• Buehrle is pronounced BURR-lee, just like "burly," which also describes Mark.

• Buehrle grew up 25 minutes from Busch Stadium in St. Louis. He always dreamed of pitching for the Cardinals while growing up. His favorite player?

  "Todd Worrell was my favorite. That's why I wear this "38" necklace. That was his number. I was 38 all through high school. I could have got that number here, but I had such a good year with No. 56, I wasn't going to mess with changing numbers. Gary Glover said he would give me 38 if I wanted, but I wasn't going to change it."

• After being cut from his high school team both his freshman and sophomore years, Buehrle had a good two-year career at Francis Howell North High in St. Charles, Missouri. But he was too small to attract attention from major colleges or pro scouts. He was barely 5 feet tall as a high school sophomore, and only 5-foot-7 when he graduated. But he was in the middle of a growth spurt that took him to his current 6-foot-2. Mark almost didn't go out for baseball his junior year until his father told him, "We didn't raise a quitter."

• Mark was the kid in the back of the classroom, never wanting to be the center of attention. He is still not a vocal team leader. But he is certainly an important part of the pitching staff.
• He used to work in a Pizza Hut back in the day.
• Buehrle's aunt, uncle and grandfather were injured in a car accident in Missouri August 25, 2000. And Mark left the team. His grandfather was in critical condition. Mark was very upset—they were very close.

• Mark normally sports his trademark chin-strap beard. He wears it because he thinks it helps him look mean and more intimidating to the opposition.

• He drives a big truck and loves to go hunting and fishing. And he is a big hockey fan. The reason? "It's fun; it's active; there's fighting going on, which is good. When you go to the game, it's just nonstop action for three periods. I play roller hockey. I can't ice skate. But in high school, a bunch of my friends would go out to the parking lot and just shoot around a lot."

• During the 2002 and 2003 seasons, Mark was the ceremonial "catcher" for the myriad of company presidents, budding starlets, and assorted movers and shakers who get to take the mound for their fleeting moment of big league fame. Buehrle has become sort of the unofficial official catcher of ceremonial first pitches at U.S. Cellular Field.

  ''Josh Paul did it two years ago, and on days when he was catching, I started doing it for him,'' Buehrle said. ''They asked me if I wouldn't mind doing it. It's OK. I don't mind. Plus, they give you stuff for it.'' Stuff? ''Yeah, they have sponsors for it,'' Buehrle continued. ''Last year (2002), we got a TV, washer, and dryer.''

• Mark is very down-to-earth. He drove a car with a cracked engine block for most of his major-league career before spoiling himself with a luxury car he purchased during the 2004 season.

• Buehrle is one of the more straightforward and affable players in baseball. He is unusual in that he is not afraid to speak his mind. But he is also shy, so he tends to race through question-and-answer sessions with reporters.

         SHY REDNECK

• Mark owns 1,200 acres of property in rural Missouri, about 90 minutes from St. Charles, where he enjoys deer and wild turkey hunting in the off-season. Four-wheelers and hunting stands abound. He is a bit of a hillbilly, a country boy. He doesn't like to call attention to himself.

  "My buddies were joking around about one day going on Letterman, and I said I don't know if I could ever do that,'' Buehrle said. "First off, I'm too shy for that. But then they said, 'That's how you become big time.' Well, that's exactly why I wouldn't want to do that. I like just kind of being under the radar and taking care of business.''

  If a fellow passenger on an airplane tries asking Buehrle what he does for a living, most of the time he says he's a businessman. Now he often puts his fiancee, Jamie Streck, between himself and other passengers while flying.

  "I'm not the talking type,'' he said apologetically. "I don't like sitting on the plane.'' (Doug Padilla-Chicago Sun-Times-2/20/05)

• Buehrle proposed to his girlfriend, Jamie Streck, during the winter before 2005 spring training while sitting in a tree stand hunting for deer on his 1,200-acre property in rural Missouri. They were both wearing camouflage.

  "We kind of joked about it when I first met her because she knew how big of a hunter I was,'' Buehrle said. "She always said she could see me proposing to somebody, whenever I got engaged, and doing it in a tree stand. So I had to do it in a tree stand.

  "People say things like, 'Oh, you're such a redneck for doing that.' Well, it kind of is, but I had to surprise her.''

