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To: Cactus Jack who wrote (47475)	10/13/2005 5:33:32 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 104197

Pierzynski's dash just might change everything suntimes.com

To: Cactus Jack who wrote (47475)	10/15/2005 3:26:16 AM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 104197

Pierzynski no stranger to infamy _______________________________________ By JANIE McCAULEY The Associated Press 10/15/05 ANAHEIM, Calif. — These days, A.J. Pierzynski can joke about his reputation as a player who alienates people wherever he goes. Umpires, coaches, opposing hitters, teammates — Chicago’s catcher has angered them all. He’s been accused of dirty tactics and was even called a clubhouse “cancer” by a pitcher last season in San Francisco. That one hurt. “Where aren’t I public enemy No. 1? Tell me something that I don’t already know,” Pierzynski said before the White Sox took the field for a workout Thursday at Angel Stadium. He has promised to do everything he can to improve his image, and he might have taken a big step in that direction with one unsuccessful swing of the bat. Yes, he whiffed and still became a postseason star. When everybody thought the White Sox were headed for extra innings in Game 2 of their AL championship series against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night, Pierzynski turned and hustled to first. Home plate umpire Doug Eddings ruled the pitch bounced in the dirt before Angels catcher Josh Paul gloved it. Thinking the inning was over, Paul rolled the ball to the mound with the Angels already coming off the field. Pierzynski was allowed to stay at first before giving way to a pinch-runner. Moments later, Joe Crede drove in the winning run with a double to left and the White Sox evened the best-of-seven series at 1-1. “The kid’s pretty street smart,” White Sox hitting coach Greg Walker said. It was just another controversy for Pierzynski, and those who know him weren’t surprised he found a way to take part. Doug Mientkiewicz, a longtime teammate in Minnesota, had a playful text message waiting for Pierzynski once he returned to the clubhouse. Has anything else he’s done on the diamond brought on this much attention? “There’s been a lot of stuff,” Pierzynski said. “... It always seems like I’m in the middle of something. Even when I don’t do anything I do something. I tried to stay out of everyone’s way and not do anything, but it’s just the way it seems to go for me. What can you do?” For years, Pierzynski has stuck to the same explanation for his hard-nosed play: He wants to win, and he will do what’s necessary to back his teammates. When the very Giants pitchers he caught each day questioned his work ethic, it quickly became clear things might not work out in San Francisco. Chicago general manager Ken Williams, who signed Pierzynski to a $2.25 million, one-year deal back in January, said that Pierzynski’s past would be left in the past — and that’s just how Pierzynski preferred it. He needed a fresh start after San Francisco chose not to bring him back after the 2004 season, when he got on the nerves of several pitchers. One called him a clubhouse “cancer.” Three pitchers anonymously criticized his work ethic and claimed he was bad-mouthing Giants hitters to opponents while behind the plate. The 28-year-old Pierzynski feels he has fit well with the White Sox. His numbers make a case for that, too — he hit a career-high 18 home runs, including the first game-winning homer of his career June 18 against the Dodgers, to help Chicago win the AL Central for just the second time. “It’s great,” he said. “The way I left, I thought we did OK last year in San Francisco. We won 90-some games, and we had a fairly good year. But because we didn’t go to the playoffs everyone looked at that as a failure, and I was kind of the scapegoat for some guys who had bad years. That’s fine. Like I said, I’m used to it by now.” His teammates have come to appreciate Pierzynski’s go-all-out mantra. They might not like him at times, but they like the way he plays. “There were a lot of questions about him,” Chicago center fielder Aaron Rowand said. “We played against him all the time when he was with Minnesota. Playing against him, you don’t like him too much. Nobody on this team liked him too much when he was on Minnesota. “You hit a ground ball, he’ll step on your bat running down first base behind you. He’ll give you an elbow at first base running down the line. He’s just like that.” Pierzynski no longer allows himself to worry what others think of him. He plays his way, and he answers only to himself. Manager Ozzie Guillen has been pleased with Pierzynski all season, and received good reports from people around the league who had worked with the catcher. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire defends Pierzynski’s passion for the game despite any spats the two might have had. “This kid’s been great,” Guillen said. “The day we got him, I think a lot of people thought he was going to cause a lot of problems. The only thing A.J.’s brought here is good things. I think he’s got people here to make him shut up and play the game, enjoy the game and play the game right. A lot of people misunderstand this kid. If we think he’s doing things he shouldn’t be, we let him know.”