It was A.J. Pierzynski’s fault.
The cellar-dwelling Red Sox’s minus-54 run differential, the regression of their young players, the anemic lineup — Boston’s dismal season up to this point was all about its recently cut part-time catcher.
At least, that was the word from Red Sox sources who hammered Pierzynski in a piece on WEEI.com, not only for being an ineffective hitter who was batting just .254 with four home runs and 31 RBIs in 72 games, but a selfish player who had a “negative” impact on teammates.
Citing multiple former teammates, Pierzynski’s clubhouse-poisoning habits included his “propensity to spend a significant amount of time looking at his phone while at his locker during games,” most egregiously on one occasion when he ignored the starting pitcher sitting a few feet away who appeared to be an “emotional wreck” after being pulled from a rough outing.
According to WEEI, that incident prompted a teammate to complain about Pierzynski to management.
It was vaguely reminiscent of the takedown of former manager Terry Francona after the Red Sox collapsed in 2011. Francona’s personal issues were mentioned in a Boston Globe story in which team sources blasted him for losing the clubhouse and allowing players to go soft on mid-game beers, fried chicken and video games.
Long before he signed a one-year, $8.25 million deal with Boston this offseason, the 37-year-old Pierzynski had developed a reputation in the big leagues for having an abrasive personality. In Pierzynski’s place, the Red Sox called up catching prospect Christian Vazquez to add offense to a sputtering lineup and improve the dugout chemistry. Whatever Vazquez brings, Boston feels it will be an improvement.
The WEEI column describes a handful of Red Sox hanging out in the vicinity of Pierzynski’s former locker after Wednesday night’s victory over the White Sox. One of the participants said it was the first time this year he had spent time in that neighborhood of the clubhouse, making it “clear the catcher’s exit had opened previously closed doors in that room.”