Pierre: not as bad as people think?

[twax2k1]

Could it be that Pierre isn't as bad as so many have said. I truly believe that his struggles come from the Cubs approach for a lead-off hitter. It seems that every player Dusty sticks up there struggles greatly. Whoever is there is always way behind in the count and seem to be taking defensive swings straight out of the gate. Corey often looked lost like Pierre does and now he's hitting .291 .341 .471 .811 and has 26 SB. Womack who had been putting good wood on the ball looked bad until his last at bat last night. It just totally baffles me how Juan Pierre who knows he isn't going to pull the ball out of the park can't look to drive the ball the other way. It seems that a majority of the first pitches he sees are fastballs outside corner. I can't imagine that Pierre being a veteran who knows he needs to produce this season is just refusing to do what got him here in the first place. Remember Pierre's first at bat of the season when all looked bright.

 

 

 

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[Sammy Sofa]

The main difference I see is he's not trying to bunt himself on base nearly as much as he has in the past. I don't know if Dusty and co. are telling him not to, or Juan knows something about himself...maybe's he's lost a step or two trying to bolt down to first base and that combined with the Wrigley grass (mowed or not, Dusty) has all but rendered him useless.

[Guest]

It just totally baffles me how Juan Pierre who knows he isn't going to pull the ball out of the park can't look to drive the ball the other way. It seems that a majority of the first pitches he sees are fastballs outside corner.

Pierre is actually doinng a decent job at taking outside pitches the other way: (Red o's = outs, blue x's = hits. All balls were put into play on pitches on the outer third of the plate.)

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/bobskeeper/SCoutsideP20060608.jpg

 

When he connects on outside pitches he's taking it to the left side of the diamond more often than not.

 

I don't think Pierre will stay at a sub-.600 OPS all season long. He's in a deep hole and it will take some doing get back to even the sub-par numbers he put up in 2005, but eventually some of his ground balls will find more holes and his numbers will gradually creep into "bad" territory instead of the "God-awful" area they now occupy. Still, Pierre is nowhere near earning his salary, let alone the prospect price we paid to get him. I figured he'd at least outproduce Mitre, Pinto, and Nolasco for 2006, but it's looking like the deal was both a long-term and short-term steal for the Marlins.

Edited June 10, 2006 by Anonymous

[Pinktermite]

This was happening in Florida, it's not like it's new. Watching him on Extra Innings he couldn't get the ball out of the infield either. He still has great speed, he just can't get on base. It doesn't have anything to do with Dusty, he doesn't hold the bat in his hands.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I believe Pierre's struggles come from the use of mostrously huge avatars.

[bobbyd20]

Pierre needs to be moved down to 8 until he can come out of this slump?

 

Having a sub .300 OBP guy hitting at the top of the order makes a mediocre offense look downright pathetic. Until he gets the ship righted, he needs to be down in the order.

 

It's just like last year. The insistence on batting Perez and Patterson at the top led to the guy who had the best season in baseball (Lee) getting way fewer at-bats with runners on base than A. Jones, Pujols, etc.

 

I've been preaching this for too long. Sooner or later, I just need to realize that Dusty has no use for OBP when it comes to creating a lineup. Maybe I'm the stupid one for hoping this will change.

[ToupeeOnFire]

Urkel + Tom Selleck = Juan Pierre circa 2002.

 

Pierre desperately needs to regrow the 'stache and get some of that old time mojo going.

 

Failing that, just get rid of the guy. He sucks.

[YearofDaCubs]

Juan Pierre sucks, next question.

[Electron Blue]

I believe Pierre's struggles come from the use of mostrously huge avatars.

 

Agreed.

[CubinNY]

If he would grow back that mustache I'd like him much better.

[srbin84]

I never thought about blaming the Cubs coaching staff for Pierre's struggles, but it's no less justifiable than blaming them for Patterson's poor performance, so I guess it isn't Juan's fault afterall.

