A.J. Pierzynski is off to Texas, per multiple reports, and it appears the book is closed on an eight-year run with the White Sox. When Opening Day rolls around next April, Paul Konerko will be the last remaining player from the 2005 World Series team still with the White Sox.
Pierzynski was a man without a team in the winter following the 2004 season, his lone year with San Francisco. His reputation wasn't good around baseball, despite hitting .293.335.438 in his ages 24-27 seasons. With some prodding from Hawk Harrelson, the White Sox took a chance and signed Pierzynski to a one-year, 2.25 million deal.
We kept going to Kenny, and Kenny was like 'I don't know, I've heard all these bad things, and I don't know, I've gotta talk to my people, Pierzynski told CSN Chicago's Chuck Garfien this summer. Finally, I guess Hawk got a hold of him, sat down and told him he'd take care of me, so Kenny finally consented and I've been here ever since.
Pierzynski stabilized the White Sox behind the plate, starting eight consecutive Opening Days -- the third-most in franchise history, behind only Sherm Lollar and Ray Schalk. He made the All-Star Game in 2006 (as part of the organization's "Punch AJ" campaign) and logged over 1,000 innings behind the plate in all eight of his seasons with the Sox.
His best year, though, came in 2012. Pierzynski hit a career-high 27 home runs (his previous high was 18, set in 2005), while his .827 OPS was similarly a career best.
Pierzynski's departure means the Tyler Flowers era is set to begin in 2013, as the White Sox will figure out what they have in the backstop who turns 27 in late January. Over 108 major-league games, Flowers has a .205.307.388 line with 12 home runs, and his defense has earned above-average reviews.
The White Sox had interest in bringing Pierzynski back, but only at a certain limit, as CSN White Sox Insider Dan Hayes previously reported. The organization, too, has expressed a faith in Flowers to succeed numerous times.
MLB
"I think that Tyler, based on the history that weve had with him, will be a quality everyday catcher in the big leagues," general manager Rick Hahn said at the outset of the offseason. "Its tough for a kid, especially a young kid, to sort of have sporadic playing time as he did this past year and continue that development. So that will be one of the things we have to talk about.
"But defensively he certainly can handle the position. I think hes going to get on base and hit for power. So he can be a valuable and viable everyday catcher in the big leagues."