AJ the Agitator

[Controlled Chaos]

What does AJ do to get this label? I know he must do something or he did stuff in the past or whatever, but I have heard this since he got here and haven't really seen him do anything.

 

Stepping on Boone? I guess it could be debated, but if he doesn't step squarely on him...he probably falls and doesn't score.

Dropped third strike in Anaheim? not AJ

Tag without glove? not AJ

Barrett incident? not AJ

Zambrano incident? not AJ

 

I'm sure there's more you people can come up with, but find me something where it's AJ being "the agitator?"

 

Does he talk to the batters when they're batting? I don't recall ever seeing a batter saying something or getting in his face at the plate so I don't know. He may talk to the umps about balls and strikes, but unless that is hurting our pitcher...what's the problem...not to mention that shouldn't get him the agitator label.

 

I'm not speaking with bias here either. I can look objectively on things. If AJ does something out of line I can admit it, but it's like people look to blame him when a controversy comes up.

 

With regards to this weekends incidents, with Barrett it was "oh AJ slapped the plate." First off Barrett didn't even see that. Second...since when can't you show emotion. That was a big f***in play. A home plate collision to score the first run of the game. Now if AJ said.."screw you Barrett" when he slapped the plate...I can see that as instigating...but just slapping the plate...that's stretching it. Can teamates not slap hands at home with the guy who hits a home run? Don't the existing base runners wait at home plate to slap hands after a homerun? Is this too offensive to the other team? If the ensuing events didn't take place...nobody would have even criticized AJ for slapping the plate. It shouldn't have even been mentioned, but it's like people have to find something AJ did.

 

Also with Barrett, AJ didn't put his shoulder in to him. Come on people. AJ's explanation is the only logical one here. You can tell he was surprised when Barrett grabbed him. Even more surprised when Barrett punched him. You can see AJ's lips never moved and Barretts do. Barrett has conveniently left that out when describing his events. AJ got up to get his helmet and Barrett got up right in his line and AJ moved his shoulder to avoid him. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever for AJ to get up after that play, and go over to bump Barrett. I mean come on. Can't people use common sense. Not to mention if AJ wanted to hit Barrett, which once again makes no f***in sense, he's not going to turn his shoulder to graze him.

 

Zambrano doesn't like AJ clapping? Are you kidding me? f***in Zambrano who jumps upand fist pumps after strikeouts in the middle of innings. Most guys clap between first and second base when the ball clears the wall. Now I don't know about AJ pointing to the sky, but what I do know is Zambrano didn't see any of that. So that has nothing to do with his blow up. If anyone in this city should have an agitator label it should be him.

 

AJ plays hard every day and that makes him alright in my book. I like an emotional player. I don't like a guy that doesn't play with sportsmanship, but I have yet to see it. Now I've seen him after a big hit or a big steak clap his hands and say f*** yeah. I don't know if that's what's considered agitating, but all players do that.

 

Maybe this was beat to death over the weekend, but I don't really post on the weekends and I know a lot of other posters don't either.

[Kalapse]

I heard he gives poisoned milk to school children.

[The Critic]

I call AJ "The Magnet" because for whatever reason, controversy sticks to him wherever he goes.

 

He's a passionate ballplayer, and that can rub opponents the wrong way, but I don't see him go out of his way to irritate other players very often.

Unlike a certain loony Cub starting pitcher, for example....

[Controlled Chaos]

I heard he gives poisoned milk to school children.

 

You would think.

 

I call AJ "The Magnet" because for whatever reason, controversy sticks to him wherever he goes.

 

This makes more sense then "instigator" or "agitator"

[Queen Prawn]

I remember when Maggs was still with the Sox, he said something about AJ saying something to him when he popped up (or something like that) at the end of a game in Twinkieville.

 

He is the kind of player you hate as an opponent but love when he is one of your own (so to speak).

Edited May 22, 2006 by Queen Prawn

[Guest JimH]

A few years ago the Twins beat Oakland in the playoffs. A's players really hated Pierzynski, because AJ was getting under their skin.

 

Example, in the last innings of one of the games Minnesota won, when an A's player would ground out, pop up, fly out, etc. Pierzynski would see it from behind the plate and yell "BOO-YAH !!".

