Juan Big Signing, Indeed
Big enough, in fact, to withstand such an inexcusably awful play on words (although this horrendous Paul Rodriguez flick may have committed an even guiltier offense). Unless Juan Pierre's physical ends up revealing a bad knee, a goiter or some rare, incurable form of narcolepsy, he'll be playing center field next season (and the following four) in the Ravine to the tune of $45 mil. Not quite as much as BK and I make blogging, but it's still the kind of salary that one can make last, assuming they're conscientious and bust out the ol' coupons every now and then.
More details as they emerge, but we wanted to drop the news on all y'all.
—AK
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I wasn't expecting this, but adding a number 2 batter that makes contact and steals a ton of bases can only help.
Furcal and Pierre is formidable for the next couple years for the rest of the lineup to drive guys in.
Dare I hope we pick up Zito or Schmidt and then perhaps unload Penny for a big bat?
Interesting signing though, nice job Ned.
Posted by: Nathan, Torrance | November 20, 2006 at 03:45 PM
I'll take Pierre over the "Princess of Drew" anytime...
Posted by: Hugo | November 20, 2006 at 03:46 PM
FINALLY THAT BIG POWER HITTER WE'VE BEEN LOOKIN
FOR...
Posted by: stargazin | November 20, 2006 at 03:50 PM
LOOKS LIKE THE DODGERS ARE STILL DEDICATED TO THE
BACK TO BACK LEADOFF HITTER SCENARIO.
Posted by: stargazin | November 20, 2006 at 03:51 PM
ALRIGHT NED- JUST KEEP SPENDING THAT MONEY...
Posted by: stargazin | November 20, 2006 at 03:57 PM
AK:
HAHAHA...you scared me for a sec. I read it as the deal is off after the physical which revealed...yadayadayada...whew!!
Hell he can have a few goiders as long as he can catch. I am actually happy to see the end of Lofton era. I dunno, I just never cared for the guy. I am sure he'll find a play on a team with a shot at the series though, the guy is nothing if a guy who wants to win.
Well, now we get to see just how much of a rag arm he really is...maybe Tommy can work him the same way he did Sax about hitting the ball down and taking more pitches so he can get on base even more.
Speed and defense (at least catching the ball) never will hurt a team. Pierre comes with the kicker of a .300+ career BA. I think it's a solid move w/o over spending to boot.
Face it the going rate for dependable everyday players is gonna settle in around $7M-$9M depending on what talents they bring to the table. So, get ready for $12 beer & $9 soda...
stargazin:
Not happy with this guy? What up? Is it him or just hoping for a different kinda player? Like Hugo said the guy is an upgrade over herself. Plus in the other blog topic someone mentioned that Pierre is a work, work, work kinda player. That's a good thing for the team right?
It'll be OK...trust me... :P
Posted by: grumpy3b | November 20, 2006 at 04:06 PM
btw, I would still like the Dodgers to try and lockup Furcal for a couple more years. Maybe make him a good affer at midseason?
Posted by: grumpy3b | November 20, 2006 at 04:07 PM
GRUMPY- HOW CAN I TRUST YOU???
Posted by: stargazin | November 20, 2006 at 04:10 PM
AK:
GOOD GAWD...I just re-read the title "...Juan Big Signing..." BAD AK BAD BAD AK!! I did not know so much punning was allowed in here...hmmmm, perhaps it's time to re-think visiting here...punning....hmmmmm....
Ohhhhh, ok, I'll keep coming around just for the Halibut...
Posted by: grumpy3b | November 20, 2006 at 04:11 PM
GRUMP- JK. ITS ALL GOOD. ITS A GOOD MOVE.
YOU KNOW I'M JUST A SARCASTIC SOB.
Posted by: stargazin | November 20, 2006 at 04:12 PM
AT THE CURRENT INFLATION RATE, SIGN 'EM UP FOR 5
IF YOU CAN. MAKES SENSE.
Posted by: stargazin | November 20, 2006 at 04:14 PM
With Juan signed for 5 years, the dodgers are not committed with Kemp playing in CF for the future Dodgers. We should either unload him and some other player in order to get a big bat in return (Vernon Wells?). I think this a good signing considering that Furcal is signed for 2 more years and then he is a Free Agent. If Furcal leaves, we still have Pierre as our potent leadoff guy. Good signing for the future. Now we can use some prospects for trades.
Dodgers' To Do List:
Sign Zito
Trade Penny (he is getting unreliable down the stretch - physically and emotionally)
Let LaRoche play 3rd with Betemit (until LaRoche becomes a David Wright, we ship Betemit out)
Keep Loney as backup to Nomar
Trade Hendrickson, Tomko, re-sign Beimel, keep Billingsley
Potential Batting Order for Dodgers 2007:
Furcal
Pierre
Nomar
Vernon Wells (in trade)
Kent
Ethier
Martin
Betemit
Pitcher
I think we have a World Series Contender!
Posted by: Sung | November 20, 2006 at 04:15 PM
Are me & Kevin Kennedy the only people who think Jason Repko should start?
