Buehrle on Hall of Fame ballot for first time
CHICAGO -- Mark Buehrle would be a near-unanimous first-ballot Hall of Fame selection if White Sox fans were given the vote.
The left-handed hurler, who was announced Monday as part of the 2021 Hall of Fame ballot, arguably was one of the most popular players in franchise history. But even without the fan base involved, Buehrle makes for an interesting Hall of Fame case.
• Hall of Fame releases 2021 ballot
After 16 seasons for the White Sox (2000-11), Marlins ('12) and Blue Jays ('13-15), Buehrle finished with a 214-160 record and a 3.81 ERA. He made 25 relief appearances across 28 games as part of his '00 rookie season, when the White Sox reached the American League playoffs, but his next 490 outings came as a starter.
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Buehrle joined the White Sox rotation in '01, and for the next 14 seasons won at least 10 games, pitched at least 200 innings and made at least 30 starts. He just missed 15 straight in '15 with the Blue Jays, throwing 198 2/3 innings during the final campaign of his career.
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Buehrle had a career average fastball velocity of 85.6 mph, per FanGraphs, but simply knew how to pitch. The southpaw threw 33 complete games and 10 shutouts while earning four Gold Glove Awards and five All-Star appearances.
His 161 victories rank sixth in White Sox franchise history. Buehrle also has the unique accomplishment of starting Game 2 of the 2005 World Series sweep of Houston, allowing four runs over seven innings on 100 pitches, and then earning the save in Game 3 by recording the final out in the 14th inning.
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Buehrle was a 38th-round pick in the 1998 Draft who had his jersey No. 56 retired by the White Sox in 2017 after making nine Opening Day starts, throwing a no-hitter against the Rangers in '07 and then tossing a perfect game against the Rays in 2009, leading to a then-Major League record of 45 straight hitters retired. That perfect game also featured Dewayne Wise’s spectacular over-the-fence catch to take a home run away from Gabe Kapler leading off the ninth.
As the model of consistency, Buehrle won 15 games or more in six seasons but topped out at 19 for a single season in 2002. Wins aren’t exactly a barometer of a pitcher’s success in this day and age, but Buehrle frequently worked deep into games and gave his team an extended chance for victory. He accumulated a career 59.1 bWAR.
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For good measure, the light-hitting Buehrle homered against the Brewers in 2009. He was a consummate teammate, frequently helping young pitchers adjust to big league life. The electorate eventually will decide if Buehrle is Hall of Fame worthy or a truly outstanding player who might fall short, such as longtime teammate Paul Konerko, who hit 439 career home runs over 18 seasons and won a World Series title with the White Sox, but ultimately was on the Hall of Fame ballot one year.
Other players with White Sox connections on the 2021 ballot are shortstop Omar Vizquel (2010-11) and outfielders Manny Ramirez ('10), Andruw Jones ('10), Nick Swisher ('08) and Sammy Sosa (1989-91).