KevHead0881 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Good analysis from Phildo. At last, Sox have a force behind plate Phil Rogers January 7, 2005 Dustin Hermanson won't throw a pitch for the White Sox for almost three months, yet he already has distinguished himself. Hermanson's scouting report helped talk general manager Ken Williams out of a really bad idea: Opening the season with Ben Davis and Jamie Burke as his two catchers. He switched to a really good idea: Signing A.J. Pierzynski, who immediately becomes the best two-way catcher the Sox have had since Ron Karkovice, in his good years. As recently as three weeks ago, when he attended the winter meetings, the White Sox general manager insisted he was going to stick with Davis as his No. 1 catcher because pitchers like working with him. Williams then seemed to back that up by claiming disinterest in Pierzynski, a former Minnesota All-Star whom San Francisco had dumped. But he did something smart. He did his homework, talking to players about Pierzynski. That included Hermanson, who pitched to Pierzynski as a Giant last season and signed with the Sox on Dec. 8. Hermanson must have told Williams that Pierzynski isn't such a brutal handler of pitchers, as was suggested when Brett Tomko led a revolt against him last May. He might have said he's the type of guy you appreciate when he's on your side. Or maybe he simply told Williams to check the stats. Whatever Hermanson said, it was no small thing for the 2005 White Sox. With Pierzynski signing a one-year contract, catcher goes from a major liability to a strength. And when was the last time the Sox could claim catcher was a strength? In the last decade, Tampa Bay is the only American League team that has received so little production from its catchers. The trend of light-hitting catchers started when age caught up to Karkovice, and has continued with a run of primary catchers that includes Jorge Fabregas, Chad Kreuter, Brook Fordyce, Mark Johnson, Sandy Alomar Jr., Miguel Olivo and Davis. Only once in the last 10 years has the Sox's top catcher had an OPS (on base percentage plus slugging average) of at least .700. That was Fordyce in 1999. During that decade, 54 of 80 major-league playoff teams had catchers who were quality hitters (.700-plus OPS). Thirty-one of those had a catcher whose OPS was better than .800. The White Sox haven't had one of those since they played at the original Comiskey Park. Pierzynski led National League catchers with 77 runs batted in last year. He led American League catchers with a .312 average two years ago. He can hit. At batter-friendly U.S. Cellular Field, he will replace some of the production the White Sox are losing with the departures of Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Lee. As a contact hitter (19 walks, 27 strikeouts in 508 plate appearances last year), Pierzynski fits Ozzie Guillen's plan of manufacturing runs. His left-handed bat can be used to break up the right-handed hitters who figure to form the middle of the lineup: Paul Konerko, Frank Thomas (once he's healthy), Jermaine Dye and Juan Uribe. Because Pierzynski has been cut loose by playoff teams the last two years—the trade for closer Joe Nathan was a masterstroke by Minnesota GM Terry Ryan—he brings baggage to Chicago. In a San Francisco Chronicle story, an unnamed pitcher called Pierzynski a "cancer" after the Giants got off to a bad start. He and the pitching staff patched things up well enough to win 91 games and a wild-card playoff spot. Pierzynski knows the incident will be remembered. "If you get labeled what someone called me in the paper it follows you around your whole career," he said. Sometimes it obscures your skills too. Although Pierzynski is an offense-first catcher, he is hardly a defensive liability. The Giants' pitching staff had a lower earned-run average with him behind the plate than his backup, Yorvit Torrealba. That was also the case in two of the last three years he was in Minnesota, where the defensive-minded Tom Prince played behind him. Pierzynski became expendable in Minnesota because the next Johnny Bench, Joe Mauer, was deemed ready to make the jump from Double-A to the majors. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire won't celebrate the Sox's signing of Pierzynski. "I had as many wars with the guy as anybody, but I have the utmost respect for him," Gardenhire said. "When he stepped between the lines, the kid played the game. And played it the right way. He is a gamer. "We all know he is a different breed, he can irritate people. But over here we had a lot of fun with that. It just takes a little bit of getting used to." There would have been no getting used to watching a team try to contend with journeymen like Davis and Burke behind the plate. Copyright © 2005, The Chicago Tribune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomsonmi Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 I just can't wipe the smile from my face. KW has put himself together a real baseball team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulokis Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 QUOTE(thomsonmi @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 11:02 PM) I just can't wipe the smile from my face. KW has put himself together a real baseball team. Same here, KW made my work easy when I read the news! I know we were pissed with AJ when he was with the Twinkies, now I know we will love having his gutsy attitude on our team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 I just love the idea of having Pyrz behind the plate. I've been lobbying for this go for what seems like forever and he's finally a Sox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDsDirtySox Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 It used to get to me so bad when AJ would do his "flip" of the ball to the mound on an inning ending K. And I won't forget in the playoffs against the A's a couple of years ago how