One of my baseball buddies recently suggested that Cubs’ centerfielder Juan Pierre might play for the White Sox next season. Pierre is a free agent and would love to stay in Chicago.
I scoffed at the notion, insisting that the Cubs really need a speedy lead-off man and Pierre has played well for the Northsiders. The Cubs have been looking for a speedy lead-off guy for years, and now that they found one, I don’t think they’ll let him go without a fight.
Sports writer Chris DeLuca suggested the same thing in his column in today’s Chicago Sun-Times. Pierre played for the champion Florida Marlins in 2003 when Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was the Marlins' third base coach. And Guillen likes stockpiling players that he knows well. Pitchers Freddie Garcia and Javier Vazquez are two examples of that.
Pierre could fit in well in the Sox future. Current lead-off man Scott Podsednik has not performed up to expectation this season and has split time i n left field with Pablo Asuna, who is better suited in a back-up role at third base. Brian Anderson has played a solid center field position all season long, but has struggled offensively. Podsednik may be traded to bring in some needed bullpen help and make room for Pierre, who would play center Anderson would move to left field to give him one more year to develop.
Pierre says a lot depends on what happens with manager Dusty Baker, that Baker is the best manager he has ever played for. Without the Cubs’ skipper, Pierre may seek to play for another team. And that team could well be the White Sox.
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