This article is part of our Mound Musings series.
So, the 2015 Fantasy season is nearly in the books. For some, there will be titles to celebrate, and for others, there will be "wait until next year" planning to do. That said, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of my readers for following the Musings, and for contributing with comments and questions. That's what I enjoy most! Technically, last week's Kid's On Parade column was my last of this season, but I want to toss one more little tidbit into the kettle.
I want to talk, just for a minute, about Toronto's Mark Buehrle.
He's not a blue chip prospect. Heck, he was a 38th-round draft pick way back when. He's not a kid with a cannon for an arm. His fastball sits somewhere in the 83-84 mph range. In shallow leagues, he might not even be on a roster. At age 36, Buehrle is a "what you see, is what you get" fantasy commodity. His WHIP is typically in the 1.20-1.30 range (1.22 this season) and you usually get an ERA in the 3.50-4.00 range (3.76 this year). Those aren't bad, but with only 88 strikeouts, his value to a fantasy team is a bit limited.
Buehrle does give you a chance for some wins. Pitching in front of the explosive Blue Jays' offense, and frequently getting deep into the contest, he has logged 14 wins this year. In fact, he's provided double-digit wins every season since his debut in 2005. And, you get
So, the 2015 Fantasy season is nearly in the books. For some, there will be titles to celebrate, and for others, there will be "wait until next year" planning to do. That said, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of my readers for following the Musings, and for contributing with comments and questions. That's what I enjoy most! Technically, last week's Kid's On Parade column was my last of this season, but I want to toss one more little tidbit into the kettle.
I want to talk, just for a minute, about Toronto's Mark Buehrle.
He's not a blue chip prospect. Heck, he was a 38th-round draft pick way back when. He's not a kid with a cannon for an arm. His fastball sits somewhere in the 83-84 mph range. In shallow leagues, he might not even be on a roster. At age 36, Buehrle is a "what you see, is what you get" fantasy commodity. His WHIP is typically in the 1.20-1.30 range (1.22 this season) and you usually get an ERA in the 3.50-4.00 range (3.76 this year). Those aren't bad, but with only 88 strikeouts, his value to a fantasy team is a bit limited.
Buehrle does give you a chance for some wins. Pitching in front of the explosive Blue Jays' offense, and frequently getting deep into the contest, he has logged 14 wins this year. In fact, he's provided double-digit wins every season since his debut in 2005. And, you get a lot of innings that usually don't hurt even though their level of help isn't always front page news. Buehrle's last regular season start is scheduled for Friday against Tampa Bay, and I will be watching. I'll be hoping for a good outing, and a win, and yes, a handful of strikeouts, but most of all, I will be hoping for a complete game. Heading into that start, Buehrle has posted 191.3 innings. A complete game would put him over 200 innings for the 11th consecutive season. That's simply amazing in today's game.
Most Musings readers probably know Buehrle inside and out. So, the Bogfella must have something else to say about him, right? Absolutely.
You see, as addicted as I am to the art of pitching in baseball, I do have at least one other passion. I'm a dog lover. Specifically, I am a lover of Siberian Huskies (over 40 years with the breed including showing in conformation, competing in obedience, and training and running my own dog sled team), and I devote a great deal of my time to dog rescue. Based in Indianapolis, I am a long-time volunteer and supporter of an organization called Northern Lights Sled Dog Rescue. Mark Buehrle is a HUGE rescue advocate. His devotion and commitment to rescue dogs is a true inspiration. I wish every professional athlete gave so much back to the community.
His family includes his wife and children, but it also includes their four-legged kids, Diesel, Drake, Duke and a rescued Pit Bull named Slater. When Buehrle was traded to Toronto in 2013, he realized there necessarily would be changes in the family's lifestyle. Ontario has a Breed Specific Law banning ownership of Pit Bulls. Slater, like the vast majority of Pit Bulls, is no threat to anyone – certainly no more than any other breed – but some areas have labeled them as threats simply because of the bad reputation they have gotten (think of the Michael Vick dog fighting travesty). Slater is now 5 years old, and is described as a fantastic dog who loves to his belly rubs. They don't hesitate to tell everyone about his sweet and loving nature. Since he's been adopted he's become a canine good citizen, he's a certified therapy dog, and Slater is so gentle around children that he's often used as a demo dog in school visits t help teach children the right way to approach, handle and interact with dogs. During the season, Buehrle lives in Ontario, alone, while the rest of the family stays behind in Missouri. With that kind of commitment, it's not really surprising that he has built the solid kind of career he has enjoyed in professional baseball.
But, honestly, I'm not here to stump for overturning BSL's, I just hope to shed some light on dog rescues. Buehrle is heavily involved with a rescue called Hope Animal Rescues, and he and his family have donated over $1 million dollars to the cause.
I'll admit, I prefer having players I really like on my fantasy teams. I think most owners do to some extent. Buehrle was on a couple of my rosters this season. He has been on at least one for several years. It's just really easy to cheer for a guy like him. He'll probably be on at least one again next year. Hopefully he'll again contribute. He's not going to be an ace, but he's welcome to give it all he has – he always does. Like I said, Buehrle can pitch for me anytime.
Have a GREAT off-season, and I'll see you in the spring!
