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Bye Bye Beast Mode

Ever since Juan signed I've been one of his biggest detractors but by the end of May I was sure glad he was on our team. One of my favorite things about baseball is how the unexpected can emerge for a short time and put all the statistics to shame. Certainly over the long run most things normalize but once in a while a Magic Marlon will skew the numbers and shock/delight  the fans. I'd say we were all shocked and delighted at Juan Pierre in May.

Beast mode indeed

Some posters are taking offense to some media types who are over hyping what Pierre did in his time here. Whatever you think of their argument no need to drag Juan down into the fray. Juan struggled in June but he was a huge bonus to the team in May when Andre went into the tank. While he doesn’t deserve to start over our big three he doesn’t deserve our scorn either. He did his job and we should be happy that he gave us that shot in the arm in May.


So what if the ignorant few who have a keyboard and get paid for using it are plugging him and making him out to be more then he is? No sweat off our back, what we have is a great starting outfield and finally someone on the bench who can help in the late innings when some speed is needed because we’ve had one sorry slow bench while he’s been starting.


2 recs  |  Comment 12 comments |

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Well said

I think this is the right attitude to have toward Juan. And, despite what any writers or commentators think, Torre makes the lineup, and I believe he knows who the three best OF are, and he has and will dole out playing time accordingly.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 1, 2009 5:31 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

LOVE

Three starting outfielders per game, 7 games a week, 21 starts a week.

There will be plenty of “Beast Mode” left.

I’m not worried about the outfield, its the position players we need to worry about (did Manny learn how to play short, 1st, or catch?).

While the national media (AKA Joe Morgan) may be in love with Juan, commentary on these boards have been much more ridiculous in the inverse way.

by Dodger Dude on Jul 1, 2009 6:55 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I bet Manny could play first

but I’m of the (probably) irrational opinion that any major league baseball player could play 1st base. In that regard, I bet Pierre could play first too. Not that I’m advocating that, just saying.

Oh, and posters here are more ridiculous than Joe Morgan? Ouch. That’s rough man.

by Michael White on Jul 1, 2009 7:32 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

i'll admit it

i was waiting for someone to say it first, but I thought there was just way to much Beast hate on these boards. Don’t get me wrong, there was some beast love, and it was easy (and right) to hate JP because of his performance for us in the past 2 years, but there was just way too much hating on JP over these past 50 games. I can’t wait to have 4 well qualified starting outfielders

I'm nobody's fool, least of all yours

by BoulderDodger on Jul 1, 2009 11:50 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I objected to JP the moment he was signed because of his performance the two years previous to that

which was about the same as what he gave LA the last two years.

I think the “too much hating on JP” is a perception of the amount of response generated to the over-enamored calls for highly increased playing time for him, all because he got hot and hit about .400 for the first three weeks he started. All sorts of players have gotten hot for three weeks; it doesn’t make them the right choice for the majority of the starting time.

by David Young on Jul 2, 2009 2:57 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

right

and i completely agree, he should be on the bench and is overpaid. He did fill in admirably though

I'm nobody's fool, least of all yours

by BoulderDodger on Jul 3, 2009 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Joe Hates the Dodgers.....

Still has that Big Red machine mentality. He’ll say anything to create disharmony in LA. He knows what’s about happen.

by Pedro's curse on Jul 1, 2009 7:40 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

… Big Red machine and SF Giant mentality …

by David Young on Jul 1, 2009 7:42 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

double ...

whammy, forgot about those years.

by Pedro's curse on Jul 1, 2009 7:43 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Juan Pierre is a plus asset on the bench

It’s really a better way to utilize his skills. He can PR in those key late-game situations where his base running skills will really matter. He will be a useful PH – the only lefty bat on the bench in most cases. He’ll be OK as a spot starter in LF when Manny needs the occasional rest.

It may just be coincidence, but his hot streak came right at the outset of playing every day, and slowed down once he’d been playing for awhile. Maybe playing less will keep him stronger.

And he really does seem to be the good, hard-working guy that everyone portrays him to be.

I still would never want Juan Pierre to be my every day starting CF (or LF) for the whole season, but kudos to JP; he came through in a big way at the moment the team really needed it.

I predict that he won’t “walk salty” in the clubhouse and he’ll be as happy as anyone spraying champagne in the locker room in early November.

by David Young on Jul 1, 2009 7:41 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

this is the kind of love JP has warranted

I completely agree, I don’t want him starting every day, but he’ll be great off the bench. He’ll be happy when we win it all

I'm nobody's fool, least of all yours

by BoulderDodger on Jul 1, 2009 11:51 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Good role player

Pierre will be very valuable off the bench in a bunch of roles. They guy is a good player, just not the savior of any team.

www.diamond-theory.com

by thinkbluebleedblue on Jul 10, 2009 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

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2010 Dodger Payroll

Pos No Player 2010 Salary
C 55 Martin $5,050,000
1B 7 Loney $3,100,000
2B 33 DeWitt $410,000*
3B 23 Blake $6,000,000
SS 15 Furcal $8,500,000
LF 99 Manny $7,267,760
CF 27 Kemp $4,000,000
RF 16 Ethier $6,000,000

2B/3B 14 Carroll $1,350,000
2B/3B/1B 3 Belliard $825,000
C 12 Ausmus $850,000
OF 5 Johnson $800,000
SS 60 Hu $405,000*

SP 22 Kershaw $425,000*
SP 58 Billingsley $3,850,000
SP 18 Kuroda $14,100,000
SP 44 Padilla $4,025,000
SP 50 Stults $405,000*

CL 51 Broxton $4,000,000
LHP 52 Sherrill $4,500,000
LHP 56 Kuo $950,000
RHP 67 Troncoso $425,000*
RHP 54 Belisario $425,000*
RHP 31 McDonald $425,000*
RHP 68 Monasterios $460,000*

Pierre $4,000,000
Andruw $3,600,000
Schmidt $2,000,000
Wolf $2,000,000
Hudson $1,440,000
Nomar $1,250,000
Ohman $200,000
Zerpa $35,000
Hoffmann ($50,000)

Others on 40-man roster (total: 39)
RHP 37 Haeger  
RHP 73 Link  
RHP 47 Wade
C 9 Ellis  
C 71 May  
SS 87 DeJesus  
OF 75 Paul
OF 17 Repko $500,000
RHP 64 Guerra**  
RHP 74 Jansen**  
LHP 59 Leach**
RHP 49 Schlichting**  
LHP 57 Elbert**  
OF 62 Robinson**  

Totals $93,522,760
 
Red = arbitration
Asterisk (*) = estimated
** = currently in minor league camp
For more detailed information, click here.

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