I know he'd never sign on the North side, but I'd give him 3 yrs 36M. He'd help the rotation and help them be respectable and maybe by 2014, he'd help bring them a trophy if they get lucky.

So you want them to build through homegrown talent and sign an old pitcher who does not have much time left?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Lefties can pitch forever and yes, you can't have 100% of the rotation off the farm esp. the Cubs farm as presently constituted. It'll never happen though but I respect the hell out of Buehrle.

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Assuming Shark and Cashner go into the rotation, they'll need a veteran leader to show them the ropes besides Dempster and Garza. Plus that might actually be a pretty damn good rotation and they need a lefty.

The way he pitches, he can easily go five more years.
There is no reason he wouldn't go north.
That said, I think he will get 3-years/$45 million or 4-years/$56 million from someone.
Take a look at the market out there and who is available.
200-inning, double-digit-win pitchers get that kind of dough, plus he is a lefty.
By the way, Mark told me on my radio show a few years back that he thought he'd end up
being a 300-game winner for his career.
Sounds like a guy who plans on pitching for a while to me.

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Host of the weekly "We Fish ASA" podcast
Weekly columnist for the Northwest Herald
Bi-monthly columnist for Illinois Outdoor News magazine
Former host of The Outdoors Experience on WIND and The Great Outdoors on CLTV
http://www.wefishasa.com

Another Tom Glavine if he wants to pitch that long. I'd be shocked if he'd come to the Cubs though.

Another 12 years to get to 300.

probably 30 if he played for the cubs

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

He averages 15 wins a year and has 161 right now for his career.
At that pace, he'd need nine more years.
Pitching until he is 41 is not impossible.

_________________
Host of the weekly "We Fish ASA" podcast
Weekly columnist for the Northwest Herald
Bi-monthly columnist for Illinois Outdoor News magazine
Former host of The Outdoors Experience on WIND and The Great Outdoors on CLTV
http://www.wefishasa.com

Wells hasn't proven he can do the job. He'd be a good long man/swing starter.

I think Garza, Buehrle, Dempster, Shark and Cashner may be pretty damn decent.

Jamie Moyer, he is not.

Valid points and that's why Wells would be a swing guy in case either Shark or Cashner can't hack it in the rotation. Shark and Cashner however have some damn good stuff if they can master it (Shark) and stay healthy (Cashner). Given 2012 is a developmental year, signing Buehrle gives them a veteran presence to solidy a potentially decent to strong staff and maybe by 2013 or 2014 when more bad money is off the books, they can contend.

No....the team has had enough of the high priced free agent signings for a little while. If you look at Buehrle's record over the past 4 years, he's not much over .500 in that span. Sure, his record against NL clubs is great, but you don't sign a guy that has been on the decline (up till this last season, where a 6 man rotation helped him stay fresher) the past several years. I see him getting just 10-12 million a season from the Cardinals on a 3 year deal. By the time the Cubs are truely ready to contend, Buehrle will no longer be a guy you would want in a rotation anyway.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Is Wells your brother in law? The guy's ERA was 4.99 and his stuff is not great at all. What are his plus pitches or what makes the guy more than a mop up man??

When is the last time he won 15? Right now he averages 13 per year, which means it would take him about 11 years if there isn't any drop off in production, which there has been and he has already stated he didn't want to stick around into his 40s.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

He sucks. #5 at best.

I agree the guy has some value, but not sure he will ever be more than a 5th starter type. I don't see the command and as you said which I agree with, he is one of those keep hitters off balance types that have to have pinpoint control/command to be successful. Cashner and Shark have top of the rotation stuff and deserve a shot which is why they desperately need another proven starter and to me Buehrle is the best free agent likely to be available. CC ain't going nowehere and would command 20M+ plus for 5 years anyway and I can't see Ricketts shelling out that kind of cash.

CJ Wilson

Not quite as proven but he will definately pull down at least 4 yrs, 48M. More risk but more potential upside.

cgs and Elmhurst Steve just high fived

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Hey now!

I would go and get Paul Maholm. He is 29 and would be a solid 3rd or 4th starter. He would command something around 3 yrs and 10-12 mil total.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

That strained left shoulder scares me.

Pending a physical of course.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

It's a possibility but not multi-year. They def. need pitching help badly.

2 years with a team only option for 3rd year.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

You sound like Hendry - lol! The guy is decent. All depends on money, length of deal and most importantly the health of the shoulder.

I think the Cubs should make a run at signing Carlos Silva

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I'd rather have Anderson Silva

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You never miss your wealth, till your well went dry
Seem like only yesterday, you were here smiling
Now you gone away, but I know you in a better place
No traces of you, what can I do?
Alone and confused