Juan Pierre
From BR Bullpen
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Juan Pierre, a top base stealer with a career average of .300 (through the end of July 2007), has played in the majors since 2000. In the 2003 World Series, he hit .333 for the champion Florida Marlins. After the 2006 season he signed a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, although it was not clear whether he would bat first in the lineup, second, or elsewhere.
Pierre was born in Alabama, went to high school at Alexandria (LA) High School and attended college at the University of South Alabama, where he was 1998 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.
Seattle had drafted him twice, but he chose instead to go with the Colorado Rockies in 1998 when drafted in the 13th round. That summer, he impressed with .352/~.399/.402 at Portland of the Single A Northwest League. At Single A Asheville the next year, he hit .320/~.365/.390 with 66 stolen bases. At Double A Carolina of the Southern League in 2000, he hit .326/~.376/.380 in 107 games, with 47 stolen bases. Moved up to Triple A at Colorado Springs, he hit .471 in 4 games and was brought up to the majors to stay. He was a minor league all star in 1998 in Single A, in 1999 in Single A, and in 2000 in Double A.
Pierre made an immediate impression at the major league level with the Rockies in 2000, hitting .310 in 51 games, although with little power and only 7 stolen bases. He was # 6 in the Rookie of the Year Award voting. In 2001, he .327 with 46 stolen bases, scoring 108 times. In 2002, he dropped to .287 but had 47 stolen bases. After the season, he was traded to the Florida Marlins, where he spent the next three years.
He hit .305 with 65 stolen bases in 2003, the year the Marlins won the World Series. He was 10th in the MVP voting. In 2004, he hit .326 with 45 stolen bases. In 2005, he hit .276 with 57 stolen bases. After the season, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. History shows that Pierre has been traded at the major league level when his average dips under .300. It happened after the 2002 season, and it happened after the 2005 season. In 2006, he hit .292, and moved as a free agent. He set a mark for the lowest batting average ever for a player with 200 hits or more in a season.
Through age 27, according to the similarity scores method, the most similar player to Pierre is Willie Wilson, the good-hitting speedster who had a 19-year career from 1976-1994.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 3-time NL At Bats Leader (2003, 2004 & 2006)
- 2-time NL Hits Leader (2004 & 2006)
- 5-time NL Singles Leader (2001, 2003, 2004, 2006 & 2007)
- NL Triples Leader (2004)
- 2-time NL Stolen Bases Leader (2001 & 2003)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 3 (2001, 2003 & 2004)
- 200 Hits Seasons: 4 (2001, 2003, 2004 & 2006)
- 50 Stolen Bases Seasons: 4 (2003 & 2005-2007)
- Won a World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2003