• Buehrle was on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" one day during the winter before 2006 spring training. And that wasn't the weirdest thing that happened that day. The oddest thing came when he was downtown shopping for groceries with his wife, Jamie. At the end of one supermarket aisle, Buehrle froze in his tracks. Staring back at him was a stack of orange Wheaties boxes with Mark Buehrle on the front.

  ''That was pretty cool,'' Buehrle recalled. ''I never thought anything like that would ever happen. You look back on the Wheaties boxes—Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, I mean, some of the people who have been on there. Then you get the opportunity to be on there, it's pretty crazy.'' (Chris De Luca-Chicago Sun Times-2/20/06).

• April 18, 2007: Buehrle pitched the first no-hitter of the 2007 season—it was almost a perfect game—against the Rexas Rangers. He picked off the only hitter he walked in notching the first no-hitter for the White Sox since 1991.

  Mark threw 105 pitches. It was the 16th no-hitter in White Sox history and first since Wilson Alvarez threw one vs. Baltimore on August 11, 1991.

• July 26, 2007: Mark and Jamie Buehrle welcomed their first child, a 7-pound, 11-ounce son named Braden David, into the world.

  And on March 3, 2009, Jamie delivered their 2nd child, a daughter, Brooklyn.

• On September 22, 2007, the evening after a White Sox game in Minneapolis, Buehrle and teammates Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye, and A.J. Pierzynski took a bear-hunting trip following a victory over the Twins, an excursion set up by Twins broadcaster Dan Gladden on the property of a friend. Buehrle made the only kill of the day, using a bow, but it turned into a memorable moment with Thome right beside him.

  "[It was] just a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially going with Jimmy," Buehrle said. "When we got out there, the guy said we could hunt [separately]. But my main thing [was], I wanted to be in the stand with Jim Thome. I turned down hunting by myself to be with him.

  "We weren't together together, but we were close enough [that] he got me on video. First, getting to bear hunt and then getting to hunt with him was more special."

  The quartet went hunting at about 6:00 p.m., giving them about one hour before the sun set. The kill was made from about 20 yards away, and the bear ran about another 30 yards before going down. Buehrle plans to have the head stuffed and have a necklace made out of a bear claw. He added with a smile that Jon Garland expressed interest in getting one, too.

  The kill, which seemed to be a proud moment for the whole group, came in for a little ribbing from manager Ozzie Guillen, who said the bear was not even as big as pitching coach Don Cooper. Buehrle and his teammates also have a video shot by Thome as a keepsake of the evening's events. (Scott Merkin-MLB.com-9/23/07)

• The Buehrle's have three dogs, Diesel, Drake, and Duke. Mark's wife, Jamie, has a successful career in advocacy for canine rights, especially for dogs who don't have homes.

  The Buehrles started a program known as "Sox for Strays," which hosts local animal rescue groups throughout the season at U.S. Cellular Field. They recorded public service announcements featuring dogs available for adoption, and many Chicago residents probably saw them prominently featured on a highway billboard for the Adopt a Pet program funded by Purina.

• In 2013, the Buehrle family had to spend most of the season separated from each other. That development stems from the fact that Ontario has a province-wide ban on pit bulls, which prohibits Buehrle's pet, Slater, and as a result, Buehrle's wife and children, from making the trip north of the border.

  Mark and his family had been down this road before, just not to this extent. Miami-Dade County, where Buehrle played in 2012 with the Marlins, has a similar ban on pit bulls, but the solution was relatively simple, as the 33-year-old opted to live in a neighboring county instead.

  That's simply not an option in Toronto. The closest place Buehrle's family could live with their pets is Buffalo, but that would require a daily commute of at least an hour and half.

  The family was together in Florida for spring training, but at the start of the season, Mark headed north, while his two children and four dogs, three Vizslas and an American Staffordshire terrier, will remain in the United States with his wife, Jamie.

• Buehrle's wife had Orange County Choppers make a surprise bike for Mark to celebrate his perfect game.

• The country boy from outside St. Louis is a soft thrower who works fast, fields his position (four Gold Gloves), and avoids the disabled list like jury duty. As of the start of the 2014 season, Buehrle was working on a streak of 13 straight seasons in which he has made 30-plus starts and worked 200-plus innings. (Editor's note: In 2014, Mark pitched 202 innings. So make that 14 straight seasons.)

