Walker Buehler has heard all your ‘Ferris’ jokes

Walker Buehler at the 2014 College World Series (Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

By Jon Weisman

Given that he wasn’t drafted by the Texas Rangers, the first thing Walker Buehler’s name brings to mind is the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Buelher has steered into that skid, taking the Twitter handle @buehlersdayoff.

“I do actually like the movie,” Buehler said. “I’ve seen it a bunch of times, probably 10 times. It’s one of those things, where you get to your first day of school, every teacher tries to reinvent the wheel, do the whole skit, so at some point I just went with it.”

Selected with the 24th overall pick of the MLB draft by the Dodgers, Buehler hopes someday to be taking four days off out of every five, as a member of the Los Angeles starting rotation.

Buehler already has a taste by pitching at the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic in March.

“It was awesome, man,” he said. “I guess it was the first time I ever pitched in a big-league park. It was a cool environment, cool area.”

Buelhler said that of all Dodger pitchers, the one he sees as a role model is Zack Greinke, because of a “similar body type” and, Buehler dares to dream, a similar type of pitching.

“We’re really excited to be able to take Walker at 24,” said Dodger director of amateur scouting Billy Gasparino. “He has a lean, athletic build, a power three-plus pitch mix and is a quality young man.”

All in all, Buehler was still digesting his newfound status as a potential Dodger.

“Pretty cool day,” Buehler said about two hours after his selection, adding that he didn’t have an inkling in advance that the Dodgers would draft him. “You have an idea of where you think you want to go, but I don’t think you ever know anything.”