Quote:
Dodgers' Juan Pierre is right where he belongs
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- There's a boxer in the house.
"Yeah, last year, I got beat up pretty good," says Juan Pierre.
There's defiance in the house.
"If people really think the reason we lost last year was because my arm wasn't strong enough, or because I didn't get on base enough, hey, that's cool, I'll be the man, I'll take it," says Pierre.
There's resolve in the house.
"I'm coming into this season with a chip on my shoulder . . . just like every season," says Pierre.
Fans don't appreciate him. Statisticians can't calculate him. Bloggers downright brutalize him.
I like him.
Now that the Dodgers have added Rafael Furcal's health and Andruw Jones' pop, I think Juan Pierre's presence at the top of the lineup will be as oversized as his cap.
|
Full story.
It is clear from this article that Bill Plaschke is either overly enamored with Juan Pierre's kindly demeanor, or that he is completely ignorant as to what it takes to make a player a worthwhile contributor to a team. Don't get me wrong - I like Juan Pierre. I feel bad for the razzing he takes on an almost daily basis... however, I cannot state that he is an important part of this team while keeping a straight face.
Compare his line to those of the other players that will be competing for playing time in the Dodgers' crowded outfield:
Juan Pierre - .293/.331/.353
Andre Ethier - .284/.350/.452
Jason Repko - .254/.345/.377
Delwyn Young - .382/.417/.647
Matt Kemp - .342/.373/.521
In letting the numbers speak for themselves I will keep my view short and sweet: Juan Pierre is, at best, the fourth best option for the RF/LF platoon that will be in play in 2008. If you consider defense he may be even worse...
Bill Plaschke (and many others) completely overvalue speed. Stealing fifty plus bases does not make up for a paltry OPS of .684. In fact, no amount of stolen bases can make up for that...
Pierre Right Where He Belongs
Pierre Right Where He Belongs
Linear Mode
