Reliable and productive catchers are a rare breed, but the Texas Rangers signed one of the steadiest over the past decade in A.J. Pierzynski.

And, more importantly, Pierzynski is showing no signs of slowing down at age 36. He has started all five games behind the plate this season, which is the most since 2007, when Gerald Laird started the first six games.

"I've said from Day One that if they let me, I'd play every day, but obviously that's unrealistic," Pierzynski said. "Right now, the weather is a little bit cooler, and we've faced a run of right-handed pitching. I don't ask to play or not play; when they want me to play, I'll play."

Pierzynski started 121 games at catcher last season for the White Sox and has started at least 100 games behind the plate for 12 straight seasons - the longest such streak among active catchers.

Backup catcher Geovany Soto has yet to play, and manager Ron Washington doesn't know who he'll start today to catch Yu Darvish's second start.

Soto and Darvish worked well together last season, and the plan going into the season was to keep that battery intact. However, in their first regular-season pairing, Darvish and Pierzynski almost put together a perfect game against the Houston Astros.

Darvish retired the first 26 batters on Tuesday before No. 9 batter Marwin Gonzalez ripped a single back up the middle and through Darvish's legs.

"I was so mad he didn't catch that ball, but he was great about it," said Pierzynski, who caught Philip Humber's perfect game last season.

"When you get that close, it creeps in your mind that, 'Hey, this is going to happen.' When you get to that point, you're just like, 'Make one more good pitch.' Unfortunately the guy (Gonzalez) stayed with a good approach."

Pierzynski has been impressed with Darvish and the entire pitching staff so far in the young season.

Pierzynski gives the Rangers a veteran presence behind the plate and also at the plate. The left-handed hitting Pierzynski has recorded at least one hit in four of the five games, including a three-hit performance on Friday, and has a .389 average.

Pierzynski is coming off his most productive offensive season, too. He batted .278 in 2012 and set career highs in homers (27) and runs scored (68) and tied his career high in RBIs (77) with the White Sox. Pierzynski's season got him his first Silver Slugger Award, which he received prior to Saturday's game.

"It's awesome," Pierzynski said. "I think my family is more excited than I am. My son wants to grab the bat and swing it around the house. But it's a cool-looking award and you don't get many opportunities to get one, so when you get it, you've got to feel fortunate and lucky."

The Rangers certainly feel fortunate to have him as their everyday backstop.

"I don't think anything he does will shock me because he's always won," manager Ron Washington said. "He's always been a winner."

• Read more articles by DREW DAVISON

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