, so at least Buchholz could safely be taken off the table he was never on without putting off Kenny Williams (assuming we would want this guy anyway). Ellsbury makes a ton of sense for the White Sox and makes zero sense for us to give up. If they're actually discussing this, I'm sure Theo is leaning towards letting one of Bowden or Lowrie go, though I doubt he's tipping his hand in either direction.
Personally, I think it's all BS in the end.
Every dubious source I've seen says the Sox are prepared to offer a 5-year extension. Since when do the Sox give out 5-year contracts to pitchers? Did I fall asleep for the last 4 years?
Most of these sources seem to think that Boston is willing to deal any of the four listed prospects. I'm sure Bowden/Lowrie will be available at the deadline for the right player(s), though the other two would have to be parts of a deal that would bring Miguel Cabrera to Boston.
Do we want Mark Buehrle? He's been good this season, with a 1.054 WHIP leading to a 134 ERA+ (this would rank him 2nd on the Sox behind Josh Beckett). He also just turned 28.
Against:
His BABIP is a pretty low .252. If/when this corrects himself, he probably reverts to just above LAIM status.
His FIP (fielding independent pitching) is 4.37, which would actually put him below Matsuzaka, Tavarez and Schilling in addition to Beckett on the Boston staff. Relying on your defense isn't entirely a bad thing, but for most of this season he had Joe Crede-Juan Uribe as the left side of his infield. Despite Lugo's range, I'm not sure he and Lowell (circa 2007) stack up.
Going by that same number (FIP), some pitchers who would be better trade targets than Buehrle: Jose Contreras (4.81 ERA!), Miguel Batista (Toronto castoff, 4.99 ERA!), Jarrod Washburn (enjoy the contract Seattle!), Paul Byrd (I don't walk anyone, but damn am I hittable). Are any of those four individuals worth what the White Sox will ask for Buehrle?
Mileage: Buehrle is 28, but his arm has already thrown somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,569,456,781 innings. ...this is a lot. (Estimate may be off by 3-4 innings)
For:
...nothing. No offense to Buehrle, and as long as Ellsbury and Buchholz stay here, I won't storm the front office in anger if we acquire him, but I don't really want him. Kenny Williams is going to ask for just a little more than we should give up. On either SI.com's rumor site or MLBTR, there was a poster who said that if KW gets Ellsbury for Buehrle, he should be named Executive of the Year right now. ...damn straight.
Look, I'm aware that we don't need ALL the good prospects we have, and the ones (especially whom are blocked) that are playing well this season probably best serve us in a deal for pitching down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Anyway...your thoughts? Think we need Buehrle at any cost? Think Bowden + Lowrie is a lot, but fair if we can reach an agreement on a reasonable extension first? Got a trade proposal for ANOTHER pitcher involving our expendable prospects? (Lowrie, Murphy, Moss, Bowden-maybe)
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, but I still think he's way up based on the:
