Where’s the Passion?
There’s no passion in the Sox dugout. Similarly, there’s little passion in Sox fandom right now. Maybe the scent of a lost cause has wafted. And, frankly, at this point, I’m really only passionate about one thing: the fate of Mark Buehrle.
So, here it is. Decision time. Is this how it ends? Smart money says you trade Buehrls now, get a bushel-ful of prospects and "hope-so’s" in exchange for the staff ace as he licks his chops for impending free agency. Buehrls’ agent is crossing his fingers, hoping Buehrle lands with a contender and can pull a Carlos Beltran for someone in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Sox hedge their losses and say thanks for the memories. At times, I’ve agreed with that. It is stupid to make long-term, big money deals for starters.
But, I’ve come around. Someone is going to build around Mark Buehrle. He’s still young. He’s one of the most reliable pitchers in all of baseball for the last six years. It might as well be us. Pitching is so hard to come by and the market reflects that. Who better to take that risk on, really? Sign Buehrls to an extension now. Pay the premium to keep him from hitting the market. The difference is more than paid for by us not paying JD and Iguchi (and possibly Crede) next season. Five year deal. Six if we have to. It’s got to get done.
Why? Because we have no one on the roster that can even come close to what Buehrle can do. Garland is his Scottie Pippen, so to speak, and together it is clear that they form the core of our success for the next two-three years. Vazquez, Contreras, and Danks are bit players at this point in their careers. Buehrle has shown this year that he’s worth gambling on.
So, Sox fans, as this season circles the bowl, let’s hope management does the right thing and deals our other pieces. Just not #56 from St. Charles, Missouri.
The Club Level 