Sports

As Mark Buehrle and Paul Konerko go, so go the White Sox. That has been an upheld theory since about 2004, maybe longer, and there’s no reason to abandon it now. That’s why Buehrle’s return to form, evidenced loudly by the no-hitter he threw Wednesday night against the Texas Rangers, is a tremendous development for the Sox. It fits nicely in the encouraging picture for a starting rotation that was folded during the second half of 2006, spindled in spring training and mutilated on Opening Day.

When Konerko and his partners in the lineup start hitting the way you know they will, manager Ozzie Guillen’s team could have all the ingredients needed for a third consecutive season of 90-plus victories and another trip to the playoffs. Guillen admits he was worried about his five starters only a couple of weeks ago. Buehrle and veteran starters Jon Garland, Jose Contreras and Javier Vazquez combined for an 8.16 earned-run average in Arizona, and then Contreras gave up eight quick runs in the opener.

Guillen claims he did see signs Buehrle was ready to get back to the routine, after the toughest stretch of his career, a run of 3-9 over his last 16 starts last season. While Buehrle got hit even harder than in 2006, giving up 27 hits in 15 Cactus League innings, his manager liked “the way the ball was coming out of his hand.” Guillen saw a fitter Buehrle who was hinting at regaining his old fastball.

Buehrle’s 6.44 ERA after the All-Star break contributed to a 4.82 mark for the Sox staff, which was the biggest reason for the 33-41 slide that knocked them out of the playoffs. This year’s fast start, one single by Nick Swisher in his last 15 innings, has helped the rotation to a 3.63 ERA, fifth in the American League. Pitching has kept the White Sox near .500 while they are scoring runs grudgingly. Vazquez couldn’t hold a 3-1 lead Thursday night but pitched into the seventh inning, buying time for the Joe Crede single and Rob Mackowiak homer that gave the Sox a 6-4 victory.

Unlike his manager, catcher A.J. Pierzynski said he wasn’t too concerned about the starters in spring training. “I knew we had a chance to have a pretty good staff,” he said. “We just needed some things to come together.You see the stuff. Plus these guys have track records.” Garland said he didn’t even see a cause for concern. He considered 2006 a good year, based on the won-lost record.

Back in December, before Barry Zito had signed his seven-year, $126 million deal with San Francisco, we noticed that Buehrle was headed to a huge payday if the White Sox didn’t wake up and acknowledge his value. It was suggested that if you bet against Buehrle, you hadn’t been paying attention the last seven years, when he became the first White Sox pitcher since Billy Pierce to have double-figure victories in at least six consecutive seasons.

Guillen knows baseball is about talent and intelligence, not popularity. But the way Buehrle’s teammates reacted to the no-no against Texas showed him they’re ready for him to lead them on another long ride. During spring training, Konerko was asked about the impending free agency of Buehrle and Jermaine Dye and the contract issues that also have left Garland and Crede without much security.