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A.J. Pierzynski: Why Braves Should Re-Sign Vet for 2016 Season

By Jonathan Savitske

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A.J. Pierzynski has been a revelation at the catcher position for the Atlanta Braves this season.

After trading away Evan Gattis to the Houston Astros this past offseason, it was assumed that top prospect Christian Bethancourt would finally be able to put it all together and to ascend to the starting catcher role in 2015. A.J. Pierzynski was signed to mentor the young catcher, utilizing his 17 years of experience in the majors.

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Christian Bethancourt became the starting catcher out of Spring Training, with A.J. Pierzynski being used primarily as a reserve and Shelby Miller‘s personal catcher. After Bethancourt floundered at the plate for the first two months of the season, hovering around the .200 mark, Fredi Gonzalez made the decision to give Pierzynski the starting role, as the veteran catcher was having an excellent season at the plate thus far.

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Following the demotion of Bethancourt to AAA Gwinnett, A.J. Pierzynski became an integral part of the Atlanta Braves lineup, being on of the few Braves players who has not struggled at the plate this season. Pierzynski is currently owns a slash-line of .296/.335/.418, to go along with 7 homers and 44 RBI’s. These are impressive numbers for a 38-year-old catcher with 17 years of experience under his belt.

Over the last seven days, Pierzynski has hit .333 including 3 hits on Tuesday night against the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays. He has been one of the few consistent hitters on the Atlanta Braves this season, and is currently second in batting average to Nick Markakis on the team, who is hitting a point better than him at .297.

With A.J. Pierzynski’s one-year deal expiring at the end of this season, and the fact that he is 38, do the Atlanta Braves bring him back for next season, given his impact on the team in 2015? The Atlanta Braves may decide to give Christian Bethancourt another chance to right the ship next season after encouraging progress at AAA Gwinnett during this season and a decent, if unspectactular month of September.

A.J. Pierzynski will be coming off an excellent season in 2016.  Even if he can’t replicate his excellent numbers in 2016, it would benefit the Atlanta Braves to re-sign Pierzynski just for his veteran presence in the clubhouse alone. If the Braves give Bethancourt another chance next season, continuity may be key when utilizing Pierzynski as a mentor. Of course, Pierzynski would always be an effective bat coming off the bench — even at 39-years-old.

“Even if he can’t replicate his excellent numbers in 2016, it would benefit the Atlanta Braves to re-sign Pierzynski just for his veteran presence in the clubhouse alone.”

If the Atlanta Braves do decide to look elsewhere for a starting catcher next season, such as trading for Jonathan Lucroy or signing former Georgia Tech star Matt Wieters, Pierzynski still would prove to be one of the best backup catchers in baseball. Because finding a catcher is so difficult, whether in free agency or in the draft, it would behoove the Braves to re-sign A.J. Pierzynski.

Though he may not fit the mold of what John Hart is doing during this perpetual roster shake-up, one cannot understate the importance of veteran leadership on a young team — especially with a young starting rotation. Pitchers like Matt Wisler, Manny Banuelos, Tyrell Jenkins and Mike Foltynewicz would all benefit from having another season or two with A.J. Pierzynski in the clubhouse.

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Pierzynski has stated that as a child growing up in Orlando, FL, he was an Atlanta Braves fan. How fitting would it be then if the veteran catcher could end his excellent career in the majors with his childhood team. If the Braves do re-sign Pierzynski to a short-term deal in the realm of 1-2 years, it would be incredible if they could field a team — either next season or in 2017 — that would allow him to go out with a bang.

Regardless of what the Atlanta Braves decide to do with Pierzynski in the offseason, he has had a remarkable year. During a lost season, that is something to appreciate.

Next: Daniel Castro: Earning a 2016 Roster Spot Now for Braves?

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