  Buehrle's best pitch is a changeup and his style is to pitch to contact. Because Buehrle doesn't throw hard, he's never been a Cy Young contender (in fact he's received votes only in 2005, when he finished fifth). Because of his strikeout rate, naysayers have been predicting his impending doom over at least half of his remarkable career.

  A four-time All-Star, Buehrle has attracted attention with two no-hitters, including a perfect game. But his value is best understood 200 innings at a time. The guy might be the biggest winner in baseball, given how he wins without throwing gas and how infrequently he has been been on top-tier teams.

  Consider this: Buehrle has been a full-time starter since 2001, and his teams with the White Sox, Marlins and Blue Jays have gone 245-184 in his starts. That's a .571 winning percentage, and it compares to a .494 winning percentage (830-851) for his teams when anyone else starts.

  That's the kind of difference a true No. 1 starter is supposed to make, isn't it? Yet Buehrle is never ever mentioned when anyone gets on the subject of the game's best starters. How good is a winning percentage that is 77 points better than your team without you? (Rogers - mlb.com - 4/14/14)

• During a 2014 Blue Jays' road trip to the Big Apple, the rookies got treated to a shopping spree by the veteran Buehrle.

  Buehrle decided to get the rookies fitted for some custom suits. He gathered Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Rob Rasmussen, Ryan Goins, and Todd Redmond at the team hotel and then went to one of his favorite spots.

  "He's like an old-school guy," Stroman said. "He said in his first year he had someone do it, I forgot who he said, one of the veteran guys did it for him, took him out. Pretty cool, Buehrle's the man. He has a lot to offer and he's the most down-to-earth guy, for all the success he's had. It's awesome being around him."

  Stroman said the Blue Jays walked into the store and Buehrle told them to get whatever they wanted. It's a tradition the rookies hope to pass on when they eventually become tenured players in the league.

  "It's neat," said Sanchez. "I'm very appreciative for him to do that for us. It meant a lot to us." (Chisholm - mlb.com - 7/25/14)

• Whatever the case may be, the perfect game, a separate no-hitter, a World Series title and, surprisingly, his only career home run are the career milestones that mean the most to Buerhle.

  “Winning the World Series [in 2005], that’s more of a team thing, that’s the ultimate goal and that was an absolute blast,” Buehrle said. “On a personal level, I’d probably have to go with that and [hitting] the home run [on June 14, 2009 off of Milwaukee’s Braden Looper]. I thought I would never ever get a hit in the big leagues and I ended up getting a home run.

  “Probably the perfect game, because that hasn’t happened very often. When I threw the perfect game and when I hit the home run, that was the same thing. It was like, 'No way that just happened.'” (Merkin - mlb.com - 7/22/19)

  TRANSACTIONS

• June 1998: Mark was a draft-and-follow by the White Sox. He signed just before the 1999 draft for a bonus of $167,000.

• December 11, 2003: The White Sox signed Buehrle to a three-year, $18 million contract. The pact calls for Mark to receive $3.5 million for 2004, $5.75 million in 2005, and $7.75 million in 2006. The Sox's option for 2007 would pay Buehrle $9.5 million, or they could pay a $1 million buyout.

• July 8, 2007: Mark agreed to a four-year, $56 million deal to stay with the White Sox through the 2011 season. Buehrle said he didn't get a complete no-trade clause but there are provisions to compensate for that. His contract calls for $14 million in each of the four years. He has a no-trade provision in the first season. If he is traded during a window in the second or third seasons, the annual salary goes to $15 million that year and a fifth season is added, also at $15 million.

• December 7, 2011: Buehrle agreed to a four-year contract worth $58 million with the Marlins.

  Interestingly, White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf admitted he advised Buehrle to sign with the Marlins.

  "The only thing I can tell you is when Mark told me he had a $56-million, four-year contract offer, I told him he should take it," Reinsdorf said. "I really told Mark he had to take it. At this stage of your career, it's more money than you're worth. He said he was going to take it, but he'll back in four years."

• November 19, 2012: In a 12-player blockbuster trade, Toronto acquired All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes, righthander Josh Johnson, lefthander Mark Buehrle, catcher John Buck, and infielder/outfielder Emilio Bonifacio.

