Sox manager Robin Ventura makes personal pitch to Mark Buehrle

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Robin Ventura will make his Major League managerial debut in Friday's season opener against the Texas Rangers. | Al Podgorski~Sun-Times Media

Updated: January 7, 2012 8:16AM

DALLAS — White Sox manager Robin Ventura said he ran into free-agent left-hander Mark Buehrle a couple of weeks ago in New York.

Having been a free agent himself, Ventura knows the emotions Buehrle is dealing with, so he made a modest effort to convince him to stay with the Sox.

‘‘I made my case in person to him,’’ Ventura said at the winter meetings Monday. ‘‘I just wanted him to know what I thought of him and what he’s meant to the organization.’’

And Buehrle’s reaction?

‘‘He just smiled, kind of laughed,’’ Ventura said. ‘‘I didn’t expect anything different. He gets it. I get it, too.’’

Buehrle, a free agent for the first time, likely can sign a three-year deal worth
$14 million with somebody, although he wants a no-trade clause. That’s a hang-up for some teams, including the Miami Marlins.

Sox fans hoping Buehr-
le returns are banking on chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, who is in Dallas, to make an offer good enough to satisfy both sides.

‘‘I’ve been in [Buehrle’s] situation, knowing what’s going through his head,’’ Ventura said. ‘‘He likes Chicago, likes the White Sox. But .  .  . it’s where you’re at in your career and what’s being offered and what’s thrown at you. Sometimes you get confused.

‘‘When you look at what you really want, if it could happen, you would probably want to stay. But there are a lot of people really wanting him, and that’s something he has to weigh. He’s probably getting better offers.’’

Ken Williams was a late
arrival Monday, a curious move for a general manager expected to be a mover and shaker in the next couple of days. But Williams is sitting back and weighing offers for pitchers John Danks, Gavin Floyd and Matt Thornton and outfielder Carlos Quentin.

Williams is shopping Danks, whom the New York Yankees covet, but it doesn’t mean he will trade him. His plan is to make a deal only if he gets a good return. Williams reportedly asked the Yankees for their top two prospects, left-hander Manny Banuelos and catcher Jesus Montero, and was rejected.

Ventura said he wants all of the pieces back, but he understands he doesn’t have much to say about the product on the field.

‘‘I realize what John, Carlos and Mark mean,’’ Ventura said. ‘‘I get that, and I would love to have them. But in this situation we’re in and what happened last year, is it for sure? No. But I would like to have it.

‘‘It’s something that will evolve in the next few days. From my perspective, we have good players, and I’m happy we have good players right now. If Kenny deems it’s necessary to move them, that’s what will happen.

‘‘I realize where I’m at, what my position is and where we are at as an organization.’’