Pierzynski, Widger return behind the plate in 2006

[SSH2005]

Around the Horn: Catchers

Pierzynski, Widger return behind the plate in 2006

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

CHICAGO -- A.J. Pierzynski clearly has found a home in Chicago.

 

Chris Widger managed to reunite with baseball in the same city and with the same exact team as Pierzynski.

 

And the White Sox couldn't be happier with their tandem in place behind the plate for the second straight season. Their collective value far surpasses the statistics they produce during the course of a 162-game ledger.

 

"Both Pierzynski and Widger bring similar strong qualities off the field," said White Sox assistant general manager Rick Hahn of his team's solid catching tandem. "They really help make our pitchers better.

 

"They understand and stick to the game plan and scouting reports. They execute the plan [manager] Ozzie [Guillen] and [pitching coach Don] Cooper put into place. It's like having extra coaches in uniform."

 

The roads traveled by Pierzynski and Widger to Chicago were interesting, to say the least, and somewhat difficult, to take them a step further. Widger, who turns 35 on May 21, was completely out of affiliated baseball before being extended a non-roster invite to White Sox Spring Training last year.

 

Widger reached the last round of cuts in both 2002 with the Yankees and 2003 with the Cardinals, walking away from baseball a bit disenchanted, after thinking that behind-the-scenes politics played too much of a role in the final personnel moves -- especially in St. Louis -- that didn't include his name. The affable Widger played softball for a team in his hometown of Pennsville, N.J., and eventually suited up for the Camden Riversharks in the Independent Atlantic League during his year away in 2004, before catching on with the White Sox.

 

Pierzynski, 29, was a standout offensively during previous stints with Minnesota and San Francisco. But signing a one-year deal with the White Sox presented the left-handed hitter with his third team in three years, after the Giants proved to be the wrong fit for the energetic and entertaining Pierzynski.

 

It didn't take long, though, for Pierzynski to prove any past criticisms vastly untrue. Pierzynski hit a career-high 18 home runs and led all American League catchers with a .999 fielding percentage, finishing the season with a 119-game errorless streak. He has played on teams that have produced a combined 373-273 record over the last four seasons, and that impressive mark doesn't even include the White Sox 11-1 record during their run to a World Series title for the first time since 1917.

 

Of course, Pierzynski was front and center during a few of the more controversial moments in the postseason. The most memorable instance took place with two outs in the bottom of the ninth of Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, with nobody on base and the White Sox already down one game. Pierzynski reached first base after Kelvim Escobar's apparent 3-2 strikeout pitch was ruled trapped by catcher Josh Paul. Pinch-runner Pablo Ozuna came around to score the game-winning run on Joe Crede's walk-off double.

 

Pierzynski exhibited the sort of intangible leadership and even a little bit of the attitude this team needed. These intangibles were a small part of the reason Pierzynski earned a three-year, $15-million deal during the current offseason.

 

"It means a lot that this team has enough respect to give you three years and allow you the freedom to go out and get comfortable in a city," said Pierzynski, who earned $2.25 million in 2005, during a conference call to announce his signing. "At least I know for three years what I will be doing and where I will be playing."

 

"We feel A.J. has found a home here," Hahn added at the time. "It was certainly a priority for us to get him locked up and have control over his free agent years in the not too distant future."

 

The bats of Pierzynski and Widger made a difference on more than one occasion during the 2005 season. Pierzynski launched a walk-off home run to complete a ninth-inning rally against the Dodgers and pounded out two home runs in the first postseason contest against Boston, as an example. It was Widger's three-run home run off Randy Johnson that capped off a six-run inning at home on Aug. 21 and eventually led to the White Sox breaking a seven-game losing streak.

 

With the balance put forth by the White Sox lineup, though, neither player is called upon to carry the team offensively. Instead, Pierzynski and Widger's primary role is carefully handling one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball.

 

Previous catchers such as Miguel Olivo, Ben Davis and Jamie Burke tried to fulfill that goal over the past three years. But the White Sox staff hasn't seemed to feel this comfortable since throwing to a healthy Sandy Alomar Jr.

 

It pays to have those "extra coaches" leading the way on the field, especially when they are working with pitchers such as Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia, Jose Contreras and Bobby Jenks, to name a few.

[The Critic]

Just one more way to say that

AJ is THE MAN!

....and Widge is also The Man, just not as often as AJ is THE MAN!

