Mindless Drivel

Speaking of the brainless one at the Sun-Times, Jay Moronotti produced this unbelievably idiotic piece the day after the brawl instigated by Hothead Barrett.

This is what happens when you (A.J. Pierzynski) have a reputation, when you're known as a sport's reigning provocateur/punk:

Pot, kettle's calling back. And doing what it takes to win does not give your opponents the right to sucker punch you after a clean play, something everyone other than Moronotti and brainless Cubbie fans understand.

"If you can tell me what I did to deserve what I got, I'd like to know.'' OK, A.J., I'll tell you. You're an instigator, an agitator, a troublemaker, a wise guy.

You forgot winner, popular teammate, someone who sacrifices himself for the better of the team. Not to mention an alert baseball player who maximizes his talent. Ask Twins fans what they think of him, and the direction their franchise has gone in since trading him. Every team needs a guy like Pierzynski, and quite frankly, when you do whatever it takes to win, you inevitably ruffle a few feathers. Maybe if the Cubs had more guys like him, they wouldn't be floundering in the dregs of the NL Central every year. If that draws the ire of other players, so be it. They still have no right to unfairly assault him.

In A.J.'s view, Barrett rocked him with ''a cheap shot.'' In the baseball world, it's being widely hailed as a vicarious thrill, a right cross to Pierzynski's left cheek that many players would love to have thrown.

No, actually everyone else around the country called it a cheap shot. While Pierzynski may never win a popularity contest, anyone who understands sports realized a line was crossed and that Barrett deserves a lenghty time off.

Rocky Balboa Barrett isn't so sure

Last time I checked, Rocky's punches actually knocked their target down. When the scrappy Scott Podsednik tackles you with ease, a more proper reference would be Peter McNeeley. Not to mention that Rocky is a noble hero, while Barrett is a pathetic punk.

All of that duly noted, my guess is the rumble never would have happened if the baserunner was anyone other than A.J. Which means, yes, based on his pot-stirring reputation, as well as what he did before and after Barrett's punch, Pierzynski still strikes me as a bad guy in this affair.

Dave Roberts begs to differ. Barrett had been developing the reputation for having a short fuse before this incident. This just cemented his place alongside Barry Bonds and Gary Sheffield as one of baseball's biggest punks.


Barrett comes out on top

This subhead just confirms the fact you clearly did not witness the brawl. Getting taken down with ease by the aforementioned Podsednik proved that Barrett could not back up his cowardly actions. Pierzynski probably felt more pain from the punches he "took" in his TNA match.

Barrett, despite a loss of control that will cost him games and money, somehow came off better.

Maybe for idiotic baseball fans jealous they don't have a guy like Pierzynski on their team. For the rest of the sports world, they received exposure to the bitterness that comes from playing for a directionless franchise with your crosstown rivals in the midst of building a dynasty. The purposed religious man apparently has trouble dealing with one of the seven deadly sins: envy.