  Going to the Marlins were shortstop Yunel Escobar, infielder Adeiny Hechavarria, righthander Henderson Alvarez, veteran backup catcher Jeff Mathis, outfielder Jake Marisnick, lefthander Justin Nicolino, and righthander Anthony DeSclafani.

  Toronto also reportedly received $4 million as part of the deal to help compensate for the almost $165 million in salary headed to the Blue Jays.

  Buehrle was not happy he was lied to by the Marlins. Both Mark and Jose Reyes reportedly were told they didn't have to worry about being on the move, and had been given verbal no-trade agreements in 2011.

  "Throughout the recruiting process," said Buehrle's agent Jeff Berry, "the Marlins made repeated assurances about their long-term commitment to Mark and his family and their long-term commitment to building a winning tradition of Marlins baseball in the new stadium.  Mark held up his end of the bargain; unfortunately, the same can't be said of the Marlins."

• Buehrle throws a variety of pitches, including an 87-90 mph sneaky FASTBALL, two types of SLIDERs (one that is really a CUTTER that he runs in on the hands of a righthanded hitter; the other is a more conventional slider), a big-breaking overhand CURVE, and a nifty CHANGEUP. 

  "I'm not an overpowering guy, I'm not out there putting a lot of strain on my arm," Buehrle said. "I'm basically throwing 85-90 and not 90 that often."

• 2015 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 28.8% of the time; Sinker 19.6% of the time; Change 21%; Slider 0%; CURVE 9.2%; and Cutter 21.4% of the time.

• In 2001, Buehrle had a scoreless inning streak of 24 2/3 innings that ended June 13. It was the longest streak by a White Sox pitcher since Alex Fernandez went 25 2/3 innings in 1995.
• In 2004, Mark changed the grip on his changeup. "I turn the ball differently now," Buehrle said. "It just feels a lot more comfortable coming out of my hand." 
• He shows excellent poise and finesse on the mound. While Mark has made his living working very quickly to hitters, when the batter attempts slow-down tactics, Buehrle says it doesn't bother his rhythm.

  "They try to make me mad, by stepping out and ruining my motion," Buehrle said. "Guys can keep doing that because I don't care. I just get my sign and go. Mentally, I don't get frustrated," Mark said in 2005.

• His biggest asset may be that he throws strikes. Good things happen to pitchers that throw strikes. And Buehrle stays ahead in the count against almost every hitter. This allows him to go deep into games. However, in 2001, he threw 104 pitches per start—far too many for a 22-year-old pitcher. Historically, most every pitcher is injured, or at least not very effective following that kind of wear on his arm.
• Buehrle pitches inside well, running the ball in on the hitter. And he can pitch to the other side of the plate, too.
• His stuff looks very hittable. But because he throws the ball right where he wants to, he has success. He executes the right pitch when he needs to and keeps hitters off-balance.
• He can go through a batting order several times because he changes his patterns and has different ways to get a hitter out. He changes speeds and picks on the corners.
• Mark works fast, which keeps the defense on its toes. He is one of the fastest-working pitchers in the game.

• Buehrle's success over the years can be traced to commanding four pitches, working quickly, and hitting his spots. He also follows the plan set out by his catchers, going pretty much with whatever they call.

  There are a few exceptions. Buehrle cut back on throwing his cutter during the 2004 campaign, but mentioned that the use of the pitch in 2005 depends on which catcher is behind the plate. Pierzynski calls for the cutter more, while Widger likes to go inside with the fastball.

• In 2002, Mark ranked among the top five pitchers in the American League in wins, innings pitched, shutouts, quality starts, and complete games.
• In 2003, he kept the ball in the park a little better than usual, giving up 22 home runs in 230 innings. (In 2002 he gave up 25 home runs in 239 innings.)

• In 2003, Mark tried to get more movement on his pitches. He began  throwing more sinkers early in the count. When the new approach left him uncharacteristically behind in counts, he was forced to come in with pitches that hitters jumped on. Then White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper suggested a critical change.

  "We moved him over on the rubber, toward third base a few inches, so he was able to throw his two-seamer and changeup to the middle of the plate and to help his cutter in against righties," Cooper said. "And the big difference in the second half was that he did get a bit sharper, but also we scored and played defense. How much say does a pitcher have over a win or loss? Not always that much. There were a lot of funny things that happened to Mark early in that season." (John Mullin-Chicago Tribune-3/21/04)

• In 2004, Buehrle became the first White Sox pitcher to lead the American League in innings pitched since Wilbur Wood in 1973. Buehrle finished with 245 innings pitched and four complete games, a total that ranked second behind Oakland's Mark Mulder, Cleveland's Jake Westbrook, and Sidney Ponson of Baltimore at five.

