Mark Buehrle-Future Hall of Famer?

[rangercal]

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/news/story?id=4354199

 

Ryan impressed by Buehrle's perfection

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By Kevin Ware

Special to ESPNChicago.com

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The man with the most no-hitters in baseball history was impressed with Mark Buehrle's display of perfection on Thursday, and Nolan Ryan said he wouldn't rule out Buehrle joining him in the Hall of Fame.

 

"I think it really depends on what happens between now and when he retires, so you certainly wouldn't rule that out," Ryan said on the "Waddle & Silvy" show on ESPN 1000. "It really comes down to where he's positioned right now, and seeing what happens in the remainder of his career.

 

"But obviously, playing in the World Series and playing on a World Series winner, those are things that certainly help get you recognition."

 

Ryan, who is the president of the Texas Rangers, was inducted into the HOF in 1999 after finishing his spectacular career with seven no-hitters, a 324-292 record and a 3.19 ERA over 27 seasons. Ryan also is the career leader with 5,714 strikeouts.

 

Buehrle, 30, is 133-90 with a 3.76 ERA over 10 seasons. His numbers may never line up with Ryan's, but he does have one notch on his belt that the former fireball pitcher doesn't: A perfect game.

 

"It was fun to watch the highlights of that game last night," Ryan said.

 

 

 

 

How cool would it be if MB wrapped up 10 more years in a sox uni to close out a HOF career? Considering most of us were huge sox fans when he came up through the minors, it would be awesome.

[WCSox]

Mark's career is on track to be a lot like David Cone's (minus the multiple championships). So it'll be interesting to see how the HOF voters treat Conie.

Edited July 25, 2009 by WCSox

[wilmot825]

If Buehrle puts up 200 wins, i can say for sure...but if hes less than 200 than idk

[Balta1701]

Frankly, it's going to depend on how long he wants to pitch for.

[maggsmaggs]

Mark is going to have to get 250 wins to even be in the discussion, IMO.

[SoxFan1]

Mark is going to have to get 250 wins to even be in the discussion, IMO.

Let's say he pitched 6 more years and averages 12 wins a season (a conservative number IMO), that puts him at 205. I think 225+ gets him in.

[santo=dorf]

Tim McCarver said Buehrle wants to pitch at least 1 inning in a Redbirds uniform. Anyone else here about this?

[kapkomet]

Tim McCarver said Buehrle wants to pitch at least 1 inning in a Redbirds uniform. Anyone else here about this?

*yawn*

 

[WCSox]

Mark is going to have to get 250 wins to even be in the discussion, IMO.

 

I don't know about that. By the time that Mark is eligible, 250 might mean automatic induction.

 

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

I love Buehrle, but hes not a hall of famer. He'll never go down as a dominant pitcher of this generation. His career will go down a lot like Andy Petitte or Cone, who aren't Hall of Famers.

[WCSox]

I love Buehrle, but hes not a hall of famer. He'll never go down as a dominant pitcher of this generation. His career will go down a lot like Andy Petitte or Cone, who aren't Hall of Famers.

 

No offense to Mark, but that's pretty much where I stand. Those comparisons are pretty accurate.

 

[Kalapse]

If you're looking for your non sequitur discussion concerning animal rights take a look at the Filibuster. This is BASEBALL forum, where BASEBALL topics are discussed.

[claydude14]

I hope Buehrle stays in the hunt for the HOF by continuing to pitch in a White Sox uniform for a long time to come.

[MexSoxFan#1]

Mark is going to have to get 250 wins to even be in the discussion, IMO.

Wow,thats a really high bar you've set...and you need at least 250 to even be in the discussion?

Thats an average of 15 wins for 17 years,there won't be many pitchers in the HOF from this point on if you need at least 250 wins to even be considered,in this day and age of bullpens being a huge part of the game and thus blowing many wins a starter might have,there isn't going to be many 250+ wins starters in baseball anymore.

 

I think 200 plus should be more of a realistic standard for HOF status,IMO.

[maggsmaggs]

Wow,thats a really high bar you've set...and you need at least 250 to even be in the discussion?

Thats an average of 15 wins for 17 years,there won't be many pitchers in the HOF from this point on if you need at least 250 wins to even be considered,in this day and age of bullpens being a huge part of the game and thus blowing many wins a starter might have,there isn't going to be many 250+ wins starters in baseball anymore.

 

I think 200 plus should be more of a realistic standard for HOF status,IMO.

I mean this is the Hall of Fame. It is supposed to be exclusive and the bar should set really high. The negative on Mark is that he has never been a dominant, top-5 pitcher in the majors leagues. Granted, every year he has worn a uniform, he has pitched as a top-15 pitcher in the majors, but remarkable consistency can only get you so far. Look at Bert Blyleven, who was a very consistent pitcher, similar to Buehrle in that regard even though their pitching styles were different. He won 287 games, won 2 WS, is 5th on the career K list and has thrown a no-hitter himself. He isn't in the HOF.

