GLENDALE, Ariz. -- On June 24, Mark Buehrle's No. 56 will be retired four spots away from Paul Konerko's No. 14 at Guaranteed Rate Field, a fitting recognition for the reliable left-hander who headlined the White Sox rotation for a decade.
And Konerko, who witnessed Buehrle's entire White Sox career as a teammate, said Wednesday it's a "much deserved" honor.
"Knowing that Mark would have loved to just finish his career with the White Sox and just be here and not have to go anywhere else to play, I was hoping that would happen," Konerko said.
Buehrle won 161 games with a 3.83 ERA in 12 seasons with the White Sox, and he stood as a remarkable rock of consistency by throwing at least 200 innings every year from 2001-2011 (Buehrle also threw 200-plus innings in 2012 with the Miami Marlins and 2013-2014 with the Toronto Blue Jays).
Among Buehrle's memorable single-game superlatives: He threw a no-hitter and a perfect game, earned a save in Game 3 of the 2005 World Series, started the majors' shortest nine-inning game since 1984 and completed a highlight-reel flip to Konerko on a ground ball down the first base line. That all adds up to a career on 35th and Shields that will be capped off, in a way, by Buehrle joining a revered group of players in White Sox history.
"He put up the numbers and the statistics," Konerko said. "(And) besides all the other stuff about what kind of guy he is and the teammate he was, he did the job on the field. It's much deserved that he's getting it. Good for him."