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A. J. Pierzynski, the Man They Love to Hate, Is Still Behind the Plate

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — He does not even bother knocking on the wooden frame of his locker stall at Walt Disney World. A. J. Pierzynski has made it this far, to the phase of his career when he plays strictly because he loves it. Of course he has been lucky. No need to ask for more.

“Never had any arm problems at all — never had back problems, never had leg problems,” Pierzynski said after an Atlanta Braves practice on Monday. “I’m 39 years old now. I go to my kids’ school, and they’re like, ‘How do you squat?