Why Angels Fans Hate A.J. Pierzynski: Reason #842

Just about every team that isn't the Chicago White Sox hates A.J. Pierzynski. When the Sox are on the road, Pierzynski is greeted with boos everywhere he goes. He's probably the second most booed player in baseball behind Barry Bonds.

"Everywhere we go A.J. is booed," said Ozzie Guillen. "We'd have to play on his mother's patio to get people to cheer for him."

The thing is, the majority of fans from around the country have no reason to boo him. They just do because it seems like the cool thing to do. This odd social phenomenon does not apply to fans of the Los Angeles Angels. They have reasons for hating Pierzynski so.

After all, it was A.J. who stole first base in Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS that allowed the Sox to win that game and send them on to a World Series championship.

On Sunday, A.J. made sure Angels fans will continue to boo him, and he did it on his day off.

Gustavo Molina started Sunday afternoon's game for the White Sox and brought with him his .000 batting average. Well, the Angels had a 3-0 lead going into the 8th inning, but after Bartolo Colon got himself in trouble he was replaced by Scot Shields. The Sox made it 3-1 before it was Molina's turn at bat.
That's when Pierzynski emerged from the dugout with a runner on first and one out. He heard the boos he always hears, and then took the second pitch from Shields and hit a rocket into the right field stands to tie the game at 3.

But A.J. wasn't done.

In the 10th inning with Ryan Sweeney on second base, and two outs, Pierzynski got jammed by Francisco Rodriguez, but he got enough of it to place the ball over Chone Figgins outstretched arms to allow Sweeney to score and give the White Sox their second straight win in Anaheim.

"It was fun," said Pierzynski, booed every time he comes to the plate in this ballpark since the 2005 AL championship series. "They always will. But it's good, because that means they have good fans who remember and who care. It's good for the game and it's good that people remember things."

Somewhere, on her patio, A.J.'s mom could be heard clapping.