Buehrle remains on ballot; Peavy, A.J. done

January 26th, 2022

CHICAGO -- Mark Buehrle received 5.8 percent of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in his second year on the Hall of Fame ballot, with the left-hander passing the 5 percent minimum and able to stay on the ballot for a third year. He received 23 votes in 2022 after earning 44 votes (11 percent) in his first year.

David Ortiz was the only electee in results announced on Tuesday night.

Buehrle was a model of consistency over his 16-year career, with spectacular accomplishments mixed in along the way. Beginning in 2001, Buehrle posted 15 straight seasons with at least 198 innings pitched, at least 30 starts and double-digit victories. He pitched 198 2/3 innings for the Blue Jays in 2015 in his final campaign, leaving him 1 1/3 innings short of throwing 200 innings in 15 straight seasons.

His highest Cy Young finish was fifth in 2005, when he helped the White Sox capture their first World Series title in 88 seasons. He posted a 16-8 record with a 3.12 ERA in ’05, throwing seven innings in Game 2 of the World Series and coming back to get the save in the 14th inning of Game 3.

While pitching for the White Sox, Marlins and Blue Jays, Buehrle made five All-Star appearances and earned four Gold Gloves. He also no-hit the Rangers at U.S. Cellular Field in 2007, threw a perfect game against the Rays at home in 2009 and even homered against the Brewers in 2009.

A.J. Pierzynski, who was on the ballot for the first time, caught Buehrle for seven seasons in Chicago.

“I know Mark was one of the best teammates, one of the best pitchers I ever played with, one of the best competitors I ever played with,” Pierzynski told MLB.com during a recent interview. "He’s got a perfect game, no-hitter, the All-Star Games, he’s got a World Series. He’s got a bunch of great stories.

“Listen, I look at it and I know how hard it is to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I look at other sports and I’m like, [in] football there’s more players. They let seven guys in per year automatically. It would lessen it a little bit. But if you look at the 2000s, is baseball better because Mark Buehrle played in it? Absolutely.”

Pierzynski received two votes (0.5 percent) and dropped off the ballot after one year,. Right-hander Jake Peavy, who pitched for the White Sox from 2009-13, also dropped off the ballot after one year after receiving no votes.

Other players with White Sox connections who received votes are Andruw Jones (41.1 percent), Manny Ramirez (28.9 percent), Sammy Sosa (18.5 percent in his 10th and final year on the ballot), Omar Vizquel (23.9 percent) and Jimmy Rollins (9.4 percent).