  Mark credited new workouts with medicine balls, implemented by director of conditioning Allen Thomas, for helping him keep his velocity and endurance up.

• In 2006, Buehrle allowed 36 home runs, a total that stands as a career high, not to mention 16 higher than the 20 he allowed in 2005. He had a very poor second half, posting a 3-7 record with a 6.44 ERA.

  But Mark became one of just seven pitchers in White Sox franchise history to collect 10 or more wins in six straight seasons. And he pitched more than 200 innings for the sixth consecutive season.

• When Buehrle was the starting pitcher on Opening Day in 2009, it was the seventh straight year he was the White Sox starter to open the season. That tied Billy Pierce for the franchise lead.

• On July 23, 2009, Mark pitched the 18th perfect game in Major League history. He beat the White Sox 5-0. (According to baseball-reference.com, a perfect gave has been thrown once in every 43,284 games in history.)

  Buehrle pitched the first perfecto since lefty Randy Johnson pitched one for the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. the Braves on May 18, 2004. Buehrle became one of only 24 pitchers in Major League history who have thrown multiple no-hitters. Buehrle is the sixth to have pitched at least two career no-hitters with one being a perfect game. Johnson, Sandy Koufax, Jim Bunning, Addie Joss, and Cy Young are the others.

  And on July 28, Buehrle retired the first 17 Twins hitters, giving him giving him 45 straight without a baserunner. That is the most in Major League history. The previous record of 41 was shared by White Sox closer Bobby Jenks (July 17-Aug. 12, 2007) and San Francisco's Jim Barr (Aug. 23-29, 1972).

• As of April 15, 2013, Mark had faced every team in the Major Leagues as a 14-year pitcher in The Show.

• 2014: Well known as the fastest-working pitcher in the big leagues, Buehrle's rapid pace has become even more remarkable as the length of games are debated more than ever due to the advent of instant replay.

  So far in 2014 (June 1), Buehrle has averaged 15.8 seconds between pitches, which is a full three seconds quicker than the second-fastest pitcher on the list. It's even quicker than Buehrle's 16.7-second average since the website began tracking pitcher pace in 2007.

  "When he's pitching, you can set dinner plans and you're pretty sure you're going to make them," says Orioles center fielder Adam Jones. "He's rapid fire. He's there to work and work fast."

  Buehrle's quick pace isn't just good for keeping a reservation; fielders typically prefer playing behind a quick worker, who keeps them active and on their toes.

  "I looooove to play behind Buehrle," said shortstop Jose Reyes. "He keeps you in the game; you have to be ready for every pitch."

  Buehrle insists he's not trying to pitch fast. It's just how he's always done it. But he does wish there were more guys like him.

  "It seems like we've played over-three-hour games every time. Three hours used to be a long game, now it's like 3 ½, four is a long game and three is normal."

  This season, the Jays' average game time is three hours and four minutes. When Buehrle starts, games end 16 minutes earlier, on average.

  When Mark was with the White Sox, he sometimes ruined Fireworks Night by finishing games before it got dark.

• Mark really is a rare guy. He doesn't have a conditioning program ("I'm not a guy who goes into the weight room and has a regimen."). Nor does he follow a rigorous between-outing routine. ("I do just enough to get ready for my next start.")

  Not surprisingly, his winter could best be described as restful. ("I don't throw much.") He doesn't read scouting reports on opposing hitters. ("I don't see a need to.") He doesn't watch video of himself or anyone else. ("Why would I want more in my head?") And he rarely shakes off his catcher. ("Who's to say I"m right over him.")

  If you ever find yourself asking the question: "What Would Buehrle Do?" . . . the answer is "nothing." (Chris Jones - ESPN The Magazine - 6/09/2014)

• Markhas been Mr. Reliable throughout his Major League career, and even though he gets older with each passing season, it hasn't made the slightest impact on his overall performance.  It seems like year after year Buehrle defies the odds by continuing at his remarkable pace. There have been better pitchers over the past two decades but nobody has been as consistent.