 

Pissed the A's players off big time.

 

However I do find it very humorous that Zambrano was yelling at Joey Cora to get the White Sox players to be quiet and stop the hystrionics. Hypocritical to the max, with all that fist pumping and other stuff he does.

Edited May 22, 2006 by JimH

[Drew]

I spent 2003 living in Minneapolis, where the public reception to him seemed pretty good. The sportscasters and writers seemed to like him, and so did the fans. I always felt if the Sox could get a guy like him, things would really start to roll. (They got two: first Ozzie, and then AJ himself). He was part of good things when he was a Twin, and he was always a big catalyst between the Twins/Sox rivalry, and is one of those guys who can rise to the occasion.

 

The Giants don't remember him fondly, for damn sure. But the Giants' clubhouse was surely a wreck before AJ even unpacked his bags. A year before, Baroid and Jeff Kent were duking it out in the dugout. With the kind of guy Baroid is and the kind of control the Giants allow him to exude over the clubhouse, that kind of drama doesn't just come out in the wash. If we're talking about clubhouse cancers, AJ is benign, Baroid is malignant. And Baroid may as well sign everyone's paychecks on that team.

 

The recurrent theme in all the stories around AJ Pierzynski are how people who don't like him come off sounding like crybabies--Brett Tomko. Kelvim Escobar. Michael Barrett. Jay Mariotti. Their cases all seem petty and short-sighted, usually pinning the blame on AJ when the big picture tells a different story.

 

The GQ article on the '10 Most Hated Men in Sports' is based on a few rumors and unconfirmed stories--kneeing Stan Conte is one--that people want to read because it was dirt on someone who was in the public eye at the time for being a World Champion as well as in the center of the dropped third strike controversy.

 

AJ plays fundamentally-sound baseball, and is someone who seems to always be in the right place in the right time and do the right thing.

[Mplssoxfan]

When AJ took over as the Twins' regular catcher in 2001, they coincidentially had their first winning season since 1992. The next two years, with AJ behind the plate, they won division titles for the first time since 1991. In Game 5 of the 2002 ALDS, AJ hit the homerun that gave the Twins the series.

 

His time in San Francisco didn't exactly work out. Whatever. Stan Conte says that AJ kneed him in the groin, on the field, during a Spring Training game. Interestingly, not a single beat writer reported on this "incident" when it happened. I believe that the Giants are covered by at least four beat writers. None of them saw this happen? Stan Conte said he took it for the team. BS.

 

AJ joined the Sox, taking a pay cut, in 2005. Coincidentally, the Sox won their first World Series since 1917.

 

There are supposedly a lot of guys in baseball who don't like AJ. I'm willing to bet a lot of them would like to see him as their teammate. When winning follows you around like that, it's always a good thing.

[Wanne]

A fair question...but here's another...Why did all White Sox fans hate him when he was with the Twins? I personally can't remember any reasons why. But like most have said...you hate him if he's not on your team...but love him when he is. Baseball's version of Dennis Rodman for some reason.

[LosMediasBlancas]

The 'unwritten rules' of baseball are funny, I guess no trash talking allowed. Opinions will vary on whether this is a good thing or not.

Can you imagine if they had to endure the NBA or NFL s*** talk??

Edited May 22, 2006 by LosMediasBlancas

[Drew]

His time in San Francisco didn't exactly work out. Whatever. Stan Conte says that AJ kneed him in the groin, on the field, during a Spring Training game. Interestingly, not a single beat writer reported on this "incident" when it happened. I believe that the Giants are covered by at least four beat writers. None of them saw this happen? Stan Conte said he took it for the team. BS.

 

^^^^^

 

I always thought that was peculiar.

[Balta1701]

Supposedly AJ also has a habit of really getting on people's nerves when he's behind the plate & they're batting. Combine all that with the fact that he plays hard on every play, and you've got the mixture we're glad to have.

[quickman]

AJ reminds me of paul Newman in slap shot. Same thing. We also have no idea what the hell he says behind the plate.

[Guest JimH]

AJ reminds me of paul Newman in slap shot. Same thing. We also have no idea what the hell he says behind the plate.

 

We can guess though and we'd probably be right.

 

We need more guys with that win at all costs attitude.

