Buehrle humbled by statue, attention at SoxFest
It seemed a little odd that the return of SoxFest featured just three players from the World Series champs of 2005, especially since the 20th anniversary has arrived.
But after Friday's opening night, things made more sense. The Sox wanted the evening to be about Mark Buehrle, and they announced a statue of the pitcher will be unveiled on July 11, during the official 20-year celebration.
The White Sox brought in two other 2005 starters for moral support, Freddy Garcia and Jose Contreras. Harold Baines filled in for Jon Garland.
As he greeted fans at the Ramova Theatre and addressed a group of reporters, Buehrle made it clear he does not miss the attention.
“I'm so used to being back home and not having to deal with any of this,” Buehrle said. “I come up here now and I see it, and it's actually overwhelming, 'What the heck is going on right now?' It's nice to get away from it. I had this every five days when I was playing, but it's good.”
Buehrle pitched for the White Sox from 2000-11, then played four more seasons with Miami and Toronto. He ranks top 10 in team history in starts, innings pitched, wins and strikeouts.
He's not in the Hall of Fame, like Red Faber, Ted Lyons and Ed Walsh, but it's probably safe to call Buehrle the White Sox' best pitcher of the last 50 years. Chuck Garfien joked at SoxFest that the MLB pitch clock should be named after Buehrle, since he was renowned for working quickly.
These days he mostly stays home in Missouri with his wife and two kids. Buehrle said he might attend one or two Cardinals games per season when an old friend is in town. When Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf first called about the statue, he was cutting the grass.
“I look down (at his phone) and it's Jerry,” Buehrle said. “I'm like, '(Bleep), can I really not take this call right now?' I didn't, because I tell everybody I have it turned off. So I finished cutting grass a little bit.”
Buehrle put on the old uniform and threw a few pitches indoors to create a template for the statue. He felt great on the mound, but admitted being pretty sore a short time after.
“It's an unbelievable honor,” he said of the statue.” You don't play the game for that reason and then when it happens, you don't know how to act or what to say or what to do. You don't plan for it.”
Since Buehrle sees himself as a regular guy, he showed appreciation to the fans Friday by buying a beer for everyone in attendance, while admitting Reinsdorf agreed to split the tab.
“The way some of these fans are and how they talk to you about that year (2005); they start tearing up and they're shaking when they're talking to you,” Buehrle said. “Yeah, you can definitely feel how it affects everybody.
“This is home. I spent most of my career here, would have loved to finish out here. I love coming back here.”
Buehrle received 11.4% of Hall of Fame votes this year, enough to keep him on the ballot. Asked about making the Hall someday, he set his goals a little lower.
“I'm literally just honored to be on the ballot this many years,” Buehrle said. “Just getting my name on the first year, it 'Man, if I can stay on for another year.' Now here we're going on Year 6. It literally gives me goose bumps. It's insane that's even happened.”