Mark Buehrle

Mark Buehrle
Buehrle takes a sign during his 2009 perfect game
Chicago White Sox – No. 56
Starting pitcher
Bats: Left Throws: Left
debut
July 16, 2000, for the Chicago White Sox
Career statistics (through 2009)
Win-Loss	135–97
Earned run average	3.80
Strikeouts	1,188
Walks	470
Shutouts	8
Teams
Chicago White Sox (2000–present)
Career highlights and awards
4x All-Star selection (2002, 2005, 2006, 2009) Led AL in innings pitched in 2004 and 2005 World Series Champion (2005) Pitched a no-hitter on April 18, 2007 against the Texas Rangers Pitched a perfect game on July 23, 2009 against the Tampa Bay Rays Holds MLB record for most consecutive batters retired (45)

Mark Alan Buehrle (Template:Pron-en) (born March 23, 1979, in St. Charles, Missouri) is a left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who has played for the Chicago White Sox since 2000.

Buehrle is a command pitcher, relying more on finesse and accuracy than velocity. He is considered an efficient pitcher, pitching quickly and keeping his pitch count low. Buehrle throws a fastball, curveball, changeup, slider, and cut fastball. He has pitched over 200 innings for the eight seasons since becoming a starter in 2001. He started the opening game for the White Sox every season from 2002 to 2006 and again in 2008 and 2009. Buehrle threw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on April 18, 2007, and a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 23, 2009. In White Sox pitching history, Buehrle is currently fifth all-time in strikeouts, sixth in games started, and eighth in wins and innings pitched.

College and minor league

Buehrle attended Francis Howell North High School in St. Peters, Missouri. In his sophomore year Buehrle was cut from the school's baseball team. After High School Buehrle attended Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Missouri. He was later selected in the 38th round of the 1998 draft by the Chicago White Sox organization.

He had an excellent start in 2000, going 8-4 with a 2.28 ERA for the Double-A affiliate Birmingham Barons in Hoover, Alabama, giving up only 17 walks in 119 innings. He would be named the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher that season and was the winning pitcher in the Futures Game, then rated as the No. 8 prospect in the White Sox organization.

Buehrle made a total of 36 appearances in the minor leagues before joining the White Sox proper.

Major league career

Early career: 2000–04

Buehrle made his major league debut on July 16, 2000, pitching one inning of relief against the Milwaukee Brewers and allowing a run. Three days later he started against Minnesota, allowing six hits and two runs in seven innings while earning a win.

In 2001, Buehrle's first year as a major league starter, he went 16–8 with a 3.29 ERA. He threw 24⅔ consecutive scoreless innings from May 26 to June 7, the most by a White Sox pitcher since Tommy John threw 25 scoreless innings in 1967. Buehrle recorded his first complete game on May 26 against the Detroit Tigers and later pitched two consecutive complete games on August 3 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (a one-hitter) and on August 8 against the Anaheim Angels.

In 2002, Buehrle posted a 19–12 record and ranked among the American League leaders in innings pitched (2nd, 239.0), games started (tied 2nd, 34), complete games (tied 2nd, 5), shutouts (tied 2nd, 2), wins (tied 4th, 19) and quality starts (tied 5th, 23). Buehrle pitched at least 6.0 innings 30 times and at least 8.0 innings nine times. FSN (FOX Sports Net) Chicago honored him as the White Sox Player of the Year. He was selected as a member of the Major League All-Star Team that played in Japan in November. In his one start, he allowed four runs on five hits over 3.0 IP, before leaving with a bruised left shoulder sustained when he was hit by a line drive batted by Hideki Matsui.

Buehrle set a career high with 35 starts in 2003. He ranked among the American League leaders in starts (tied 2nd), quality starts (3rd, 24) and innings pitched (5th).

In 2004, Buehrle led the American League in innings pitched with 245⅓, in games started with 35, and in complete games with 5. He ranked among the AL leaders in quality starts (3rd, 23), walks per 9.0 innings (5th, 1.87), wins (tied 6th, 16), strikeout to-walk ratio (7th, 3.24), ERA (8th, 3.89) and strikeouts (9th). Buehrle lasted at least 6.0 innings in each of his last 28 starts. On July 21 in Cleveland, he faced the minimum 27 batters in a two-hit shutout of the Indians.

2005–2008

In 2005, Buehrle began the season with a 10-3 record, a 2.58 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP and was selected to the American League All-Star Team. He was named the starter after Roy Halladay could not to play due to a broken leg and pitched two innings, allowing no runs and striking out 3 batters while earning a win. Buehrle's streak of 49 consecutive starts of 6 or more innings ended on August 1, 2005 after he was ejected for hitting Baltimore Orioles outfielder B.J. Surhoff. During the White Sox playoff run, Buehrle pitched a complete game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Game 2 of the ALCS, the first of four consecutive complete games for White Sox starters. He earned a no-decision in Game 2 and his first career save in Game 3 of the 2005 World Series, which the Sox swept from the Houston Astros, winning their first world championship since 1917.

