Why Buehrle is getting my Hall of Fame vote
During his 12 seasons in the White Sox's starting rotation, Mark Buehrle focused on three things — winning games, logging innings and having as much fun as possible.
The lovable left-hander never once thought about being a Hall of Famer.
“I think that's crazy talk,” Buehrle said in July of 2019. “But that's for other people to decide. 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 (Cooperstown) 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.”
Typical Buehrle.
Drafted by the Sox on 38th round in 1998 out of nondescript Jefferson College in his native Missouri, Buehrle never took anything for granted and always came across as unimpressed with his consistency and success.
“He was a regular guy, blue collar guy,” said Ozzie Guillen, who managed Buehrle for eight seasons with the White Sox and one with the Marlins. “He's a guy who didn't like all the attention being on me, being a part of a big deal.”
Buehrle did like picking up the baseball, taking the mound and getting outs as fast as possible.
He never threw hard, but Buehrle was a master at keeping hitters off balance and pounding the strike zone.
Eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time after calling it quits after the 2015 season, his 16th in the major leagues, Buehrle is not working on an early acceptance speech.
According to the HOF tracker team headed by Ryan Thibodaux, Buehrle's box was not checked on the first 15 ballots that have been made public.
I'm still working on mine, and Buehrle is going to get my vote.
Here's why:
• Starting pitchers that eat up innings are becoming a distant memory, and Buehrle was one of the best of all-time.
He set an American League record by pitching 200 or more innings for 14 straight seasons (2001-14). The way the game has progressed, that's a record that will never be broken.
• Even though he always pitched to contact and never feared the ball hitting the bat, Buehrle pitched a perfect game for the Sox in 2009 and a no-hitter in 2007.
• In addition to piling up innings, Buehrle won 13 or more games in a season a dozen times, finished his career with a 214-160 record and also posted a 3.81 ERA.
• A spectacular fielder, he won four Gold Gloves, had one of the best pickoff moves the game has ever seen and led the league in assists five times.
• Buehrle was named to the All-Star Game five times.
• He helped the White Sox win the 2005 World Series and also pitched in the postseason in 2000 and '08.
That is an impressive body of work, one definitely worth Hall of Fame consideration.
Buehrle knows he has no chance of making it to Cooperstown on the first ballot, but he should stay on for another year by getting at least 5% of the vote.
Teammate Paul Konerko debuted on the Hall of Fame ballot last year and did not make the cut.
No matter what happens, Buehrle is always going to look back on his career with fond memories and a unique attitude.
“I think I was probably a little more laid back than some guys,” he said. “I realized there were a lot of people that wanted to be in my shoes, guys in the minor leagues that would love to be where I was at. So I tried to have fun every day I was at the park. I mean, we're out here playing professional baseball so how is that not fun? I think I was a little more laid back and loose than most guys.”