Thursday, March 6, 2008

You're just ruining your reputation.

Dodgers LF having a great game
If you're watching the game on ESPN, you have no doubt noticed it. He is 2 for 3 with a stolen base and a bunt single and has made two nice catches, one of which was a spectacular diving catch over by the line. Not sure who that is playing out there today ... wait, let's see, let me just check my scorecard here ... looks like it's ... hey, wow, it's Juan Pierre. Imagine that. ... Dodgers are hitless in six ABs with men in scoring position, but none of those ABs were by Pierre. Only run came on a homer by Kemp.

Congratulations Tony Jackson. You have reached the "Bill Plaschke retardedly stupid" level. Up next: "Steve Phillips homer" level. It's worse than you could have imagined!!! Still a ways off is the "Joe Morgan: I'm old and codgery" level.

Calling for a cease fire ...
... even though I know I'm not going to get one. But here's the deal: after posting a response to some comments that were posted overnight about Pierre, I am now placing a moratorium on myself. I will no longer respond to your comments bashing this guy. While you are still welcome to post, and encouraged to post, your thoughts -- this is, after all, a blog, and your thoughts are what make it work -- I'm no longer going to engage in this debate. Sounds like a surrender.

It is for the same reason that I don't believe staunch Democrats and staunch Republicans should ever discuss politics with each other -- they are NEVER going to change each other's minds. And you and I are never going to change each other's minds about Juan Pierre. You know where I stand, and I know where you stand. But there is one fact that can't be disputed, and that is this: JUAN PIERRE IS GOING TO BE THE DODGERS' EVERYDAY LF IN 2008. Not if he's traded. Or if he bats .182 again. Or if his defense in LF is just as bad as his defense in CF. Or if he never gets on base. So yeah.... You aren't going to change Joe Torre's mind, either. I'll let the play of ethier Ethier or Pierre determine that. The only thing that will change his mind is if he watches Pierre play and draws the same conclusion so many of you have, and I don't think that is going to happen because, well, as you know, I think This is what you think... Not what Torre thinks.

Pierre is going to be a key piece of this lineup, and I think Joe Torre is going to love what he brings to this lineup. We all need more out makers. There are things about his game I don't like. Try everything. The whole game conclusively. He sucks ass.

I wish he would get better at bunting his way on, or else stop trying it so often. I also wish he would draw more walks, but I don't believe that is so much a shortcoming on his part as it is the way he is pitched to. It's not his fault he doesn't swing at the first or second pitch every at bat.

But I still believe the Dodgers are better with him in the lineup. Because I still think he is the Juan Pierre of four years ago and I have decided not to look up any stats at all.

And, as I promised in a previous post, I WILL admit it if I turn out to be wrong. ... And while we may disagree, I do want to say that I appreciate all of you posting your opinions -- and I especially want to thank Mr. Weisman, not only for his well-stated comment he posted here last night making the case against Pierre, but also for his taking the time to grant me a phone interview last week on the topic for a print story I wrote about Pierre than ran in yesterday's Daily News. I thought his comments really helped to balance the story. ... And finally, I want to say this: I KNOW there have to be some JP supporters out there somewhere, people who actually like his game. If you're one of those people, don't be afraid to post your thoughts on here, as well. Slowly the Pierre supporters are changing their views.

He goes on to say this...

Greg, I never said Juan Pierre was a better player than Andre Ethier. I said he was a better fit for the Dodgers lineup than Andre Ethier, an opinion both Ned Colletti and Joe Torre seem to share. And yes, Ned was the guy who signed him, but Joe wasn't. And no matter how much everyone keeps beating this same drum on this and every other Dodgers-related blog, I don't think it's going to change the opinion of either one of those guys. As for bigcpa's point, the Marlins also had some ticker tape a few years ago with Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo at the top.

How all this adds up in Tony Jacksons mind makes absolutely no sense. He's not a better player but a better fit in the Dodgers lineup. Sounds like gagnefan38 to me. Good job Tony. Way to display your awful credentials there.

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