[RME JICO]

I cannot believe AJ didn't get more consideration for a Gold Glove. So I guess he got snubbed too with a .999 Fielding Percentage. Varitek won it but he only had a .990 Fielding Percentage. AJ also did a great job of handling the staff, and I only can imagine that 2006 will be even better, especially with AJ's hitting.

[WilliamTell]

I love the catcher tandem we have.

[Pierzynski 12]

AJ and the Widge

[southsider2k5]

I cannot believe AJ didn't get more consideration for a Gold Glove.  So I guess he got snubbed too with a .999 Fielding Percentage.  Varitek won it but he only had a .990 Fielding Percentage.  AJ also did a great job of handling the staff, and I only can imagine that 2006 will be even better, especially with AJ's hitting.

 

Let me be the first to say it... AJ did NOT deserve a gold glove, I dont' give a s*** what his fielding percentage was.

[southsider2k5]

Without a doubt my favortie player on the Sox, but AJ is a far from a GG catcher. He is alot of things, but Gold Glove is not one of them.

 

Exactly. I don't know that I have seen many catchers worse at stopping the ball in the dirt.

[SSH2005]

You also need to be able to throw out runners to be a Gold Glove catcher.

[Kyyle23]

Exactly.  I don't know that I have seen many catchers worse at stopping the ball in the dirt.

 

 

You also need to be able to throw out runners to be a Gold Glove catcher.

 

 

I agree with both of those assessments, but it still leaves me scratching my head why Varitek is even considered. .990 FP, 8 errors, 7 passed balls, and they wont even let Wakefield throw to him. Then you have AJ with a .999 FP, 1 error, and 7 passed balls. strange

[SSH2005]

I agree with both of those assessments, but it still leaves me scratching my head why Varitek is even considered.  .990 FP, 8 errors, 7 passed balls, and they wont even let Wakefield throw to him.  Then you have AJ with a .999 FP, 1 error, and 7 passed balls.  strange

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gold Gloves are as much about offense as defense. It's a pretty lame award.

[Balta1701]

Still before we even talk about AJ and gold gloves, I think it would behoove us all to go look at which pitchers had the most wild pitches in the league. Even though a WP isn't credited to the catcher, that doesn't mean there's nothing the catcher can do to stop it...that only means it was in the dirt.

[mr_genius]

You also need to be able to throw out runners to be a Gold Glove catcher.

 

 

definately

[Kyyle23]

Still before we even talk about AJ and gold gloves, I think it would behoove us all to go look at which pitchers had the most wild pitches in the league.  Even though a WP isn't credited to the catcher, that doesn't mean there's nothing the catcher can do to stop it...that only means it was in the dirt.

 

Well, that is determined by MLB scorekeepers, isnt it? If they determine the catcher could have done something about it, it is then termed a passed ball and charged to the catcher.

[southsider2k5]

Still before we even talk about AJ and gold gloves, I think it would behoove us all to go look at which pitchers had the most wild pitches in the league.  Even though a WP isn't credited to the catcher, that doesn't mean there's nothing the catcher can do to stop it...that only means it was in the dirt.

 

Unless some of the wild pitches were a product of bad catching... I know Garcia and Contreras led the league in WPs but both also had career highs. Garcia went from having a career high of 12 in his rookie season, to 20 last year. Contreras also upped his career high from 17 to 20. The thing that makes me believe it isn't just worse control is that both Contreras and Garcia had career lows in walks, which besides watching every game, really tells me that there is more than lack of control involved in those outliers.

[Balta1701]

Well, that is determined by MLB scorekeepers, isnt it?  If they determine the catcher could have done something about it, it is then termed a passed ball and charged to the catcher.

As far as I know, the rule is that if it's in the dirt, it's going to be a wild pitch. Or at least that's how they get called. But that doesn't mean a good defensive catcher can't get his body in front of a bunch of those and keep the ball in front of him, thus preventing the wild pitch.

[skidoochic]

As far as I know, the rule is that if it's in the dirt, it's going to be a wild pitch.  Or at least that's how they get called.  But that doesn't mean a good defensive catcher can't get his body in front of a bunch of those and keep the ball in front of him, thus preventing the wild pitch.

Don't be picking on my A.J. (Yeah-I'm back!)

[TLAK]

Who's 3rd on the catcher chart this year? I know Davis and Burke are gone and Casanova just signed with the A's. I see Chris Stewart's name on the 40 man but I don't anything about him except that he's 23 years old.

[YASNY]

AJ and Widger brought a lot to this club, but defensive excellence behind the plate was not part of it.