[DABearSoX]

I think the Zambrano incident yesterday was acctually a little bit of AJs fault....I didn't acctually see it when watching the game, but when he touched homeplate after his HR he tapped his chest and pointed to the sky exactlly how Z does......it was freakin great.....

[Felix]

I think the Zambrano incident yesterday was acctually a little bit of AJs fault....I didn't acctually see it when watching the game, but when he touched homeplate after his HR he tapped his chest and pointed to the sky exactlly how Z does......it was freakin great.....

Zambrano was already yelling before that happened.

 

 

I remember when during ST last year, AJ offer $100 to whoever hit a HR off of a Giants pitcher (his name escapes me, Tomko maybe?). Its that sort of thing that pisses off other teams.

[Controlled Chaos]

Zambrano was already yelling before that happened.

I remember when during ST last year, AJ offer $100 to whoever hit a HR off of a Giants pitcher (his name escapes me, Tomko maybe?). Its that sort of thing that pisses off other teams.

 

AJ and Tomko were at each others throats in SF. He was a big part of the problems AJ had over there. So I don't have a prob with AJ doing that....They have a history. Now if AJ just picked some guy out of the blue, I would agree with you.

[tealeafreaderii]

AJ also likes to whip the ball right over the batters head after they strike out... I'm sure they don't apreciate that too much

[Felix]

AJ and Tomko were at each others throats in SF. He was a big part of the problems AJ had over there. So I don't have a prob with AJ doing that....They have a history. Now if AJ just picked some guy out of the blue, I would agree with you.

Yea, I know they had a history, but that doesn't really effect how the $100 for a HR is looked at. It can still be seen as a way to start things, since he could have just moved on and ignored it.

[Steve9347]

I heard he gives poisoned milk to school children.

 

word

[Kyyle23]

Does it get funnier than this?

 

 

[Controlled Chaos]

Baffled Pierzynski wonders why he's bad guy

 

May 23, 2006

 

BY JOE COWLEY Staff Reporter

 

White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski is tired of it.

 

Tired of always being portrayed as the bad guy, warranted or unwarranted. Tired of his past haunting him. And now tired of the toll it has been taking on his family.

 

That was his message Monday, two days after he was sucker-punched by Cubs catcher Michael Barrett, sparking a bench-clearing brawl.

 

"Have I done things in the past that I wish I wouldn't have done? Yeah,'' Pierzynski said. "But who can't say that about themselves? Have I done anything the last couple of years to warrant what's been said about me? No. Am I tired of it? Yes. Do I wish we could just talk about baseball? Yes. Is that ever going to happen with me? I don't know.

 

"I do know that it gets tiring after a while. It was a tough weekend for me and my family, not only because of that, but other stuff. It's going to continue to be a struggle as long as this [stuff] keeps coming up.''

 

It hasn't been boring this season for Pierzynski, who has had a beanball thrown at him by Los Angeles Angels pitcher Kelvim Escobar and been involved in the incident with Barrett. But he maintained his innocence in both situations and doesn't understand why he still is being portrayed as the bad guy.

 

"Things like this used to motivate me, but I have a wife and kid now,'' Pierzynski said. "I have to deal with how it affects them now. It's just wearing on me, and I'm tired of it.''

 

He did go out of his way, however, to thank current and former teammates who have defended him. The latest was Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.

 

Ortiz told Boston reporters how Pierzynski helped motivate him when Ortiz was struggling with the Minnesota Twins.

 

"He plays to win,'' Ortiz said. "He's not a bad person. He's not a bad dude.''

 

Said Pierzynski: "I've played on winning teams, and for the people that I really know -- and that know me, more importantly -- to stand up for me like that ... for someone like David to say that, I really appreciate it. I appreciate guys that have said stuff in my behalf.

 

"Those are the people that know me. At this point, that's all I care about. The people that don't know me are going to say stuff.''

[Controlled Chaos]

Ok so I've been waiting to find out what AJ has done to be so hated. There was an article in the tribune comparing him to the likes of Bill Laimbeer, Claude Lemieux and Bill Romanowski. The big difference is those guys were physical agitators and they were dirty players. They were total assholes and there's video evidence of the cheap shots they took.

