Mark Buehrle (pronounced BUR-lee) gets no respect. He doesn't even get that much respect in Chicago. He's like the Southside's little secret. Players know who Mark Buehrle is. White Sox fans know who Mark Buehrle is. The rest of the world doesn't seem to know.Let's go through the list of things that would seemingly make a pitcher known throughout the country.
A World Series ring? Yup, got that.
A World Series victory? He got a no decision.
A World Series save? He's got that in the game after his no decision start.
A complete game in the playoffs? Check.
An All-Star Game victory? You betcha!
No-hitter? Got that covered! He walked one, picked him off and faced the minimum batters. Three years before that, he also faced the minimum amount of batters in a two-hit shutout against the Indians in Cleveland.
He also pitched over 200 innings in every year that he started. Mark pitched 5 consecutive opening days. He has had a winning record in 7 out of 8 seasons. The losing season featured a 12-13 record.
In 2005, Mark had 49 consecutive starts of 6 innings or more broken, when he was ejected for hitting B.J. Surhoff.
The one statistic that I am very surprised that many people don't remember? In 2006, Mark became the first pitcher since 1900 to give up 7 runs in the first inning and still win the game. The Sox won the game in Minnesota 9-7. Mark pitched 6 innings and gave up 7 runs. Only 1 run was earned.
Now, you may be wondering what prompted this Mark Buehrle love-fest, as it were. I was watching a video box break the other day and saw someone completely butcher Mark Buehrle's name. That person shall remain nameless, but I'm sure it won't be that hard to figure out. I don't mean to call this person out. I love the job that this person does in the box break videos. This just prompted me to write about how to properly say Mark Buehrle's name. Call it White Sox pride or whatever you like.
Maybe if Kenny Williams lets Mark slide on the tarp during rain delays again, he'll become a more recognizable name? Somehow, I doubt it. I'll just chalk it up to being the White Sox open secret. It probably suits Buehrle better that way. It's more his style.
5 comments:
And some of us (usually) only watch or listen to NL games. ;)
(Although I'd have figured out how to pronounce it from the spelling, oddly enough.)
With interleague play, the gap is closing a bit.
Buehrle is one of the easier ones to figure out. It's not a name that has 4 consonants in a row and has 18 letters.
I get your point though. :)
I offered a set of 2005 Topps to said video producer so he can use them as flash cards to help with pronunciation. No word back yet.
Yeah, I don't know how to pronounce it either. Now I will just have to mispronounce it on purpose to upset you.
That's why I always say "overrated David Wright". Some guy freaked out about it when it came out of my mouth on our first box break and I have been doing it since.
LOL! Sounds good to me!
:)
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