A Hero’s Welcome? What to Make of A.J. Pierzynski for White Sox Manager Rumblings

I think most of us can agree that the Pedro Grifol era can't end soon enough for the Chicago White Sox. The second-year manager is going to end the season with one of the worst winning percentages for a manager in MLB history, and it'll likely spell an end to his time running any big-league dugout. In recent weeks, we've already seen a few names surface as potential replacements for Grifol in 2025.

Just last week, 670 the Score's Bruce Levine speculated that Terry Francona could be a candidate for the position. As I detailed a few weeks ago , bringing in Tito would be great but highly unlikely for a variety of reasons. In a new development on Sunday, Jerry Reinsdorf's personal media mouthpiece, Bob Nightengale of USA Today , put out this gem in his weekly column.

The mentioning of a former fan favorite returning to the team to manage is nothing new for this franchise. It's stirred up some interesting emotions on both ends of the spectrum, however. So, would entrusting A.J. Pierzynski to manage the White Sox be a good decision or an unmitigated disaster?

Furthering Old Narratives

The White Sox organization going back to the well to bring home a former player from the past will do nothing but lead to snarky comments that write themselves. Truth be told, the organization deserves the scorn that would come from such a move. After all, this is how Chris Getz was able to gain employment first as Director of Player Development then General Manager because Jerry Reinsdorf couldn't dare to do an exhaustive search and find a qualified candidate that might challenge his antiquated, failed views on the game.

Bringing in A.J. Pierzynski, who has never managed or coached at the Major League level, would be a lazy, convenient move for an owner who doesn't want to put in effort to do what's best for the club. It'd just be another in a long line of former White Sox players hired for jobs they don't meet qualifications for other than having received paychecks from Reinsdorf previously. The perception that this organization operates in an insular, mom-and-pop fashion is warranted, and this would do nothing to dissuade those notions.

Pierzynski would also check a key box for this team because he's short on qualifications for the role, meaning he'll carry a very low price tag. We know how important that is for Reinsdorf, especially heading into 2025 when we'll almost assuredly see a decrease in payroll. The Sox opting for another first-time manager will help them control their expenses, which we know will be a top priority, sadly.

For all the talk about loyalty that Reinsdorf's media lapdogs like to push, moves like this speak more to laziness than loyalty in reality. Just because a guy wore a White Sox uniform at some point in the last 40 years doesn't mean they're a great fit for key roles in the organization in 2024 and beyond. But alas, because this team is owned by a man who hasn't altered his approach to operating it since he acquired it, here we are. Bringing in the former World Series legend to manage in 2025 would just add more fuel to the fire within the fan base and the baseball world as a whole that the White Sox organization isn't serious about getting out of the abyss in which it currently resides.

Would It Be All Bad?

I know you just read a few paragraphs where I laid out what a lazy decision it'd be and how it'd do nothing but further old narratives surrounding this club, but would hiring A.J. Pierzynsky really be the worst thing in the world? Fans old enough to appreciate the days when Pierzynski was behind the plate for competitive White Sox teams (these actually were a thing) understand that he was widely viewed as a smart player on the field. He wasn't the most talented player, but he had a great feel for the game and an understanding of what needed to be done.

Catchers are typically viewed as the players who make the best managers because they must possess an understanding of the grind everyday players face and are also directly involved in managing a pitching staff. Catchers are the only players on the diamond who have all the action directly in front of them at all times, so I do believe they offer a unique perspective and understanding of what takes place on each and every pitch of a baseball game.

While Pierzynski was viewed as a "pest" among other things during his time as a player , you don't really hear people questioning his understanding and knowledge of the game. The tough, grinder mindset he carried as a player would certainly connect with the fan base as well.

As the White Sox prepare to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2005 World Series championship team, I'm sure touching on nostalgia for fans who lived through that magical season will be another consideration. Some fans will view that fondly as Pierzynski was one of the most revered members of that team and era of White Sox baseball. Should that be a major consideration for him getting the job? No, but there are plenty within the organization and fan base that will use it as a positive.

More importantly, though, I think Pierzynski could be someone to bring an interesting perspective to the dugout. In his time doing national broadcast work for FOX and on his "Foul Territory" podcast, he's been exposed to different voices from all across the game. He's been able to talk with team executives, scouts, and current and former players from all organizations. This has allowed him to have direct conversations about the state of the game and where things could be heading in the future.

It's that wide lens that could allow Pierzynski to bring a fresh perspective to the organization in some regard. We even saw him challenge Chris Getz regarding the White Sox' organizational direction when the GM was a guest on the "Foul Territory" podcast. So, would the former fan favorite be another organizational "yes man" and someone who wouldn't challenge the current direction that looks so lost? We don't know the answer to that, but his willingness to speak candidly to Getz himself and about the current state of the organization does make one believe that he won't necessarily walk the company line.

Pierzynski even famously discussed no longer being an ambassador with the organization because he dared to speak out against them. I think this is something that's a very important need for this organization. I rail against the almost mob-like mentality that persists within the organizational culture, where you simply cannot dare to question the direction of this team from Jerry Reinsdorf on down because the old man can't dare to be questioned.

The White Sox need people who will challenge their failed, conventional processes. For too long, they've gone down the same road expecting different results only to end up in the same failed place. Would Pierzynski challenge the processes from the top down? Perhaps a former player with such organizational gravitas who isn't far removed from the playing field could go a long way toward enacting real change.

Room to Grow

It's pretty clear that the White Sox won't contend in 2025, and it's looking more likely that 2026 won't be much better. Needless to say, they won't be at the top of the list for highly qualified managerial candidates this winter. Because of this, bringing in an inexperienced manager wouldn't really be the end of the world. If A.J. Pierzynski proved to be unworthy of the job, the Sox could cut bait should they team turn a corner in the near future and inch toward contention. You won't really lose much by having inexperienced managerial mistakes for a team that will have losing records in each of the next two seasons.

If Pierzynski can follow in the footsteps of recent first-time managers like Cleveland's Stephen Voigt and Minnesota's Rocco Baldelli, both of whom were short on coaching experience, it could position the team to establish continuity at the managerial position for years to come. But given the organizational infrastructure on the South Side is nowhere near what it is for their division rivals, we can't expect that. But if he can show that he has a grasp on the position, it'd be a welcomed sight.

All things considered, hiring Pierzynski wouldn't be the direction I would go this winter. He hasn't said anything in the booth or on his podcast that offends my baseball sensibilities and leads me to believe he would be a detriment in the dugout, but I simply feel there are more qualified candidates out there who aren't just a lazy attempt to garner fan goodwill.

I don't automatically dismiss the idea of Pierzynski as a manager as some do simply because he wore the White Sox uniform, but I'd need more convincing on why he would be the best choice. Perhaps he has views on the modern game that align with the thought processes of successful organizations, and if that's the case, I'm certainly open to the idea of him getting the job. Who knows, maybe he comes in for an interview and blows Chris Getz and Co. away, much like the guy who managed him did in 2005. The Sox sure could use a surprise going in their favor.

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