CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said he’s prepared for Sunday to be his final home game with the team after eight seasons on the south side.

Pierzynski has been with the White Sox since signing with them in 2005 and he and Paul Konerko are the only remaining players from the 2005 World Series team. Pierzynski is in the final year of his contract.

“It’s definitely crossed my mind,” Pierzynski said prior to Sunday’s game. “My family flew in for the game today just because there’s definitely a real possibility this will be my last game here as part of the White Sox.”

The 35-year-old Pierzynski has previously said he’d like to return to the team.

“Of course, I’ve always said that, but at the same time, you know, like I said earlier in the season, I packed my house up once, I packed it up for a second time,” said Pierzynski, who has also played for the Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants. “It’s becoming old hat now. But I would love to come back and finish my career here, but at the same time I know how baseball works. I know the way things work and we’ll see.

“Maybe we can work something out. If not, I’ll always look back fondly on my time here and appreciate it. I love the city of Chicago. I love the fans here. I love the people here. I love the organization and you’ll never hear me say anything bad about them.”


Pierzynski said he hasn’t put too much thought into his future.

“Honestly, I haven’t even… Obviously you see the end of the season because of the number of games, but as far as thinking about next year, where I’m going to be or what I’m going to do, it hasn’t really crept in because I haven’t, mentally, I just haven’t been able to check out with what we’ve been doing here this year,” he said. “That’s been a good thing because coming into it everyone thought we’d be so far out of it that by the time August came around, we would be auditioning guys for next year. It hasn’t been the case. We’ve hung in there and hopefully we can find a way to turn this thing around and finish it off."

Pierzynski said he wouldn’t leave with any regrets if it’s his last season with the White Sox.

“Like I said, I hope it’s not the end, but if it is, I’ll look back fondly and with great memories and hold my head high because I know I gave everything I could to the White Sox organization for eight years,” Pierzynski said. “I hope people remember that. That’s it.”

Pierzynski has hit .279 with 1,085 hits, 118 home runs and 459 RBIs in eight years and 1,066 games with the White Sox. He’s hitting .278 with 27 home runs and 76 RBIs this season.

Pierzynski received a two-year contract for $8 million in 2010 and was paid $6 million of the contract in 2012.