Buehrle won't be celebrating 10-year anniversary of perfect game
Over 16 remarkable seasons — 12 spent with the Chicago White Sox — Mark Buehrle was the antithesis of a typical major-league starting pitcher.
The left-hander would call himself out following poor performances, which were few and far between. Buehrle was always up for talking to the media on days when he was pitching, a no-no for just about every other major-league starter.
In another example of shunning traditional protocol, Buehrle liked talking to his teammates in the dugout when he had a no-hitter going.
That's exactly what he was doing 10 years ago, en route to pitching a perfect game against Tampa Bay at U.S. Cellular Field.
Retired since 2015 and not missing baseball a bit back home in St. Charles, Missouri, I asked Buehrle if he'd take a moment Tuesday to reflect on the perfect game he threw on July 23, 2009.
“Probably not,” Buehrle said on a conference call Monday. “Honestly, I didn't know it was coming up until (the Sox) texted me. Somebody might text me tomorrow and say, 'Happy Anniversary,' and if I didn't know, I would have said, 'What are we talking about?'
“Honestly, I don't think about it, I don't watch it. I haven't watched it I don't think since I've been retired and been home. It's one of those things, I've gotten myself so far away from baseball since I've been home. Busy with family and traveling and doing stuff, farming, getting ready for deer hunting and duck hunting, it's almost like I don't pay attention to baseball anymore.”
The perfect game came two seasons after Buehrle pitched a no-hitter against Texas. Both feats were surprising considering the workhorse lefty always pitched to contact.
In the perfect game against the Rays, center fielder Dewayne Wise made an amazing catch in the ninth inning to rob current Phillies manager Gabe Kapler and preserve the gem.
“Of the thousands of games I've had the honor to call, and the big accomplishments of individual players, that was the greatest I've ever experienced,” said former White Sox TV broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson. “Mark Buehrle is a special person. Those guys don't come along so often. The catch by Wise, under the circumstances, that was the greatest catch I've ever seen.”
Harold Baines was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday, and Harrelson said Buehrle deserves to be the next Sox player to land in Cooperstown.
Not only was he a lifetime 214-160 with a 3.81 ERA, Buehrle pitched 200 or more innings 14 seasons in a row. He also was a five-time all-star and won four Gold Gloves.
In typical fashion, Buehrle downplayed making it into the Hall of Fame.
“I think that's crazy talk, but that's for other people to decide,” said. “You don't play the game for that reason. You go out there and just try to live out your dream and last there as long as you can because you know injuries can happen or something can happen and you can be gone before you know it.
“I just went out there, I never thought of that one time when I was playing. People say it, mention it to you, it would be pretty crazy if something like that would happen.
“But I'm not expecting it and I'm not thinking that it would happen.”