Sxy Mofo
04-05-2005, 10:08 AM
Pierzynski does his homework
April 5, 2005
BY JOE GODDARD (jgoddard@<hidden>) Staff Reporter http://ad-images.suntimes.com/RealMedia/ads/Creatives/default/empty.gif (http://a3.suntimes.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/www.suntimes.com/output/sox/1906277737/Middle/default/empty.gif/34313662653439353432353234623930) " target="_blank">http://a3.suntimes.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/www.suntimes.com/output/sox/@<hidden>,Top1,TopLeft,Middle,Middle1,Bottom,x01,x02,x03,x04,x05,Frame1,Right1!Middle?x (http://<img%20src=/)
If A.J. Pierzynski wants to fit in with the White Sox, he's doing a good job.
The catcher, who was criticized by a few San Francisco Giants pitchers last year for his indifference, made a big difference Monday for the Sox. He handled Mark Buehrle's two-hit, eight-inning effort and Shingo Takatsu's 1-2-3 ninth in the club's 1-0 victory against the Cleveland Indians.
"It's never difficult catching All-Star pitchers,'' a smiling Pierzynski said.
Pierzynski prepared for his Sox debut by asking the club for videos of Buehrle's starts against the Indians. He noticed how fast Buehrle works, his good changeup off his fastball and how he likes to throw cutters to right-handed hitters and sliders to left-handed hitters.
That's not all. Pierzynski also called pitching coach Don Cooper aside to ask what made Sandy Alomar Jr. so special in catching Sox pitchers the last four years.
"Asking about Alomar tells me a ton about the guy,'' Cooper said. "I went over the success Sandy had with all our pitchers, that he knew their strengths and weaknesses and that he worked off the last pitch. A.J. seemed to understand that today.
"Look, I don't know what happened in San Francisco. I'd heard things, but unless you're there, you don't really know. It's like going to a movie. A critic might say the movie stinks, but you might think it was great. A.J. played great for us today.''
Pierzynski, who was 1-for-3, took in the sights and sounds of his new park before the game.
"Mark and I were walking in from the bullpen after warming up, and we heard a lot of cheering,'' he said. "It was a beautiful day, the weather was great, the park looked good and the fans appreciated everything.''
Pierzynski even appreciated the gong sound when Takatsu, a native of Japan, came in.
"I like it, nice touch,'' Pierzynski said. "I could tell that Takatsu likes it, too.''
The right-hander gave Pierzynski a different look than the left-handed Buehrle with slower-than-slow changeups from a sidearm delivery to balance an adequate fastball. "It's kind of fun, actually,'' Pierzynski said. "Closers don't have to be one-pitch fastballers. I caught Eddie Guardado with the Twins and Dustin Hermanson with the Giants, and they weren't exactly overpowering.''time will tell.
April 5, 2005
BY JOE GODDARD (jgoddard@<hidden>) Staff Reporter http://ad-images.suntimes.com/RealMedia/ads/Creatives/default/empty.gif (http://a3.suntimes.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/www.suntimes.com/output/sox/1906277737/Middle/default/empty.gif/34313662653439353432353234623930) " target="_blank">http://a3.suntimes.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/www.suntimes.com/output/sox/@<hidden>,Top1,TopLeft,Middle,Middle1,Bottom,x01,x02,x03,x04,x05,Frame1,Right1!Middle?x (http://<img%20src=/)
If A.J. Pierzynski wants to fit in with the White Sox, he's doing a good job.
The catcher, who was criticized by a few San Francisco Giants pitchers last year for his indifference, made a big difference Monday for the Sox. He handled Mark Buehrle's two-hit, eight-inning effort and Shingo Takatsu's 1-2-3 ninth in the club's 1-0 victory against the Cleveland Indians.
"It's never difficult catching All-Star pitchers,'' a smiling Pierzynski said.
Pierzynski prepared for his Sox debut by asking the club for videos of Buehrle's starts against the Indians. He noticed how fast Buehrle works, his good changeup off his fastball and how he likes to throw cutters to right-handed hitters and sliders to left-handed hitters.
That's not all. Pierzynski also called pitching coach Don Cooper aside to ask what made Sandy Alomar Jr. so special in catching Sox pitchers the last four years.
"Asking about Alomar tells me a ton about the guy,'' Cooper said. "I went over the success Sandy had with all our pitchers, that he knew their strengths and weaknesses and that he worked off the last pitch. A.J. seemed to understand that today.
"Look, I don't know what happened in San Francisco. I'd heard things, but unless you're there, you don't really know. It's like going to a movie. A critic might say the movie stinks, but you might think it was great. A.J. played great for us today.''
Pierzynski, who was 1-for-3, took in the sights and sounds of his new park before the game.
"Mark and I were walking in from the bullpen after warming up, and we heard a lot of cheering,'' he said. "It was a beautiful day, the weather was great, the park looked good and the fans appreciated everything.''
Pierzynski even appreciated the gong sound when Takatsu, a native of Japan, came in.
"I like it, nice touch,'' Pierzynski said. "I could tell that Takatsu likes it, too.''
The right-hander gave Pierzynski a different look than the left-handed Buehrle with slower-than-slow changeups from a sidearm delivery to balance an adequate fastball. "It's kind of fun, actually,'' Pierzynski said. "Closers don't have to be one-pitch fastballers. I caught Eddie Guardado with the Twins and Dustin Hermanson with the Giants, and they weren't exactly overpowering.''time will tell.