A. J. Pierzynski
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Anthony John Pierzynski (; born December 30, 1976) is an American former professional
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
catcher Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) with the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
(1998–2003),
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
(2004),
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
(2005–2012), Texas Rangers (2013),
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
(2014),
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
(2014) and
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
(2015–2016). Pierzynski is one of only ten catchers in Major League history to reach 2,000 hits in his career. Pierzynski is known for having a strong and colorful personality, a fact he acknowledges. During his turn at the microphone following the White Sox victory parade in 2005, he thanked team personnel for "putting up" with him. Former White Sox manager
Ozzie Guillén Oswaldo José Guillén Barrios (; born January 20, 1964) is a former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for 16 seasons, primarily with the Chicago White Sox, from 1985 to 2000. During tha ...
summed up the situation as, "If you play against him, you hate him. If you play with him, you hate him a little less." Guillén also acknowledged Pierzynski's value to the club, despite being relatively high-maintenance: "A.J.'s been great for me. He's worth the work because he always shows up for you."


Early life

Pierzynski was born on December 30, 1976, in
Bridgehampton, New York Bridgehampton is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) on the South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 1,756 at the 2010 census. Bridgehampton is in the town of Southampton, on Long Island. Shortly after ...
. He attended
Dr. Phillips High School Dr. Phillips High School is a public high school in Dr. Phillips, Florida, United States, near Orlando. It serves the Dr. Phillips census-designated place (CDP), the Bay Hill CDP, and the residential portion of Lake Buena Vista. History Dr ...
in
Orlando, Florida Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
, where he won All-State honors in baseball. Future Major Leaguer
Johnny Damon Johnny David Damon (born November 5, 1973) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2012. During his MLB career, Damon played for the Kansas City Royals (1995–2000), Oakland ...
was one of Pierzynski's high school teammates. The
National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was founded in 1973. The mission of the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame is to recognize and preserve outstanding achievement by individuals of Polish heritage in the field of ...
held its 48th Annual Induction Banquet in September 2021, inducting Pierzynski.


Professional career


Minnesota Twins

Pierzynski graduated from high school in 1994 and signed a letter of intent to play baseball at the
University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...
. He was also selected by the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
in the third round (71st overall) of the
1994 Major League Baseball draft First round selections The following are the first round picks in the 1994 Major League Baseball draft. Compensation picks Compensation Picks Other notable players *Troy Glaus, 2nd round, 37th overall by the San Diego Padres, but did not ...
and chose to sign with the ballclub on June 9. He began his minor league career with the
Gulf Coast League Twins The Florida Complex League Twins are the Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays in Fort Myers, Florida, at the Lee County Sports Complex. Prior to 2021, the ...
and spent the next four years playing for the minor-league
Elizabethton Twins The Elizabethton Twins were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League and a Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They were located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and were named for their major league affiliate. The team playe ...
,
Fort Wayne Wizards A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
,
Fort Myers Miracle The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Fort Myers, Florida, and play their home games at the Lee County Sports Complex a ...
,
New Britain Rock Cats The New Britain Rock Cats were a minor league baseball team that competed in the Eastern League. They were the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox for 12 years, the Minnesota Twins for 20 years and the Colorado Rockies for one. They playe ...
, and
Salt Lake Buzz Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
. After four years in the Twins organization, Pierzynski was called up to the major league team, and made his debut on September 9, 1998 against the
Anaheim Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
at the age of 21. Two days later, he singled off
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
pitcher
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the ...
for his first major league hit. He then spent the next five seasons, through the 2003 season, with Minnesota, though he was not a regular starter until 2001. From 1998 to 2000, Pierzynski appeared in just 49 games for the Twins. In 2002, he made the American League All-Star Team as a reserve catcher. In the
2002 American League Division Series The 2002 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 2002 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 1, and ended on Sunday, October 6, with the champions of the three AL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—p ...
, Pierzynski hit an important home run in the ninth inning of Game 5 against the Athletics, helping the Twins clinch the series. In 2003, Pierzynski batted a career-high .312 with 11 home runs and 74 RBI in 137 games.


San Francisco Giants

On November 14, 2003, the Twins traded Pierzynski to the
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
for
Joe Nathan Joseph Michael Nathan (born November 22, 1974) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago Cu ...
,
Francisco Liriano Francisco Liriano Casillas (born October 26, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, ...
, and
Boof Bonser John Paul "Boof" Bonser (born October 14, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Oakland Athletics. High school career Bonser attended Gibb ...
. With the Giants, he hit .272 with 11 home runs and 77 RBI in 131 games. He spent one season in San Francisco before being non-tendered on December 15, 2004.


Chicago White Sox

Pierzynski was signed as a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
to a one-year, $2.25 million contract by the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
on January 6, 2005. When he signed with the White Sox, the ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...
'' ran a story claiming that the catcher had kneed Giants trainer Stan Conte in the groin during a spring training game in 2004. Although the incident allegedly happened during the game, it went unreported for nearly a year in the press. Pierzynski has disputed the allegations publicly. "Don't you think if something like that happened, in spring training, you would have heard about it? I would have gotten in some sort of trouble?" Pierzynski would hit 18 home runs, a new career-high, with his most memorable home run of the regular season coming on June 18, 2005 against the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
in the bottom of the ninth to walk-off a 5–3 win. It was also memorable in that both teams were wearing their 1959 throwback jerseys to commemorate their meeting in the
1959 World Series The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, 4–2. Each of the three games played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum drew record crowds, Game 5's atte ...
. Pierzynski would help the White Sox go wire-to-wire in his first season with the team, winning the
AL Central The American League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was formed in the realignment of 1994 by moving three teams from the American League West and two teams from the American League East. Its teams are all loc ...
on September 29, 2005, in a win against the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
. However, Pierzynski's biggest contributions would come during the White Sox' 2005 playoff run. In the 2005 playoffs, Pierzynski was a major player for the White Sox. In Game 1 of the ALDS against the defending champion
Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, Pierzynski would start the White Sox off strong with a three-run homer in the first inning off
Matt Clement Matthew Paul Clement (born August 12, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Clement played for the San Diego Padres (–), Florida Marlins (), Chicago Cubs (–) and Boston Red Sox (–). While on the Red Sox active roster, he ...
. He would add a second home run in the bottom of the eighth off
Bronson Arroyo Bronson Anthony Arroyo (born February 24, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and musician. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates between 2000 and 2002, the Boston Red Sox from 2003 to 2005, th ...
to help lead the White Sox to a 14–2 win. Pierzynski finished the game 3-for-3 with 4 RBIs. Pierzynski also hit a double and scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning as the White Sox defeated the Red Sox 5–3 to clinch the series and move on to the
ALCS The American League Championship Series (ALCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the two winners of the American ...
. Perhaps Pierzynski's biggest, and most well-known play, came in Game 2 of the ALCS against the then
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
. Down 0–1 in the series and the game tied at 1–1 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Pierzynski famously struck out on a low ball in the dirt from
Kelvim Escobar Kelvim José Escobar Bolívar (born April 11, 1976) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Toronto Blue Jays (1997–2003) and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2004–2007, 2009). He won 101 games, but his career ...
. Thinking they had ended the inning, the Angels proceeded to walk off the field; however, noting that home plate umpire
Doug Eddings Douglas Leon Eddings (born September 14, 1968) is an American professional umpire in Major League Baseball. Umpiring style A report in ''The Hardball Times'' listed Eddings as having called the largest strike zone among all Major League umpires ...
had not made the out call, Pierzynski ran down the line to first base and was called safe. Angels catcher
Josh Paul Joshua William Paul (born May 19, 1975) is a retired American professional baseball catcher and professional coach. He most recently served as the quality control coach for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for ...
and manager
Mike Scioscia Michael Lorri Scioscia (, ; born November 27, 1958), nicknamed "Sosh" and "El Jefe", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim / Los Ange ...
argued with Eddings but the call stood, and Pierzynski was replaced by
Pablo Ozuna Pablo José Ozuna (born August 25, 1974) is a Dominican former professional baseball utility player. During his major league career, he played for the Florida Marlins (, ), the Colorado Rockies (), the Chicago White Sox (–), and the Los Angele ...
, who promptly stole second base.
Joe Crede Joseph Taylor Crede (pronounced CREE-dee, born April 26, 1978) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox (2000–2008) and the Minnesota Twins (2009). Crede was drafted ...
would end the game on a walk-off double to tie the series at 1–1. The White Sox did not lose again, winning the next three games in Anaheim to advance to their first World Series since 1959. The White Sox would then sweep the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
to win their first championship in 88 years, giving Pierzynski his first ring. Pierzynski batted .262 with three home runs and 9 RBI, catching all 11 games for the White Sox during their championship run. In 2006, Pierzynski was named one of the five
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
players in the
All-Star Final Vote The All-Star Final Vote was an annual Internet and text message ballot by Major League Baseball (MLB) fans to elect the final player for each team that participates in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, after all other selections were made ...
. Soon afterwards, the White Sox organization began an election campaign using the slogan "Punch A.J.". Pierzynski received 3.6 million votes, the most votes in the
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
, subsequently sending him to his second All-Star appearance. The "Punch A.J." campaign was inspired by an incident on May 20, 2006, between Pierzynski and Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett. After a fly ball out, Pierzynski tagged up at third base and tried to score on the throw. After a collision at home, where Pierzynski knocked Barrett from his feet, Pierzynski slapped home plate with his hand. After getting up, Barrett grabbed Pierzynski and punched him in the face. A bench-clearing brawl ensued, and Pierzynski, Barrett, White Sox outfielder Brian Anderson and Cubs first baseman
John Mabry John Steven Mabry (born October 17, 1970) is an American former professional baseball player, broadcaster, and coach. He is a coach for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He had 898 career hits in 3,409 at-bats (for a batting ...
were ejected. When play finally resumed, outfielder
Scott Podsednik Scott Eric Podsednik (; born March 18, 1976) is an American former professional baseball outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Best known for his baserunning, Podsednik led the major leagues in stolen bases in with 70, in times caught steal ...
promptly got on base, loading the bases up, and second baseman
Tadahito Iguchi , nicknamed "Gucci", is a Japanese served professional baseball second baseman and from manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). As a member of the Chicago White Sox in 2005, Iguchi became the first Japanese-bor ...
cleared them with a grand-slam. The White Sox won the game, 7–0. Barrett was suspended for 10 games, while Anderson was suspended for five, and Pierzynski was fined. Pierzynski caught
Mark Buehrle Mark Alan Buehrle (; born March 23, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Chicago White Sox, playing twelve seasons for the team and winning the World S ...
's
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
on April 18, 2007, but not his
perfect game Perfect game may refer to: Sports * Perfect game (baseball), a complete-game win by a pitcher allowing no baserunners * Perfect game (bowling), a 300 game, 12 consecutive strikes in the same game * Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, New York ...
on July 23, 2009. He caught
Philip Humber's perfect game Philip Humber of the Chicago White Sox pitched a perfect game against the Seattle Mariners by retiring all 27 batters he faced on Saturday, April 21, 2012, as the White Sox defeated the Mariners 4–0. It was the 21st perfect game in Major Le ...
on April 21, 2012, against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field, as well. On May 28, 2007, in a game versus the Minnesota Twins, Pierzynski twice ran down the first base line with his feet on the inside of the base, possibly nipping Twins first baseman
Justin Morneau Justin Ernest George Morneau (born May 15, 1981) is a Canadian former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and Chicago White Sox. At and , ...
with his spikes. Twins manager
Ron Gardenhire Ronald Clyde Gardenhire (born October 24, 1957) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played as a shortstop for the New York Mets from 1981 through 1985. After another year playing in the minor leagues, he se ...
was furious with the umpires, which resulted in a long tirade. However, he was not ejected. Pierzynski denied any attempt to step on Morneau. On September 29, 2007, Pierzynski signed a two-year, $12.5 million contract extension with the White Sox. He holds the AL record for consecutive errorless chances with 962, breaking
Yogi Berra Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra (May 12, 1925 – September 22, 2015) was an American professional baseball catcher who later took on the roles of Manager (baseball), manager and Coach (baseball), coach. He played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball ...
's previous record of 950, set in 1959. On December 3, 2010, Pierzynski agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract to remain with the White Sox. On June 13, 2012, Pierzynski was rated the most hated MLB player. In 2012, Pierzynski homered in five consecutive games, tying the franchise record and becoming the sixth player to achieve this feat. His teammate
Paul Konerko Paul Henry Konerko (; born March 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1997 to 2014, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox, where he was a si ...
was the most recent Sox player to achieve this feat in 2011. Pierzynski had a career offensive year, winning a
Silver Slugger Award The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. These voters cons ...
at catcher for the first time in his career. He posted a slash line of .278/.326/.501, and hit 27 home runs and 77 RBI in 135 games.


Texas Rangers

On December 26, 2012, Pierzynski agreed to a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers for the 2013 season. He enjoyed a solid year for Texas, hitting .272 with 17 home runs and 70 RBIs in 134 games.


Boston Red Sox

On December 3, 2013, Pierzynski agreed to a one-year contract with the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, pending the completion of a physical examination. The deal became official the next day. On June 4, 2014, Pierzynski was ejected by umpire
Quinn Wolcott Quinn Wolcott (born June 17, 1986) is an American umpire in Major League Baseball. He wears number 81. Before the Major Leagues, Wolcott worked in the Northwest (2006), Midwest (2007), Carolina (2007-2008), Southern (2009-2010), and Pacific Coas ...
after a leadoff walk by pitcher
Brandon Workman Brandon Carlin Workman (born August 13, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2013 and has played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and Ch ...
because he asked Wolcott to "give me a new ball. One you can see." This was Pierzynski's ninth career ejection. Pierzynski's offense regressed with Boston as he hit .254/.286/.348 in 256 at-bats. On July 9, 2014, Pierzynski was
designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
and Christian Vázquez was promoted from AAA Pawtucket. A sports column in a Boston newspaper cited disgruntled anonymous Red Sox teammates who disliked Pierzynski, blaming him for the team's overall woes. On July 16, the Red Sox officially released Pierzynski. The Red Sox continued a disastrous slide after Pierzynski departed, and finished 2014 with a record of 71–91.


St. Louis Cardinals

On July 26, 2014, the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
signed Pierzynski to a major league deal. Later that day, he debuted for St. Louis with a 3-for-4 outing and an RBI, helping to defeat the Cubs 6–3. Former Boston teammate
John Lackey John Derran Lackey (born October 23, 1978) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 2002 through 2017 for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and Ch ...
soon arrived via trade, and Pierzynski caught him for the 19th time in 22 starts in 2014 when he debuted for the Cardinals on August 3. It was the pitcher's 150th career win. Pierzynski's first home run with St. Louis came in a loss to
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
on August 8. He hit .244/.295/.305 in 82 at-bats along with a home run and 6 RBI. He mostly serving as a replacement catcher for
Yadier Molina Yadier Benjamín Molina (; born July 13, 1982), nicknamed "Yadi", is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played his entire career with the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Widely considered one of the great ...
, who was on the
disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
from July 10 through August 28, though he did play as a backup after Molina's return. The Cardinals left Pierzynski off the playoff roster for the
NLDS In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against the
Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
, but added him for the NLCS against the
Giants A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore. Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to: Mythology and religion *Giants (Greek mythology) *Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'gi ...
.


Atlanta Braves

Pierzynski and the Atlanta Braves finalized a one-year deal worth $2 million on January 7, 2015. The Braves had intended to use him as a backup catcher and mentor to
Christian Bethancourt Christian Gabriel Bethancourt Ruiz (born September 2, 1991) is a Panamanians, Panamanian professional baseball catcher, first baseman and outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the ...
. However, Bethancourt struggled defensively and was eventually sent down to Gwinnett in the hope that he would improve, forcing Pierzynski into a starting role. On July 18, 2015, in a game against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
, Pierzynski broke up
Jon Lester Jonathan Tyler Lester (born January 7, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals. ...
's no-hit bid in the eighth inning of the Braves' 4–0 loss. On April 27, 2016, Pierzynski recorded his 2,000th career hit off
Steven Wright Steven Alexander Wright (born December 6, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and film producer. He is known for his distinctly lethargic voice and slow, deadpan delivery of ironic, philosophical and sometimes nonsensical jok ...
of the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, becoming the tenth catcher to reach the 2,000 hit mark. He was placed on 15-day disabled list on August 17, 2016. On March 28, 2017, Pierzynski announced he was retiring. Pierzynski was included on the ballot for the
National Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
class of when it was announced on November 22, 2021. He received only two votes and fell off the ballot.


Broadcasting career

Pierzynski was hired by
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
to be an analyst for the
2011 MLB postseason The 2011 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 2011 season. The winners of the League Division Series would move on to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that f ...
on the pregame and postgame show. He joined Fox again for the 2012, 2013, and 2015 postseasons. In 2017, Fox announced he would be a full-time analyst.


