MLB News and Rumors

Mark Buehrle appeared in mid-season form in his final spring outing. The 34-year-old left hander cruised though five innings allowing just two hits to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Buehrle notched five strikeouts in the outing and did not allow a walk.
The Blue Jays acquired Buehrle in a lopsided trade with the Marlins which also netted them Jose Reyes and others.
Buehrle has been a reliable starter for years topping 200 innings since his first full season in 2001. The Blue Jays have Buehrle slated to pitch the third game of the season after R.A. Dickey and Brandon Morrow.

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Mark Buehrle may be playing for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2013 but that does not mean that his family will be joining him. The veteran left-hander’s family will spend the season in St. Louis with their two-year-old pit bull Slater. “We’re not trying to make people feel sorry for us,” Buehrle explained. “Obviously they’re going to say, ‘You make a lot of money. Boo hoo.’ I know it’s part of baseball and every person deals with it, but this is our first time being away from each other all season. We’re going to travel and see each other and make it work. But those nights when we have a Sunday day game and I can go home and have dinner with the family and give the kids a bath and put them to bed, that’s what I’m going to miss.” Buehrle’s wife, Jamie, said that he had offers from people willing to watch the dog during the baseball season but the family decided that they could not spend the time away from Slater. This is not the first time that Buehrle has played for a team that is locat

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Mark Buehrle released a statement firing back at the Miami Marlins who recently traded him along with Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and others to Toronto.
“I’m upset with how things turned out in Miami,” Buehrle said in a statement to the Sun Sentinel. “Just like the fans in South Florida, I was lied to on multiple occasions. But I’m putting it behind me and looking forward to moving on with my career.”
The statement came days after Larry Beinfest, Marlins president of baseball operations, said that he never offered any players assurances of any kind. Beinfest said any assurances, such as a trade clause, would have come in writing.

Buehrle’s agent Jeff Barry also released a statement.
“In an off-season of change and uncertainty, the overriding factor in Mark’s signing with Miami was (new manager) Ozzie Guillen and the level of comfort his presence provided Mark and his family,” Barry said. “While the Marlins were the highest bidder, baseball had already made Mark a wealthy man, so money…

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The first thought when news broke of the Marlins’ huge salary dump was, “Of course.” The second thought was, “How could players be so stupid to sign there?” Well, maybe they’re not as stupid as they appear. Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes — the two biggest names in the pending deal, who were both let go just a year into their loaded contracts with the Marlins — both asked Miami management about not being allowed to have no-trade clauses in their contracts when they signed, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. “Buehrle knew the Marlins’ history of dumping high-priced players, and it concerned him, according to a friend,” Rosenthal writes. “Team president David Samson, however, told both Buehrle and his wife, Jamie, that the team was committed to a long-term vision.” The Buehrles were concerned because they have young children — and also a pit bull that’s not legally allowed in their new destination, Toronto. Buehrle signed with the Marlins for four years and $ 58 million, turning

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The Toronto Blue Jays continue to add players as they seek to contend in the AL East. The Blue Jays recently acquired Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson among others from the Florida Marlins. Today they came to terms on a contract with outfielder Melky Cabrera.
Cabrera missed the final six weeks of the 2012 season after testing positive for a banned substance. Before being suspended the outfielder was leading the National League with a .346 batting average. He later asked that he be disqualified from winning the batting title.
The San Fransisco Giants declined to add Cabrera to their roster once he was eligible to return. He finished the year with a .346/.390/.516 line and 11 homers, 60 RBI and 13 steals .

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  The Toronto Blue Jays certainly got better on paper after acquiring Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Jose Reyes, John Buck, and Emilio Bonafacio for Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechevarria, Justin Nicolino, and Henderson Alvarez from the Miami Marlins.  However, does it necessarily make them contenders in the American League East? Mark Buehrle has boatloads of experience [...]

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It’s easy to see why Chicago White Sox fans might struggle to get excited about the 2012 season. The organization gave them little reason to think it is serious about contending this summer.

In trading All-Star left fielder Carlos Quentin and closer Sergio Santos and letting starting pitcher Mark Buehrle walk in free agency, general manager Ken Williams seemed to indicate a commitment to rebuilding. But little else was changed after that, leaving the White Sox in a hazy middle ground. There is, however, at least one new source of hope on the South Side.

Former White Sox star Robin Ventura makes his return to Chicago as the team’s new manager, replacing the volatile Ozzie Guillen, and looks to guide his old club through a cloud of uncertainty.

At 44 years old and less than a decade removed from playing, Ventura should be able to connect well with Chicago’s younger players such as Dayan Viciedo, Gordon Beckham and Brent Morel. His ability to push those players closer to their full potential could prove a significant boost to the team’s chances of staying competitive.

