Mark Buehrle appreciation thread?

[Donny Lucy's Avocado Farm]

If I had money, I'd buy Mark Buehrle one of these to match his ridiculous truck.

 

 

Thanks for everything, Mark.

 

*tear*

[Quin]

I'd be pretty damn shocked if Buehrle weren't back next year. See also: sad.

 

 

 

[Soxfest]

Thanks MB for years and WS title, time is now to finish your dreams and pitch for STL next year.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Thanks MB for years and WS title, time is now to finish your dreams and pitch for STL next year.

 

Not happening. Their rotation is set next year. All of their funds are going towards resigning that 1B.

[Texsox]

Maybe they should open a Hall of Nice Guys who played Forever? Matt Stairs & Sean Casey, your plaques are ready.

 

Instead of a hall of drug abusers and cheats? Sure. The hall is a celebration of baseball. Would you rather have Clemens and his stats in the hall for future generations to see? here is what baseball values . . . Stats and a needle in your ass. America's game

[Milkman delivers]

Instead of a hall of drug abusers and cheats? Sure. The hall is a celebration of baseball. Would you rather have Clemens and his stats in the hall for future generations to see? here is what baseball values . . . Stats and a needle in your ass. America's game

 

It's mostly a celebration of baseball statistics and achievement.

[Soxfest]

Not happening. Their rotation is set next year. All of their funds are going towards resigning that 1B.

It is far from not happening IMO.

[kitekrazy]

The thread is somewhat premature.

[Texsox]

It's mostly a celebration of baseball statistics and achievement.

 

Tough to celebrate guys who achieved because of cheating, well for most people it is. So at the end of his career. and he'll need many more years of 12-15 wins, would you rather visit the hall and see a video of Mark's no hitters and him sliding on a tarp, pitching in a World Series, smiling, or Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, etc etc? Which promotes the game of baseball more? It should be a celebration, but is it when this era produced so many dark moments? That's also a reason why I believe the hall needs Frank in on the first ballot.

[hogan873]

Tough to celebrate guys who achieved because of cheating, well for most people it is. So at the end of his career. and he'll need many more years of 12-15 wins, would you rather visit the hall and see a video of Mark's no hitters and him sliding on a tarp, pitching in a World Series, smiling, or Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, etc etc? Which promotes the game of baseball more? It should be a celebration, but is it when this era produced so many dark moments? That's also a reason why I believe the hall needs Frank in on the first ballot.

Well put.

[Milkman delivers]

Tough to celebrate guys who achieved because of cheating, well for most people it is. So at the end of his career. and he'll need many more years of 12-15 wins, would you rather visit the hall and see a video of Mark's no hitters and him sliding on a tarp, pitching in a World Series, smiling, or Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, etc etc? Which promotes the game of baseball more? It should be a celebration, but is it when this era produced so many dark moments? That's also a reason why I believe the hall needs Frank in on the first ballot.

 

You're making it sound like it has to be Baines/Buehrle or the steroid guys. None of them needs to be in there. There's no prerequisite for how many players need to be elected every year. There are still enough guys that are honorable and have the numbers to back it up. The last thing the Hall of Fame needs is more dilution.

 

I just get sick of hearing about Harold Baines being a Hall of Famer. He's simply not one. As soon as they open up a Hall of Pretty Good, he can be the first enshrined as far as I'm concerned. You're letting your personal bias of having watched and rooted for the guy cloud your judgment. The voters got it right, as I don't think he's ever gotten anywhere near enough votes to get in.

[LittleHurt05]

Tough to celebrate guys who achieved because of cheating, well for most people it is. So at the end of his career. and he'll need many more years of 12-15 wins, would you rather visit the hall and see a video of Mark's no hitters and him sliding on a tarp, pitching in a World Series, smiling, or Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, etc etc? Which promotes the game of baseball more? It should be a celebration, but is it when this era produced so many dark moments? That's also a reason why I believe the hall needs Frank in on the first ballot.

 

So now we should induct players based on how much fun they had?

 

I get your point, and I'm sure there are exhibits showing how much fun baseball could be. Mark probably already has a place in the building with his perfect game.

 

But we are talking about inducting the all-time best players into the HOF, not just guys that were friendly, nice, or likeable. And if guys became the best by cheating, then that's a whole different argument too, I'm not saying we should all worship them either.

[southsider2k5]

So now we should induct players based on how much fun they had?

 

I get your point, and I'm sure there are exhibits showing how much fun baseball could be. Mark probably already has a place in the building with his perfect game.

 

But we are talking about inducting the all-time best players into the HOF, not just guys that were friendly, nice, or likeable. And if guys became the best by cheating, then that's a whole different argument too, I'm not saying we should all worship them either.

 

I get what you are trying to say, but it is this very mentality that is sucking the fun out of the GAME of baseball. It isn't just about what statistics a player puts up. If that were really the case, it would be easy to write an algorithm and let it decide who should be in the HOF.

[southsider2k5]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...ws&c_id=cws

 

CLEVELAND -- The 160th victory of Mark Buehrle's illustrious career was achieved Wednesday night at Progressive Field during the left-hander's 46th career start against the Indians.

 

Buehrle also has made 49 starts each against Kansas City and Minnesota, with 33 coming against the Tigers. He has an 82-58 career record against American League Central opponents, underscoring his overall dominance. But the veteran free-agent-to-be told MLB.com on Thursday that moving to the National League for the final stage of his big league run could be appealing with the lack of opponents' familiarity.

