After the 2007 season, Bill James's Favorite Toy gave Juan Pierre about a 30% chance at 3,000 hits, which of course has historically been an automatic entry to the Hall of Fame. The idea that Juan Pierre, who is not good at baseball, could have even an unrealistic but non-zero chance at the Hall of Fame, was surprising.

Since then, Pierre's playing time has dropped and his chances even slimmer. As the White Sox make him a full-time player again, the embers of his hopes for the Hall burn and could once again become a raging fire.

We now fast-foward you in time ten years.  In that time, everything has gone right for Pierre.  He has 3,000 hits and 650 stolen bases.  

We now present Bill Plaschke's column from December 10, 2019, making the case for Juan Pierre, Hall of Famer.

This was posted earlier today on Dodger Thoughts. I repost it here at David's request.

PIERRE? HE GETS MY HALL PASS

by Bill Plaschke

December 10, 2019

He has a ring in a box.

He has three thousand reasons to say yes and six hundred and fifty pushes in the right direction.

And one big reason to cheer.

Though Juan Pierre was mocked by the know-it-alls-who-know-nothing during his time in L.A., and jettisoned by the disasters that were the McCourts just to save a few pennies, he became a fan favorite.

L.A. fans liked his speed.

They respected his work ethic.

And they loved that he did it cleanly.

In an era marred by steroids, the Hall of Fame has seen fit to block such players as Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, and that biggest Dodger cheater of them all, Manny Ramirez, from baseball's highest honor.

And now, the know-it-alls-who-know-nothing are saying that a guy who did it without the drugs, without cheating, and still reached a level of hits that has ensured election for every other player who got there, doesn't deserve it.

That's garbage.

"I always gave my best to every team," Pierre says today. "Some didn't appreciate my game. I don't want to say anything about that. The Hall of Fame would be enough."

Indeed it would. The best revenge.

Pierre's proudest moment as a Dodger came in 2009, when Ramirez was busted for taking female fertility drugs that mask steroid use.

Pierre stepped up to the plate and did what he always did.

He swung.

And became the team's MVP.

Still, the Dodgers inexplicably played Ramirez when he was eligible again. And again, the Dodgers missed the World Series.

If Pierre had played, he could have had another ring in another box.

Instead, it is up to the voters to give him something even greater.

It's not too late to honor pure hitting.

It's not too late to recognize skill need not come at any price.

It's not too late.