White Sox honor Buehrle's perfection
Mark Buehrle gladly would trade the 18th perfect game thrown in Major League history, along with all of the accolades to follow, in exchange for enough wins to put the White Sox into the postseason or at least into playoff contention.
But much like 2007, when Buehrle's April no-hitter hurled against Texas served as one of the few highlights of the season, his perfect game against Tampa Bay stands out as one of the few second-half bright spots for the White Sox in 2009.
"That's what it turned out to be," said Buehrle with a laugh, who mentioned the day he threw the perfect game, putting the White Sox in a first-place tie with Detroit, as to how he hoped that moment would not be the season's high point.
"(Paul) Konerko and A.J. (Pierzynski) were saying, 'Just go seven innings next year and win 25 because that way we can win,'" Buehrle said. "It seems like every time I go out there and have a game where something special happens, the rest of the year we don't play good."
Buehrle's perfect game yet again was recognized prior to White Sox stretch for Friday's series opener with the Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field during a team-only ceremony down the left field line. White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf presented Buehrle with a display for his house filled with front-page accounts from around the country of Buehrle's amazing feat, personalized notes from his teammates and memorabilia from July 23.
Reinsdorf also gave Buehrle a ring specially commissioned in honor of the perfect game, and in another typical act of generosity from the White Sox chairman, a ring was also given to Buehrle's father, John.
"Obviously, it shows the class of the organization, the White Sox," Buehrle said. "Jerry, going out there and doing stuff like that. It's a great accomplishment but recognizing it by getting a ring and a big display case for the house, and then going above and beyond getting my dad one. It just shows you how awesome Jerry is."
Much has been made over the years about Buehrle's jokes centering on how he would like to someday pitch for the Cardinals. Actually, Buehrle was dead serious when talking earlier this year about suiting up for a start or two in St. Louis before the end of his career arrived.
Apparently, pitching in St. Louis during the All-Star Game this year temporarily satisfied his desire to work there. Buehrle is happy being one of the faces of the White Sox franchise and ending his highly successful career in Chicago.
"I've said that if I play a couple of more years here and my career ends and I never put a Cardinals jersey on, it's not like my career is unfinished or I would be disappointed," Buehrle said. "Not one percent of me thinks that. I would be honored to just retire here and not play for anyone else.
"When I went to college, going into a new group of guys, the first week I was there, I was ready to go home. You are trying to find a comfort level and meet new people. But once you get to know everybody, you get comfortable and fit right in.
"It was the same way when I got drafted and I got called up here," Buehrle said. "You just get to know people. You are friendly to everyone and hope everyone likes you and you go out and do your job."
But much like 2007, when Buehrle's April no-hitter hurled against Texas served as one of the few highlights of the season, his perfect game against Tampa Bay stands out as one of the few second-half bright spots for the White Sox in 2009.
"That's what it turned out to be," said Buehrle with a laugh, who mentioned the day he threw the perfect game, putting the White Sox in a first-place tie with Detroit, as to how he hoped that moment would not be the season's high point.
"(Paul) Konerko and A.J. (Pierzynski) were saying, 'Just go seven innings next year and win 25 because that way we can win,'" Buehrle said. "It seems like every time I go out there and have a game where something special happens, the rest of the year we don't play good."
Buehrle's perfect game yet again was recognized prior to White Sox stretch for Friday's series opener with the Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field during a team-only ceremony down the left field line. White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf presented Buehrle with a display for his house filled with front-page accounts from around the country of Buehrle's amazing feat, personalized notes from his teammates and memorabilia from July 23.
Reinsdorf also gave Buehrle a ring specially commissioned in honor of the perfect game, and in another typical act of generosity from the White Sox chairman, a ring was also given to Buehrle's father, John.
"Obviously, it shows the class of the organization, the White Sox," Buehrle said. "Jerry, going out there and doing stuff like that. It's a great accomplishment but recognizing it by getting a ring and a big display case for the house, and then going above and beyond getting my dad one. It just shows you how awesome Jerry is."
Much has been made over the years about Buehrle's jokes centering on how he would like to someday pitch for the Cardinals. Actually, Buehrle was dead serious when talking earlier this year about suiting up for a start or two in St. Louis before the end of his career arrived.
Apparently, pitching in St. Louis during the All-Star Game this year temporarily satisfied his desire to work there. Buehrle is happy being one of the faces of the White Sox franchise and ending his highly successful career in Chicago.
"I've said that if I play a couple of more years here and my career ends and I never put a Cardinals jersey on, it's not like my career is unfinished or I would be disappointed," Buehrle said. "Not one percent of me thinks that. I would be honored to just retire here and not play for anyone else.
"When I went to college, going into a new group of guys, the first week I was there, I was ready to go home. You are trying to find a comfort level and meet new people. But once you get to know everybody, you get comfortable and fit right in.
"It was the same way when I got drafted and I got called up here," Buehrle said. "You just get to know people. You are friendly to everyone and hope everyone likes you and you go out and do your job."
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