[dalgreen]

Why is it people want to blame Baker whenever a player just isn't that good? Pierre has been on a decline in OBP for the third straight year. Any good GM would've recognized that, but our GM and manager think that speed is the only thing needed out of the lead-off spot. From an offensive standpoint, speed means nothing if you can't get on base. Pierre is swinging at way too many non-strikes, and when pitchers throw him good pitches he just doesn't know what to do with it. I don't know why he's hitting so many fly balls. He's just not that good and we were saying this same thing last year, so it's not Baker.

[BigSlick]

I believe Pierre's struggles come from the use of mostrously huge avatars.

 

That are ridiculously amusing to look at.

[dalgreen]

I never thought about blaming the Cubs coaching staff for Pierre's struggles, but it's no less justifiable than blaming them for Patterson's poor performance, so I guess it isn't Juan's fault afterall.

 

At least Corey has a much higher ceiling than Pierre. Had Hendry constructed a better team, Corey could've just been placed in one spot all season instead of being shuffled to different spots in the lineup. But it also seems that Corey is now maturing and willing to learn as well (looks like his swing has shortened a bit) in Baltimore, although I still see where he loves swinging at high fastballs.

[RonnieWooWooSanto]

When did Dave Chappelle join the Colorado Rockies???

[Ding Dong Johnson]

When did Dave Chappelle join the Colorado Rockies???

 

Dave Chappelle >>>>>> Juan Pierre

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

When did Dave Chappelle join the Colorado Rockies???

 

Dave Chappelle >>>>>> Juan Pierre

 

I don't know. This team is the definition of comedy.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

When did Dave Chappelle join the Colorado Rockies???

 

Dave Chappelle >>>>>> Juan Pierre

 

I don't know. This team is the definition of comedy.

 

Chappelle is laugh-out-loud funny, Pierre is "hey kid, grab me another beer to make this pain go away or I'll throw your momma out the window again" funny.

[Larry Horse]

I read the title of this thread and thought "No, Pierre is pretty bad".

 

I really don't see a big turnaround coming from this guy. He's not good.

[cubsjunky95]

Is it me or does he always seem to be in an 0-2 hole. It's hard to be an effective hitter when you're constantly down 0-2 in the count. Here's a typical Juan Pierre at-bat.

Pitch 1: Strike Looking

Pitch 2: Strike Looking

Pitch 3: Ball

Pitch 4: Foul Ball to the left side

Pitch 5: Weak grounder to SS or 2B

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I read the title of this thread and thought "No, Pierre is pretty bad".

 

I really don't see a big turnaround coming from this guy. He's not good.

 

With the big 2-5 today, he's all the way up to 234/279/301/580, and STILL LEADING OFF. Good thing the season's only more than a third over. Holy cripes, he sucks.

[KaiserCesar]

I never thought about blaming the Cubs coaching staff for Pierre's struggles, but it's no less justifiable than blaming them for Patterson's poor performance, so I guess it isn't Juan's fault afterall.

 

Patterson was a young hitter with loads of talent that was never harnessed properly. Pierre is a player with a (bad) established way of hitting where as Corey was young enough to modify his approach.

[Pinktermite]

Juan should bat 8th, with Murton or Cedeno leading off.

[Fred Hornkohl]

Juan should bat 8th, with Murton or Cedeno leading off.

 

Yeah... that's definitely the answer.

 

05/31 - 06/10      AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   TB  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS
Cedeno             36    4   10    0    1    0   12    2    1    6  0.278  0.297  0.333  0.631
Murton             32    3    9    1    0    0   10    0    1    5  0.281  0.303  0.313  0.616
Pierre             43    5   10    2    0    0   12    1    3    2  0.233  0.313  0.279  0.592

 

The last 10 days, there just ain't a whole lot to chose from.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/mgoedken/obpwoes.gif

 

Barrett is clearly the answer. Look at the disparity between our #1 hitters and our opponents. It's disgusting.