Tribune Takes Credit for Buehrle Signing

The Chicago Tribune did nothing but screw up negotiations between Mark Buehrle and the White Sox with erroneous reporting, fictional controversy, and sanctimonious preaching (see previous post). But that didn't stop the Tribune from taking credit today for Buehrle's re-signing. This unbelievable tidbit comes from Tribune columnist Rick Morrissey:

It's nice to know that sometimes people listen, whether it's to reason or to fans or even to this tiny corner of the world called the newspaper. Both sides listened and understood. Team Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf listened. So did Buehrle.

There's no evidence the deal was influenced by the Tribune or anyone else who stuck their nose in Buehrle's business. Both sides knew what they wanted, both sides fought for it, both sides compromised. But as we've seen, if the Tribune doesn't toot its own horn, no one else will.

And while they were at it, the Tribune also credited its company team, the Chicago Cubs. This comes from Tribune "baseball expert" Phlip-Phlop Rogers:

The White Sox did what it took to keep Buehrle in uniform through 2011, and for that all parties involved deserve a lot of credit. Even the Cubs, who weren't involved, deserve some credit.

Why do the Cubs deserve credit in Rogers' expert opinion? Because Buehrle says he likes playing against the Cubs.

He thrives on the City Series and all things about Chicago baseball, which is just one of the dozens of reasons that it is a very good thing that Buehrle decided to stick around rather than testing a free-agent market that could have rewarded him with crazy money.

Don't expect to understand this level of expert thinking, Sox fans. Rogers' thinking is so expert, you have to be Rogers to understand it. And it's lonely in there. Try, for example, extending his logic:

Buehrle likes sliding on the infield tarp during rain delays. So, really, the infield tarp deserves credit for Buehrle's re-signing.

Yeah, okay, that makes some sense. And the infield tarp also deserves credit as a superior newspaper, because at least you can believe what you read on the infield tarp.