Simple Answers to Foolish Questions

Dr. Phil offers this foolish query today:

Unless someone bowls him over, [Kenny] Williams should hang on to what he has. [Mark] Buehrle, the only starter eligible for free agency after 2007, needs to re-establish his value after an alarming end to 2006 (3-7, 6.44 ERA after the All-Star break). The time to worry about [Jon]Garland and [Javier] Vazquez is next winter, when they will be a year away from free agency.

If Garland stays strong or Buehrle bounces back, the White Sox should re-examine their internal guideline on a three-year maximum for pitching contracts. Yes, pitchers get hurt. But these guys have been unusually sturdy. They also are the guys who helped win the World Series for the first time since 1917.

Shouldn't that count for a little extra?

The answer, of course, is "No."

Limiting pitchers' contracts to three years is smart on many levels. But if they bend their unwritten rule just because of the warm fuzzies they feel for Buerhle and Garland because of 2005...well, let's just say that no one will feel too warm or fuzzy if either of those guys is pulling down big bucks in 2010 while posting an ERA north of 5.00.

Everything has its time. And everything has an end. Dr. Phil should know this. If Williams thinks it is in the team's interest to let these guys walk as free agents, then that's the end. Basing personnel decisions on sentiment leads to heartache.