Ventura will have an important sidekick in pitching coach Don Cooper, who was retained after Guillen’s departure. Pitching will be paramount in keeping the Sox afloat.

Even without Buehrle, the rotation contains capable starters in John Danks, Gavin Floyd and Phil Humber. But perhaps more important will be the fate of former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy.

The White Sox desperately need a resurgence from 30-year-old Peavy, who has battled numerous injuries since coming to Chicago from San Diego in 2009. If he can stay healthy and find some of the old magic that made him a 19-game winner in 2007, the rotation should be a strength.

More than Peavy, though, Chicago needs Adam Dunn to rediscover the player who could be counted on for 40 home runs and 100 RBIs each season. The first baseman-turned-DH signed a big-money deal with the White Sox prior to last season, and the return on investment could not have been much worse. He posted career lows in all offensive categories, including a .159 batting average and just 11 home runs, leaving Sox fans cringing at the team’s four-year commitment.

A rebound season from Dunn could mitigate the offensive punch lost in the Quentin trade, and offseason reports indicate he has broken his habit of not taking batting practice. He reportedly plans to report early to camp for extra work.

Ventura will have his hands full this season with a team that appears to have just one foot in the rebuilding waters. Compounding the challenge is his lack of experience as a manager at any level, though the belief is that his playing style will translate well to the coaching side. He’ll certainly benefit from the returning veteran presence of first baseman Paul Konerko, who continues to produce big numbers into his mid-30s.

Given the subtractions, it’s hard to imagine the White Sox improving on last season’s third-place finish in the Central. But if Guillen’s act had grown stale, perhaps the change in attitude under Ventura can bring about a rejuvenation.

Whos new: Nester Molina, P (trade, Toronto); Robin Ventura, manager.

Whos gone: Mark Buehrle, SP (free agent, Miami); Jason Fraser, RP (trade, Toronto); Juan Pierre, OF (free agent, Philadelphia); Carlos Quentin, OF (trade, San Diego); Sergio Santos, RP (trade, Toronto); Omar Vizquel, IF (free agent, Toronto).

Battle ground: Chicago’s offseason moves created a number of openings in the lineup, starting with the outfield. Dayan Viciedo, just 22, looks to take over full time in right field, and Alejandro De Aza appears likely to man Quentin’s old spot in left, but Brent Lillibridge will be competing with both. … Santos’ exit created the need for a new closer, and it appears to be a three-man race for the job. Some see 23-year-old Addison Reed as the early favorite, but he has made just six major league appearances. Jesse Crain and Matt Thornton are also in the mix.

Health watch: Peavy has battled injuries since his 2009 arrival in Chicago, and the White Sox shut him down in early September last season to avoid risking any further shoulder issues. But for the first time in three years, Peavy didn’t spend the winter rehabbing, so there is optimism heading into spring training.

Sneak preview: After coming over from the Blue Jays in the Santos trade, right-handed hurler Nestor Molina could be a season or two away from joining the major league rotation. The 23-year-old impressed in Single-A and Double-A last year, going 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA and more than 10 strikeouts per nine innings … Several young outfield prospects will try to impress in camp, as Brandon Short, Jared Mitchell, Trayce Thompson and Jordan Danks (younger brother of John) all received non-roster invitations.

Spring training info: Camelback Ranch, Glendale, 10710 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. First workouts: Feb. 23 (pitchers and catchers), Feb. 28 (full squad). First game: March 5. Tickets: www.whitesox.com.

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Since entering the big leagues in 2003, pitcher Edwin Jackson has spent time with seven teams (if you count the two hours he was with the Toronto Blue Jays this past summer), pitched a no-hitter, helped win a World Series, never been on the disabled list, and compiled a 60-60 record with a 4.46 ERA and 801 strikeouts.

Now the 28-year-old free agent is looking for his next employer and he’d like his salary to be somewhere around $ 15 million to $ 17 million, according to CBSSports.com.

The New York Yankees are in conversations with Jackson since it doesn’t appear that New York will be able to work out a trade for the Chicago Cubs’ Matt Garza, the site notes. The Yanks don’t want to deal the quality and quantity of prospects that the Cubs are looking for, the site notes.

“Agent Scott Boras has compared Jackson to C.J. Wilson, Mark Buehrle, John Lackey, A.J. Burnett, and Derek Lowe in his book touting Jackson,” the site reports. All of those hurlers have deals worth between $ 14 million and $ 17 million annually.

Last season, Jackson went 12-9 with 148 strikeouts and a 3.79 ERA for the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals.

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