 

"I've thought about that," Buehrle said. "One, just to see how another organization is run. This is all I've known.

 

"But yeah, it's one of those things where it would be kind of an interesting challenge to switch leagues and see how the National League is. Plus an extra bonus is you get to hit. Not that it's a good thing, but you will just be a little bit more involved in the game."

 

With one career homer and a .106 average, Buehrle might not want to base his next signing on the chance to regularly swing a bat. He does have the all-time lead in Interleague wins and Interleague win percentage, and a switch to the NL would allow him to move away from hitters such as the Twins' Michael Cuddyer, who has 104 career at-bats against him.

 

"With how many pitches you've thrown him, he's seen everything you've got and then some," said Buehrle, using the Cuddyer matchup as an example of AL Central familiarity. "You are trying to trick him and trying to invent stuff and make up stuff to try to get him out.

 

"You look at that part where you face guys that many times, it seems like the advantage switches over to them. Switching leagues where guys haven't seen you as much, it might favor you."

 

Ultimately, this free-agent process is a new experience for the 12-year veteran. So it will be learn as they go for Buehrle and his family.

 

"It's going to be sit back and see what happens," Buehrle said. "I've never been in this spot, so I don't know if we are supposed to make calls or waiting for them kind of thing.

 

"I'm willing or wanting to play for a couple of more years. Whatever teams are out there, I'll find a suburban place to live that's comfortable for my family and go from there."

[fathom]

I get what you are trying to say, but it is this very mentality that is sucking the fun out of the GAME of baseball. It isn't just about what statistics a player puts up. If that were really the case, it would be easy to write an algorithm and let it decide who should be in the HOF.

 

But then you get someone like Sosa that was a cheater AND played the game with a smile

[LittleHurt05]

I get what you are trying to say, but it is this very mentality that is sucking the fun out of the GAME of baseball. It isn't just about what statistics a player puts up. If that were really the case, it would be easy to write an algorithm and let it decide who should be in the HOF.

 

Once you started paying players $10-20 million a season, baseball stopped being a GAME. I'm not saying you can't celebrate guys like Mark. There just should be some exclusivity to the Hall of Fame, as there has been.

[Milkman delivers]

I get what you are trying to say, but it is this very mentality that is sucking the fun out of the GAME of baseball. It isn't just about what statistics a player puts up. If that were really the case, it would be easy to write an algorithm and let it decide who should be in the HOF.

 

Baseball has ALWAYS been a game of stats, always. The criteria for induction into the Hall of Fame has always been stats. There might be a few exceptions, but that's how it's always been. You're confusing "the game" with the Hall of Fame.

[Milkman delivers]

That part about wanting to see how other organizations are run is pretty interesting. You wonder if he meant anything more by it. Either way, it does sound like he's seriously thinking about leaving.

[Soxfest]

That part about wanting to see how other organizations are run is pretty interesting. You wonder if he meant anything more by it. Either way, it does sound like he's seriously thinking about leaving.

STL is very much in play IMO.

[Jordan4life_2007]

STL is very much in play IMO.

 

You keep saying this without any sound reasoning behind it.

 

Next year's Cardinals rotation:

 

Adam Wainwright: $9 million

Chris Carpenter: $11 million

Kyle Lohse: $12 millon

Jake Westbrook: $8.5 million

Jaime Garcia: arbitration eligible

 

They've got two of the top pitching prospects in the game in Shelby Miller and Carlos Martinez (with the former being nearly big-league-ready).

 

Lance Berkam was just re-upped for 1 year, $12 million. They've got a club option on Yadier Molina (he's going to get a nice raise). Then, of course, they have a 1B to worry about that's going to command upwards of $30 million a year. Suffice it to say, Mark Buehrle is nowhere near a priority for them at this point.

Edited September 23, 2011 by Jordan4life

[fathom]

That part about wanting to see how other organizations are run is pretty interesting. You wonder if he meant anything more by it. Either way, it does sound like he's seriously thinking about leaving.

 

Agreed...I could see him being a perfect fit as a 4th or 5th starter for the Phillies.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Baseball has ALWAYS been a game of stats, always. The criteria for induction into the Hall of Fame has always been stats. There might be a few exceptions, but that's how it's always been. You're confusing "the game" with the Hall of Fame.

 

Yes. The baseball HOF gets on my nerves sometimes (I.E. Roberto Alomar not making it on his first try). But they almost always eventually get it right. Unlike the basketball HOF in which you simply had to have dribbled a ball at some point and you're in. Matter of fact, just as I typed this I think fathom just got voted into the basketball hall of fame. Congrats, fathom.

[Balta1701]

Agreed...I could see him being a perfect fit as a 4th or 5th starter for the Phillies.

I find that really hard to see...unless they let Oswalt walk without picking up his option.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I find that really hard to see...unless they let Oswalt walk without picking up his option.

 

Not to mention Hamels is about to get PAID after next season.

[fathom]

Yes. The baseball HOF gets on my nerves sometimes (I.E. Roberto Alomar not making it on his first try). But they almost always eventually get it right. Unlike the basketball HOF in which you simply had to have dribbled a ball at some point and you're in. Matter of fact, just as I typed this I think fathom just got voted into the basketball hall of fame. Congrats, fathom.

 

I'd like to thank AC Green for making me feel like Wilt Chamberlain.

I'd like to thank Chris Dudley for making me feel like I had good form on my free throws.

I'd like to thank my children for never tweeting during the season.