Latest news with #Pierzynski
New York Times
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
White Sox All-Quarter Century Team, the South Siders' best since 2000
Editor's note: The Athletic is marking 2025 by naming MLB All-Quarter Century Teams, selected by Jayson Stark and Tyler Kepner and our readers. In addition, some of our writers are picking All-Quarter Century Teams for the teams they cover. Check this page to find all of our All-Quarter Century Team coverage. Advertisement Well, the last quarter century of White Sox baseball has certainly been eventful, hasn't it? The 2000s began with a surprise division title just three years after the infamous 'White Flag Trade.' Five years later, the franchise reached its apex with a World Series championship. Yadda yadda yadda, in 2024, the White Sox went 41-121 and eclipsed the 1962 New York Mets as the worst team in modern baseball history. It's been a long way down. You could basically put the 2005 team on this list and Sox fans would be satiated, but in the end, I included only four of its position players, the ace of the pitching staff and the closer. I tried to balance longevity with impact, and in one case, I picked a guy mostly for vibes (and two big defensive plays in the World Series). Feel free to argue among yourselves in the comments, but if you look at the team's most common players by position page on Baseball Reference, you'll get a picture of why the Sox made the playoffs only five times since 2000. Signing Pierzynski was one of GM Kenny Williams' finest decisions. He was perfect for this team and this town and no one personified that era of Sox baseball like Pierzynski, who was both brash and good. Mark Buehrle famously said he never shook him off. Pierzynski's two most famous moments of his eight years with the team were running to first on a dropped third strike with two outs in the bottom of the ninth in Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS, a heads-up play that helped propel the Sox to a win; and getting punched by Cubs catcher Michael Barrett in 2006, setting off a benches-clearing brawl. But later that season, when the crosstown series returned to Wrigley Field, he hit a three-run homer to give the Sox the lead in the ninth that led to some Cubs fans showering the outfield with garbage. Those kinds of moments are why Sox fans still wear his jerseys to games. They called him 'The King' for a reason. Konerko, who played on the South Side from 1999 through 2014, was the captain of the White Sox, an erudite student of hitting with a caustic dry wit. He hit 408 of his 439 career homers for the Sox in the 2000s while putting up a .280/.356/.490 slash line. He could go into slumps, but he was otherwise the steady presence for a rocky franchise. Advertisement Everyone thought he'd leave after 2005 for free agency riches, but he pulled a smooth negotiating maneuver when he saved the final-out ball from the World Series and presented it to chairman Jerry Reinsdorf at the parade. When Konerko finally retired in 2014, he immediately got a statue and a retired number. In two-plus seasons of the 2000s, Durham put up 10.8 bWAR for the Sox. He hit 52 homers in that span (Durham is the franchise leader for homers as a second baseman) and was an All-Star in the team's surprising run to the AL Central title in 2000. There aren't a lot of other candidates, really. Tadahito Iguchi was a 30-year-old rookie in 2005 and helped spark the 'Ozzie Ball' Sox to the World Series, but he had a 5.3 WAR in two-plus seasons. Gordon Beckham should've been the guy, but wasn't. Yoán Moncada didn't stick at second long enough. Chris Getz started one season at second base and is now the GM. From 2009 through 2023, the White Sox got consistent production from Alexei Ramirez and Tim Anderson at shortstop. Anderson personified the team's short-lived 'Change the Game' era, winning a batting title in 2019 and making a pair of All-Star Games in 2021 and 2022. His bat-flipping charisma made him a star and his homer into the corn in the 'Field of Dreams' game got the Sox a nod for the 25 best games of the quarter century. Ramirez, who started at shortstop from 2009 through 2015, put up 23.5 bWAR and hit 109 homers in his eight seasons (including one at second base) for the Sox. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2008 and made an All-Star team in 2014. But this is a subjective exercise and I'm going with my gut. This team needs Juan Uribe, the Winnie the Pooh-shaped shortstop who brought vibes like no one else. Advertisement 'He remains one of my favorite guys to ever put on a White Sox uniform,' Williams told me in 2016. 'He's a prince of a guy and if you get a chance to know him, he's one of the funniest guys you'll ever know.' More importantly, he made one of the iconic plays of the Sox World Series run, catching a foul ball in the stands for the second out in the ninth before helping finish off the 1-0 clincher in Game 4 with a ridiculous snag and throw to first. You wish you loved your kids as much as Hawk Harrelson loved Joe Crede. (I can only hear his name in Harrelson's bellowing voice.) Crede was only a full-time starter for the Sox from 2003 through 2008, but it seems like he was there forever, a quiet guy on a loud team. His best offensive season actually came in 2006, when the Sox failed to get back to the playoffs, but he'll forever be remembered for his walk-off hit in Game 2 of the '05 ALCS. Crede was up with two outs in a tie game just after Pierzynski reached first on the dropped third strike and hit an 0-2 pitch from Kelvim Escobar for a double to left, scoring pinch-runner Pablo Ozuna. That tied the series at 1-1, and the Sox didn't lose again in the playoffs. Crede had a .949 OPS in the 2005 playoffs with four homers and 11 RBIs. The Hawkeroo will toast to this pick. Carlos Quentin had the best single season of any left fielder in the 2000s with a 5.3 WAR in 2008 (and that's with missing the last month of the season). Scott Podsednik was the straw that stirred the Sox's drink in 2005. But it's the guy who was traded for Podsednik — in the deal that got used as an example of the 'culture change' that Ozzie Guillen wanted — who wins this honor based on actual production. (Yes, I know I used the opposite argument for Uribe.) Because from 2000-04, Lee had a .287/.344/.493 slash line, hitting 136 homers and driving in 468 runs. He was really good, if not the right person for Guillen's lineup at the time. When Theo Epstein traded Eloy Jiménez to the Sox, he comped him to 'El Caballo,' but the oft-injured Jiménez never came close to capturing Lee's production. Advertisement But I should point out that while Podsednik's value was only immeasurable in the 2005 regular season, he really raked in the playoffs with six extra-base hits, including two homers. He slugged .551 in the postseason as compared to .349 during the season. Aaron Rowand is the sentimental favorite, but even though he's having a nightmarish season, Robert is still the pick. He's a five-tool player, even if only three of those tools are showing up right now. He showed signs of stardom in his first four seasons and I have to think the woeful state of the team has had an effect on him. While the team was falling apart in 2023, Robert played 145 games and put up a 5.3 bWAR with 38 homers and an .857 OPS. But he was bad last year in the Sox's historically awful season and he's been even worse in 2025 as the team tries to peddle him for prospects. It's a shame he hasn't produced more in a Sox uniform. You want to know something depressing? Adam Eaton had a better bWAR (16.2) in four seasons with the Sox than Robert does (14.4) in five-plus seasons. Shoot, maybe Eaton should've won this honor? From 2000-04, Ordoñez made three of his four All-Star Games as a Sox (he made two more with Detroit) and put up a .313/.376/.550 slash line with 139 homers and 510 RBIs. He was a star and another White Sox inductee into the Hall of Very Good. The Sox let Ordońez go after the 2004 season and he signed a five-year, $75 million deal with Detroit that included two option years, one of which was picked up for $18 million. Nineteen years later, the Sox finally gave their own five-year, $75 million deal to a free agent outfielder. (Don't ask.) Jermaine Dye, the Sox's World Series MVP, finishes second here. You have Jim Thome, who hit 134 homers, had 369 RBIs and put up a .933 OPS in 529 games in three-plus seasons with the Sox — and also hit the solo homer in the 1-0 2008 division tiebreaker win over the Twins at The Cell — and of course you have Frank Thomas (more on him below). There's also, uh, Adam Dunn. Advertisement But while he never played more than 39 games at DH, Abreu obviously deserves to be on this team for his production over nine years in Chicago. Abreu, the regular first baseman from 2014 through 2022, made three All-Star teams, won Rookie of the Year