behind the dugout

Birth Name: Mark Anthony Buehrle
Nick Name: none
Teams: Chicago-A 2000-2007 (#56)
Born: March 23, 1979
Birth Place: St. Charles, MO
Resides:
Height: 6′2 Weight: 200 lbs.
Position: Starting Pitcher
Throws: Left Bats: Left

more Mark Buehrle images

College: Jefferson (MO) JC
Drafted: White Sox #38 pick of 1998 amateur draft
Debut: July 16, 2000

May 2005

Buehrle jokes about how fast his games are

Sports Illustrated
As told to Lisa Altobelli

On being the fastest-working starter in the major leagues
I don’t know why I do it. I’ve never had anyone tell me that the quicker you work, the better off you’ll be. My teammates like it because it keeps them on their toes. As soon as I’m handed the ball, they know it could be in play a second later.

On fan reaction to his quick games
You hear some of the drinkers get aggravated. Like, ‘Hey, man, we only had two beers, and then the game was over.’ Or you hear it from the beer vendors, ‘Hey, we didn’t get to make any money today because the game was so quick.’ But I think most fans enjoy a quick game.

On patience off the field
I’m pretty patient since I’m big into hunting. Sometimes you don’t see a deer for three or four hours while you’re out there. You’re just sitting in the woods. I have 1,200 acres in northeastern Missouri where I hunt.

On meeting fiancée Jamie Streck
I met her two years ago at the gym in my hometown, St. Charles, Missouri. We went to the same high school, but she was a senior when I was a freshman. And I was small back then, so I was stuffed into lockers, and she didn’t know who I was.

On proposing last off-season
I did it in a tree stand when we were hunting. She was with me when I bought the ring, so she already knew it was coming. I still wanted to somewhat surprise her. She was in her camouflage. It was kind of a joke, but it was pretty perfect.

On getting cut his first two years in high school
I was so small, I wasn’t even going to go back out for my junior year. But my mom and dad sat me down and said, ‘We didn’t raise a quitter — you’re going back out.’ I made it, and then everything happened from there. Now if the freshman and jayvee coaches want to cut someone, they have to go through the varsity coach. It’s called the Buehrle Rule.

On being the White Sox’ representative for the players’ association
It’s like being in class. You have to pay attention and take notes, and then you have to come back and tell everyone what the meeting was about, and I’m not good at that. I told them straight out that I would be the worst player rep that there ever was, but no one else wanted to do it.

On his home-state Cardinals
I still root for them. Last year I went to see them play in the first round of the playoffs and the World Series. I grew up watching them. If I sign a lifetime deal with the White Sox, I’ll be happy. But if the White Sox ever decide that they don’t want me, and the Cardinals do, I would love to go home and play for them.

Mark Buehrle was the 38 round draft pick of the Chicago White Sox in 1998. After graduating from Francis Howell North High School in St. Charles Missouri he attended Jefferson Junior College. Posting a 16-4 record he was selected as a NJCAA Third-Team All-America.

A quick rise to the majors

Mark would make only 36 appearances in the minors, only 16 of which were above Class A, before being called up to the Majors on July 16, 2000. He was one of eight Sox pitchers to earn his first career win in 2000 and one of seven to make his major-league debut. His first game came on July 16 against Milwaukee. He pitched an inning of relief allowing a run. Three days later he was starting in Minnesota where he scattered six hits and two runs over 7 innings of work for his first win in his first start. Despite his early promotion Buehrle was named Southern League Pitcher of the Year, named a Second-Team Minor League All-Star as well as the No. 9 Prospect in the White Sox organization. He also took part in the Futures Game during All Star Weekend picking up the win.

2001: First full season

In his first full season he went 16-8 with a 3.29 ERA and was atop the league lead in just about every pitching statistic. ..Mark threw 24.2 consecutive scoreless IP (May 26-June 7) the most by a Sox pitcher since Tommy John threw 25 scoreless frames in 1967. Mark recorded his first complete game May 26 at Detroit. He would also toss back to back complete games on August 3 vs. Tampa and August 8 at Anaheim. His complete game against the Devil Rays on August 3 was a one hitter. Buehrle had far away exceeded expectations for the season.

Becoming one of the leagues best

2002 wasn’t much different. He went on to post a 19-12 record and again topped 220 innings. He ranked among the American League leaders in IP (2nd, 239.0), games started (T2nd, 34), complete games (T2nd, 5), shutouts (T2nd, 2), wins (T4th, 19) and quality starts (T5th, 23) Mark lasted at least 6.0 IP 30 times and 8.0 IP nine times. At the end of the season 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 hit by a line drive off the bat of Hideki Matsui. FOX Sports Net Chicago honored him as the White Sox Player of the Year.

