AJ disliked by his teammates

[witesoxfan]

If AJ had a serious problem with Sox, he would have signed with Dodgers.

 

They aren't saying AJ has a problem with the Sox. They are saying other members of the Sox have a problem with AJ.

 

They're grown ups. They'll live.

[Milkman delivers]

Because it's a generally circumstantial and worthless statistic...my opinion of course. If you catch good pitchers, it's going to be low; if you catch bad pitchers, it's going to be high. A catcher only has so much effect on that.

 

ESPN still has CERA (and I think it and MLB.com may be the only ones who keep track of it anymore...not even sure of MLB). Castro's CERA was 4.48. That tells me two things.

 

1) Freddy Garcia (probably) pitched better to Castro than he did AJ.

2) AJ had a lower CERA

 

I do think Castro is a better option because he will atleast provide some power, but that will never happen, not with Ozzie's respect for AJ nor with AJ's contract.

 

I've never actually looked at CERA in my life, so don't get the impression that I live and die by it. I just thought it'd be a way to either support or refute the idea that AJ improved pitchers.

 

But wouldn't CERA be a good measure to distinguish between two guys on the same team? That is, unless one of them is the personal catcher to a certain pitcher or two.

[scenario]

Boers and Bernstein have great Sox sources. Heck, I feel like they knew Thome had a pulled oblique muscle a few years ago even before Herm did.

 

Which.... makes absolutely no sense.

 

Since any non-medical person who 'knew' this ahead of time was simply pulling a guess out of their ***...

 

Which B&B do way too frequently IMO.

 

They're great when discussing football/basketball... but seems to me like their sports IQ drops by 100 points when discussing baseball... so they resort to creating controversy to try and keep shows interesting.

Edited May 3, 2011 by scenario

[IlliniKrush]

If people wanted to give AJ credit for being a good "handler of the staff" when it was going well, those people also have to put some of the blame for the poor pitching on him as well.

 

Furthermore, he can't block balls, he can't throw anyone out, half the time he can't even find the ears on the ball, and he's been awful at the plate.

 

"Intangibles" doesn't get it done as a major league catcher.

[shago]

AJ is the one that helps starting pitchers perform over their head? And here I thought it was Don Cooper preaching the cutter, control within the strike zone, and working within a pitcher's limitations.

 

Who needs a hitting coach...more like, WHO NEEDS A PITCHING COACH?

 

Seriously, I understand that AJ calls a good game, but he doesn't *make* these pitchers perform well.

You're right, calling pitches and locations doesn't help the pitcher. Especially those like Buehrle who never waive-off a pitch...

[soxfan-kwman]

Ozzie is Michael Scott & AJ is Dwight Shrute.

 

Everybody likes Ozzie but sometimes tune him out. AJ has been there but has little influence, he should be co-captains. Right now he is assistant to the assistant Captain.

[ptatc]

Just how is he a jerk and a bully?

 

I hear a lot of accusations, but very, very little details or specifics.

 

He likes to berate people. He not only doesn't help others he tries to make their life more difficult.

 

The classic example is when he was with the Giants and he took a bouncing pitch in the nads during warmups. The trainer asked how he was feeling. AJ still kneeling hit the trainer in the nads and said "it feels like this a**hole" and began laughing about it.

 

[fathom]

Which.... makes absolutely no sense.

 

Since any non-medical person who 'knew' this ahead of time was simply pulling a guess out of their ***...

 

Which B&B do way too frequently IMO.

 

They're great when discussing football/basketball... but seems to me like their sports IQ drops by 100 points when discussing baseball... so they resort to creating controversy to try and keep shows interesting.

 

Boers said he was told that Thome's oblique injury was more serious than Sox were letting on. That very night, Thome took one swing and ended up missing a handful of games because his oblique injury was more severe than initially believed.

[ptatc]

I don't believe it. That's like saying nobody liked Carlton Fisk.

 

these situations are different. People didn't get along with Fisk because he was stand offish and arrogant. He just didn't really associate with people.

 

AJ is just a pain in the a** to everyone. He is tolerated because winning teams will tolerate it if he is helping them win. As soon as the losing starts so will the complaining about the personality.It's similar to the Yankees with Gary Sheffield, although AJ is not the class of Sheffield.

 

[Balta1701]

these situations are different. People didn't get along with Fisk because he was stand offish and arrogant. He just didn't really associate with people.

 

AJ is just a pain in the a** to everyone. He is tolerated because winning teams will tolerate it if he is helping them win. As soon as the losing starts so will the complaining about the personality.It's similar to the Yankees with Gary Sheffield, although AJ is not the class of Sheffield.

Pt, you've been paged to the NBA thread

[scenario]

He likes to berate people. He not only doesn't help others he tries to make their life more difficult.

 

The classic example is when he was with the Giants and he took a bouncing pitch in the nads during warmups. The trainer asked how he was feeling. AJ still kneeling hit the trainer in the nads and said "it feels like this a**hole" and began laughing about it.