Early in 2006, Buehrle was ordered by General Manager Kenny Williams to stop sliding around on the tarp during rain delays. Buehrle previously had entertained fans by running around and sliding into large puddles of water.

On October 30, 2006, the White Sox exercised their $9.5 million option for Buehrle's 2007 season . Buehrle finished the 2006 season 12-13 with a 4.99 ERA, his first losing season in seven major league seasons.

On April 18, 2007, Buehrle threw a no-hitter versus the Texas Rangers at U.S. Cellular Field. It was the first no-hitter in the stadium's history. It was the sixteenth such game in team history and the first since Wilson Alvarez no-hit the Baltimore Orioles on August 11, 1991. He fell short of a perfect game that evening by walking Sammy Sosa in the 5th inning, but by picking him off at first base for an out, he actually registered the minimum number of batters (27) to earn a perfect game. Buehrle struck out eight Rangers during the game, throwing an efficient 106 pitches. Thanks to Buehrle's gem, the American League narrowly avoided, by mere days, five years without a no-hitter.

On July 8, 2007, Buehrle signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $56 million with a player option worth $19 million if he gets traded.

Buehrle finished the 2008 season with a 15–12 record and 3.79 ERA, pitching at least 200 innings for the eighth straight season. He induced more double plays (34) and gave up more infield hits (38) than any other pitcher in the majors, while tying for the major league lead in bunt hits allowed (9).[1]

2009–present

Teammates celebrate Buehrle's perfect game on July 23, 2009.

On July 5, 2009, Buehrle was selected to represent Chicago at the 2009 All-Star Game, where he pitched a perfect third inning.

On July 23, 2009, Buehrle threw a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays at U.S. Cellular Field. It was the eighteenth perfect game in MLB history and Buehrle's second career no-hitter. With the perfect game, Buehrle became the 24th pitcher to throw multiple no-hitters in a career, and the sixth perfect game pitcher who had also thrown another no-hitter, joining Cy Young, Addie Joss, Jim Bunning, Sandy Koufax and Randy Johnson. Coincidentally, the home plate umpire for both of Buehrle's no-hitters was Eric Cooper (who, coincidentally, shares Buehrle's number 56). On July 28, his next appearance, Buehrle retired the first 17 batters he faced before finally allowing a baserunner in the sixth inning, setting the MLB record for consecutive outs at 45. He recorded the final out against Jason Bartlett on a ground ball to shortstop Alexei Ramírez. Earlier in the 9th inning, teammate DeWayne Wise, a defensive replacement made a spectacular catch to rob Gabe Kapler of a home run and preserve the perfect game. Like his previous no-hitter, the game was completed in exactly two hours, three minutes.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn declared July 30, 2009 "Mark Buehrle Day". Prior to the game against the New York Yankees, Buehrle was given a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

On September 7, 2009 against the Boston Red Sox. Buehrle struck out 4 in 7.0 innings,earning his first win since the perfect game.

In September 2009, the July 23 perfect game received the Sporting News Performance of the Decade award.

Records and statistics

On April 16, 2005, he finished a game against the Seattle Mariners in only 1 hour and 39 minutes, giving up only 1 run and 3 hits (all to Ichiro Suzuki), and backed by only two White Sox runs, both homers by Paul Konerko. In the game, he threw just 106 pitches. Subtracting the time spent between innings, the game took only 63½ minutes to play.

On October 25, 2005, Buehrle became the first pitcher in World Series history to start and save consecutive games.

On May 14, 2006, in a game against the Minnesota Twins, Buehrle became the first major-league starting pitcher in over a century to allow seven runs in the first inning but then win the game. The previous time had been on September 29, 1900, when Jack Powell of the St. Louis Cardinals pitched such a game against the Chicago Orphans.

On April 18, 2007, Buehrle threw a no-hitter versus the Texas Rangers at U.S. Cellular Field. (See "2005–2008" section, above.)

On June 14, 2009, Buehrle hit his first major league home run, off Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Braden Looper, becoming the first White Sox pitcher to hit a home run in a game since Jon Garland on June 18, 2006, at Cincinnati.

On July 23, 2009, Buehrle hurled a perfect game at U.S. Cellular Field against the Tampa Bay Rays. (See "2009–present" section, above.)

On July 28, 2009, Buehrle established a major league record for number of consecutive hitters retired, breaking the previous record of 41 set by Jim Barr (starter) and teammate Bobby Jenks (reliever), by retiring Minnesota Twin and former teammate Joe Crede; he went on to retire the next three batters to set the record at 45 consecutive batters retired.The streak ended with a walk to Alexi Casilla, foiling a another perfect game after 5 2/3 innings.

Since the 2001 season Buehrle has pitched over 200 innings each year.

Personal life

He and his wife Jamie have two children: a son named Braden (born July 2007) and a daughter named Brooklyn (born March 3, 2009).

See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
• List of Major League Baseball perfect games
• Chicago White Sox all-time roster

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
• Mark Buehrle: Behind the Dugout
• Box score for Buehrle's no-hitter
• [2]
• Account of his no-hitter
• Box score and recap of Buehrle's perfect game