After proving to be a rubber arm in 2002, Buehrle went on to set a career high with 35 starts in 2003. He threw 220 innings and struck out 100 for the third year in a row. By year’s end he ranked among the American League leaders in starts (T2nd), quality starts (3rd, 24) and IP (5th). Two milestones for Buehrle in 2003 were his 100^th start on September 2 against Boston and his 50^th career win against Texas on August 23.

In 2004 Buehrle led the American League in IP with 245.1 and again started 35 games. He ranked among the AL leaders in complete games (T1st, 5), starts (T1st, 35), quality starts (3rd, 23), shutouts (T4th, 1), fewest walks per 9.0 IP (5th, 1.87), wins (T6th, 16), strikeout to- walk ratio (7th, 3.24), ERA (8th, 3.89) and strikeouts (9^th) Buehrle also lasted at least 6.0 IP in each of his last 28 starts. Buehrle matched 220 innings and 100 strike outs for the fourth consecutive season and finished strong with three complete games in his last five starts. On July 21 in Cleveland he faced the minimum 27 batters in a two-hit shutout of the Indians.

In September of 2004 Buehrle turned his sights on the Twins and their World Series hopes. The Twins had just won the AL Central again and Buehrle was one of the first to rain on their parade.

“You have [Johan] Santana and [Brad] Radke, and you’ve got a chance,but then you look at the rest of their roster and you really can’t see them getting past the first round. Anything can happen, but I don’t see it.” -Buehrle told the suburban Chicago Daily Southtown. “

Buehrle later carried his comments and even offered the Twins a chance to prove him wrong.

“If it comes down to it, give me any number I need to call and if they get past the first round, I’ll call and apologize to everyone I need to… I’ll call Minnesota, I’ll call some radio station and apologize. If they lose in the first round, although it wasn’t a big deal what I said, then they need to say something to me.” (September 21, 2004)

Needless to say the Twins never made it out of the first round.

Buehrle goes all Orel Hershier ‘88 and wins the World Series

“You gotta like Mark Buehrle, and not just because of his 10-1 record and 2.42 ERA. This is a guy who proposed to his fiancée … on a hunting trip. “A lot of people said, ‘Man, you’re a redneck for proposing in a tree stand,’” said Buehrle. That’s harsh, but you do have to wonder where they’re registered.” - Dan George (July 6, 2005; cnnsi.com)

After allowing just two hits on Opening Day (April 4) Buehrle finished the season 16-8 with a career best 3.12 ERA. It was good enough for fifth in the AL CY Young voting. It also marked the fifth straight season he had 14 wins, 200 innings, 30 starts and 100 k’s. Buehrle lead the league in innings, to no surprise. He was epically hard to score off of during the day as he was 9-2 with a 2.16 ERA. After a 3-0 record and a 0.96 ERA he was selected as the pitcher of the month for June. (first was May 2004) Buehrles streak of 49 games of 6 or more innings ended on August 1 after he was ejected for hitting BJ Surhoff with a pitch. It was the longest such streak since Steve Carlton lasted 69 games of six innings. Buehrle was selected as the AL starting pitcher for the all-star game after previous starter Roy Halladay ended up on the disabled list. Buehrle was the winning pitcher after 2 scoreless innings allowing three hits and striking out three.

In the post season Buehrle was 2-0 with a 3.47 ERA and even notched a save. He pitched a complete game in Game 2 of the ALCS. He picked up the save in game 3 of the World Series in Houston as he was the ninth pitcher used in the game. The White Sox went on to win the World Series with a 4-0 sweep of the Astros.

Mark married his girlfriend Jamie in December. He also made two appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show in the 2005 off-season. He first appeared with several teammates and coaches on the 10/28 show, two days following the White Sox World Series victory over Houston. Later he appeared with teammate Scott Podsednik in January 2006 to recognize the selfless acts of Ryan Devlin, a lifelong White Sox fan who sold his World Series tickets to fund his relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina .

Buehrle got off to a quick start in 2006 but posted his worst ERA and first losing season of his career. (12-13, 4.99)

On Wednesday April 18, 2007 Buehrle threw a no-hitter in Chicago against the Texas Rangers. Buehrle allowed just a walk to Sammy Sosa in the fifth and picked him off first base moments later.

July 8th that year he was rewarded with a four-year contract extension worth $56 million. Buehrle finished the season 10-9 but had a 3.63 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP far better then his previous season.