A. J. Pierzynski is a Chicago White Sox legend and he could be the team's next manager.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the White Sox will consider Pierzynski to be the team's next skipper once current Pedro Grifol is relieved of his duties after the season.
Bob is well plugged into the franchise, so someone from good authority gave him the tip on the team's thinking.
Pierzynski has never managed before, but he has always been considered a bright baseball mind. The Cleveland Guardians are thriving under Steven Voigt who never managed prior to this season.
Being a former catcher has helped Voigt immensely since that position requires seeing the game from all four phases of the game--pitching, defense, base running, and hitting.
Tasked with filling the shoes of legendary manager Terry Francona, first-year skipper Stephen Vogt has led the @CleGuardians to a first-place start in the AL Central!
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 26, 2024
Vogt sat down with Greg to touch on the club's culture, lockdown bullpen and more!#ForTheLand | @SageIntacct pic.twitter.com/077pqsVo4I
Pierzynski earned legend status on the Southside by being the backstop on the 2005 World Series-winning team.
He was the catcher for a pitching staff that threw four straight complete games in the ALCS. A.J. was also famous for the "A.J. No-K" play in Game 2 of that series.
The Sox have tried a former legendary player with no prior experience, and it did not work out well.
The Sox tabbed Robin Ventura to replace Ozzie Guillen in 2012 and it did not go well. Robin had one winning season, his first, and otherwise, the team decayed under his direction.
That is not to say that tabbing former players to run the clubhouse has not worked out well for the White Sox. Guillen was the manager of the 2005 championship team, and he won the 2008 AL Central title as well. However, Guillen had prior coaching experience with the Miami Marlins.
Also, Pierzynski has stayed around the game with more depth in post-playing career than Ventura has. A.J. hosts a very successful baseball podcast, he is an analyst for Fox Sports, and up until this season, he was a team ambassador for the Chicago White Sox.
He mutually agreed with the team to part ways to focus on his other obligations while the team was not exactly thrilled with his criticism of the direction of the team.
Pierzynski is not the only big name rumored to replace Grifol.
Local radio sports talk station 670 the Score's baseball insider Bruce Levine reported that former Boston Red Sox and Guardians manager Terry Francona could be an option.
Francona won two World Seris with the Red Sox and nearly won one with the Guardians. He should make the Hall of Fame. He took this season off to address health matters, but if he is recovered, he may get back into the game.
He was the team's Double-A manager when Michael Jordan tried out baseball in 1994.
The Sox have also been linked to Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. He will be a free-agent after the season.