in 2014 and the AL MVP in the shortened 2020 season. He put up 31.3 bWAR and hit 243 homers and 863 RBIs for the Sox. I'm actually surprised there aren't more pictures of him around the ballpark. When does he get his statue? You can't do an All-Sox team without Frank Thomas, the franchise's all-time best hitter. From 2000-05, after his Hall of Fame peak, he still hit 147 homers and drove in 425 runs in 588 games and he barely played in 2001 and 2005. In that last year, he started the season rehabbing from an offseason ankle surgery and then was lost to foot surgery in late July. Still, he somehow managed 12 homers in just 105 at-bats. He wasn't on the playoff roster, which was a shame, but he still enjoyed the World Series run. The next year in Oakland, he finished fourth in AL MVP voting en route to a first-ballot Hall of Fame nod. He's currently selling an eponymous vodka and appearing in those cringey Nugenix commercials. One thing the White Sox did in this era was produce pitchers. Somewhere Don Cooper is smiling. Our starting five has four left-handers. We're leaving out Lucas Giolito, José Contreras (who was basically the best pitcher in baseball from the second half of 2005 through the first half of 2006), Freddy Garcia and Jon Garland, among others. Buehrle was one of the most effective (and efficient) pitchers of his era and one of the all-time best Sox starters (48.9 bWAR, 161 wins, 3.83 ERA, nearly 2,500 innings in 12 seasons), which is why he's still getting Hall of Fame votes and a statue at The Rate this summer. Sale was the franchise's best draft pick since Thomas. He went 74-50 with an even 3.00 ERA in 228 games (148 starts) for the Sox, striking out 1,244 in 1,110 innings. He was in the top six of Cy Young Award voting for his last five seasons with the Sox, making the All-Star team each time. His trade to Boston after the 2016 season started the team's ill-fated rebuild — and it was obvious then and now that the Sox's failure to build around him and Quintana was an organizational failure. He should be Cooperstown-bound with a strong finish to his career. Advertisement You don't have to say 'What about Danks?' because he made the list. The lefty is just behind Sale in career strikeouts for the franchise. Quintana had 21.2 WAR in six seasons before being dealt in a crosstown blockbuster to the Cubs for Cease, who finished second for the AL Cy Young in 2022. Cease, the lone right-hander, had a 3.83 ERA and 792 strikeouts in 658 innings for the Sox. He pitched in 346 games with the Sox and 209 of them came between 2000-02. Foulke had a 2.74 ERA and 87 saves, striking out 224 in 246 2/3 innings. He wasn't a setup guy, but he'll do just fine. Who else? Jenks is second all-time in saves in Sox history at 173 (Bobby Thigpen is first with 201) and he had 334 strikeouts in 341 2/3 innings. The best closers have what the kids today call 'aura' and Jenks was thick with it. After coming up during the 2005 season as a golden ticket of a waiver claim, Jenks started pumping triple-digit fastballs in an era where that wasn't commonplace. In the post-Jordan era of Chicago sports, I'd put Jenks, despite being a heavyset dude with a goatee, among the most electric athletes we had, right up there with Javy Báez, Patrick Kane and Derrick Rose. He was like a folk hero. As you might've read, Jenks is currently battling stomach cancer in Portugal. Da Pope. The Sox fan formerly known as Robert Prevost sneaks past Donn Pall for the honor. Last year, the Sox had the milkshake as the distraction for an awful season. This season, it's the pope. I love that the White Sox, the team perennially slept on by the national media, can count a Pope and a President among its fans. Obama proudly wore his Sox gear as a Senator and as the President and gave the franchise some needed cachet after they stopped winning. Guillen was the shortstop of the 1990s, a Rookie of the Year and three-time All-Star with the gift of gab. His hiring before the 2004 season was one of Williams and Reinsdorf's best moves. The White Sox went 678-617 in Guillen's eight seasons in charge, with five winning seasons. Their 11-1 romp through the 2005 playoffs looked dominant but included a host of close games. Seven of those wins were decided by one or two runs, including all four games of a World Series sweep. Advertisement Guillen should still be managing somewhere, but he's turned into the best studio analyst in the city, the Charles Barkley of White Sox games. I would love to hear Ozzie the analyst critique Ozzie the manager's moves after a game. (Photo of Mark Buehrle, A.J. Pierzynski and Paul Konerko after Buehrle pitched a complete game against the Cubs in 2006: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Today in Chicago History: Cubs catcher Michael Barrett punches A.J. Pierzynski during Crosstown Classic
