Pierzynski becomes 10th catcher to play 2,000 games
An exclusive club of backstops welcomed A.J. Pierzynski on Thursday night.
The Atlanta Braves veteran became just the 10th catcher to appear in 2,000 career games when he started against the Philadelphia Phillies.
| Player | Years | GP | Career WAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivan Rodriguez | 1991-2011 | 2,543 | 68.9 |
| 2 | Carlton Fisk | 1969-1993 | 2,499 | 68.3 |
| 3 | Gary Carter | 1974-1992 | 2,296 | 69.4 |
| 4 | Ted Simmons | 1968-1988 | 2,456 | 54.2 |
| 5 | Bob Boone | 1972-1990 | 2,264 | 31.9 |
| 10 | A.J. Pierzynski | 1998-Present | 2,000 | 23.2 |
The 39-year-old celebrated his milestone by singling off Vince Velasquez in the seventh inning for his 2,005th career hit, and then came around to score on Gordon Beckham's three-run double.
Pierzynski still has a ways to go before becoming just the sixth catcher ever to make 2,000 career appearances behind the plate - a club comprised solely of Rodriguez, Fisk, Carter, Boone, and Jason Kendall.
It's career game No. 2,000 for @Braves' A.J. Pierzynski. #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/fkhwunYKLJ
— FOX Sports Southeast (@FOXSportsSE) May 12, 2016
While few will argue for Pierzynski as a Hall of Fame candidate, reaching the 2,000-game mark is another significant moment for the 19-year veteran. Earlier this year, he became the ninth catcher in baseball history to reach the 2,000-hit mark.
Pierzynski played 1,068 of his 2,000 games with the Chicago White Sox, with whom the hard-nosed veteran spent eight seasons from 2005-12, and won a World Series championship in 2005.