 

What has AJ done?? Smile at a pitcher? Talk to a batter? I don't think AJ is talking trash to every batter that strikes out. In this era of inflated egos, we would have seen a confrontation at the plate by now. If he says something here or there, it may be bush league, but this isn't fricken golf.

 

There's the S. Conte thing and AJ denies that ever happened. I'm not sure why every time I read or hear about it, the story isn't followed by AJ's denial. It's just reported as fact.

 

AJ and Tomko clearly didn't get along...so you can take what he says with a grain of salt. I remember an interview when AJ came to the Sox and he had a perfect explanation with that Tomko thing.

 

Im not saying AJ is an angel, I don't know him that well. I'm just saying the media portrayal of this instigator/bad boy or the comparisons to the cheap shot artists in the other sports is ridiculous.

 

Sun Times, Quick Hits' Elliot Harris, who is a jackass in his own right, "proves" to us why AJ has a bad reputation...

 

The Pierzynski chronicles

 

White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski has a right to be frustrated. He wasn't to blame for the two controversial plays he was involved in during last year's playoffs. And he was the victim in the Michael Barrett episode during the recent Sox-Cubs series at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

But if he thinks his bad reputation is a myth, he's only fooling himself. There's a reason why dirt sticks to him like Pigpen. It's called a history, and it's one that Pierzynski is finding difficult to erase. In case you've forgotten:

 

*October 2002: Irritated A's pitchers by smiling at them after fouling off pitches -- but none more than Billy Koch, who took exception to Pierzynski's antics -- flipping his bat and allegedly taunting catcher Greg Myers -- after hitting a two-run homer in Game 5 of the ALDS.

 

''He's a jackass,'' Koch told reporters. ''Hopefully, Anaheim kicks the [deleted] out of them.''

 

*May 2004: Before a regular-season rematch, A's outfielder Terrence Long singled out the Twins' Pierzynski as the root of the team's ire.

 

''Pierzynski talks all the time,'' Long told the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. ''I don't understand it. I know those guys -- Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones and Cristian Guzman -- and I don't understand how they can let that guy talk so much.''

 

*Spring training 2004: After being struck in the groin during an exhibition game, Giants trainer Stan Conte came out and asked how he felt. ''Like this,'' Pierzynski said, as he kneed Conte in a similar spot.

 

*April 2004: In a game against the Atlanta Braves, television cameras caught Pierzynski making an apparent obscene gesture toward the crowd. Pierzynski denied making the gesture, but the San Jose Mercury News reported that Pierzynski was called on the carpet for that incident by general manager Brian Sabean and manager Felipe Alou and chastised by then assistant GM Ned Colletti.

 

''It's been handled internally,'' Colletti said. ''It's uncalled for. There's no place for it in a public venue.''

 

*May 2004: Turned down Giants teammate Brett Tomko's request for a pregame meeting to discuss Braves hitters, preferring instead to play cards in the clubhouse.

 

''He's the cancer in here,'' Tomko told the Oakland Tribune, at first anonymously, before later acknowledging the quotes were his.

 

''The pitchers aren't happy with him. If they can trade him, that would be fine with me. I've never seen a catcher who didn't watch video before games. He doesn't watch hitters -- other than the Twins when they're on TV.''

 

*March 2005: Pierzynski offered any White Sox teammate $100 for hitting a home run off Tomko, and paid up when outfielder Joe Borchard did it.

 

''Once an ass, always an ass,'' Tomko told a San Francisco reporter.

[southsideirish]

QUOTE(Felix @ May 22, 2006 -> 07:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yea, I know they had a history, but that doesn't really effect how the $100 for a HR is looked at. It can still be seen as a way to start things, since he could have just moved on and ignored it.

 

Hmm, easier said than done. Most people, especially highly competitive people, don't ignore things and move on. Especially not the crap that Tomko said. He is the main reason AJ had to take such a big pay cut. Most, if not all, teams were avoiding him because of it. Hard not to be a little pissed off about someone taking money away from you. At least that is how I look at it.

[Misplaced_Sox]

Well when AJ gets buzzed at the plate or he doesnt like something when he is batting when he grounds out or pops up that same at bat he will come awfully close to the pitcher on his jog back to the dug out. I always wonder if he is saying something.