When Mark Buehrle threw his perfect game, it became not only the baseball accomplishment of the year, but a marketing venture as well.  The airwaves on Comcast Sports Channel are filled with Buehrle memorabilia.  Items like the "Mark Buehrle “Perfect Game” 24KT Gold Coin and Infield Dirt Coin Photo" can easily be found simply by using Google.

And don't think the bonanza hasn't been lost on his employer.  The White Sox have launched into a week long celebration of Buehrle's accomplishment, culminating in a PBS style auction sure to annoy you as you try to watch a baseball game Saturday night. Brooks Boyer is likely to get more airtime than Gordon Beckham tomorrow night.

Not being a big memorabilia guy, I have to admit that this kind of whoring bothers me.  While I appreciate Buehrle's accomplishment, spending $300 on a bunch of commemorative junk is not necessarily a wise investment in these economic times.

Out of the other side of my mouth, I will admit that when the Sox won the World Series in 2005, I bought a placard, some t-shirts, some hats and a garbage can.  I did that because the Sox may never win another championship in my lifetime and I had waited 45 years for the first one.  I wanted to make sure that I had something to pass down to my grandchildren to celebrate one of the top events of my life. 

Again, I think it's cool that Buehrle pitched a perfect game. Provided he sticks around long enough and continues his success, there is a good chance that he could someday enter the hall of fame.  But I am not about individual accomplishments.  Perfect games are not championship trophies.  Home run titles do not translate to winning the big trophy at the end of the year.  Before 2005, we lived vicariously through individual accomplishments, but 2005 taught us to expect more and that while a player winning a batting title or pitching a no-no was cool, nothing was better than watching your team pile on each other after the last out of the World Series.

So, I won't be buying any bats, balls, placards, shirts, hats, ticket stubs or programs.  Not because I don't appreciate Mark Buehrle but because baseball is a team sport and I want to wait until the team wins before I lay down my money.