Player Profile: A.J. Pierzynski

     So as we sit here and patiently wait the start of Spring Training (longest 2 weeks of my life), let’s continue to get to know the starting lineup and finish introducing the infield.  I haven’t had a chance to see the MLB Network’s segment on lopsided deals but I’m sure our next player is somewhere on it to be seen.  Not for how we acquired him, but during his journey through the majors.  You can get the whole story in the “How He Got Here” section, but for now, I’ll just introduce him as our backstop, and one of the most hated players in the game today…A.J. Pierzynski!

A.J. Pierzynski, C

The Basics

How He Got Here

     For those that are familiar with the ways of the east coast ( or atleast watch the show Jersey Shore), it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the always feisty and competitive A.J. Pierzynski grew up in Bridgehampton, NY, a small town on the southeast fork at the end of Strong…err, I mean Long…Island and was shipped down to Orlando, Florida to play high school ball at Dr. Phillips High School from where he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1994 amateur draft.

     Although he had also signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Tennessee, Pierzynski was anxious to get his baseball career started and bypassed collegiate athletics to join the Gulf Coast League Twins and start in Rookie Ball immediately.  He worked his way up through the minor league ranks and, after playing 59 games for Triple-A Salt Lake in the Pacific Coast League, was promoted to the Twins in 1998 for a quick 7 game stint.  Pierzynski spent the next 2 years bouncing back and forth between the big club and the minors until he finally earned the starting job in 2001.

     He had a solid debut season hitting .289 with 7 HR in 381 at bats and made a lasting impression with then-Twins manager Tom Kelly.  When Ron Gardenhire took over in 2002, A.J.’s attitude and harn-nosed play continued to earn him the spot and he successfully played in Minnesota for the next 2 seasons.  Then came that memorable day during the offseason after 2003 when it was announced that Pierzynski was traded to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for reliever Joe Nathan and two pitching prospects named Francisco Liriano and Boof Bonser. 

     The trade would go down as one of the most lopsided in history as we all know how Nathan has turned out for the Twins, as well as some of the flashes we saw of both Bonser and Liriano before injuries wiped them out, while Pierzynski spent just one miserable season in the Bay Area, loathed by teammates and fans alike, and signed with the White Sox as a free agent for the 2005 season.  While he only hit .257 for that first year in Chicago, he had a career high 18 HR and has been entrenched as the starting catcher ever since.

Career Statistics and Milestones

The Player

     Truth be told, what more can you say about A.J. that hasn’t already been said?  His persona has always been more of the focal point than his game, but his game has been rock solid.  His power is middle of the road, with those 18 HR in 2005 as his peak.  But over the last 3 years, Pierzynski has averaged 13 HR with 53 RBI and a .282 average.  Nothing eye-popping, but he definitely can get the job done when needed. 

     Pierzynski’s defense is where he truly shines on the field.  As a matter of fact, among active catchers with at least 600 games played, going into the 2010 season he was third with a .995 career fielding percentage.  He also holds the AL record for consecutive errorless chances with 962, breaking Yogi Berra’s previous record of 950, set in 1959.  Sound defense and the handling of a pitching staff has always been own of his strongest attributes and he continues to excel each year.

     But let’s face facts.  When push comes to shove (no pun intended), when it all comes down, Pierzynski’s accomplishments on the field won’t be the first thing people talk about when they hear his name.  Of course not.  The first thing that probably comes to mind is this…

     It was one of the most memorable moments as, in an interleague game between the Cubs and White Sox, Pierzynski was tagging up from third and collided with Michael Barrett to break up the play.  Barrett was knocked down and back several feet while Pierzynski came back over and emphatically slapped home plate again to score the run.  Barrett didn’t take too kindly to this, rushed up to A.J., grabbed his arms and then sucker-punched him in the jaw.  A huge brawl ensued and both players, along with a few other teammates were ejected.

     Or how about one of the supposed reasons that he was so hated in San Francisco?  Forget about the fact that he and Barry Bonds probably mixed as well as oil and water, but according to Giants’ lore, Pierzynski kneed longtime tariner Stan Conte in the groin during an altercation in Spring Training.  The story was run by the San Francisco Chronicle, but Pierzynski vehemently denies it and no action was taken against him.

     Or what about the time Twins manager Ron Gardenhire went bananas accusing Pierzynski of intentionally running on the inside of the baseline/bag so he could spike Justin Morneau?  Or how about the time he joined up with TNA Wrestling (yup, just like the old days of athletes in the WWF, now WWE) after winning the World Series?  A nicely staged interview altercation was perfect for him as he then got to be later involved in another wrestling match a few days later which eventually led to him doing the talk show circuit with a preofessional wrestling title belt in hand.

     Yup.  For all his grinding efforts on the field, Pierzynski will probably be known more for his fists and attitude than his bat and glove.  He’s not the most charming guy in the clubhouse and probably ruffles more feathers than he should, but you have to respect his efforts on the field.  I think Ozzie Guillen said it best, “”If you play against him, you hate him. If you play with him, you hate him a little less.”  With that, I’ll keep my projections in check…

Tags: AJ Pierzynski, Barry Bonds, Boof Bonser, Chicago White Sox, Joe Nathan Francisco Liriano, Justin Morneau, Michael Barrett, White Sox