Idiots Write About Sports

A.J. Pierzynski is one of my least favorite ballplayers — not anywhere near Giambi-levels of scorn and loathing but certainly a guy I have little to no use for. It goes back to the 2002 playoffs when A.J. got a little bit more chirpy than a mid-tier catcher has any right to get and pulled some real bush-league stunts. Blocking Eric Chavez at home plate when there was no play at the plate, getting in Greg Myers’ face after hitting a home run — real grade-school nonsense.
Baseball players don’t always jump at the chance to criticize opponents by name — not for attribution, at any rate. After all, in the era of free agency, today’s nemesis is tomorrow’s teammate. So I found it kind of telling that last year, even after the disappointment of the playoff loss dimmed, that several Oakland players were still openly hoping that Pierzynski would take a fastball in his earhole.
Not that the A’s are the only team to have formed a negative impression of Pierzynski. The league-wide take seems to be that if you’re an opponent, you can’t stand his antics, and if you’re a teammate (or a fan of the team he plays for), you love having him around.
Unless you’re some of his new Giants teammates apparently. According to the Oakland Tribune’s Andrew Baggarly — and echoed in this wire report — young A.J. does not play well with others. Specifically, teammates are put off by his poor work habits, an incident where he blew off Brett Tomko’s request to go over opposing hitters so that he could keep playing cards, and an alleged incident where he belittled the efforts of Giants’ pitchers to San Diego’s Phil Nevin. Writes Baggarly:

“He’s the cancer in here,” said one Giant, who requested anonymity. “The pitchers aren’t happy with him. If they can trade him, that would be fine with me. We all know Yorvie (Yorvit Torrealba) can catch this staff.

And in my opinion, it couldn’t happen to a more deserving player.
(For a Giants fan’s take on l’affaire de boneheaded catcher, check out Across the Seams.)