Sox Drawer: How Pierzynski almost became a Cub

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When you see A.J. Pierzynski take the field tonight for the White Sox, remember the following date:

Nov. 14, 2003.

Its the day in which Pierzynski was a part of an infamous blockbuster trade between the Twins and Giants. Minnesota sent its 26-year-old promising catcher to San Francisco for three young pitchers: Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano and Boof Bonser. Its a deal that drastically changed the fortunes of the two franchises.

But it came eerily close to forever altering two others:

The White Sox and Cubs.

When I got traded to the Giants, I actually thought I was going to the Cubs, Pierzynski revealed to Comcast SportsNet for the upcoming show Inside Look: A.J. Pierzynski. LaTroy Hawkins had just signed with the Cubs and he called me and said hed talked to Dusty Baker and they were going to trade for me the next day.

The Cubs were prepared to offer relievers Todd Wellemeyer and Juan Cruz for Pierzynski, which would have been one of the greatest steals in Cubs history. Already disliked by White Sox fans while playing for the AL-Central rival Twins, Pierzynski was on the verge of going to the North Side where the hate-meter would have gone off-the-charts.

A.J. was ready to pack his bags for Wrigley. But then...

When I got the phone call from Twins GM Terry Ryan, it was actually to the Giants. I guess they came in at the last minute and sweetened their deal and got it done, Pierzynski said.

So when the phone call came, you thought it was going to be the Cubs?

Yes. Actually I did.

Fates would have changed.

Slightly, yeah. It would have been a little bit different progression to my career if I ended up on the North Side.

A.J. would spend just one year in San Francisco before getting released the following December. It was a turbulent, misunderstood season with the Giants in which Pierzynski explains in great detail in the Inside Look program which will air on Comcast SportsNet in July.

Pierzynski signed with the White Sox in January of 2005 and has since become a South Side icon.

Now in the final year of a two-year contract with the White Sox, Pierzynski is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. He loves Chicago and wants to remain with the White Sox. But if they decide to move ahead with Tyler Flowers, and Pierzynski wants to stay in town, would he consider signing with the Cubs?

I could never say no to that, because as much as I love the White Sox, as much as I would love to be here, if they were the only team that came after me and I wanted to continue to play, how could I say no? You know its one of those situations where, they have a good catcher in Geovany Soto, so I dont think thats gonna happen, but its one of those situations where you can never say no to something.

People never thought theyd see Michael Jordan in another uniform and he was a Wizard, you know its one of those things that you just never know what can happen, andI dont want it to happen. I dont want to leave here, but at the same time, Im in a better place than I was two years ago when I had a horrible free agent year because all I wanted to do was stay here. And I still want to stay here and I want to keep playing, but at the same time, I know that Ive done enough here that Im okay with moving on if I have to.

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