Per an announcement from the FOX Sports Network, veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski has agreed to serve as a full-time analyst for the upcoming season. He is expected to do color work and appear on the “MLB Whiparound” show.
Pierzynski, 40, spent each of the past two seasons with the Braves. While he was quite productive in 2015, he tailed off significantly last year. There were signs that he would likely call it quits, though that soon shifted. To this point, nothing had — or, still has, so far as we know — been formalized.
With today’s news, though, it seems safe to assume that Pierzynski will wrap up his career after parts of 19 MLB seasons. He has certainly enjoyed the kind of run that few backstops are able to pull off, having played in over 100 games in every single campaign between 2001 and 2015.
An exceptionally durable receiver, the left-handed-hitting Pierzynski also featured as a steadily useful hitter. All told, he has accumulated a solid .280/.319/.420 batting line with 188 home runs in 7,815 total MLB plate appearances.
Though he wasn’t always beloved by opponents, Pierzynski never had much trouble finding organizations interested in utilizing him. His longest and perhaps most memorable run came with the White Sox, where he was part of the team’s 2005 World Series winner, caught historic pitching performances from Mark Buehrle and Philip Humber, and picked up one of his two All-Star appearances.
Pierzynski also spent six years with the Twins — the organization that selected him in the third round of the 1994 draft. Some of those were among his most productive as a pro, and the organization was able to cash him in to the Giants for a trade package featuring Francisco Liriano and Joe Nathan. In addition to his one-year run in San Francisco, Pierzynski spent single or partial seasons with the Rangers, Red Sox, and Cardinals.
If this is indeed Pierzynski’s career terminus, as seems reasonable to assume, MLBTR extends him its congratulations and best wishes for the future.
Fox should hire Michael Barrett with AJ just to see what happens.
This guy always found a way to rub people the wrong way… that was his trade mark…
You are right. Cue the “He was the type of player you’d hate if he was an opponent, but you’d love if he was on your team” comments.
The Twins and Giants were glad to be rid of AJ. Especially their pitching staffs.
The reason the Twins traded AJ was due to a certain 1st overall pick knocking on the door. Mauer was the reason he became expendable. AJ hit the biggest HR in recent Twins history, since Puckett’s game 6 winner of the 91 WS. It was not due to skill or how he handled the pitching staff just a positional logjam.
A.J. Pierzynski definitely had issues with many of his teammates with the Giants in 2004, as well as some in his abbreviated stay with the Red Sox in 2014. I don’t believe he was a problem with the Twins earlier in his career or with the Brave at the end of it. A.J. was definitely a favorite with most of his teammates and the fans on the South Side of Chicago.
He was the type of player you’d hate if he was an opponent, but you’d love if he was on your team. 😀
Those guys seem to have places on baseball shows lately.
As a Red Sox fan my opinion isn’t the highest of him, but I also don’t really know what he did to bother everyone. I’m interested to see what he can do as an analyst. I imagine all those years of catching will make him half decent.
White Sox loved him and the fans will forever
AJ Love you Man !
The White Sox also had to ask Konerko and others if they could trade for him, because they hated the guy so much when he was with Minnesota.
Carlos Zambrano would probably fight him again
You may be leaving the impression that A. J. caught Buehrle’s perfect game, since you lump him in with Philip Humber. Ramon Castro was Buehrle’s catcher that historic day.
He caught Buehrle’s no hitter in Texas
As an Angels fan, he was part of one of the plays that haunts me forever. He ran out a dropped third strike (on a ball that didn’t hit the ground) in game 2 of the AL championship with the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth. The Angels were up 1-0 in the series and had momentum going into extra innings. But Pierzynski ran out the play (as he should) and Joe Crede hit a walk off double shortly after, and the white sox won three straight in a series that very easily could’ve been 2-0 Angels after that night. That was the closest Vlad Guererro ever got to the World Series.
Nonetheless, always had respect for him as a player despite his big mouth. I’m sure he’ll be a great analyst.
still cannot stand him from that
That ball hit the ground
stop it, that ball clearly was caught. Still gets me mad
Except for when Vlad played in the World Series in 2010
he was a good player, not hall of fame worthy, but respectable on the field, that is if he played for your team
A.J. ranks 8th all time in games caught behind only; IRod, Fisk, Boone, Carter, Kendall, Pena, and Ausmus. He debuted all the way back in 1998.
The last MLB expansion was in 1998 (A.J.’s debut season). Only 1 player currently active debuted before that – Bartolo Colon.
He does not get rave reviews for his personality, but is an upgrade over Pete Rose
Anybody would be an upgrade over Pete Rose
It’s actually kind of hilarious how bad Pete Rose is. Maybe AJ should do play-by-play instead so he can replace Joe Buck.
At least AJ is allowed inside the clubhouse.
So are about seven billion other people
Good, now Fox Baseball can suck even more now.
Over/under on how long A.J. keeps his job before saying something “politically incorrect” that might embarrass FOX?
Hopefully pierzynski isn’t a trash human being and that is never
Favorite Aj Moment was when he hit the HR against Dempster in the 9th at the shrine
Just watching the Yanks and Rays with A.J. behind the mic.. Way too much information.
Hopefully he will mellow a bit. He has all the knowledge and experience but nobody likes a know it all that is slightly negative. He already jumped on how long the instant replay and thus the games take. ( True fans of the game are tired of hearing about how long the game takes as it is a game without a time limit and the amount of money everyone involved is making i.e. advertising, has something to do with it all. Thanks for the kind and deserving compliments of Jeter while talking about Aaron Judge. Talk more about the game as it is happening please.