New Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle is right at home

JUPITER, Fla.—Marlins lefty Mark Buehrle has not yet accepted a role with his new team that he handled during his 12 years with the White Sox.

On games he didn't start, Buehrle always caught the ceremonial first pitch. While the job typically goes to a rookie or the 25th man on the roster, Buehrle took it on as a rookie and kept it.

Mark Buehrle has started at least 30 games for 11 straight years. (AP Photo)

Now that he has a four-year, $58 million contract, you might think he would be too big to continue in that job. The opposite, however, is more like it.

"I'm not going to come in here and throw my weight around," he said. "They might have someone else who wants to do it. They might have the Marlin do it."

And if they don't?

"If they need somebody, I'm here," he said. "I enjoyed meeting all the famous people, getting pictures with them and everything else."

A Marlins spokesman, unaware of Buehrle's routine, said: "I'll probably ask him about it now."

Something else about Chicago played a key role in Buehrle, 32, coming to Miami. That would be the manager, Ozzie Guillen, who managed Buehrle for eight seasons in Chicago.

"He kept on saying at the end of the year, ‘Don't worry, I'll see you in Miami next year,'" Buehrle said. "At the time, you laugh it off. Then my wife said something the other day about how funny it was he was saying that and now five months later, it's actually happened. It's weird."

The comfort level with Guillen starts on the field but the real difference comes in the clubhouse for the family-oriented Buehrle.

"I'm not saying it was the No. 1 factor, but it was a big factor knowing that kids are allowed in the clubhouse," Buehrle said. "I'm sure it's allowed other places, but I know how lenient he is and how much he loves dads and kids coming in the clubhouse."

Having a 24-6 record and 3.32 ERA in 40 interleague outings was not lost on Buehrle's move to the N.L. either. Such success was more than coincidence.

"I don't want to say it's easier, but in your mind it has to be easier facing (a pitcher) like myself rather than a big-time DH," he said.

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