Pierzynski will be a good manager, when he decides its time
By all accounts, Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn and his staff are stockpiling enough quality young talent to ensure a competitive team in the not too distant future.
But until the rebuild actually takes hold, Sox fans are going to keep reminiscing about their favorite teams and players from yesteryear.
Magglio Ordonez is the latest prime example.
A standout hitter for the White Sox from 1997-2004, Ordonez returned to the South Side for the first time since 2011 on Saturday and threw a ceremonial first pitch.
The frigid crowd quickly warmed to Ordonez, who batted .307 with 187 home runs and 703 RBI in 1,001 games with the Sox.
It was a familiar sight at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Last year, fans packed the house to see Mark Buehrle's retirement ceremony.
Before that, it was Paul Konerko's retirement ceremony, and before that it was the 10-year reunion of the White Sox's 2005 World Series championship team.
Until the Sox end a losing streak that currently sits at five seasons and get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2008, fans are going to keep strolling up and down memory lane.
It was Ordonez's turn to take a bow on Saturday, two days after A.J. Pierzynski delivered the ceremonial first pitch at Thursday's home opener.
Still incredibly popular after an eight-year run as the White Sox's ironman catcher, Pierzynski was fired up about getting an opportunity to broadcast a game with close friend Ken “Hawk” Harrelson later this year, most likely in August.
Even before retiring as a player following his 2016 season with the Atlanta Braves, Pierzysnki was broadcasting postseason baseball for FOX.
He's working on a full-time basis with the network now, and Pierzynski's baseball smarts and strong opinions bode very well for his future in front of the camera.
In my opinion, Pierzynski is going to be an even better major-league manager.
As a catcher, he always seemed to be in the middle of everything over 19 seasons with the Twins, Sox, Rangers, Red Sox, Cardinals and Braves.
Pierzynski was also nasty, a player most everyone loathed. That included many of his own teammates, managers and coaches.
Soft managers quickly become ex-managers, so Pierzynski's abrasive personality could actually be a plus if he decides to take a dugout job.
The guess here is Pierzynski is going to get multiple offers to manage in the coming years.
Another guess is he eventually decides the time is right.
Before throwing the ceremonial pitch to Harrelson Thursday, Pierzynski entertained the idea of managing in the majors.
“If I get to a point where I'm ever given the opportunity to do that, you want to try to be a players' guy, that's the biggest thing,” the 41-year-old Floridian said. “You've got to have the players trust you. You look at (Cubs manager Joe) Maddon, different guys that are very successful, (Astros manager A.J.) Hinch and Maddon and those guys, they have the players' ear, they have the players' trust.
“The No. 1 job, I truly believe, to be a good manager, especially in today's world, you've got to have the players believe that no matter where you put them or how you put them in and what situation, they're going to succeed. You've got to have communication with them.
“All you guys who covered me know that I was a guy that if there was a problem, I'd go right up to people. That's the biggest thing, have an open door, let the players have a little bit of say, give them structure but also let them have a say and be able to communicate with them so they know where they stand.”
That sure sounds like Pierzynski has already given managing a lot of thought.
While he said he doesn't miss playing because it became too hard to “hate” the opposition, Pierzynski still has an intense passion for the game.
“I love baseball,” he said. “My wife (Lisa) gets mad at me because I watch baseball all the time. ‘Why are you watching baseball? You don't play anymore?' I just like it.”