On Wednesday, the Giants’ former President of Baseball Operations was asked about his time with the team by the Foul Territory podcast.
The San Francisco Giants had so much organizational stability for so long that it feels like a surprise when a former exec gives a lengthy interview after leaving the organization. Recall that Bobby Evans basically disappeared after he flopped as the team’s GM. But Farhan Zaidi has his whole life ahead of him and a very good shot at being a President of Baseball Operations again, so it’s not a surprise that he’s now speaking to outlets like Foul Territory.
But we’re in an offseason of joy, so why think about the guy deposed by Buster Posey? Nothing he says will be very surprising, right? Plus, I’ve already made my mea culpa, so why dig into his six seasons any further? And, a lot of what he said in the interview has already been picked over. However, I took issue with some things that were said simply as a Giants fan and, since this is a Giants blog, I think they’re worth examining from that perspective.
In case you’ve only seen clips, here’s an embed of the whole interview:
Issue #1
About a minute and 27 seconds into the interview, A.J. Pierzsynksi opens his mouth to ask a question.
Tiny mouth. Big face. Like the coin slot on a piggy bank. Or the lip of a balloon, if the balloon was meant to be punched. Facial hair straight out of a Playstation 2 game’s character generator. A 47-year old man wearing a backwards baseball cap… be serious!
But it’s not all genetics and aesthetics. The verbal presentation is equally obnoxious. His first question to Zaidi:
Wh-what’s the latest — I wanna know — what’s the latest you’ve ever done a deal around the holidays: Christmas… whatever one — New Year’s… like, have you ever got a call on, like, December 24th and, someone’s like, “It’s almost Christmas, or, it’s almost New Year’s — December 31st,” and you’re like, “I’M OUT AT THE CLUB — I CAN’T BE MAKIN’ THIS TRADE RIGHT NOW.”
COOL QUESTION, BRO. WAY TO PREP DURING THE BREAK.
As a reminder: “World Series Champion and two-time Major League Baseball All-Star, AJ Pierzynski serves as a game and studio analyst for FOX Sports.”
Issue #2
A little less than 3 minutes later, A.J. Pierzynski asked — more like belched — a second question:
Were you a hands-on GM? Were you, uh, were you, uh, Billy Beane, “I’m gonna send in — I’m gonna send you the lineup every day, Gabe Kapler?”
No harm in asking an obvious question, but it’s asked in the most haphazard, C-student manner possible, which is Pierzynski’s whole vibe. He really is the exception to the rule about catchers usually being the sharpest players on the team.
Compare to just moments earlier when former backup catcher and former Giant Erik Kratz, clearly reading his question off a second screen, plainly asks Zaidi, “All right. So, now that you’re looking back at it — you’re a few months out of the job — what would you have done differently? What would you have done differently knowing what you know now? But then also learning from where you were when you came over from the Dodgers to the Giants?”
Pierzynski’s dumb guy delivery has a sort of hostility to it — or at least an aggressiveness outsized for the format of a teleconference being converted into a podcast. Erik’s question lays the groundwork for a more interesting answer.
But then after Pierzynski’s stumbling question, Kratz follows up with another straightforward question that’s setup by his personal memory of being with the Giants for a month in 2019, and well, look — Erik Kratz is a better public speaker than A.J. Pierzynski. That much is clear.
The other host of Foul Territory is Scott Braun, a four-time Emmy Winner. And yet, between Braun and Kratz, it’s A.J. Pierzynski who Fox dumps into the mouths and minds of its audience. If you want to get at what makes America great, it’s concussed jerks getting a national platform.
… “I’m out at the club.” Come on, man.
