What a month it has been in baseball. Jarrod Washburn and Jason Marquis were one and two hits away respectively from perfect games, and last week Jonathan Sanchez was one error away from a perfecto. Now, on July 23rd, Mark Buerhle has done what these other pitchers could not accomplish, and has thrown the 18th perfect game in the history of baseball.
Unbelievably it is the second no-hitter of Buehrle’s career, as he also threw one on April 18th, 2007. He is the first pitcher since Randy Johnson to throw a perfect game, who is coincidently also the last pitcher to throw two no-hitters.
Unfortunately, I was not able to watch the game, but from all accounts it was a 116 pitch gem for the ages. Buehrle struck out six batters and the Rays only managed three line drives, while grounding out eleven times. The highlight of the game was defensive substitution Dewayne Wise elevating at full speed to bring back a Gabe Kapler home run to begin the ninth. Unbelievable.
I could not pick a better guy for this to happen to than Mark Buehrle. He has always been one of my favourite pitchers, and despite his no-hitter remains underrated in my books. He has thrown over 200 innings in each of his eight seasons in the big leagues, and is well on his way to his ninth. He has won 133 games, owns a career 123 ERA+, and has only twice put up a full season ERA over 4.00. He has never been on the disabled list, something which not many starting pitchers can attest too. If there was ever a sure thing every five days, it is Mark Buehrle. Yet he is somehow NEVER mentioned in the discussion of the best pitchers in the league. Heck, he is not even considered an ace by most.
So here is to you Mark Buerhle, enjoy your historic moment.
Well said, Ryan. Buerhle is underrated by all, if not completely forgotten. I believe the reasons to be that he is not a flashy power pitcher and that he never puts up mind-blowing numbers; he doesn’t strike out ten guys a game and he never finishes the season with a 2.80 ERA, for example. Those are not knocks on the guy by any means. He is at truly phenomenal pitcher and he deserves more attention than gets. This will now hopefully give him just that.
One more comment: I find it surprising that Buehrle threw 116 pitches. That seems a tad high for a guy who is known for his efficiency, and didn’t waste pitches surrendering any hits or walks. I didn’t watch the game but I can only assume that he went into many deep counts and had balls fouled off. That, to me, makes his game all the more great: He was always battling, and he never faltered.
Also, he had to have had a little luck. He obviously had luck with Wise’s play and the foul line drive down the line, but he must have had just overall luck throughout the game.
That is a good point, there is nothing “sexy” about the way Buerhle operates. He is just an efficient out-getter, and that does not make the highlights. There was an article on SI a couple months into the season, when Buerhle had made about a dozen starts, and he only broke 90 MPH in one of his games. Chicks do not dig the Jamie Moyer fastball.
There was a couple of hard foul balls down the left field line. Upton absolutely crushed one about 250 feet, and then there was the one that just about took out the umpire.
If you divide 116 pitches by 27 batters you get 4.3 pitces per batter, so yes, Buerhle was certainly battling for every out.
Another fun fact. Both of Buerhle’s no hitter’s were 2:03 long and had the same umpire.
Baseballbriefs.com tracking back Mark Buehrle Shuts Down The Rays To Throw 18th Perfect Game in History …
Baseballbriefs.com tracking back Mark Buehrle Shuts Down The Rays To Throw 18th Perfect Game in History …