JULY 16: The Red Sox announced that they have released Pierzyski.
JULY 9: The Red Sox are set to designate catcher A.J. Pierzynski for assignment, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The 37-year-old veteran signed a one-year, $8.25MM deal to join Boston over the past offseason.
Needless to say, things did not work out as hoped for the club or the player. Pierzynski owns a .254/.286/.348 line through 274 plate appearances with just four home runs. He had produced at a .275/.311/.462 clip with 44 total long balls over the 2012-13 campaigns.
The veteran could still hold appeal to clubs looking for options behind the dish. As MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes recently explored, the trade market includes relatively few available, attractive veteran backstops. Unless the Sox can find a taker for some of his remaining salary, they will eat the approximately $3.6MM left on Pierzynski’s contract.
Parting with Pierzynski could well be the first step towards at least a partial break-up of a Red Sox team that has fallen well off its World Series from of a year ago. Sitting 10 and a half games out of the division lead, the Red Sox will give a chance to youngster Christian Vazquez, who will learn on the job with help from veteran backup David Ross.
In an appearance on WEEI radio (Twitter links via WEEI.com’s Alex Speier), manager John Farrell confirmed that the club is aiming for something of a youth movement. “We’re turning the page in terms of investing in young players,” he said. Indeed, Vazquez will be one of five rookies in the lineup card for the club tonight, as Tim Britton of the Providence Journal tweets.
Sure because up until this point AJ has been a charmer who is loved by all. If it walks like a duck…
Why.
You are right, it is not bad. It is AWFUL! Bryce Harper signing bonus: 6.6 million. So, that prospect got in a trade for Drew would be more expensive than one of the most widely regarded drafted players in the last decade.
You know, the Cardinals may consider him. Yadi’s out with an injury so Pierzynski may be able to fill in for a while.
I never implied that he has no rings?
oh woops I read your comment wrong.
Can there be such a thing as 1/2 a bridge year? haha
Bring on Vazquez and Swihart!
Chicago might as well pick him up if they aren’t going to play Nieto every day. It’ll help attendance numbers in what is probably a futile season..and Flowers is not our catcher of the future, so it wouldn’t be taking at-bats away from a developing player.