  On September 24, 2014, Buehrle tossed eight scoreless innings to become the seventh pitcher since 1901 to record at least 200 innings in 14 consecutive seasons. Just as fitting, the milestone was reached in a game that took under two hours to play.

  "You look at some numbers back in the day, 200 innings was a terrible year, those guys were going 400-500 innings," Buehrle said. "I don't know what's changed from then till now, but it seems like each year it's getting harder and harder to get to 200 innings for me. I like to think of myself as a throwback guy just because I like to go out there and have fun, but the game has definitely changed."

  The game might have changed, but the company Buehrle now finds himself in would be impressive regardless of the era. He joined a prestigious group that includes Warren Spahn (17 seasons of 200 innings), Don Sutton (15), Gaylord Perry (15), Phil Niekro (14), Christy Mathewson (14), and Greg Maddux (14).

  Buehrle is the first pitcher in Major League history to record at least 200 innings with 61 or fewer walks in 14 straight years. He surpassed Cy Young, who accomplished the feat from 1897-1909. In addition to the innings milestone, Buehrle has won at least 10 games and made 30 starts in 14 straight years, which is the most since Perry had 15 from 1966-80.

  The streaks are a testament to the success Buehrle's enjoyed at the big league level but also to his ability to stay healthy. Buehrle made his 461st consecutive start without a stint on the disabled list. That's the longest streak in the Majors and reminiscent of an era when pitchers were pushed to their limits year after year.

  "You wish there were more of him, I'll put it that way," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "When you coach and manage on teams, I've been here and different places, he's at the top of my list for not only baseball players but individuals. We all have our issues and things like that, but he does everything right. He's a throwback type of guy. He understands the game, he deals with the game, he just does everything right."  (Chisholm - mlb.com - 9/24/14)

• June 3, 2015: He also became the first Blue Jays pitcher since Roy Halladay in 2009 to record complete games in back-to-back outings.

• "Some guys throw 95, 96 mph and throw no-hitters," Buehrle said.  Buehrle never has been one of those guys.

  "Guys ask me how hard I threw back in the day, and I tell them I proved you can get hitters out at 85, 86 mph," said Buehrle, who did top out at an average of 87 mph in 2007, according to BrooksBaseball.net. "I might have touched 90 on a good day, but I've always been a control guy.

  "Always?  "Since I was a little kid," he said.

  When Buehrle came out of Francis Howell North High School in St. Charles, Mo., in 1997, there wasn't much ado about his baseball potential. Jefferson College, a two-year school in Hillsboro, Mo., was the only school that even offered him a chance to continue his baseball career.

  "I matured late," the 6-foot-2, 240-pounder said.

  "My senior year in high school, people thought I was 12."It wasn't until midway through his first year at Jefferson that Buehrle talked to a pro scout for the first time. "A scout from the Rangers came up to me and handed me a questionnaire," he said. "I thought it was a joke. We had another left-hander, Matt Skyles, who was a sophomore. I thought he might have mistaken the two of us."It was no joke. It was no mistaken identity. 

  "I didn't know I was the first guy and I can't say I discovered him, but there was something about him," said Mike Grouse, an area scout for the Rangers back then, and now one of their professional scouts. "He topped out at 81, 82, but everything worked right."You couldn't see the ball come out of his hand. Velocity is what it is and everyone likes velocity, but when hitters don't see the ball and swing through it, you have to pay attention. I'm not saying I knew he was going to be one of the best pitchers out there, but he was an ideal draft and follow.

  "And that's what Buehrle became, only it was the Chicago White Sox, not the Rangers, who decided to call Buehrle's name in the 38th round of that 1998 Draft, and take advantage of baseball's former rule that allowed teams to negotiate with a junior college player until a week before the following year's Draft.  (Ringolsby - mlb.com - 9/14/15)

• Buehrle began the 2016 season with a career record of 214-160 and a 3.81 ERA. He has allowed 361 home runs and 3,472 hits in 3,283 innings in the Major Leagues.

• Mark has several fine pickoff moves and a quick delivery to the plate. So baserunners have little chance to steal. Buehrle was taught his best pickoff move by J.R. Perdew, who is a White Sox pitching instructor in the minors.
  
