From the Chicago Sun-Times :
Pitcher Mark Buehrle (above, shown with Javier Vazquez) and the White Sox agreed to terms today on a four-year, $56 million contract extension through the 2011 season. The team announced the deal to its fans on the scoreboard at U.S. Cellular Field after beating the Minnesota Twins 6-3.
Buehrle said he didn™t get a complete no-trade clause but there are provisions to compensate for that. His contract calls for $14 million in each of the four years.He has a no-trade provision in the first season. If he is traded during a window in the second or third seasons, the annual salary goes to $15 million that year and a fifth season is added, also at $15 million.
He has a no-trade provision in the first season. If he is traded during a window in the second or third seasons, the annual salary goes to $15 million that year and a fifth season is added, also at $15 million.
˜˜My thinking was I wanted to be guaranteed I was going to be here for four years,™™ the 28-year-old Buehrle said. ˜˜And there are some options put in there and some things that if I do get traded, stuff works out for me. … Both sides had to give in.”
Interesting to see how Kenny Williams managed to hang onto Buerhle for said amount given the 7 year, $126 million pact signed by Barry Zito last year. Granted, that deal has worked out poorly thus far for the Giants (with Surfin’ Barry getting knocked around on Sunday by the Cards), but the two lefthanders have virtually identical career records, save for Zito accumulating more K’s, allowing more walks and being a year older.
Having already delivered his own unique lessons in baseball etiquette to Da Edge last season, Country Time tells the Post’s Michael Morrisey he’d sit alleged slacker Jose Reyes, because “nobody’s going to respect him if he only shows up for certain games.”
Indeed, who is better qualified to lecture the Mets’ everyday shortstop about the importance of giving 100% at all times than a guy who has appeared in 36 of the Mets’ 87 games this season?