A Buehrle moment marked in time
If this is indeed the end of Mark Buehrle's White Sox career, he will go out as among the greatest pitchers in franchise history.
Heading into next Tuesday's start at home against Toronto, Buehrle ranks first in no-hitters (2), third in all-star appearances (4), fourth in games started (364), fourth in strikeouts (1,390), sixth in wins (160) and seventh in innings pitched (2,469).
But it's a walk that will always stick out in my mind as the indispensable Mark Buehrle moment.
At 12:45 a.m. on Oct. 26, 2005, Buehrle walked slowly out to the bullpen at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
Hardly anyone noticed, what with it being the top of the 14th of Game 3 of the World Series, and with everyone having just witnessed Damaso Marte work out of a jam in the bottom of the 13th.
Fans were catching their breath, media scrambling for coffee, players running on and off the field, and in full camouflage Buehrle — as is always the case — drew no attention to himself on a casual stroll to the pen, looking no more stressed than he would for a spring training affair.
Moments earlier he had been stretching in the dugout and asking Ozzie Guillen if he needed assistance, even though Buehrle had started and thrown 7 innings (100 pitches) just 51 hours earlier.
It was late October and Buehrle had to be gassed after 260 innings, but Buehrle also knew Guillen had used eight pitchers and was almost out of options. Buehrle wasn't about to let Marte stand between Sox fans and a trophy.
“All we had left was starting pitchers,” Buehrle reminded me last month when we reminisced about that morning. “I could have gone a few innings.”
He sat alone until 12:52 a.m., when Geoff Blum blasted a 2-0 pitch from Ezequiel Astacio into the right-field bleachers for a 6-5 White Sox lead. Before Blum reached home plate, Buehrle was up and warming.
In the bottom of the 14th, with two on and two out in a 2-run game, Guillen summoned one of the most popular and likable players in team history.
Buehrle went to 1-1 on Adam Everett before inducing a popout to short that ended Game 3 and — for all intents and purposes — the World Series.
The longest World Series game in history was over 5 hours, 41 minutes after it began and Buehrle had his first save since 1999 at Burlington (A). The Sox owned an overwhelming 3-0 lead and Chicago was 22 hours away from its first baseball championship since 1917.
There are many reasons to remember fondly Buehrle's time spent in Chicago, not the least of which is a perfect game, or maybe the perfect baseball personality.
But for my money, it will always be a slow walk on a cool Wednesday morning, an amble into history, a preamble to a second victory in a single day that gave Chicago a World Series trophy.
Not a bad way to be remembered. Not a bad way at all.
Ozzie's Way
He probably could have worked here forever and had a street named after him if he could have avoided self-destruction, but that's not Ozzie Guillen's style.So in what appears to be his final week as White Sox manager, expect him to alternate between whining about his lack of a contract #8212; even though he has a contract for next year #8212; and professing his love for Jerry Reinsdorf, Ken Williams, Paul Konerko, the vendors and parking lot attendants.Don't try to understand or make sense of the flips and flops. Just know it didn't have to be this way and Guillen has brought this ending entirely upon himself.Bronx clue
Two years ago, Joe Girardi won a World Series. Last season, he worked on the final year of his deal and never cried about it once. After making the playoffs again, the Yanks gave him a new deal.This year, Jim Leyland was in his final year, never complained, had a good season and received an extension in August.Of course, those guys are adults.Timeout
In Game 1, the Bears wasted a pair of timeouts in the first half. In the second half, they were out of timeouts with 12 minutes left in the game.In Game 2, they burned a pair in the first seven minutes of the game and were charged a third with 32 seconds left in the half because of Gabe Carimi's injury.They ended up kicking a field goal on second-and-10 from the 24 as time ran out, possibly giving up 4 points in the process.It's just one more thing to clean up before it costs the Bears a game.Family matters
Oklahoma sophomore receiver Kenny Stills had another terrific game last week at Florida State, but every time I hear the name I think of his dad (with the same name) flattening Matt Suhey in Green Bay (1985) with one of the cheapest and most violent late hits of all time.Nevertheless, Stills and Ryan Broyles might be as talented as any receiving tandem in the country and the top-ranked Sooners host Missouri on Saturday night (FX, 7 p.m.).Award winner
This week on White Sox baseball, Hawk Harrelson said of Adam Dunn, #8220;Next season, he's got a chance to be Comeback Player of the Year.#8221;Replied Steve Stone, #8220;Just by coming back.#8221;And finally ...
Omaha World Herald's Brad Dickson: #8220;Last year Ohio State president Gordon Gee said, #8216;We don't play the Little Sisters of the Poor.' The Little Sisters of the Poor are back in the news, having just received a formal invitation to join the Big 12.#8221;brozner@dailyherald.com
#376; Hear Barry Rozner on WSCR 670-AM and follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter.