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| {{Infobox MLB player | |||
| | name = A. J. Pierzynski | |||
| | image = AJ Pierzynski1.jpg | |||
| | width = 300 | |||
| | caption = | |||
| | team = Chicago White Sox | |||
| | number = 12 | |||
| | position = Catcher | |||
| | birthdate = {{birth date and age|1976|12|30}} | |||
| | birthplace = {{city-state|Bridgehampton|New York}} | |||
| | bats = Left | |||
| | throws = Right | |||
| | debutdate = September 9 | |||
| | debutyear = 1998 | |||
| | debutteam = Minnesota Twins | |||
| | statyear = April 28, 2008 | |||
| | stat1label = ] | |||
| | stat1value = .285 | |||
| | stat2label = ]s | |||
| | stat2value = 88 | |||
| | stat3label = ] | |||
| | stat3value = 452 | |||
| | teams = <nowiki></nowiki> | |||
| *] ({{by|1998}}-{{by|2003}}) | |||
| *] ({{by|2004}}) | |||
| *] ({{by|2005}}-present) | |||
| | awards = <nowiki></nowiki> | |||
| *2x ] selection ({{by|2002}}, {{by|2006}}) | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Anthony John "A.J." Pierzynski''' (born ], ]) is an ] ] ] who has played for the ] since {{by|2005}}. Pierzynski formerly played with the ] (1998-2003) and ] (2004). Pierzynski was also a ] for ]. | |||
| Pierzynski had the longest streak of consecutive error-less games among active Major League catchers (150). A.J. made the 2002 American League All-Star Team as a reserve catcher while playing for the ]. | |||
| ==Biography== | |||
| Anthony John Pierzynski was born ], ] in ].<ref name=sox2>"," Player File, Biography, ''Chicago White Sox'', official website. Retrieved ] ].</ref> | |||
| He attended ] in ], where he won All-State honors in baseball. New York Yankees outfielder ] was one of Pierzynski's high school teammates. He graduated high school in 1994 and also signed a letter of intent to play baseball at the ].<ref name=sox2>.</ref> AJ's rookie year in the MLB was 1998. He is currently married to Lisa Pierzynski. The couple has two children, Ava and Austin. AJ also has been given the nickname "The Polish Prince" this was given to him by his teammates. He is a large fan favorite by Sox fans due to his hard play and attitude. | |||
| ==Major League career== | |||
| Pierzynski was drafted by the ] on June 2, 1994, out of high school.<ref name=trans/> After four years in the Twins organization, he was called up to the Major League team, and made his debut on September 9, 1998. He spent the next five seasons, through the {{by|2003}} season, with Minnesota, though he was not a regular starter until {{by|2001}}. From {{by|1998}}-{{by|2000}}, he appeared in just 49 games for the Twins. In 2003, Pierzynski reached a .312 batting average, a career high that still stands.<ref name=career>"," Career stats, Chicago White Sox, official website. Retrieved ] ].</ref> | |||
| After the {{by|2003}} season, the Twins traded Pierzynski to the ] for ], ], and ]. He spent one season in San Francisco before being signed as a ] by the ] on ], ].<ref name=trans>"," Transactions, ''Baseball-reference.com'', Retrieved ] ].</ref> | |||
| In {{by|2006}}, Pierzynski was named one of the five ] players in the ]. Soon afterwards the Chicago White Sox organization began an election campaign using the slogan "Punch A.J." Pierzynski received 3.6 million votes, the most votes in the ], 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 ]. After a fly ball out,{{Fact|date=June 2008}} Pierzynski tagged up at 3rd 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. As he was getting up, he bumped into Barrett, and Barrett grabbed Pierzynski and punched him. A bench clearing brawl ensued, and Pierzynski, Barrett, White Sox outfielder Brian Anderson and Cubs first baseman John Mabry were ejected. <ref name=May20>"</ref> | |||
| ==Pierzynski and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim== | |||
| Pierzynski was involved in a controversial play that occurred on October 12, 2005 in Game 2 of the ] versus the ]. With the score tied and two out in the bottom of the ninth, with two strikes, Pierzynski swung at a low pitch from Angels pitcher ] and missed, for strike three. ], the Angels catcher, rolled the ball to the mound and left the infield. Pierzynski realized strike three had been called, but he had not been called out and ran to first base in case the umpire had ruled that the Angels catcher had not legally caught the strike three pitch (see ] rule). Home plate umpire ] indeed ruled that the ball hit the ground and then went into the catcher's glove,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051013&content_id=1248409&vkey=ps2005news&fext=.jsp|title=Umpires postgame interview|accessdate=2007-06-05|publisher=mlb.com}}</ref><!-- Comment: The link provided here is to MLB's story about the play. Please read that story before editing this section. Thank you, Justus_R --> meaning Pierzynski was safe at first. A ], ], replaced Pierzynski and stole second base. ] ] delivered a base hit three pitches later, scoring Ozuna for the winning run. | |||
| ==Controversies== | |||
| During a 2004 Spring Training game, while catching, Pierzynski took a pitch to the groin and fell instantly to the ground in pain. Trainer Stan Conte rushed from the dugout to his side and immediately inquired, "how does it feel?" AJ responded directly by saying, "like this" and kneed Conte in the groin, dropping him to the ground.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://men.style.com/gq/features/full?id=content_4103|title=The Ten Most Hated Athletes|accessdate=2008-06-25|publisher=style.com}}</ref> | |||
| A May 2006 issue of ] featured a survey taken among 470 baseball players about what player they would most like to see get ]. Pierzynski received eighteen percent of the vote, higher than any other player. Forty-two percent of those surveyed in the AL Central Division (which the White Sox play in) voted for Pierzynski. | |||
| 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 ] with his spikes. Twins manager ] was furious with the umpires, which resulted in a long tirade. However, he was not ejected. Pierzynski denied any attempt to step on Morneau.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070528&content_id=1991531&vkey=news_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min|title=Twins upset about Pierzynski's play|accessdate=2007-05-29|publisher=mlb.com}}</ref> | |||
| ==Professional wrestling == | |||
| On ], 2005, A.J. Pierzynski appeared on ], a ] ] aired by the ] ]. Accompanied by White Sox strength trainer ], Pierzynski presented TNA wrestlers ], ] and ] with memorabilia from the ]. At the ceremony, an incident was staged to include Pierzynski in a controversy with the wrestlers. Pierzynski then made his ] ] debut at ] on ], 2005, accompanying Torborg, Sabin and Dutt to ringside for their match against the Diamonds in the Rough. | |||
| On ], ], Pierzynski appeared on ]'s ], wearing the X-Division Championship belt, and challenged ] ], who was also a guest that morning, to a ] ] whenever Cena wanted to have it. | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist|1}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| *{{baseballstats | mlb=150229 | espn=3948 | br=p/pierza.01 | fangraphs=746 | cube=P/A.J.-Pierzynski}} | |||
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| * at ] | |||
| {{2005 Chicago White Sox}} | |||
| {{Chicago White Sox roster navbox}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Pierzynski, A.J.}} | |||
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Revision as of 03:14, 29 June 2008
A piece of trash