Issue #3
A.J. Pierzynski claims that he did fine, hitting-wise, in his sole season at Oracle Park (then known as SBC Park). At around the 10-minute mark, Zaidi’s asked about the Giants missing out on the big ticket free agents, and this exchange caused me to shake my head:
Pierzynski: “Okay, why? Why’d you miss out on these guys? Because I played in San Francisco. It’s a great place. The fanbase is strong — even if they like you or dislike you, they let you know. They came out to every game —”
Braun: “Tough ballpark. Not for you [as in Pierzynski] —”
Pierzynski: “I had a good year that year, so I don’t know — I did fine. I wasn’t Barry Bonds, but I also wasn’t —”
Now, plenty of media outlets have focused on this segment because of Zaidi’s answer — it’s pretty funny how much shifting he does in his seat as the question is being asked and how giddily he shakes his head when he gets to use Oracle Park as a cover for failure (it’s a good excuse — the park kills offense) — but the whole time I’m focused on Pierzynski’s mouth breathing and trailing off here… the delusion at play.
In 2004, Pierzynski slashed .283/.325/.412 in 65 games at SBC Park. The hitting environment has changed an awful lot over the past 20 years because that seems like a really good line, and an incredible line for a catcher. That .737 OPS would be in the top 80 of home OPSes (min. 250 PA) in 2024. But, humm baby, the 2024 hitting environment is not the 2004 environment, and so, for it’s time the line was only good for a 91 wRC+ — 126th out of 156 eligibile hitters.
Edgardo Alfonzo and Pedro Feliz had better numbers at SB. And if I drop the qualifications down to a minimum of 200 plate appearances, Deivi Cruz (97 wRC+) was better there, too.
Now, look, we all know that A.J. Pierzynski doesn’t care what wRC+ is — probably can’t even pronounce it, at least not on the first try — and he’s probably fixated on that shiny .283 batting average. The 77 RBI that led all NL catchers. Fine. Have it. Enjoy them, even.
Let me just go ahead and fixate on another stat that fans of all eras would look at and perceive as a demerit:
16 GIDPs.
In 2004, nobody in the National League hit into more double plays at home than did A.J, Pierzynski.
The games where he hit into double plays wound up being -2.672 Win Probability Added. On the season, he netted out at -1.194. That was the 21st-worst Win Probability Performance in MLB that season and 11th-worst in just the National League. Barry Bonds’ +13.06 was the best in both leagues, of course. So, yeah, obviously not Barry Bonds. Just a rally killer.
Except…
Not just a rally killer. He was a morale murderer, too.
Brian Sabean traded for A.J. Pierzynski on November 14, 2003. Andrew Baggarly wrote the following on APRIL 30, 2004:
SAN FRANCISCO — Struggling Giants catcher A.J. Pierzynski was called into Felipe Alou’s office for a closed-door meeting Thursday with the manager and general manager Brian Sabean before a 4-3 loss to the Marlins, and while Pierzynski said he did not ask to be traded, several teammates said they wouldn’t mind seeing him shipped off the roster.
“He’s the cancer in here,” said one Giant, who requested anonymity. “The pitchers aren’t happy with him. If they can trade him, that would be fine with me. We all know Yorvie (Yorvit Torrealba) can catch this staff.”
Ten years after the trade, Grant Brisbee wrote:
Regardless, the point isn’t what happened after the trade. The point is what it looked like when the trade was made. And here’s what the Twins were giving up: a 26-year-old catcher, coming off a 4.5-win season, with three years of arbitration left. Seriously, read that again. A catcher, in his prime, coming off a great season, at below-market costs for the next three years.
He was more of a viceroy of Jackass Mountain back then instead of a king. There were concerns, but focus on the player. The player was good. The player was young and coveted. He should have cost quite the bounty.
That’s right. The Giants walked away from Pierzynski’s arbitration years because he was an insufferable jerk. At the time of the non-tender, Brian Sabean delivered one of his most stingy insults: an official statement.
“I want to thank A.J. for his contributions to the Giants lastseason. A.J. did his job here under difficultcircumstances … and still led the league in RBI for his position.”
“A good year” … for us to poop on!
Perhaps this interview with Farhan Zaidi is his 20th-anniversary gift to us, fans who have had plenty of joy and good times to move past that dreadful year where he was on the team.
Is it rational or mature to hold a grudge against a player from 20 years ago? Yes!
He’s one of the 21st century’s biggest baseball villains! Remarkably, if not for A.J. Pierzynski and Farhan Zaidi, Giants fans probably don’t get Buster Posey.