PHILADELPHIA – When A.J. Pierzysnki was the same age that Christian Bethancourt is now (23), Pierzysnki spent most of the season with Twins minor league teams, while Minnesota’s big-league team played catchers Matt LeCroy and Marcus Jensen through mid-June, then brought up Chad Moeller from Triple-A to share catching duties with Jensen.
Pierzynski was a third-round draft pick who began his pro career at 17, spent nearly six seasons in the minors before getting brief callups with the Twins in 1998 and 1999, and hit .313 with 42 extra-base hits in 103 minor-league games in 2000 before Minnesota brought him up in mid-August and made him the primary catcher the rest of the way.
Which is a long way of saying, Pierzynski has been in Bethancourt’s shoes before, though Pierzynski wasn’t quite the elite, buzzed-about prospect that Bethancourt was for several years before his ascendance stalled a bit in the past couple of seasons.
After the Braves let Brian McCann go as a free agent following the 2013 season, then did one season with Evan Gattis as their principle catcher in 2014, this was presumably going to be the season that Bethancourt took over as the primary catcher, with Pierzysnki signed to be his mentor and backup.
However, Braves officials also said privately when Pierzysnki signed that he could end up playing a lot more games than a regular backup, if Bethancourt struggled or got hurt. The jury was still out on the undeniably talented Bethancourt, a rangy, cannon-armed defender had nonetheless made an alarming number of defensive mistakes when filling in for an injured Gattis last season.
The Braves also wanted more from him in terms of working with pitchers before and especially during games. The kid needed to guide pitchers, particularly with so many young ones on the Braves staff. He made significant progress in that area in the past year, but needs to make more.
Which all partly explains why, 18 games into the season, 38-year-old Pierzysnki has caught as many games (nine) as Bethancourt, and why Pierzynski made four consecutive starts before getting a rest Sunday when Bethancourt caught the day-game series finale against the Phillies. The other part is simpler: Pierzynski has hit .382 (13-for-34) with two doubles, three homers, six RBIs, a .432 OBP and only two strikeouts, with at least one hit in every game he’s played. He’s 12-for-30 (.400) against right-handers.
Before Sunday, Bethancourt was batting .133 (4-for-30) with two doubles, two RBIs, two walks and a .188 OBP. He was asked Sunday morning whether it was difficult to try to get his swing going, or stay sharp, playing infrequently.
“It’s not difficult,” Bethancourt said. “It’s just, you know, A.J.’s been doing a really good job, really hot with the bat, so he’s a guy you’ve got to keep out there.”
Does that mean Bethancourt understands the decision to play Pierzyski as much as the veteran has played recently?
“Yeah, I mean, we’re trying to win ballgames,” Bethancourt said. “If I’m not doing whatever they’re asking me to do and someone else is doing it, that’s who’s going to play. So I’m just waiting for my opportunity – I’m back in the lineup today – and need to take advantage of it.”
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez has made it clear, to reporters and to Bethancourt, that his defense, game-calling and handling the pitching staff are more important to the manager than offensive statistics.
Bethancourt was asked Sunday if he was clear on what the Braves want from him, what he needs to do.
“Right now it’s more important for me just to (work with) my pitchers, to help them be successful, to get my starter six or seven innings, and then (help) my bullpen for the last few innings,” he said. “As long as we win the ballgame, it doesn’t matter if I strike out three times. I mean, I know I’m not going to be out there every day if I strike out three times every game. It’s not something I’m trying to do. I need to know situations – sometimes I’ve got to just try to just move the runner. If I can drive him in, it’s going to be even better.
“But it’s a ballgame. There are (defensive players) everywhere. You’re just trying to make contact with the ball. After you make contact, you don’t control where the ball goes.”
Pierzysnki went to dinner with Bethancourt and bullpen coach Eddie Perez during the road trip. They talk a lot, and the veteran catcher, a two-time former All-Star, has made it clear to Bethancourt that he’s not here to take his job.
Pierzysnki told reporters in the first week of the season that helping Bethancourt is a big part of his job, and that he’s been pleased to see the rookie progress.
“Yeah, he’s a great guy,” Bethancourt said of Pierzysnki. “He’s been a big help. I mean, he’s not a quiet guy; he likes to talk. And whenever I have a question, or even when I’m on the bench and he’s playing, sometimes he’ll come and make a comment or something, just to see how I respond or to ask me a question, stuff like that….
“If you’re 38 years old and you’re a catcher and you’re still in the game, obviously you have done something right. I’m just watching him. I’ve just go to watch, learn and, whenever my opportunity comes up, I’ve just got to be myself. I know I can do the job. I know I can be able to be out there every day. Just waiting for the right time.”
