***AJ Pierzynski Appreciation Thread***

[LITTLE NELL]

Damn shame if all of this is true. Why would AJ not respect Robin, Ventura did a hell of a job with a team that was picked by some to finish last. Before all of this news that we heard today I thought it was time for AJ to move on.

[Frater Perdurabo]

If true - and I am not saying it is - it's probably for the best that AJ left.

I bet that neither AJ nor Robin say anything negative about the other, though, even if asked.

[slavko]

Originally Posted by DeadMoney

Rozner and Spiegel. Spiegel mentioned that he got the info from someone "very close to the team" and wanted to share it. Prefaced it with saying how he normally doesn't do something like this, and he's not a guy that has sources or info very often, but felt that this part of the story was important to pass along.

Suspicious old me thinks that this one smells like "someone from the team" decided to leak the information and chose Spiegel as the patsy. Who might the someone be? Let me start the speculation with the name Don Cooper. This is not a decision the Chairman made by himself, but he had to be in the loop, since he saved the bacon the last time AJ was up for a contract and didn't this time.

Oh, well, Bears TE Ditka burned his bridges similarly and eventually came back as Coach Ditka. So we may see AJ again.

[TaylorStSox]

I thought this stuff was pretty obvious. He had on field incidents last year with Dunn, De Aza, Rios and Peavy. Stone mentioned all of them and Hawk glossed over them. MB, Peavy and Contreras had problems with him behind the plate. At times, he reminded me of Bill Laimbeer. I never liked the cheap shots. I never liked the hot dogging. I never liked the bat flips and yelling at pitchers while he rounded the bases. I understand people get into that, but for me, that has no place in baseball. It's not wrestling. It's not football. I'll get off my high horse now.

[Brian26]

Originally Posted by slavko

Suspicious old me thinks that this one smells like "someone from the team" decided to leak the information and chose Spiegel as the patsy. Who might the someone be?

Here's my theory. Has Rozner been filling-in all week, or was today his first day? Everyone should know by now that Rozner gets fed info by Stone. Rozner wanted to break the story on a slow news day, but it would be obvious where it came from, so he let Spiegel run with it from "a source." Spiegel has no more inside information than Terry Boers, which is none.

[wassagstdu]

Sometimes some Sox fans make me sick to my stomach.

[Red Barchetta]

In the end, I think both AJ and Robin (staff) have too much class to say anything more. Just like any relationship, sometimes it just gets old and people get frustrated.

I'm sure AJ is not the easiest guy to get a long with, however as a fan of the team, I enjoyed watching him play and I appreciate his role in helping the White Sox win the World Series in 2005.

Time for Flowers.

[DrCrawdad]

Originally Posted by Red Barchetta

In the end, I think both AJ and Robin (staff) have too much class to say anything more. Just like any relationship, sometimes it just gets old and people get frustrated.

I'm sure AJ is not the easiest guy to get a long with, however as a fan of the team, I enjoyed watching him play and I appreciate his role in helping the White Sox win the World Series in 2005.

Time for Flowers.

I agree. As a sentimental person, I'm sorry to see AJ leave, as it's the further closing of the '05 team. I'll cheer AJ in his first at bat at The Cell in 2013 but I'm ready to move on.

[Rocky Soprano]

AJ took out an ad in today's Tribune. I would link a picture but I'm on my phone. It's a nice touch. I for one will miss him. On a team that is full of guys that rarely show any emotion he always displayed his true feelings.

[Harry Potter]

Originally Posted by Rocky Soprano

AJ took out an ad in today's Tribune. I would link a picture but I'm on my phone. It's a nice touch. I for one will miss him. On a team that is full of guys that rarely show any emotion he always displayed his true feelings.

[Noneck]

Nice gesture by AJ but he never became a real Chicagoan because he used the term chi-town.

[LITTLE NELL]

Originally Posted by Rocky Soprano

AJ took out an ad in today's Tribune. I would link a picture but I'm on my phone. It's a nice touch. I for one will miss him. On a team that is full of guys that rarely show any emotion he always displayed his true feelings.

Class act by AJ, have any other Chicago Sport personalities taken out ads like this? Can't remember any.

[SephClone89]

Originally Posted by LITTLE NELL

Class act by AJ, have any other Chicago Sport personalities taken out ads like this? Can't remember any.

Pretty sure Wood and/or Dempster did this season.

Did Buehrle?

[Mr. Jinx]

Originally Posted by DeadMoney

Rozner and Spiegel. Spiegel mentioned that he got the info from someone "very close to the team" and wanted to share it. Prefaced it with saying how he normally doesn't do something like this, and he's not a guy that has sources or info very often, but felt that this part of the story was important to pass along.

Mentioned several specific things too:
- Early in the season Robin wanted to allow young players to have their girlfriends on the team charter and AJ was furious over it and would tell anyone who would listen.
- Mentioned that AJ felt like the veterans should get special treatment, while Robin was trying to treat all the same.
- Talked about how Coop and Parent both disliked AJ and didn't want to even talk with him at times.
- Suggested that AJ's nickname throughout the clubhouse was "Satan".
- Said pitchers didn't want to throw to AJ.

There may have been other things he mentioned and some of these may not be summarized up exactly as they were said, but this is the gist of what they were saying. I mean, take it all for what it's worth, but Spiegel generally isn't the type to throw things out there like this (a la Bernstein). Rozner also backed him up on several of the things he was saying and added to several of the stories.

But hey, it worked out for the Beatles!

[Golden Sox]

I know its hard to believe but when Albert Belle left the White Sox, he took out an ad thanking White Sox fans.