Mark Buehrle is the Greatest Pitcher of All-time?

Ok, first let me preface this post with the hilarious back story.  A couple of weeks ago I went back to my parent's neighborhood in Schaumburg for the yearly block party.  A few of my buddies from back home, and even a few of their buddies, came over, and we tossed back several beers, played bags, and did what every group of straight guys do: talked sports.

By about 2 a.m. there was a small group of men left out in the street drinking and talking about baseball.  That is when one of the group members made a very bold (bold = drunk) statement: "Mark Buehrle is the greatest pitcher of all time!".  Now right away everybody else launches into our arguments for why Buehrle is not even in the discussion for best of all time, but this guy was hammered drunk.  He wasn't a little buzzed, or even "Oh look, the dude who is normally too uptight has had a few and is now singing karaoke" drunk.  This guy was "Oh crap, he's dancing with the coat rack and peeing in the grandfather clock" drunk. 

So with that in mind, I decided to take a look for myself, and see exactly where I would put Mark Buehrle in the history of great pitchers.

Now, just let me start by saying that I think Mark Buehrle is a very good pitcher.  Here are his career stats and hi-lights:

11 seasons played, 145 wins- 106 losses, .578 win%, 10 consecutive seasons of 10+ wins, 15+ wins 5 times (19 wins in 2002), MLB leader in innings pitched twice (2004, 2005), 1,249 career strikeouts, 502 career walks, career ERA of 3.82, and of course, 2 no-hitters (no-hitter vs. Texas in 2007, perfect game vs. Tampa Bay in 2009).  He has also been an all-star 4 times, won a Gold Glove in 2009, and finished fifth in the Cy Young voting for the American League in 2005.  (All stats for this post were found on the baseball-reference.com website.  Very cool site if you are interested in baseball history and player stats). 

Those are fantastic numbers for any pitcher, don't get me wrong.  Add to those numbers that he won a World Series with the White Sox in 2005, and it wouldn't shock me to see him as a Hall of Fame candidate by the time his playing days are over.  However, the argument was that Mark Buehrle was the greatest of all time.  So, let's compare his numbers to some pitchers who have been considered the best to ever play.

Cy Young (played from 1890-1911): 22 seasons, 511 wins-316 losses, won 30+ games in a season 4 times, career win% of .618, 2803 career strikeouts, 1217 career walks, career ERA of 2.63.  I know Cy Young played in a completely different era, and pitchers nowadays don't start 40 + games in year.  However, Cy Young won a better percentage of the games he started than Buehrle, had a lower ERA, and also got the award for best pitcher of the year in both leagues named after him.  To me, that puts Cy Young right up there with greatest pitchers of all time.  Also note that Cy Young is the career leader in wins.  Nobody will ever win 512 games in a career.  Heck, if a pitcher gets to 300 wins now, that is the major accomplishment.

Sandy Koufax (played from 1955-1966): 12 seasons, 165 wins-87 losses, won 25+ games in a season 3 times, career win% of .655, 2,396 career strikeouts, 817 career walks (almost 3-1 K/BB ratio), averaged 9.3 K/9 innings for his career, 6 consecutive all-star appearances (1961-1966), 1963 MVP, MVP runner-up in 1965 and 1966, 3 time Cy Young winner (1963, 1965, 1966).  4 no-hitters (1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965, which was a perfect game against the Cubs).  4 time World Series Champion (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, all with the Dodgers).  Career ERA of 2.76.  Again, a different era than Buehrle, but Koufax was an unbelievable strikeout pitcher.  He actually held the record for stikeouts in a season (382 in 1965) until Nolan Ryan broke the record years later.  His win percentage is higher than Buehrle's, his K/BB ratio is way better, and he won 4 World Series.  I really wish I could have seen him pitch. One of the best pitchers of all time, and maybe the best left-handed pitcher ever.

One more pitcher, just for fun.

Nolan Ryan (played from 1966-1993...holy crap): 27 seasons, 324 wins, 292 losses, career .526 win%, 5,714 career strikeouts (MLB record), 2,795 career walks (MLB record), 20 game winner two times, 7 career no-hitters, and tied for most no hitters in one season (2 in 1973).  8 time all-star, Cy Young runner up in 1973.  World Series Champion with 1969 New York Mets.  Nolan Ryan was the best strikout pitcher in baseball history.  He currently owns the career strikeout record, and single season strikeout record (383 in 1973).  Although Buehrle has a better win percentage, Nolan Ryan had a better career ERA (3.19).  I can't see Buehrle winning as many games, or pitching many more no hitters.  Nolan Ryan, because of his strikeout numbers, is considered one of the best pitchers of all time.

I will stop the comparisons there, but you get the idea.  I didn't even get to pitchers like Satchel Paige, Bob Gibson, Goose Gossage, Dennis Eckersley, Roger Clemens, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Pedro Martinez, and the list goes on and on.  Heck, you may be able to argue that Mark Buehrle isn't even in the discussion of the best pitchers in the game today.  Anyways, that's my view on it.  This guy at the block party just wouldn't let it go.  In fact, he got so upset that we were so adamant about our stance, that he ended up leaving the party (he actually drove home.  I hope he's ok, I haven't heard from him since.).  It was a hilarious argument though.  I am not saying that Mark Buehrle can't achieve these kinds of numbers.  He is only 31, so 200 wins seems like a good possibility.  I can see how Buehrle would eventually be a Hall of Fame Candidate, but never in the discussion for Greatest Pitcher of All Time.

Go ahead an leave your own thoughts if you'd like to contribute to the argument.  I won't usually be posting things like this, mostly it will be my thoughts on Chicago sports games, team and player moves, standings, playoffs, and stuff like that.  Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend.