A. J. Pierzynski

Anthony John "A. J." Pierzynski (/pɪərˈzɪnski/; born December 30, 1976) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Pierzynski previously played with the Minnesota Twins (1998–2003), San Francisco Giants (2004), Chicago White Sox (2005–2012), Texas Rangers (2013), Boston Red Sox (2014) and St. Louis Cardinals (2014).

Pierzynski is known for having a strong and colorful personality, a fact he acknowledges. During his turn at the microphone following the White Sox victory parade in 2005, he thanked team personnel "for putting up with me." Former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen summed up the situation as, "If you play against him, you hate him. If you play with him, you hate him a little less." Guillen also acknowledged Pierzynski's value to the club, despite being relatively high-maintenance: "A.J.'s been great for me. He's worth the work because he always shows up for you."

Early life

Pierzynski was born on December 30, 1976, in Bridgehampton, New York. He attended Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida, where he won All-State honors in baseball. Outfielder/designated hitter Johnny Damon was one of Pierzynski's high school teammates.