Red Sox overtake Mets, Braves as front-runner for left-hander thanks to loaded farm system
Patience is a trait Ken Williams still is trying to acquire.
That's becoming more evident in the case of starting pitcher Mark Buehrle and his future with the White Sox -- a future that likely includes only a handful of starts on the South Side.
According to a source close to the situation, negotiations between the Sox and Buehrle's camp have been exhausted, with Williams believing he has no choice but to trade the left-hander, who is the face of the ballclub.
The only question now is where?
At least seven teams have made serious contact with Williams, with three actually having the resources to pry Buehrle from the White Sox. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets were the leading contenders until this weekend, with the Boston Red Sox now becoming the front-runner.
While Williams wouldn't acknowledge that Saturday, he didn't have to. Allard Baird, the Red Sox' assistant to the general manager, was in town Friday to watch the White Sox' loss to the Cubs -- in which Buehrle started -- and reportedly was to be sent out on assignment only when things were about to get serious.
They're getting serious.
According to the source, the Red Sox not only want to keep Buehrle away from the New York Yankees and are willing to offer him a contract extension in the five-year range he is seeking, but they have a farm system loaded with players in whom the White Sox are interested.
Starting pitchers Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden are on the White Sox' radar, as well as speedy outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and shortstop Jed Lowrie.
Meanwhile, the deal would allow the Red Sox to move starter Julian Tavarez back to the bullpen, where he would fill a bigger need.
In landing Buehrle, the Red Sox would not only get a pitcher who has rebounded from a dismal 2006 season by going 4-4 with a 3.39 ERA, but a hurler who is a career 3-1 with a 3.49 ERA at Fenway Park.
The sticking point? Patience.
Williams wants to make sure every offer has been heard before pulling the trigger on a decision that could be a public-relations disaster -- but also one Williams believes he has no choice but to make. A recent look at the White Sox from top to bottom has shown the GM that the farm system basically has been a failure.
That's the main reason the decision was made Friday to fire Duane Shaffer, who had been in charge of the draft since 1991.
In assessing the young talent that the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians have stockpiled in the American League Central, Williams is set to retool his organization -- and make Buehrle the first domino to fall.
''I'm interested in building the team as a whole in a much better way,'' Williams said Friday. ''Sometimes you have to remove Player X and Player X's salary slot, for instance, to redistribute that in certain ways, much the way we did Carlos Lee a few years ago and thereby making your overall product better.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/441508,CST-SPT-sox24.article
Patience is a trait Ken Williams still is trying to acquire.
That's becoming more evident in the case of starting pitcher Mark Buehrle and his future with the White Sox -- a future that likely includes only a handful of starts on the South Side.
According to a source close to the situation, negotiations between the Sox and Buehrle's camp have been exhausted, with Williams believing he has no choice but to trade the left-hander, who is the face of the ballclub.
The only question now is where?
At least seven teams have made serious contact with Williams, with three actually having the resources to pry Buehrle from the White Sox. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets were the leading contenders until this weekend, with the Boston Red Sox now becoming the front-runner.
While Williams wouldn't acknowledge that Saturday, he didn't have to. Allard Baird, the Red Sox' assistant to the general manager, was in town Friday to watch the White Sox' loss to the Cubs -- in which Buehrle started -- and reportedly was to be sent out on assignment only when things were about to get serious.
They're getting serious.
According to the source, the Red Sox not only want to keep Buehrle away from the New York Yankees and are willing to offer him a contract extension in the five-year range he is seeking, but they have a farm system loaded with players in whom the White Sox are interested.
Starting pitchers Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden are on the White Sox' radar, as well as speedy outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and shortstop Jed Lowrie.
Meanwhile, the deal would allow the Red Sox to move starter Julian Tavarez back to the bullpen, where he would fill a bigger need.
In landing Buehrle, the Red Sox would not only get a pitcher who has rebounded from a dismal 2006 season by going 4-4 with a 3.39 ERA, but a hurler who is a career 3-1 with a 3.49 ERA at Fenway Park.
The sticking point? Patience.
Williams wants to make sure every offer has been heard before pulling the trigger on a decision that could be a public-relations disaster -- but also one Williams believes he has no choice but to make. A recent look at the White Sox from top to bottom has shown the GM that the farm system basically has been a failure.
That's the main reason the decision was made Friday to fire Duane Shaffer, who had been in charge of the draft since 1991.
In assessing the young talent that the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians have stockpiled in the American League Central, Williams is set to retool his organization -- and make Buehrle the first domino to fall.
''I'm interested in building the team as a whole in a much better way,'' Williams said Friday. ''Sometimes you have to remove Player X and Player X's salary slot, for instance, to redistribute that in certain ways, much the way we did Carlos Lee a few years ago and thereby making your overall product better.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/441508,CST-SPT-sox24.article