THe guy can run, play defense, hit for average, home runs and brings enthusiasm...EVery year he gets of to a hot start and ever year year a manager stops playing him consistently
Grady Little benched him this hear when Repko had a hot April BEFORE he got injured
Posted by: Aryan Sood | November 20, 2006 at 04:22 PM
potential starting lineup:
Furcal SS
Pierre CF
Garciaparra 1B
Kent 2B
Ethier OF
Martin C
Betemit 3B
Kemp/Loney? OF
Im not sure where that last OF spot will hit in the order, but it's pretty clear we have to have a power bat somewhere. Any other lineup thoughts?
Posted by: andy | November 20, 2006 at 04:26 PM
OK- JUST WATCH OUT FOR THE FLYING PIGS-
REAL MESSY.
Posted by: stargazin | November 20, 2006 at 04:27 PM
OK IF THIS IS WHAT WE GET FOR THANKSGIVING,
WHATS NED GOT IN MIND FOR X-MAS???
Posted by: stargazin | November 20, 2006 at 04:37 PM
Does anyone else feel that 5 years is a VERY long time?
Better than Lofton or Roberts, for sure, but that's a pretty big committment.
Hopefully Colletti is still in the hunt for a big OF trade, now that Kemp looks like the most eligible trade bait, with Loney a close second. Better yet, if Pierre could be persuaded to move to LF, the Dodgers can mask his arm deficiencies. Ethier can pick up RF duties assuming he's still with the team.
Posted by: Makoto Ueno | November 20, 2006 at 04:39 PM
ethier left, pierre center, kemp right. sounds good to me. if anything happens we've got marlon, werth, repko and loney (i still hope he plays first). i guess this puts the end to bringing in wells
Posted by: bmurph | November 20, 2006 at 04:45 PM
Aryan:
No, I think there will be others here who agree that Repko was well on his way to starting. Buuuut, he got hurt and never came close to being the same guy. We'll get to see in the spring if he can get back to the same place.
This is one of the delimas with this Dodgers team. Lots of young guys with talent. It's a complete crap-shoot as to wether any of them will make it at the MLB level. Now they have Werth back in the picture. There was a guy well on his way before getting hurt.
It's interesting to see how Colletti plays this all out. I think signing Pierre is giving the team some identity that speed at the top of the order are a focus for other teams to deal with now.
I really would like to see the Dodgers land two solid front line SP's now. One is a MUST two makes this a very solid team if the youngsters keep playing well.
It's getting FUN...weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
bmurph:
Given what the Dodgers have to offer, and what they would get in return, I really don't think their heart was in a deal for V.wells unless they had signed Soriano. Then it might have made sense. It really would not now as they will have to give up something they have prescious little of, and that is starting pitching...they ain't gots nun...
I would love to see Penny traded though. :)
Posted by: grumpy3b | November 20, 2006 at 05:28 PM
stargazin:
suuuure you can trust me...and while you are at it let me sell you THIS watch... (points to my wrist w/o a watch) hehehehehe....
or as I tell the GF when I need her to trust me "...sure you are trust me, we have never been married so I have no reason to lie to you..."
You know that sorta "trust"... :D
Posted by: grumpy3b | November 20, 2006 at 05:33 PM
Juan Pierre? Now that is a good signing. He is what Lofton was. 206 base hits is huge. If he can bring stuff like that to the top of the order...it has the makings of a killer line-up. I think we need one proven power bat to make Furcals and Pierres hits count. That with using Nomar's bat as protection for a true power bat.
mike
Posted by: Michael Teniente | November 20, 2006 at 05:33 PM
DodgerThoughts.com has a great post about this terrible signing:
http://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/557751.html
Posted by: stevendee | November 20, 2006 at 05:34 PM
I think Pierre is a good signing. The guy has played 7 seasons and has a .300+ career batting AVG. So he's no fluke. I don't think five years is too horribly long. Considering the going rate of these free agents, $9 million a year is not too horribly bad. Besides, in a few years he will be a bargain, so that would facilitate the Dodgers being able to move him if it doesn't work out. I think someone hit it right on the head when they said that he's a young Lofton.
It could be worse; we could have signed him for EIGHT years.
I think Ned is doing the right thing. Sign a player that can have a positive impact and will have some trade value should we choose to move him later. I don't think $9 million will hurt us. We improved our club, and we didn't give up any young players.
Posted by: LoLo | November 20, 2006 at 06:01 PM
Pierre has all the potential makings of an idea #2 hitter. He slaps the ball around, he has the speed to make fielders rush enough to mess up double-play timing, he can handle a bat to bunt. And liekly he will love learning to hit and run. Heck, he almost sounds like Bill Russell. He brought just nothing outstanding to the table, except he could move the runner around the bases with the bat. Plus he has that same rag arm that Russell did... :D
Posted by: grumpy3b | November 20, 2006 at 06:02 PM
Dodgerthoughts....Yaaaaaawn
Posted by: LoLo | November 20, 2006 at 06:03 PM