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on May 20, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) High temperature: 95 degrees (1977) Low temperature: 33 degrees (2002) Precipitation: 2.54 inches (1975) Snowfall: None 1943: During bad weather, a United States Army Air Corps B-24 Liberator crashed into a 500-foot-tall gas storage tank at Municipal Airport (now known as Chicago's Midway International Airport). All 12 people aboard the flight, which originated in Fort Worth, Texas, died. 'There was an instantaneous explosion of terrific violence and flames shot high from the top of the circular steel structure,' the Tribune reported. Heat generated by the explosion was felt more than a mile away. 1970: University of Chicago physicist Albert Crewe, former director of Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, announced he captured images in a specially built microscope of single atoms as they exist in molecules. It marked the first time scientists could 'see' the incredibly small world of atoms. 1987: Doris Fischer, her two daughters and a son-in-law pleaded guilty to running a prostitution ring out of their Buffalo Grove home as part of a probe by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service called 'Operation Safebet.' 1988: Laurie Dann shot six children at Hubbard Woods Elementary School in Winnetka killing 8-year-old Nicholas Corwin, during a rampage that ended in her own death in the North Shore suburb. 1992: Chicago aldermen frustrated with the proliferation of graffiti in their neighborhoods banned the outright sale of spray paint cans in the city, branding them 'weapons of terror.' Ald. Richard Mell, 33rd, resurrected the long-dormant proposal, which won approval 38-1. Only Ald. Dorothy Tillman, 3rd, dissented saying that aldermen should be more concerned with problems of unemployment and housing than keeping spray paint cans out of the hands of vandals. The ban is still in effect. 1994: The Chicago Bulls played their last game at Chicago Stadium — a 93-79 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls lost the series on the road in Game 7. 2006: Chicago White Sox baserunner A.J. Pierzynski's shoulder block into Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett spawned a second-inning, bench-clearing brouhaha at home plate. The fight boiled led to four ejections — including Pierzynski and Barrett. Pierzynski said he was simply trying to score and Barrett was in his way. Barrett conceded Pierzynski had 'every right' to slam into him and that he made a 'great play.' But he said he was 'irritated' when the Sox catcher walked toward him after the play. 'I hit Michael (who was blocking home plate) and I got up and my helmet was right behind him,' Pierzynski said. 'I went to get my helmet and the next thing I know I'm in a bearhug and he said, 'I didn't have the ball, b—.' The next thing I know I got punched.' The Sox wound up beating the Cubs 7-0. Barrett received a 10-game suspension and undisclosed fine, while Pierzynski received only a $2,000 fine. 2012: Though President Barack Obama relocated a planned G-8 Summit to Camp David, a NATO summit took place as scheduled in Chicago, drawing thousands of protesters to the city's streets. 2017: The Cubs postponed an afternoon game against the Milwaukee Brewers because of the threat of inclement weather. When it didn't rain, Brewers General Manager David Stearns suggested the Cubs had ulterior motives. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@ and mmather@
Chicago Tribune
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Today in Chicago History: Cubs catcher Michael Barrett punches A.J. Pierzynski during Crosstown Classic
