CHICAGO -- Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye and
Tadahito Iguchi all were instrumental in helping the Chicago White Sox
win the World Series in 2005. Nearly 12 months later, the White
Sox decided to retain their services.
The White Sox on Monday exercised the 2007 club options on the
contracts of Buehrle, Dye and Iguchi.
Buehrle, 27, will earn $9.5 million in the option year. The
left-hander went 12-13 with a 4.99 ERA over 32 starts last season
and is 97-66 with a 3.83 ERA in six-plus campaigns with
Chicago.
One of just seven pitchers in franchise history to collect 10 or
more wins in six straight seasons, Buehrle went 16-8 with a
career-best 3.12 ERA in 2005. He continued his success in the
2005 postseason, going 2-0 with a 3.47 ERA and one save in
helping the White Sox end an 88-year drought without a title.
Dye, 33, was named World Series MVP in 2005 and carried that
success into last season, batting .315 with career highs of 44
home runs and 120 RBI. The outfielder ranked second in the
American League in homers and fifth in RBI.
A two-time All-Star, Dye will receive approximately $6.75
million in 2007. The veteran owns a career .277 average with
236 homers in 11 seasons with the White Sox, the Oakland
Athletics, the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves.
Iguchi, 31, will make $3.25 million next season. A native of
Japan, Iguchi batted .281 with 18 homers, 67 RBI and 97 runs in
2006, his second year with the White Sox.
The second baseman batted .278 with 15 homers and 15 stolen
bases in his rookie campaign of 2005 and belted a key three-run
homer to lift Chicago to a 5-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox
in Game Two of the AL Division Series.
The White Sox made another roster move on Monday, declining
their 2007 option on right-hander Dustin Hermanson. The
33-year-old reliever, who will receive a buyout worth $500,000,
missed most of last season with a back injury and posted a 4.05
ERA in just six appearances.