Of all things, the career of Anthony John Pierzynski will be known for him trying to gain an edge for his team. Some people call it cheating, but those haters just don't understand. It's just A.J. being A.J., doing (mostly) whatever it takes to win. Case in point, the eighth inning Monday against the Giants. Braves right-hander David Aardsma bounced an 0-2 pitch to Hunter Pence, and not only was it admirably dug out of the dirt by Pierzynski, but he also attempted to frame the pitch as if it caught the corners for strike three.
The best part comes in the full video when Pierzynski peers up from his crouch at umpire Dan Iassogna and appears to plaintively ask why he didn't get the call. "Please, Mr. Umpire, please?" It's also funny because Pierzynski ranks near the bottom of pitch-framers in 2015. He finished toward neutral in 2014, but he slipped. He should get double points for effort on this baby, though.
No such luck there. But, later in the game after the Braves had fallen behind, Pierzynski came through conventionally with a score-tying two-run homer in the ninth. After the Braves had fallen behind again in the 12th, Adonis Garcia won it 9-8 with a two-run, walk-off homer. It just goes to show, you never know when your team might need that extra run, extra base, or extra ball in the dirt framed for strike three.
It really was classic A.J., like the time in the 2005 ALCS when he persuaded Jedi mind-tricked home-plate umpire Doug Eddings that a ball he had swung at for strike three had hit the dirt first. It hadn't, but Pierzynski ran to first anyway after catcher Josh Paul had tossed the ball away rather than tagging the batter. Because why should Paul tag Pierzynski? The ball had not hit the dirt! Somehow, Pierzynski was called safe. He literally had stolen first base with two outs in a playoff game, which the White Sox won later that inning to tie the series 1-all. Angels fans have hated Pierzynski, more than most other fans, ever since. And that's saying something.