 

I did a little digging a couple of years back to find all AJ incidents that could have classified him as a prick. I posted on Twins and Giants boards and asked for specific examples. The Giants incident you named above is the ONLY one anyone ever could come up with. And the only evidence that it ever happened was anecdotal. Several knowledgable fans I talked to said that never really happened. And that the real reason AJ was not liked is that the Giants had a clique of pitchers with fragile egos and AJ wouldn't kiss up to them.

 

Besides that questionable "incident"... the other things were all game related... like the 3rd strike against the Angels, etc. So I think the myth of AJ's behavior has grown way out of proportion to the reality.

 

There was one game-related one that I loved which probably set the stage for his hatred in San Francisco before he got there. It had to do with a playoff series between the Twins and A's when AJ was still with Minny. I guess he was chirping back and forth with a couple of A's trying to get into their heads while they were at the plate... and it started to get a little heated. Then he came up to bat late in a game and hit a homerun to put the Twins ahead... and as he crossed the plate he turned to the A's catcher and yelled "BOOYAH"... practically inciting a riot.

 

Twins fans remember it (and him) very fondly. They only started to dislike him after he left.

 

So, if this was Politifact... then I think I would find B&B's claim of AJ hatred to be...

 

Edited May 3, 2011 by scenario

[southsider2k5]

I'm guessing this will be one of those instances where the stories come out after he is gone, much like the nutshot and cards playing instead of working with his pitchers did in SF.

[witesoxfan]

I've never actually looked at CERA in my life, so don't get the impression that I live and die by it. I just thought it'd be a way to either support or refute the idea that AJ improved pitchers.

 

But wouldn't CERA be a good measure to distinguish between two guys on the same team? That is, unless one of them is the personal catcher to a certain pitcher or two.

 

If you can hold everything constant, it might help distinguish who is better, but ERA itself is a flawed statistic because it can fluctuate greatly by how a ball bounces in a particular situation, so CERA is going to have those same flaws as well. And much of that still depends on the pitcher and his ability to locate and there may be a day that one particular pitcher just doesn't locate, which throws everything off again.

 

 

You're right, calling pitches and locations doesn't help the pitcher. Especially those like Buehrle who never waive-off a pitch...

 

Well every catcher has to put his fingers down and force the pitcher to stare at his crotch. Maybe pitchers are inspired by AJ's manhood?

 

When I think of helping pitchers, I think of getting them throwing the ball better and more consistently, adding a pitch, working on footwork. I don't think about calling pitches and locations, because every catcher has to do that. AJ may do it better than others or he may not; I don't know the game well enough to really know the difference. I assume he's pretty good at it, otherwise they wouldn't have resigned him. I wouldn't give him the lion's share of credit for the 2005 pitching staff though (I'd give most of that to luck). Nor would I blame him for the catastrophe that was 2007. Nor would I give him credit for turning John Danks into a #1 or Gavin Floyd into a #2. Nor would I blame him for guys like Mike MacDougal and Tony Pena pitching like garbage.

 

At the end of the day, it's impossible to determine something so intangible. I have to believe the pitchers and coaches when they say that he calls a good game. I wouldn't say he adds wins to the team with his game calling, but I might be wrong. Then again, I might be right. I don't think we'll be able to determine something like that for a very long time.

 

So to definitely say he helps pitchers? I don't think you can say that with any level of confidence.

[Iwritecode]

I did a little digging a couple of years back to find all AJ incidents that could have classified him as a prick. I posted on Twins and Giants boards and asked for specific examples. The Giants incident you named above is the ONLY one anyone ever could come up with. And the only evidence that it ever happened was anecdotal. Several knowledgable fans I talked to said that never really happened. And that the real reason AJ was not liked is that the Giants had a clique of pitchers with fragile egos and AJ wouldn't kiss up to them.

 

From the link in post #37:

 

But it was in his first month with the Giants that the only truly disturbing Pierzynski incident took place. After he was hit in the groin by a foul ball during a spring training game, Pierzynski reportedly kneed trainer Stan Conte in the groin when Conte asked him how he felt. Pierzynski, who previously denied the incident took place, now says he kneed Conte to give himself some breathing room after three times asking Conte to let go of his chest protector and back away. Giants sources say the story took place as originally reported.

 

This is the first and only time I've heard of him confirming that it did in fact happen.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Iwritecode

[Jake]

When I chart pitches for my college team, we write the catcher's name at the top of the sheet. No matter what, the catcher has some role and at times the sole power in pitch selection.

 

A pitcher with full license to shake is still influenced by what the catcher flashes down there.

[Rowand44]

I don't buy this for one second. That being said, I really couldn't care less how people feel about him in the clubhouse at the moment, the guy is becoming an absolutely terrible baseball player, and that's what needs to change.

[South Side Fireworks Man]

This whole organization is full of losers, chokers, and softies, and being that AJ is not one of them, it certainly makes sense that he'd have some enemies right now.

 

There is zero reason for a team with this much talent to pack in it, night after night, series after series. This is the same s*** they did this time last year, only Kenny and Ozzie could be blamed for it that time. Now, there's no one to blame but the sorry ass players themselves. It's not September yet, boys, and these aren't the Twins. You don't have to tuck tail yet!

 

Maybe Kenny needs to send off everyone who has a problem with AJ and fire Ozzie's ass too. Change the culture and just start this whole damn thing over. Please, Mark Buehrle, go somewhere else and win. You too AJ, and same with Paulie. John Danks - what a great call on not signing that extension! Money aside, why would anyone with your abilities want to play here? Go make some cash and win some games elsewhere.

 

This team is 100% capable of not only righting this ship but trouncing those pretenders atop the division, winning the division, making the playoffs, and winning a WS. The talent is definitely there. But this AJ hating s*** is exactly why they'll do nothing but founder once again when the going really gets tough.

 

This is a rant, but .....it's like half the noteworthy and conversation inducing team related events occur over Twitter posts by a Guillen family member. That's what we get as Sox fans instead of a baseball season, Guillen family Twitter drama. And choking. And now hating on AJ?! Really?! If you're a player and AJ's behavior is pissing you off then how about you take out yout tampon and let your balls drop and take it out on the field of play instead of confiding in some dbag Score host.

 

Ugh. I'm done now.

 

Preach the truth, brother!

 

[South Side Fireworks Man]

He likes to berate people. He not only doesn't help others he tries to make their life more difficult.

 

The classic example is when he was with the Giants and he took a bouncing pitch in the nads during warmups. The trainer asked how he was feeling. AJ still kneeling hit the trainer in the nads and said "it feels like this a**hole" and began laughing about it.

I have a feeling that "story" is the only reason why you feel the way you do about AJ. And from what I understand, that alleged incident may not have even happened.

[South Side Fireworks Man]

Furthermore, he can't block balls, he can't throw anyone out, half the time he can't even find the ears on the ball, and he's been awful at the plate.

 

"Intangibles" doesn't get it done as a major league catcher.

Actually he has been quite good at blocking pitches in the dirt throughout his tenure on the South side. He has an average to slightly less than average throwing arm which is made to look worse because the Sox' pitchers have been terrible at holding runners and slow at delivering pitches to the plate.

 

And intangibles do contribute at the major league level.

 

Anyway, if you ever hear AJ do an interview he comes off as personable and it is clear that he has above average intelligence for a professional athlete. He can articulate coherent thoughts without inserting "you knows" and "I means" between every other word. He sure doesn't come across as an "asshole." Maybe it's the one or two "sources" who allege that his teammates don't like him who have the problem and are the real "assholes".

[Brian]

Name one aspect of the game that AJ does well in anymore...

 

Pulls an outside pitch and grounds out softly to 2nd or 1st

[Balta1701]

Actually he has been quite good at blocking pitches in the dirt throughout his tenure on the South side.

He hasn't seemed to be this year. The Sox are #5 in the league right now for most wild pitches.

[zenryan]

It isn't crap. AJ is a classic jerk and bully. Nobody likes him. They tolerate him because of how he can help a pitching staff. MB may repsect him, I don't know for sure, he tends to try to get evrone to play niceand is usually postive but I guarantee he doesn't like him.

 

 

 

Sounds about right from people that I know who have known him since high school.

[Rowand44]

He hasn't seemed to be this year. The Sox are #5 in the league right now for most wild pitches.

It used to be a strength of his, now not so much. Unfortunately, like the rest of his game, his ability to block pitches in the dirt has declined quite rapidly.

[witesoxfan]

Anyway, if you ever hear AJ do an interview he comes off as personable and it is clear that he has above average intelligence for a professional athlete. He can articulate coherent thoughts without inserting "you knows" and "I means" between every other word. He sure doesn't come across as an "asshole." Maybe it's the one or two "sources" who allege that his teammates don't like him who have the problem and are the real "assholes".

 

You can tell he's not an asshole because of how he interviews? Personally, when I see him do an interview, I always kind of get a "I'd rather be somewhere else" vibe from him. But that's my feeling, and it doesn't prove a damn thing, because you can't tell anything from interviews.

 

And just because he has above average intelligence for an athlete doesn't mean anything about him being or not being an a-hole. There are plenty of smart people who are huge pricks and plenty of dumb people who are the nicest people you will ever meet.

[JoshPR]

Actually he has been quite good at blocking pitches in the dirt throughout his tenure on the South side. He has an average to slightly less than average throwing arm which is made to look worse because the Sox' pitchers have been terrible at holding runners and slow at delivering pitches to the plate.

 

And intangibles do contribute at the major league level.

 

Anyway, if you ever hear AJ do an interview he comes off as personable and it is clear that he has above average intelligence for a professional athlete. He can articulate coherent thoughts without inserting "you knows" and "I means" between every other word. He sure doesn't come across as an "asshole." Maybe it's the one or two "sources" who allege that his teammates don't like him who have the problem and are the real "assholes".

 

 

Is that a young joakim Noah in you're pic?