AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ANGELS v WHITE SOX

October 11, 2005

Mark Buehrle

MARK BUEHRLE: Lefty, same number, I guess we're both goofy. He throws hard, throws a lot of high fastballs, more of a location pitcher. He likes to pitch up on his own a little bit more than. Other than being left-handed, not really.

MARK BUEHRLE: It's a huge step. We've got to concentrate on this series, but obviously we're two of the four teams that are left. I mean, getting the opportunity to face them, if I pitch at Busch Stadium, it would be a dream come true. I've always wanted to pitch in Busch Stadium. I kind of joke around with my family knowing that I know who they're going to root for. If we get the opportunity, it would be a dream come true.

MARK BUEHRLE: I really don't remember too much about them a couple years ago. But obviously they're kind of built like we are; you've got speed at the top of the lineup, power in the middle, guys at the end of the lineup that can get on base to get back to the top of the lineup. They're one of the better offenses in baseball, and I think it's proven that they go out there and scored a lot of runs during the season.

MARK BUEHRLE: (Ervin) Santana, I mean, he stuck it up our rear end early in the season, so I knew what he was capable of doing. Whenever he came in, Bartolo going out, that kind of looked like it favored the Yankees. Santana came in and did what he done all season long and threw up a bunch of zeroes and gave the team an opportunity to win and that's exactly what happened.

MARK BUEHRLE: Not really. I've faced them three times this year. Just go out there, maybe look at some video. Two times I pitched good, one time I screwed up a little bit. I don't think they're as good offensively as Boston is. Obviously every guy in that line-up can hurt you. I've got to go out there and throw up more zeroes. We don't have to face Bartolo so hopefully jump on them and get a lead.

MARK BUEHRLE: He's kind of left me alone. I really haven't changed too much stuff. If there's an outing where I don't have my best stuff, he realizes that you're going to have those games like that where you're not going to have your best stuff. We work on bullpens, certain pitches, maybe the lineup coming up, whoever I'm facing coming up. He might say, "You've got Vlad coming up, throw some pitches down and away, to get a little bit better at that." He's one of the most laid back pitching coaches I've had through the minor leagues. He kind of lets everybody do what he wants, we go out there and have fun and when it's time to take care of business, we take care of business.

MARK BUEHRLE: It definitely helps out being left-handed. I haven't been picking as many guys off lately as I did when he first got up. I think the teams are more aware of it. Any time you can keep guys on base it keeps the double play intact. If a guy steals a base, he can get that base hit or if you stop a base hit you can save a run. Any time you can save a base, especially against the Angels, it's huge.

MARK BUEHRLE: I think he's hit me pretty well, too. He stays in against lefties. He doesn't bail out. Most guys, Vlad (Guerrero) or maybe Adam (Kennedy), they bail. He stays in there. I think he's one of the best left-handed hitters against left-handed pitching. Hopefully no one is on base in front of him, and if he does get a base hit hopefully keep it in the park.