After the White Sox traded Freddy Garcia this winter, Mark Buehrle (above) can take a hint. For his part, GM Kenny Williams, would prefer his pitcher just clammed up. The Daily Herald’s Scot McGregor digs up the crazy quotes from the annual SoxFest.
The White Sox picked up Buehrle’s $9.5 million option for 2007, but the veteran left-hander is reluctantly preparing for free agency at the end of the season.
œFrom the quotes from Kenny, I want to come back, but I™ve seen direct quotes saying that Mark Buehrle won™t be in a White Sox uniform in 2008,™™ Buehrle said. œSo I™m just kind of going off what he said.™™
Buehrle was standing in the same hotel ballroom with Williams on Friday afternoon, but he didn™t appear eager to discuss his future with the GM.
œI haven™t had a chance to sit down and talk to him, and I probably won™t either,™™ Buehrle said. œThere™s nothing I can do about it. Just go out there and pitch this season. Either good or bad, he™s pretty much said I™m not going to be back.™™
When told of Buehrle™s comments, Williams became enraged.
œAll we need to be focused on, whether it™s Mark Buehrle or any other player that has a contractual issue for 2008 ¦ I say again, for 2008, is take care of 2007,™™ Williams said. œLet™s take care of 2007, and 2008 will take care of itself for him, the White Sox, either individually or together.™™
In other preseason meet & greet news, the Washington Times’ Thom Loverro takes time off from selling flowers by the side of the road to sneer at the Nationals’ lame effort.
If Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner thinks that free agent salaries are out of control, he should get a look at the prices for jerseys at the team store in White Flint Mall in Bethesda.
A Rick Short Washington Nationals batting practice-worn jersey sells for $199. He played just 11 games as a National. For a game-worn jersey by Hector Carrasco — a journeyman relief pitcher — the price is $299.
Now I know why the Nationals are bringing 70 players to spring training. That’s a lot of jerseys to sell, maybe enough to even pay the Nationals’ paltry 2007 team payroll.
The Nationals winter caravan, otherwise known as the Pep Boys tour (Manny, Nook and Mike), made a stop this past week at the Nationals team store in White Flint. Outside the mall, the electronic sign touted an upcoming “Camp Fair” at the mall. I swear for a second that in between advertisements for equestrian and computer camps, I saw one for a baseball camp starting Feb. 13 in Viera, Fla. (I would urge any Nationals fans coming to spring training to bring a catcher’s mitt. With 37 pitchers invited, they may be recruiting backstops from the crowd).
Mets GM Omar Minaya, Dave Stewart, Dusty Baker and Dave Winfield are part of an MLB delegation bound for Ghana next week. Ruth Roper was unavailable for comment.