Professional wrestling

On December 8, 2005, Pierzynski appeared on ''
TNA Impact! ''Impact!'' (stylized as ''IMPACT!''), also known as ''IMPACT! on AXS TV'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by the American promotion Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)) tha ...
'', a
professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, e ...
aired by the
professional wrestling promotion A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling that has little relationship to the rules of the amateur olympic form. "Promotion" also describes a role which entails man ...
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment. Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
. Accompanied by White Sox strength trainer
Dale Torborg Dale Christian Torborg (born October 24, 1971) is an American baseball trainer and professional wrestler. In wrestling, he is best known for portraying the Kiss themed character, The Demon. He is the son of former Major League Baseball manager Je ...
, Pierzynski presented TNA wrestlers
A.J. Styles Allen Neal Jones (born June 2, 1977), better known by his ring name AJ Styles (also stylized as A.J. Styles), is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Regarded as one of the best ...
,
Chris Sabin Joshua Harter (born February 4, 1982), better known by his ring name Chris Sabin, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Impact Wrestling, and is also known for his work in Ring of Honor. After being trained by Scott D ...
and
Sonjay Dutt Retesh Bhalla (born April 7, 1982) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a producer and manager. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop ActionImpact Wrestling under the ring name Sonja ...
with memorabilia from the
2005 World Series The 2005 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2005 season. The 101st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Chicago White Sox and the National ...
. At the ceremony, an incident was staged to include Pierzynski in a controversy with the wrestlers. Pierzynski then made his
professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
managerial Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...
debut at
TNA Turning Point 2005 Turning Point (2005) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). It took place on December 11, 2005 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the second event under ...
on December 11, 2005, accompanying Torborg, Sabin and Dutt to ringside for their match against the Diamonds in the Rough. On October 10, 2006, Pierzynski appeared on
ESPN2 ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%). ESPN2 was initially fo ...
's
Cold Pizza ''Cold Pizza'' is an American television sports morning talk show that aired weekdays on ESPN2 from 2003 to 2007. The show's style was more akin to '' Good Morning America'' than '' SportsCenter''s straight news and highlights format. It included ...
, wearing the X-Division Championship belt, and challenged
WWE Champion The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDow ...
John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied w ...
, who was also a guest that morning, to a Title vs. Title
steel cage match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
whenever Cena wanted to have it. Cena responded asking if Pierzynski got his championship belt out of a gumball machine outside. Pierzynski returned to TNA in January 2007, when he and Torborg confronted
Lance Hoyt Lance Hoyt (born February 28, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Lance Archer. He also makes sporadic appearance for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is also known for ...
. At Against All Odds 2007 Pierzynski was in Torborg's corner when he was defeated by Hoyt, who had
David Eckstein David Mark Eckstein (; born January 20, 1975) is an American former professional baseball player. He was an infielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for ten seasons. He played college baseball for the University of Florida and played professiona ...
in his corner. On the September 7, 2009 edition of
WWE Raw ''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television show, television program produced by WWE that currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time Zone, ET on the USA Networ ...
, Pierzynski made his first appearance on WWE television, replacing
Chris Jericho Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler and singer. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of the Jeri ...
in a game show called The Price is Raw, with
Bob Barker Robert William Barker (born December 12, 1923) is an American retired television game show host. He is known for hosting CBS's ''The Price Is Right'' from 1972 to 2007, making it the longest-running daytime game show in North American televis ...
hosting.


Personal life

Pierzynski is married to Lisa Pierzynski. The couple has two children, Ava and Austin.


See also

*
List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders Below is the list of the 286 Major League Baseball players who have reached the 2,000 hit milestone during their career in MLB. Pete Rose holds the Major League record for most career hits, with 4,256. Rose and Ty Cobb, second most, are the only ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a catcher leaders In baseball statistics, a putout (denoted by ''PO'') is given to a defensive player who records an out by tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base (a tagout), catching a batted or thrown ball and tagging a base to put out ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career putouts leaders In baseball statistics, a putout (denoted by ''PO'' or ''fly out'' when appropriate) is given to a defensive player who records an out by a Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base (a tagout), catching a batted or thrown ba ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pierzynski, A.J. 1975 births American League All-Stars American people of Polish descent Atlanta Braves players Boston Red Sox players Baseball players from New York (state) Baseball players from Orlando, Florida Charlotte Knights players Chicago White Sox players Dr. Phillips High School alumni Elizabethton Twins players Fort Myers Miracle players Fort Wayne Wizards players Frisco RoughRiders players Gulf Coast Twins players Living people Major League Baseball broadcasters Major League Baseball catchers Minnesota Twins players New Britain Rock Cats players People from Bridgehampton, New York Salt Lake Buzz players San Francisco Giants players Silver Slugger Award winners Sportspeople from Orlando, Florida St. Louis Cardinals players Texas Rangers players