 

Now, I completely agree that the system is going to change with regard to wins because 300 is downright ridiculous now and there may never be another one. But Mark can't separate himself from other current major leaguers except for wins because of his durability. Sure, he has the perfect game and no-hitter, but the Hall of Fame is based on a career. By your standards, you would include in the Hall of Fame a guy like Chuck Finley in the hall. I feel pretty strongly in saying that if Mark doesn't win 250 games, there ain't a shot he gets into the hall because he was never an elite pitcher in his day.

[witesoxfan]

Mark's career is on track to be a lot like David Cone's (minus the multiple championships). So it'll be interesting to see how the HOF voters treat Conie.

 

I believe Nostradamus has spoken. So it is.

 

(I do pray about one more every now and then)

[MexSoxFan#1]

Based on those numbers,Blyleven should be a shoo-in...

[Balta1701]

Based on those numbers,Blyleven should be a shoo-in...

Different eras.

[Jeremy]

I love Buehrle, but hes not a hall of famer. He'll never go down as a dominant pitcher of this generation. His career will go down a lot like Andy Petitte or Cone, who aren't Hall of Famers.

 

By far the biggest difference between those two and Glavine is that Glavine started ~ 170 more games in his career, which just again underscores that perhaps the biggest factor will be how long Mark wants to pitch and how well his arm holds up.

[ILMOU]

Mark's career is on track to be a lot like David Cone's (minus the multiple championships). So it'll be interesting to see how the HOF voters treat Conie.

 

Thing is, though, Buehrle's performance is less stuff-dependent than almost anyone else. He can have Moyer-like longevity if thats what he wants to do. Most pitchers "lose it" at some point. (witness Smoltz 2009) Buehrle will quite possibly be an exception to that rule.

 

[WCSox]

Thing is, though, Buehrle's performance is less stuff-dependent than almost anyone else. He can have Moyer-like longevity if thats what he wants to do. Most pitchers "lose it" at some point. (witness Smoltz 2009) Buehrle will quite possibly be an exception to that rule.

 

Actually, Smoltz "lost it" back in the late '90s when he had elbow surgery. Dude had a 97 mph heater prior to that. Like Pedro, he figured out a way to get guys out with lesser stuff. But I'm getting off topic...

 

Agreed that Buehrle very well could have Moyer-like longevity. But he'd have to pitch into his 40's to get anywhere close to 300 wins (250 is much more realistic, and even that would be very tough). I have no idea what he's going to do, but he seemed to indicate not too long ago that he's not interested in hanging around the game for that long. But who knows... it's not like pro athletes haven't changed their minds before (*cough*Favre*cough*).

 

[qwerty]

Actually, Smoltz "lost it" back in the late '90s when he had elbow surgery. Dude had a 97 mph heater prior to that. Like Pedro, he figured out a way to get guys out with lesser stuff. But I'm getting off topic...

 

Smoltz's fastball velocity-

 

2002- 95.1

 

2003- 97.1

 

2004- 95.3

 

2005- 92.3

 

2006- 92.7

 

2007- 92.5

 

2008- 92.5

 

2009- 91.3

[Jeremy]

Thing is, though, Buehrle's performance is less stuff-dependent than almost anyone else. He can have Moyer-like longevity if thats what he wants to do. Most pitchers "lose it" at some point. (witness Smoltz 2009) Buehrle will quite possibly be an exception to that rule.

 

Losing a tick on his fastball here and there is less of a concern for Mark than other pitchers but anyone can injure his shoulder one day and see his career end in the blink of an eye. Just look at the article that Parque, who wasn't a hard thrower himself, wrote: he felt something suddenly snap in his shoulder when he was throwing a pitch in the playoffs and then after that he could never hit 80 again or get the same life on his pitches again.

[LZPride08]

has there been a pitcher(s) that has a Perfect Game in his career but hasn't been inducted to the HOF?... i thought THAT itself was a shoe-in to the HOF

[ILMOU]

Losing a tick on his fastball here and there is less of a concern for Mark than other pitchers but anyone can injure his shoulder one day and see his career end in the blink of an eye. Just look at the article that Parque, who wasn't a hard thrower himself, wrote: he felt something suddenly snap in his shoulder when he was throwing a pitch in the playoffs and then after that he could never hit 80 again or get the same life on his pitches again.

Buehrle's motion just seems so effortless in comparison to others. God only knows if he'll want to keep going long enough to accrue HOF numbers.

 

Thing is, if he were traded to the Redbirds at some point, or signs with them after a contract expiration, he might feel more comfortable with his family situation and pitch longer.

 

Not an ideal scenario, obviously, but I for one, will remain a big fan of his in another uniform. No worries about him winding up with an AL or Central division foe.

 

I'm just hoping for a few more years on the South side after the current deal ends.