everyone on the A's wanted to kick his tail. He was getting under their skin saying booyah (or however you spell it) after every strikeout. I remember there was a lot in the news about the situation, then late in the series AJ hit a huge home run, and as he rounded the bases coming to home plate, he looked to the A's dugout, stomped on home plate and screamed booyah. Those things used to get to me so bad... now I sort of have a smile while thinking about him on our side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxfan3530 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 good article by phil but last time i checked the giants didn't earn the wild card spot in the NL last year. That would be the Astros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RibbieRubarb Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Also Phil forgets to mention that Charles Johnson posted a nice OPS for us in 2000 from the C position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 This turnaround on AJ reminds me a lot of when Bob "Cola" Probert joined the Blackhawks. HATED as a Red Wing, he became one of the more beloved Blackhawks ( although not by me, I still thought he was a prick ). I'm pretty confident that AJ will become a very well-liked member of the White Sox. His attitude will be welcomed by Ozzie, and AJ does seem determined to shed the cancer tag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 QUOTE(The Critic @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 07:54 AM) This turnaround on AJ reminds me a lot of when Bob "Cola" Probert joined the Blackhawks. HATED as a Red Wing, he became one of the more beloved Blackhawks ( although not by me, I still thought he was a prick ). I'm pretty confident that AJ will become a very well-liked member of the White Sox. His attitude will be welcomed by Ozzie, and AJ does seem determined to shed the cancer tag. Once a Dead Thing always a Dead Thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 The whole thing with Hermanson pitching KW tells me something. KW is maturing as a GM. Does anyone think in 2001 that Kenny would have listened to a newly signed bullpen pitcher for advice on a Catcher? It would have never happened. Kenny is now utilizing his players and coaches and making them active participants in the process of teambuilding, instead of making it seem like it is only him. I am impressed with the progess that Kenny has made in his 4 years at the helm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 At last, Sox have a force behind plate Phil Rogers January 7, 2005 Dustin Hermanson won't throw a pitch for the White Sox for almost three months, yet he already has distinguished himself. Hermanson's scouting report helped talk general manager Ken Williams out of a really bad idea: Opening the season with Ben Davis and Jamie Burke as his two catchers. He switched to a really good idea: Signing A.J. Pierzynski, who immediately becomes the best two-way catcher the Sox have had since Ron Karkovice, in his good years. As recently as three weeks ago, when he attended the winter meetings, the White Sox general manager insisted he was going to stick with Davis as his No. 1 catcher because pitchers like working with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3E8 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 What I think people had a problem with Steff is that you said, 'Ben Davis will be the starting catcher for the 2005 White Sox', or something along those lines. Instead, if you post your information as what the current plans are without set-in-stone predictions, you will be covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 QUOTE(The Critic @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 07:54 AM) This turnaround on AJ reminds me a lot of when Bob "Cola" Probert joined the Blackhawks. HATED as a Red Wing, he became one of the more beloved Blackhawks ( although not by me, I still thought he was a prick ). I'm pretty confident that AJ will become a very well-liked member of the White Sox. His attitude will be welcomed by Ozzie, and AJ does seem determined to shed the cancer tag. Sometimes a change of scenery is all that is needed. I think he's all about making this work and I'm really stoked that he's on board. We're gonna have a really kick ass season I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 QUOTE(3E8 @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 01:48 PM) What I think people had a problem with Steff is that you said, 'Ben Davis will be the starting catcher for the 2005 White Sox', or something along those lines. Instead, if you post your information as what the current plans are without set-in-stone predictions, you will be covered. Until 3 weeks ago.. apparently, he was the starting catcher. I had no reason when I was told in July to believe otherwise, not did I when I repeated the same information a month ago. And who are these people who had a problem... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodAsGould Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 steff majority people here love your inside sources ... and after the Olivo trade its pretty obvious no plans are written in stone when it comes to the sox things change Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JUGGERNAUT Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 If he can get Jon Garland to pitch the WAY JON IS EXPECTED TO PITCH he's worth the 2.25M on that stat alone. Maybe this is exactly what the CWS needed. A guy who will get up off his ass go out to Jon & say "Is your name Judy or Jon? You shake me off one more time & I'll make it Judy!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamTell Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 lol I can just see him and Garland going at it on the mound. Garland calling off a pitch, while AJ keeps asking for the same pitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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