Why throw in the $15 million?

That's a bad bad bad bad bad deal for the whitesox..

 Because that's what it would probably take (or even more $$$) to make the Cardinals even consider this trade.

The Cardinals are cash strapped.  They wouldn't entertain trading away young, cheap talent for Buehrle, Q and Viciedo without a significant amount of money added into the deal.

Buehrle's contract contains a clause that bumps his salary this year another $1M if he's traded and a 2012 option of $15M is vested if he's traded.  The combined salaries of Buehrle, Quentin & Viciedo this season is over $20M.   The combined salaries of the three Cardinal players is less than $950K.

Rasmus would become the White Sox CF for the next 6 or more years allowing Rios to move to RF with the trade of Quentin.  Rasmus can flat out hit and has the potential to be a star. Boggs goes to the bullpen where he becomes the new closer or the new 7th or 8th inning arm, allowing the CWS to move Sale into the starting rotation in Buehrle's place.  Miller is only 20 years old and was the Cardinal's 'player of the year in the minors for 2010'.  Miller is also the #20 prospect in all of baseball according to mlb.com.


http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110125&content_id=16496082&vkey=news_stl&c_id=stl



Net result: the CWS save over $5M this season and get a very good, low paid CF , an upgrade in the bullpen & a potential closer, and a projected #2 pitcher that all will have low salaries for the next few years before they reach arbitration.  The White Sox also would retain control over these young players for the next 6 seasons.

Buehrle's on the downside and is just a .500 pitcher who eats innings now.  What's the over and under before Q ends up on the DL again?  Viciedo has nowhere to play in Chicago.

This trade would have the potential to be a steal for the White Sox. 

On second thought, the Cardinals would probably laugh at this deal as they'd want more talent and more $$ to make the deal.