2004 Highlights:
Set career highs with 77 RBI and 131 games played and matched his career high with 11 home runs in his only season with San Francisco ... his 77 RBI as a catcher ranked second among National League catchers behind Paul LoDuca's 76 ... hit .307 (47-153) with runners in scoring position ... grounded into a major-league high 27 double plays, a Giants franchise record ... batted .304 (79-260) with seven home runs and 45 RBI in the first half, including a .322 (70-212) average in his final 58 games leading into the break ... average dropped to .232 (49-211) in the second half ... average was at .301 on 8/18 before a 21-116 (.181) slump over his final 35 games dropped his final mark to .272 ... hit .283 (106-374) vs. right-handers ... went 23-57 (.404) in 16 games vs. Los Angeles ... hit .368 (32-87) with four home runs and 23 RBI in June ... 23 RBI were a personal monthly best, while his four home runs tied his monthly best (second time) ... became the sixth Giants player to hit a ball into McCovey Cove on 7/6 off Colorado's Denny Stark ... drove in a season-high six runs on 5/22 at Montreal (in Puerto Rico), going 3-5 with a double and his third career grand slam ... matched career high of four hits on 6/30 at Los Angeles and 7/8 vs. Arizona (seventh and eighth times) ... was 3-12 (.250) as a pinch-hitter ... threw out 17.7 percent (11-62) of attempted basestealers ... Giants pitchers compiled a 4.23 ERA (480 ER/1,022.0 IP) when he was behind the plate.
2003 Highlights:
Followed All-Star production of previous season with best campaign of young big league career, establishing career highs in avg. (.312), games (137), at-bats (487), runs (63), hits (152), 2Bs (35), HRs (11), on-base pct. (.360) and slugging pct. (.464)...ranked among AL leaders in avg. (T-7th), road avg. (5th, .328), day avg. (3rd, .331), avg. vs. right-handed pitching (5th, .326), intentional walks (T-5th, 12) and hit-by-pitches (T-6th, 15)...also ranked 10th in junior circuit by fanning once per 9.7 plate appearances (55 strikeouts in 533 trips to plate)...led AL catchers in avg., hits and doubles, while tying for high-water mark with 3 triples...belted 1st career grand slam May 7 at Tampa Bay (off Joe Kennedy), keying 7-run 5th inning as Twins rallied for 11-6 victory...2nd grand slam (off Darren Oliver) came as part of 1st big league 2-homer game, June 12 vs. Colorado...added 3-run clout later in contest (off Javier Lopez), finishing 3-for-4 with career-best 7 RBI...ignited Minnesota's ML-best 19-7 mark over season's final month by batting .375 (27-for-72) with 2 HRs and 12 RBI...started all 4 games of Twins' ALDS loss to eventual AL champion Yankees, going 3-for-13 (.231) with HR...accounted for Minnesota's lone run in 3-1, Game 3 loss at Metrodome with 4th-inning solo clout off Roger Clemens.
2002 Highlights
Batted .300 with 31 2Bs, career-high 6 3Bs, 6 HRs and 49 RBI en route to 1st All-Star selection...tied for club lead in avg. and triples on AL Central champion Twins...clutch performer was .319 hitter (36-for-113) with runners in scoring position...started year with bang, hitting at .396 clip (21-for-53) over 15-game stretch April 3-25...compiled career-high 16-game hitting streak May 26-June 14, batting even .400 (24-for-60) with 7 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 2 HRs and 7 RBI...included was career high-tying 4-hit outburst June 4 vs. Cleveland...finished HR shy of cycle in Minnesota's 23-2 rout over Indians, going 4-for-6 with 2B and 3B...was starting backstop for all 10 of Minnesota's playoff contests, hitting safely in 6 while going 11-for-32 (.344) with 5 runs, 3B, HR and 6 RBI...keyed Twins' upset of A's in ALDS by hitting .428 (7-for-16) with 3B, HR and 4 RBI...in 1st career post seaosn game, went 4-for-4 with 3B and RBI in Game 1 at Oakland...helped solidify Minnesota's 5-4, series-clinching victory in decisive Game 5 with 2-run, 9th-inning homer off Billy Koch...also had 3-hit effort with RBI in Game 5 of ALCS at Anaheim...participated in MLB-Japan All-Star Series following season.
