A.J. vs. San Francisco

ANAHEIM, Calif. White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski sat down and talked with the Chicago beat writers on Thursday about his return to San Francisco for this weekends three-game series.

What you need to know is Pierzynskis one-year there was a miserable one, and that will be detailed in the main story. Heres what didnt get in, however.

When did you know it wasnt a good fit?

The first time I met with the owner (Peter Magowan) and the general manager (Brian Sabean). Were having a meeting, and the owner asked me if I knew how to play first base. I looked at him and said, I played in the minor leagues. He said, we like our players to be able to play more than one position, so you probably will get a lot of games at first base. Thats when I knew it was probably not going to work out there.

What still ticks you off the most?

Just a lot of the stories that came out werent true, more than anything. The story where I supposedly kicked the trainer in the nuts. I think if I would have done that in Scottsdale Stadium in front of 15,000 people, it would have come out before I was gone.

The story about me playing cards and not going over the hitters is not true. I told them Id be there in two minutes, and I came over there two minutes later.

The story about me telling hitters what (pitches) were coming. Anyone who knows me or sees me at all knows Im not ever going to do that. Im the last (person) to ever do that. So just the fact no one wants to hear the real stories. They just want to hear about (stories) because it makes for better newspapers, it makes for better radio, better TV. Theres dissension.

The other thing is that we had a good year when I was there.. We won 91 games and statistically, I had a good year. It just wasnt meant to be and I knew that from the start.

Did you ask for a trade?

No, No. I never asked for a trade. You are where you are. And I was on a pretty good team. We were doing pretty well. You dont want to leave a good team because who knows where youre going to end up.

Any satisfaction you won a ring immediately and their GM has run that that organization into the ground since you left besides the Aaron Rowand signing of course?

You get satisfaction from the fact that I won a World Series. Leaving there and coming here the next year, coming out of there where they said I didnt know how to handle pitchers and to see the way our pitchers pitched the next year, especially in the playoffs was satisfying.

I was in the World Series and I see Ned Colletti, their assistant GM (now with LA Dodgers) in the mall. He looks at me in Houston and said, dont blow it like we did. I said, dont worry, we wont. That was kind of satisfying to see the look on his face. One of those things where it worked out great for me. It worked out great for the Twins. They made a great move to get rid of me and get the guys they got. It worked out perfect for everyone.

Well, almost everyone. Nice job, Sabean.

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