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on May 20, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) 1943: During bad weather, a United States Army Air Corps B-24 Liberator crashed into a 500-foot-tall gas storage tank at Municipal Airport (now known as Chicago's Midway International Airport). All 12 people aboard the flight, which originated in Fort Worth, Texas, died. 'There was an instantaneous explosion of terrific violence and flames shot high from the top of the circular steel structure,' the Tribune reported. Heat generated by the explosion was felt more than a mile away. 1970: University of Chicago physicist Albert Crewe, former director of Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, announced he captured images in a specially built microscope of single atoms as they exist in molecules. It marked the first time scientists could 'see' the incredibly small world of atoms. 1987: Doris Fischer, her two daughters and a son-in-law pleaded guilty to running a prostitution ring out of their Buffalo Grove home as part of a probe by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service called 'Operation Safebet.' 1988: Laurie Dann shot six children at Hubbard Woods Elementary School in Winnetka killing 8-year-old Nicholas Corwin, during a rampage that ended in her own death in the North Shore suburb. 1992: Chicago aldermen frustrated with the proliferation of graffiti in their neighborhoods banned the outright sale of spray paint cans in the city, branding them 'weapons of terror.' Ald. Richard Mell, 33rd, resurrected the long-dormant proposal, which won approval 38-1. Only Ald. Dorothy Tillman, 3rd, dissented saying that aldermen should be more concerned with problems of unemployment and housing than keeping spray paint cans out of the hands of vandals. The ban is still in effect. 1994: The Chicago Bulls played their last game at Chicago Stadium — a 93-79 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls lost the series on the road in Game 7. 2006: Chicago White Sox baserunner A.J. Pierzynski's shoulder block into Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett spawned a second-inning, bench-clearing brouhaha at home plate. The fight boiled led to four ejections — including Pierzynski and Barrett. Pierzynski said he was simply trying to score and Barrett was in his way. Barrett conceded Pierzynski had 'every right' to slam into him and that he made a 'great play.' But he said he was 'irritated' when the Sox catcher walked toward him after the play. 'I hit Michael (who was blocking home plate) and I got up and my helmet was right behind him,' Pierzynski said. 'I went to get my helmet and the next thing I know I'm in a bearhug and he said, 'I didn't have the ball, b—.' The next thing I know I got punched.' The Sox wound up beating the Cubs 7-0. Barrett received a 10-game suspension and undisclosed fine, while Pierzynski received only a $2,000 fine. 2012: Though President Barack Obama relocated a planned G-8 Summit to Camp David, a NATO summit took place as scheduled in Chicago, drawing thousands of protesters to the city's streets. 2017: The Cubs postponed an afternoon game against the Milwaukee Brewers because of the threat of inclement weather. When it didn't rain, Brewers General Manager David Stearns suggested the Cubs had ulterior motives. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
19-Year MLB Veteran Slams Pete Rose Eligibility Decision
Major League Baseball's decision on Tuesday to lift Pete Rose's ban from the Hall of Fame sent shockwaves that are still reverberating to this very moment. As one would imagine, myriad opinions on the matter have come to the forefront, including personal insights of former players, coaches, journalists and fans alike. The statue of former Cincinnati Reds player Pete Rose in front of Great American Ball Doster-Imagn Images Undoubtedly, it is difficult to feel the precise pulse of the situation. Advertisement Many have expressed discomfort toward the recent news while vehemently berating MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. Conversely, droves of others echoed support for Rose, who passed away last September, and his family (also ostracizing Manfred). For a notable name in the mix, A.J. Pierzynski — a two-time All-Star catcher who played 19 MLB seasons — hopped on the Foul Territory podcast to say his piece. Pierzynski pulled no punches on Wednesday's episode, telling his co-hosts, "I have been firmly against this from the get go. I've said it on this show, I've said it everywhere and to anyone who will listen to me—I am against [Rose] being reinstated. Advertisement "Permanent. That doesn't mean it stops when you die," the former backstop asserted. Of course, like Rose, Pierzynski was a polarizing, hard-nosed (literally) player in his own right. Pierzynski, drafted