  He has one of the best pickoff moves in the game.
• Buehrle pretty much shuts down the running game. Almost nobody even tries to steal anymore. He varies his moves to keep runners close. And he is quick to the plate with a fluid motion that enables his catcher to throw runners out.

• He fields his position well, showing great reactions and has a lot of range.

• In 2008, Mark committed no errors in the 218 2/3 innings he pitched.
  
  And he threw 34 double plays, the most in the Majors.
  
  
  GOLD GLOVER

• In 2009, Buehrle was awarded his first Gold Glove for defensive excellent from the mound.
  
  And, he was the toughest pitcher against baserunners in the Major Leagues, picking off eight while holding them to 8 attempts over 213 innings.
  
  

• In 2010, Mark won his second Rawlings Gold Glove.
  
  For the season, Buehrle produced a Major League-best 11 pickoffs to increase this MLB-leading pickoff total to 74 since 2001 when Buehrle became a starter. Buehrle has 78 career pickoffs.

• In 2011, Buehrle won his third Gold Glove.

• In 2012, Mark won his fourth Gold Glove, but his first in the National League.

• Long considered one of the best fielding pitchers in the game, Buehrle was previously blocked by Kenny Rogers, Mike Mussina, and even Johan Santana in pursuit of this individual prize.
  
  His Gold Glove recognition in 2009 left Buehrle and Jim Kaat (1974-75) as the only White Sox pitchers to be judged as the single-season defensive best.

           POST-SEASON RETIREMENT

• June 24, 2017: It was a family affair during the ceremony for the retirement of Mark Buehrle's No. 56 jersey prior to the White Sox game against the A's. His daughter, Brooklyn, threw the first pitch to her father, who changed positions for the occasion.

  Braden, the other Buehrle offspring, had a more extended opportunity in the spotlight as he walked onto the field with his father: And he followed that fanfare with one of the cutest performances of the national anthem this 2017 season. Braden showcased his angelic soprano pipes to the people of Chicago. For a 9-year-old boy, he had impressive composure in the moment, not letting the excitement of the occasion distract from the task at hand. The elder Buehrle attributed that composure to dedicated preparation. Braden had apparently been ready for his performance for a month.

  Knowing the extent of his son's preparation, Buehrle told MLB.com's Scott Merkin that he wasn't worried. "I was more nervous for me," Buehrle said. "Everybody kept asking, 'Are you nervous for your son and daughter?' No, because Braden the whole time said 'I'm ready to go, let's do this.'" Once he finished, though, he let himself enjoy the moment with a shy smile. The performance led to calls among fans to bring Braden into the fold as a regular anthem singer at White Sox games. His dad, however, was ready to get back home to Missouri -- he had a softball game to get to. "I told them to be on standby because I don't know what time we are leaving," said Buehrle, who bats cleanup and plays first base. (M Clair and S Merkin - MLB.com - June 24. 2017)

• June 24, 2017: Mark Buehrle was a White Sox ace and a fan favorite because he threw strikes and worked quickly. What he didn't have was a blazing fastball. So, while the team spent Saturday's 10-2 loss against the A's honoring the southpaw by retiring his number, they knew they also had to bring him down a peg. When his daughter, Brooklyn, came out to throw the first pitch to her dad, they got the chance. Her radar gun reading: 85 mph! They then included this helpful little tidbit: The elder Buehrle averaged just 77 mph at his peak. (He actually averaged 85 for his career.) 

  Turns out, there's a story behind the prank. "Well, I joked with Brooks [Boyer, the White Sox vice president and chief marketing officer] that she originally didn't want to do it until about three days ago," Buehrle told MLB.com's Scott Merkin. "I said she's such a sweetheart that she's afraid she's going to throw harder than her daddy is going to and that's why she's not doing it."

  "So I mentioned that to Brooks and the next thing you know he got on his phone and you could see him typing it up. I knew something was going to be out there," Buehrle added. "I like that stuff. I think it's awesome." (M Clair and S Merkin - MLB.com - June 24, 2017)

 

• September 2006: Buehrle admitted a back problem that sent him home for precautionary measures from Boston in September bothered him during the course of the campaign. But he insisted that pain never affected him on the mound.
  
  "The only problem I had was [with] my back and that didn't even hurt me when I threw," Buehrle said. "At certain times, in between starts, doing certain stuff when I throw, it would hurt. But it was not an issue with me and throwing."