A.J.

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski played eight seasons with the White Sox, 2005-2012.  There have been four other teams, not counting the Cardinals, who signed him late last month after his release from the Red Sox.  For the most part, the hometown fans aren’t sad to see A.J. go, except on the South Side.  In fact, there probably isn’t a White Sox fan alive who wouldn’t buy A.J. a drink, and that includes Clare, who is now 22-years old and still treasure her Pierzynski jersey from freshman-year high school.

Depending who you talk to, Pierzynski is either a cancer or a catalyst.  Ex-Sox manager Ozzie Guillen probably put it best when he said, “If you play against him, you hate him.  If you play with him, you hate him a little less.”  In the 2005 Championship Series against the Angels, A.J. struck out in the bottom of the ninth of a tie game.  Catcher Josh Paul thought Pierzynski had tipped the ball, which had rolled past him.  A.J. thought otherwise and ran to first, thinking it was a dropped third strike.  The umpires agreed.  And the replay?  Not exactly what you’d call definitive.  Pinch runner Pablo Ozuna stole second base and scored the winning run on Joe Crede’s double.  Perhaps I should say here that the Sox beat the Angels four games to one then swept the Astros for their first World Series championship in 88 years.

During a Cub-Sox game the next year, Pierzynski barreled over Cubs’ catcher Michael Barrett on a sacrifice fly.  A.J. slapped the plate and jumped to his feet, brushing shoulders with Barrett, who took offense and a swing at A.J.’s jaw.  Perhaps I should mention here that Pierzynski is not universally loved in all parts of Chicago.

Naturally, he went three for four with an rbi in his first game as a Cardinal, at Wrigley Field.