Tuning up for White Sox’ Hawk and A.J. Show

Before new White Sox ambassador A.J. Pierzynski threw out the first pitch at the home opener Thursday, he sat side-by-side with Ken Harrelson in the Sox’ dugout, entertaining media and providing a taste of what it will be like when the two broadcast a game together this season.

Harrelson worked the home opener, one of about 20 games he’ll do in his last season. There are fans who will miss him, and perhaps a few who won’t. Pierzynski, who has been pitching for Harrelson to be a Ford Frick Award winner and Hall of Famer, certainly will.

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“The passion that he brought every day was what I admired more than anything because he would generally care,’’ Pierzynski said. “People would be like, ‘He’s full of crap.’ [But] he genuinely cared about the White Sox every game. That’s the thing you try to portray.’’

Pierzynski, a Fox broadcaster who goes back with Harrelson all the way to when he was playing high school baseball in Florida, says he will do a game with Harrelson, and it will happen likely in late August or early September.

“To be able to sit down next to him and do three hours, I can listen to his stories, I can tee him up and Hawk can knock ’em down,’’ Pierzynski said. “It’ll be like bowling — I’ll set all the pins up, he comes in, bowls 300.’’

The respect between the two is mutual and so are the barbs, especially from Harrelson, who caught Pierzynski’s first pitch and made like he was muffing the transfer to his throwing hand, which the accomplished catcher was known to do from time to time.

Pierzynski wore a white “Hawk” cap when he threw out the first pitch.

The Sox are off to a 3-3 start after Thursday’s tough loss, but there seem to be continued good signs that they might score runs consistently this season.

“It’s been five games,’’ general manager Rick Hahn said, assessing the small sample size of a first road trip before the home opener. “We’re not going to ready any grand prognostication, good, bad or indifferent. We’re certainly thrilled with where the offense is; they picked up where they left off the last weeks in Glendale.’’

It has been a mixed bag, with average-to-good outings from their three young starters.

“We’re pleased with how some of the young players responded their first go-round — Carson Fulmer [on Wednesday], Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito battling through his start without his best stuff,’’ Hahn said. ‘‘It’s part of what this season is going to be about.’’

Prospect watches

Outfielder Eloy Jimenez, the No.  4-ranked prospect in baseball sidelined last week with a mild strain of his left pectoral muscle, has been hitting off a tee and is ramping his way back to action.

Hahn said right-hander Alec Hansen, the organization’s No. 2 pitching prospect behind Michael Kopech who was limited to one Cactus League appearance in spring training, had a “forearm muscular issue” that he had dealt with in high school. Without giving a specific timeline, Hahn said Hansen is on a throwing program and “ramping back up.”