Texas Rangers sign A.J. Pierzynski to 1-year deal

[Capt. Serious]

Two yr deal tops. I don't want a combo of Flowers & Hector Gimenez.

 

[nickofypres]

Pass on AJ, please.

 

[DewsSox79]

Pass on AJ, please.

ok. so tell me who you want behind the plate.

 

[Rice Cube]

Here are the free agent catchers available:

Rod Barajas (37)
Henry Blanco (41)
Jesus Flores (28)
Miguel Olivo (34)
Ronny Paulino (32)
A.J. Pierzynski (36)
Brian Schneider (36)
Kelly Shoppach (33)
Chris Snyder (32)
Yorvit Torrealba (34)
Matt Treanor (37)
Bobby Wilson (29)


It sort of depends on whether you are in a build/rebuild mode or still think the team should go for it. I think the Sox can go either direction at this point, and regardless you might want to go slightly younger at catcher. If Pierzynski comes back on a cheap deal I think you do that just for the sake of continuity. If not, then you go for one of these other guys before they're snatched up because nobody else wants to overpay AJ.

 

[Capt. Serious]

Pass on AJ, please.

And have who at catcher?

 

[DewsSox79]

miguel olivo if not aj....the rest blow

 

[DewsSox79]

if i were a gambling man...as of now AJ will be in texas. they lose napoli and hamilton plus trading young....they will overpay for him.

 

[Rice Cube]

Forgot if you guys saw this, but Levine says it's unlikely AJ returns to Chicago:

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/whi...white-sox?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=t.co

h/t Roobz

 

[BigSoxHurt35]

I want to see what Flowers can do full time. I want to go get Curtis Granderson and Kyle Lohse

 

[SaberSox]

I want to see what Flowers can do full time.

No you don't.

I want to go get Curtis Granderson and Kyle Lohse

Granderson will be expensive for that bad of a BA and BB/K ratio, but he is a left handed power hitter, which the Sox will miss with AJ gone. I wouldn't mind him on the Sox. Lohse is old and has never had an xERA under 4 in his entire career. Plus, I don't like NL pitchers coming to the AL, especially in a hitter-friendly park.

 

[stevenrun]

Saw this earlier and I could see a fit in Florida, I don't really want AJ back though because he would probably come at a high price, and as a 36 year old catcher who just had a career year, it can only go down from there IMO

Exactly. A contract for AJ has to make sense, or we have to look elsewhere. The answer clearly isn't Tyler Flowers unless he somehow learns to hit this offseason.

 

[nickofypres]

I know WAR isn't tell all, and its sample size but as someone pointed out.

AJ 2005-2011: 1.1 WAR
Flowers in 2012, playing in about 1/3 of the season for the first time, had a WAR of 1.0, and stretched over a full season could mean a WAR of 3.0

Again, sample size, but Hahn is a stats guy.

 

[brett05]

I know WAR isn't tell all, and its sample size but as someone pointed out.

AJ 2005-2011: 1.1 WAR
Flowers in 2012, playing in about 1/3 of the season for the first time, had a WAR of 1.0, and stretched over a full season could mean a WAR of 3.0

Again, sample size, but Hahn is a stats guy.

Correct me if I am wrong, especially since I have been trumpeting for over a year that Flowers can't be the full time catcher, but couldn't he over a full season just as easily post a negative war? I guess what I might be asking, Is war cumulative?

 

[Rice Cube]

Correct me if I am wrong, especially since I have been trumpeting for over a year that Flowers can't be the full time catcher, but couldn't he over a full season just as easily post a negative war? I guess what I might be asking, Is war cumulative?

Yup, if he sucks really badly he could post negative WAR. He'd literally be costing your team wins if he were that bad.

 

[brett05]

He's one of those guys I jsut don't think he can handle the position full time from an offensive, defensive, or pitchign calling perspective.

 

[Gunzaan]

I used to be anti-Flowers, but I'm now all-in for giving him the starting job this year. AJ isn't going to have the same year at the plate that he did last year, Flowers has more power, and my grandma has a better arm behind the plate then AJ so that HAS to be an upgrade. Maybe AJ calls pitches better but I don't know for sure. So, more power, a better arm to throw runners out and millions of $$$ less? I'm sold on Flowers getting his opportunity this year.

 

[brett05]

I saw AJ's arm a few times in person. It wasn't his arm that aworried me, it's the pitchers ability to hold runners on that scares me.

Does Flowers ahve more power? I would agree perhaps he should be given a full year shot before saying no, but til now, hasn't AJ shown more?

 

[Gunzaan]

Sure, AJ has shown a lot.. mostly good, some bad but how much $$ is he asking for? I guess I'm just assuming it won't be worth the price tag.

 

[Rice Cube]

Bruce Levine says the Rangers are meeting with AJ today.

 

[brett05]

Sure, AJ has shown a lot.. mostly good, some bad but how much $$ is he asking for? I guess I'm just assuming it won't be worth the price tag.

Oh, I know he won't be. That said, I think he's worth paying too much.

Though as of recent, my opinion on that has changed some. With waht the Angels, Tigers, and BlueJays have done, maybe we should try to be more profitable instead of winners.