in 1994 by the Minnesota Twins, is best known for winning the 2005 World Series with the Chicago White Sox. Also, he famously absorbed a right hook from Cubs catcher Michael Barrett in the "Crosstown Classic," outwardly expressing joy to the South Side crowd after. Pierzynski continued his tirade by citing Article 21 of MLB's rulebook, which prohibits players and coaches from betting on baseball. "Where's the repercussions when you do something? (...) His family still gets to experience it, and it means more to the family — for a lot of these guys — then it does to them." Advertisement Transparently, harsh feelings around Rose's status reversal are not going anywhere. As it is now, the Historical Overview Committee and the Classic Baseball Era Committee can nominate Charlie Hustle for Cooperstown enshrinement in December 2027. Related: Calls Escalate Against Rob Manfred After MLB's Pete Rose Decision Ironically, the Reds are hosting Pierzynski's beloved White Sox on "Pete Rose Day," wherein MLB's all-time leader in hits will be honored. Projected starters are Davis Martin and Nick Lodolo; first pitch is slated for 7:14 p.m. ET.
Fox News
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
World Series champion has 1 major worry for the Mets going into the season
The New York Mets signed outfielder Juan Soto to the largest contract in professional sports history to bolster their lineup this offseason, but World Series champion AJ Pierzynski is concerned about their pitching staff. He said Soto would make an impact and express concerns about those on the mound. "I think (Soto will) have a significant impact because of the bat that he brings and the at-bats, the mindset that he has. The only thing I question about the Mets, who's going to pitch? Who's going to be their starting pitcher?" Pierzynski asked during a recent appearance on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich." "(Sean) Manaea is already hurt, Clay Holmes is their opening day starter, is he going be able to pitch all year? And then you worry about (Kodai) Senga's health who missed a lot of the year. They've already lost Frankie Montas for a bunch of time, who's going to be their starting pitching? That's the one thing I worry about with the Mets." Manaea, who re-signed with the team on a three-year deal, sustained a right oblique strain and is expected to return at some point in April. Montas, a free agent acquisition, sustained a high-grade right lat strain and was shut down from throwing for 6–8 weeks in mid-February. Holmes has spent the last three-plus seasons with the New York Yankees as a high-leverage reliever and closed games for them at points in his tenure. Over the course of his seven-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Yankees, Holmes has only started four games and will now be relied upon as a key member of the Mets' starting rotation. When he signed with the Mets in free agency, Holmes transitioned back into a starting pitcher, after he came up in the Pirates' system as a starter. Senga would likely have been the opening-day starter over Holmes, but he pitched in just one regular-season game last year due to injury, and the Mets are being cautious with him entering the season. Last season, Senga dealt with shoulder, triceps and calf injuries. "At the end of the day, if you want to win in Major League Baseball, I don't care you can rake all you want, but if you don't have the pitching to back it up you're not going to win over a long haul and over in the playoffs," Pierzynski said. With the injuries to Montas and Manaea, these are the five starters the Mets are rolling out for their first five games: While worried about the pitching staff, Pierzynski praised the Mets' offense. "I think their lineup is going to be unbelievable. They brought back Pete (Alonso), who I love, (Francisco) Lindor obviously, I think (Mark) Vientos is going to be a stud for them in the everyday lineup. We saw what he could do in the postseason," Pierzynski said. Pierzynski played 19 seasons in the big leagues, playing for the Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. The two-time All-Star hit .280 with 188 career home runs in his career. Pierzynski won the World Series in 2005 with the Marlins. Holmes will take the mound for the first time with the Mets when they take on the Houston Astros for their season opener on Thursday, at 4:10 p.m. ET. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
