Dodgers' Juan Pierre is at his best in September
DODGERS FYI
Unfortunately for the backup outfielder, there are no plans to use him next month.
WASHINGTON -- The Dodgers have one of the premier September hitters in the major leagues on their roster, but he figures to watch this September from the bench.
He's Juan Pierre, whose .335 career average in September ranks third among all active major leaguers with 500 at-bats in the month, according to STATS LLC. Todd Helton ranks first at .343, followed by Albert Pujols, Pierre, Derek Jeter and Vladimir Guerrero.
"That is the reason why you go so hard in the off-season," Pierre said. "This is the time you like to show it. Everybody is fresh in the first half. When other guys get tired, that's when I'm at my strongest.
"Usually, you're in a pennant race, and I'm in those races. It's different right now."
Dodgers Manager Joe Torre said he has no plans to remove Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp or Manny Ramirez from the Dodgers' outfield.
"Where do I go?" Torre said. "Certainly, I feel very bad about what has happened. We didn't expect to include Manny Ramirez in our lineup at the time Juan was such a huge part of it.
"Ethier has been pretty consistent. He gives you the threat of a home run too, even if you lose the speed. Kemp seems to be maturing into something special."
Pierre, who is in the second year of a five-year, $44-million contract, has started once in the last two weeks.
Lineup roulette
Torre flipped Jeff Kent and Ramirez in the lineup, moving Ramirez to third and dropping Kent to fourth.
He was concerned, he said, that he might minimize the number of runners on base for Ramirez.
St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa has alleviated his concern about batting Pujols third by batting the Cardinals' pitcher eighth, ensuring Pujols would hit in the first inning but also enabling three batters to precede him in every other at-bat.
But on a night Torre rested catcher Russell Martin and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra before the weekend series against the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks, he batted catcher Danny Ardoin seventh and shortstop Angel Berroa eighth and did not consider either one in the No. 9 spot.
"I'm not sure if Ardoin and Berroa are going to add to the probability of getting people on base," Torre said.
Olympic politics
- Dodgers Pave the Way for L.A. Move Feb 21, 2006
- Former CSUN Player Earns Post in Minors Dec 08, 1988
- Names in the News Jan 24, 1989
