The Art of Pitching Still Works: Honoring Mark Buehrle and What Today’s Game Has Lost
On July 11, 2025, the Chicago White Sox will unveil a statue of Mark Buehrle—a well-earned tribute to one of the most reliable starting pitchers of his era.
But this honor goes beyond personal accolades.It represents something deeper that baseball is quietly losing: the art of pitching.
What If This Happened Today?
Imagine this in today’s game…
A 22-year-old rookie makes 32 starts, throws 221 innings, wins 16 games, and never misses a turn in the rotation.
Now imagine that same pitcher repeating that durability for the next nine consecutive seasons, averaging:
33 starts
220 innings
14 wins
That’s not a hypothetical. That’s exactly what Mark Buehrle delivered for the White Sox.
Buehrle Didn’t Throw 98 — But He Won
For most of his career, Buehrle sat 88–91 mph, walked fewer than two batters per nine innings, and struck out just five.He didn’t chase strikeouts. He pitched to contact.And yet, he accomplished what few pitchers ever have:
5x All-Star
World Series Champion
No-hitter and Perfect Game
Over $136 million earned in a 16-year career
He didn’t dominate hitters. He beat them.
A Workhorse in the Steroid Era
Buehrle’s 2002 season is a masterclass in durability and efficiency.
Threw 104 pitches in his first start
Completed 31 starts of at least 6 innings
Surpassed 100 pitches in 24 of those games
Finished with 239 innings and 19 wins
And he did it in the steroid era, against some of the most dangerous lineups in baseball history.
Why Aren’t There More Buehrles?
The answer is simple: Today’s game doesn’t reward them.
We’re watching too many young pitchers trade 20% of their execution for a 2% increase in velocity. And with the way pitching development is structured—from amateur ball to the professional ranks—the system isn’t designed to produce pitchers like Buehrle anymore.
Velocity gets the attention. Strikeouts get the highlights. But what gets lost is the ability to go deep into games, limit damage, and consistently give your team a chance to win.
The Art of Pitching Still Matters
Buehrle is a reminder that pitching isn’t just about output metrics. It’s about understanding tempo, sequencing, efficiency, and feel. Pitchers like him can still exist in today’s game. But it will take a shift in how we develop, measure, and value them.
At DVS Baseball, we believe in this shift. We’re building tools like DVS X-Ray and our Delivery Value System to assess injury risk and performance potential and help pitchers understand how to last.
Because the radar gun doesn’t tell the whole story. Outs matter. Durability matters. Wins still matter.
And that’s why Mark Buehrle is getting a statue.
Because the art of pitching still works. It always has.
