Pierzynski nearly always prevails, doing it his way

The heroes were out there for everyone to see.

John Danks' performance was brilliant, Jim Thome's home run prodigious, and Bobby Jenks' ninth glorious.

And "Don't Stop Believin' '' is soaring up the ranks of iTunes' top 100 purchased.

But while Steve Perry brings back many memories from 2005 - and several cloudy ones from college - what should be the most memorable play from Tuesday's thrilling tiebreaker gets little attention.

It was made by catcher A.J. Pierzynski, and why are we not surprised?

After all, if it's a big game and a big moment, there's a pretty good chance Pierzynski's going to be big and in the middle of it.

Let's face it: A.J.'s always in the middle of something.

Whether it's in the clubhouse, on the field, near the dugout, or at home plate, Pierzynski's involved. If Ozzie Guillen is the straw that stirs the drink, Pierzynski is the blender.

Usually, he's making someone uncomfortable, sometimes his own teammates, but almost always it's his opponents who incur his wrath.

And it's all in the name of winning.

Pierzynski is constantly looking for an edge, and often it's under someone's skin.

He irritates, he obfuscates, and by all means, he complicates.

But for the love of Carlton Fisk, does he show up to play.

And his play in the top of the fifth Tuesday night against Minnesota was as big as Thome's mammoth home run to center field.

The pickup of that throw from Ken Griffey Jr. on a short hop, with a runner bearing down on him, was spectacular, and then to hold onto the ball, when Michael Cuddyer tried to knock him into the fourth row of the boxes, was amazing.

It kept the game scoreless until Thome plated the only run of the game.

You just wonder the difference had Cuddyer not arrived home with so much anger.

Pierzynski's arm and mitt were exposed, and had Cuddyer simply gone after the ball, he probably could have knocked it loose, but he was so focused on nailing A.J., that he got too much of the catcher, and not enough of his glove.

It was a sensational play by Pierzynski, who probably has a sore shoulder to show for it, but one whose roots were deeper than merely one play in one inning of one game.

It's the effect Pierzynski has on people.

He's not above sprinting over the pitcher's mound within inches of an opposing hurler after making an out.

He did it on the South Side this year against the Cubs on June 29, when after a groundout in the bottom of the first, he went right up and over the mound, cutting off a startled Sean Marshall as he tried to get back to the rubber.

He would have done it again in his next at-bat, but an umpire diverted him from his path as he neared the runway.

Marshall hit him his third time up.

At Wrigley Field in 2005, only minutes after getting drilled by Mark Prior, Pierzynski sprinted off the field and passed within an inch of Prior at full speed.

For that, he got a lecture from home plate umpire Larry Young when A.J. got back behind the plate.

But there is a method to his madness, and we saw the result when Cuddyer tried to knock Pierzynski into next week and forgot to knock loose the ball.

He plays hurt and he plays hard, and if this were hockey, he'd undoubtedly be the captain.

He rides his teammates in an attempt to toughen them, he rides his pitchers in an attempt to focus them, and he rides anyone who disparages University of Florida football in an attempt to humiliate them.

He's the one paying attention to detail, making sure fielders are where they're supposed to be, or reminding those who can't remember that there are three outs per inning.

Pierzynski is also the one leading the cheers in the dugout, and is one of the first to congratulate teammates after a big play or hit.

If all in his own locker room don't adore him, that seems also by design.

Even GM Ken Williams is fond of saying, "We needs guys to go all A.J. on someone once in a awhile.''

The edge he brings is part of his talent.

Above all else, Pierzynski wants to win, and so he'll be in the middle of this series with Tampa somehow, getting a big hit, making a big play, or simply calling the right pitch at the most important time.

Maybe he'll even reach first on a dropped third strike, unless he's saving that one for the Angels.

If the White Sox are going to make it to the ALCS, Pierzynski will have a hand in it.

He might not get the big headlines for it, but he will do something to help his team win.

The fact is, he always does.

brozner@dailyherald.com