Covering University of Colorado sports, mostly basketball, since 2010

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Quick Post: On the departure of Mark Buehrle

You probably don't care, but I don't care that you don't care.  Mark Buehrle leaving the South Side is one of the sadder moments of my life as a sports fan.
I wish I got to see one more tarp slide.
I don't think it's a coincidence that from the time Mark reached the club (2000) thorough his departure (yesterday) the Sox never went through a true rebuilding process, and rarely found themselves mired in a losing season.  He was a fantastic pitcher, and my second favorite player in Sox history (no one will ever dislodge Frank Thomas).

His career statistics, to this point all produced in a Sox uniform, read like someone potentially destined for the Hall-of-Fame, if he has the desire to play long enough.  A World Series ring, 3 Gold Gloves, 4 All-Star selections, two no-hitters (including a perfect game), an MLB record for most consecutive batters retired, 42 games over .500 on his career record, and a 3.82 career ERA.  All that from a 38th round draft pick.
Mr perfect has left the South Side.
For over a decade, he defined pitching excellence in the American League, and, while not necessarily "dominant," he helped form my basic understanding of the word "pitcher."

He also has a comically-large truck:

I'll miss you Mark.  Do work, get paid.

2 comments:

JT said...

He gets to pitch for Ozzie and wear black (when it isn't orange). Have the Marlins become the White Sox South?

~Tuba John

RumblinBuff said...

Well, we were almost relocated to tampa in 1989, so it makes some sense.