Following is the the three year decline of Chicago White Sox starter Mark Buehrle as evidenced by his stats from 2001, 2002 and 2003 (in order):

ERA: 3.29, 3.58, 4.14
K/BB: 2.63, 2.20, 1.95
K/9IP: 5.12, 5.05, 4.65
BAA: .230, .260, .278

In 2004, there was a slight improvement in his stats as his ERA dropped to 3.89. However, in 2005 his stats are slipping after a strong 4-1 start.

Given Buehrle's problems, you would think that the Sox would opt to place a strict pitch limit of say, 100 pitches on him. This is especially the case since Buehrle last year signed a 3-yr. $18 Mil. in guraranteed money contract with the Sox. However, the Sox have not evinced any awareness of Buehrle’s decline and appear to have their problematic pitcher on course towards lengthened stays on the mound.

In the 6 games that he has pitched thus far, Buehrle has thrown 617 pitches for an average of 100(+) pitches per game. He leads the team with 45.0 Innings Pitched. Folks, this is Dusty Baker territory.

The Sox's handling of Buehrle is especially stupid in light of the fact that pitching is the reason why their current offensively deprived team is off to a 20-7 start. As any Yankee fan can tell you, both Sox starters Jose Contreras & Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez have health problems that in the past have seen them sidelined at some point in seasons past. Due to the trades of minor league pitching talent that Sox GM Kenneth Williams made to build the current team, there is hardly any quality pitching talent in the Sox minor league system save for Jon Adkins, Brandon McCarthy and a precious few others. Given this fact, you would think that the Sox would at least try to preserve the health of their longest-serving starting pitcher.

The 2005 Chicago White Sox have an Achilles Heel called starting pitcher health. If they don't get their act together, it could prove to be the team's downfall even in the talent-deprived AL Central.