2001 Highlights:
Second career 4-hit game, April 13 vs. Chicago . . . was 22-50 (.440) in 14 games, June 10-27 . . . had game-winning 2-run double in 12th inning, June 19 at Cleveland . . . hit safely in 9 of 10 games, going 14-36 (.389), June 30-July 14 . . . game-winning rbi, July 7 vs. Cincinnati . . . career-high 12-game hit-streak, going 17-46 (.370), August 20-September 6 . . . homered in consecutive games, August 30-31 . . . tied season-high 3 rbi, October 6 vs. Chicago . . . batted .312 (100-321) with 7 homers vs. righthanders . . . was 34-112 (.304) with runners in scoring position and 3-9 (.333) with the bases loaded . . . pitchers had 4.50 ERA (901.2 ip, 451 er) when catching . . . threw out 16-57 (28%) runners attempting to steal to up career total to 23-76 (30%) . . . established career-highs in every offensive category.
2000...
Began season at New Britain . . . season-high 4 hits, April 7 vs. Portland . . . had 9-game hit-streak, going 13-37 (.351), May 1-9 . . . Eastern League Player of the Week, May 29-June 4 . . . had 2-homer game, June 4 vs. Portland . . . promoted to Salt Lake, June 19 . . . season-high 10-game hit-streak, going 16-41 (.390), June 28-July 7 . . . had 2 grand slams and season-high 8 rbi, August 10 vs. Calgary . . . was 45-131 (.344) vs. righthanders . . . recalled August 12 . . . career-high 4 hits, August 25 vs. Detroit . . . career-high 6-game hit streak, going 9-20 (.450), September 4-13 . . . first big league homer off Paul Abbott, September 8 at Seattle . . . was 6-11 (.545) in 4 games, September 19-24 . . . had 7 rbi in 4 games, September 22-27 . . . career-high 3 rbi, September 24 vs. Chicago . . . was .321 (27-84) vs. righthanders . . . pitchers had 4.35 ERA (235.2 ip, 114 er) when catching . . . threw out 5-13 (38%) runners attempting to steal to up career totals to 7 of 19 (37%).
1999...
Began season at Salt Lake . . . season-high 9-game hit-streak, going 13-32 (.406), April 13-24 . . . season-high 3 hits, April 21 vs. Albuquerque . . . recalled May 16 . . . was 2-12 before being optioned, May 28 . . . recalled June 1 . . . hit safely in 5 of 9 games in two stints with Twins . . . made 6 starts . . . threw out 1 of 2 (50%) runners attempting to steal . . . optioned June 20 . . . season-high 3 RBI, July 28 vs. Fresno . . . tied season-high 3 hits, July 31 at Vancouver . . . batted .316 with runners in scoring position with 2 outs . . . threw out 14 of 65 (22%) runners attempting to steal at Salt Lake . . . disabled with fracture of right hook of hamate bone in right wrist, August 24 . . . had surgery to repair fracture, September 14.
1998...
Began season with New Britain . . . was 11-28 (.393) in 7 games, April 20-May 1 . . . was 12-29 (.414), June 15-22 . . . batted .417 (15-36) vs. lefthanders and .273 (48-176) vs. righthanders . . . promoted to Salt Lake, June 25 . . . had season-high 4 hits, season-high 5 RBI and 2-homer game, July 23 vs. Albuquerque . . . was 18-48 (.375) hitting safely in 10 of 12 games, July 23-August 7 . . . tied season-high 7-game hit-streak, August 13-22 . . . batted .300 (27-90) in August . . . batted .277 (46-166) vs. righthanders and .167 (7-42) vs. lefthanders . . . threw out 32 of 85 (38%) runners attempting to steal on season before recall . . . recalled and made Major League debut, September 9 at Anaheim . . . singled off Bill Taylor for first Major League hit, September 12 vs. Oakland . . . threw out 1 of 4 (25%) runners attempting to steal . . . played for Phoenix in Arizona Fall League.
Personal:
Anthony John Pierzynski (PEER-zin-skee) . . . wife Lisa (Gillick) . . . 1994 graduate of Dr. Phillips (FL) High School where he was All-State in baseball. Daughter, Ava Jordan 9/5/05
Professional:
Drafted in 3rd round, June 1994 ... signed by scout Brad Weitzel.