Fredi Gonzalez announces A.J. Pierzynski signing in ham store
The Atlanta Braves are keeping busy around the holidays. On Tuesday, they announced the signing of veteran reliever Jason Grilli to a two-year contract. On Wednesday, it was reported the Braves have also signed veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski to a one-year deal, though credit for that scoop doesn't go to the usual suspects in the baseball reporting field, or even the next wave of teenage reporters hoping to make a name.
Nope. It was actually reported by Aaron Lunsford (@darrenstains on Twitter), whose father learned of the signing while speaking to Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez while they shopped at Honeybaked Ham. Lunsford then tweeted this information to several baseball reporters and his near 3,000 followers on Twitter.
Source: @braves and AJ pierzynski agree to deal. No details. Check it @Buster_ESPN @Ken_Rosenthal @jcrasnick @jessespector not kidding
— Aaron Lunsford (@darrenstains) December 24, 2014
I just got a scoop on a signing before any national or local writer. But alas I have no credentials in the field of sports writing.
— Aaron Lunsford (@darrenstains) December 24, 2014
Not long after, MLB.com's Mark Bowman confirmed the report.
The #Braves and A.J. Pierzynski have reached agreement on a 1 yr. deal Deal is pending a physical. Likely won't be official until early Jan.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) December 24, 2014
Hat tip on the Pierzynski deal goes to @darrenstains, whose father ran into Fredi Gonzalez at Honeybaked Ham.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) December 24, 2014
In terms of unusual places for a baseball story to break, this ranks right up there with David Murphy's daughter's daycare leaking that he was signing with the Cleveland Indians last November.
Here's how the conversation went down, according to Lunsford.
According to @DOBrienAJC fredi is saying my dad overheard him talking about AJ signing. Fredi spoke directly to my dad while waiting in line
— Aaron Lunsford (@darrenstains) December 24, 2014
Nobody else in the store recognized fredi. My dad said hello, then they started talking baseball Yada Yada Yada...
— Aaron Lunsford (@darrenstains) December 24, 2014
Fredi after mentioning grilli signing "we signed a catcher today, pierzynski" dad - "AJ?" Fredi - "yep. You're the first to know"
— Aaron Lunsford (@darrenstains) December 24, 2014
To recap, because this story needs to be heard a few times to fully sink in, his father went shopping for a holiday ham and ended up breaking a baseball story. Oh, and if that wasn't crazy enough, Lunsford added that Wednesday is his father's birthday, so maybe that's a birthday ham.
Update: mom is worried dad is going to be in trouble #HamRumors
— Aaron Lunsford (@darrenstains) December 24, 2014
Not a chance! He's the talk of social media, and all for good reasons. He's among the most unlikely of baseball sources to report a deal, first and foremost, but it sounds like he's a decent guy, too. Otherwise, we're sure Gonzalez would not have been as engaging or forthright with such information. If he's guilty of anything, it's being respecful and kind.
Reminder: It always pays to be respectful and kind.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813