There's nothing special to report about well-traveled backstop A. J. Pierzynski, currently a body filling the lineup for the future-looking Atlanta Braves.
Pierzynski provides that "veteran presence," while hitting .271/.316/.416, a tick above average. He had been splitting duties with defensive specialist Christian Bethancourt, but has usurped the starting job as Bethancourt struggles to hit his weight.
The Braves hope to develop Bethancourt's bat enough to keep his glove in the lineup for years to come as they focus their efforts on building a contender for the 2017 opening of SouthTrust Park in the Atlanta suburbs.
But look closely and you'll see something remarkable about Pierzynski. In his 18th year with his seventh team, the left-handed hitting Floridian is performing at a notable level for a 38-year-old who squats every day.
How unusual is it for a catcher that old to play regularly and flash a league-average stick? Two words: Pudge and Yogi.
That's the list of catchers in MLB history who have played that long, held down the starting job at age 38 and out-hit half the league. I'd just like to be in a room with Pudge and Yogi; A.J. Pierzynski is in the conversation with them. (That's Carlton Fisk, not ersatz-Pudge Ivan Rodriguez.)
There's a long way to go in the season and Pierzynski is bouncing back from a 2014 during which it appeared he was filling out his retirement papers at the expense of Boston and St. Louis. This year, so far, he's resurrected most of his 2012-13 seasons when he averaged in the .270s with 22 homers.
So keep an eye on him. If he remains in the lineup and represents himself well he will be making history. Right under our noses.
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