Colletti: We Don't Have a Pierre Deal (Yet)

From The Associated Press:

"We've talked to (Juan Pierre's) agent a few times. We're in a conversation. We don't have a deal," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. ...

Colletti wouldn't characterize whether an agreement with Pierre was close.

"It's either done or it's not done and right now it's not done," Colletti said.

* * *

Asked if he expects to remain at first, (Nomar) Garciaparra said the decision was up to manager Grady Little.

"I'm sure there'll be a time when I play first, maybe a time when I'll play a different position," he said. "Wherever Grady needs me, he can pencil me in. If he needs me to catch, I'll catch - but I don't think he will."

* * *

Update: On David Pinto's centerfield rankings at Baseball Musings, Pierre was slightly above-average, 20th out of 43 players who saw 1,000 or more balls in play. Kenny Lofton was 39th.

In 2005, Pierre was slightly below average - 27th. (Jason Repko was near the bottom, I should add.)

Comments

[Bob Timmermann]

1.  Keep hope alive!

[Improbable88]

2.  Good news on both fronts!

[Greg Brock]

3.  Oh, now he's just doing this on purpose.

[Curtis Lowe]

4.  Hmmm Interesting.

Could it be that the only source for the done deal was Jerry Crasnick and his source was just- a source...

[natepurcell]

5.  come get your man sabes!

[Gold Star for Robot Boy]

6.  As for Garciaparra, that seems like a different mindset from last season. IIRC, any talk of Nomar playing anywhere other than 1B was squashed early.

[Uncle Miltie]

7.  I'm kind of wanting Pierre to sign with the Dodgers if he grows back that mustache (post 110 in the other thread). I also wanted Scott Elarton last year because of his manly beard (he decided to shave it off before the season). Consequently, he had a bad year.

[trainwreck]

8.  Maybe Jon saved us all. Ned read his piece and said maybe I should not do this.

[Steve]

9.  I want to believe.

[Greg Brock]

10.  5 Sabes...You can do it.

You're not gonna let your "protege" (and I'm using that term loosely here) steal JP away from you.

Be a man. Step up. I dare you.

[Greg Brock]

11.  You know what they say:

It's always darkest...just before it goes completely dark.

[Gold Star for Robot Boy]

12.  8 - No, it was my desperate, barely coherent phone call to the Dodgers switchboard!

[Bob Timmermann]

13.  10
If you want wishes to come true, go sit in a corner and try not to think about Karl Dorrell.

[Improbable88]

14.  If Garciaparra is being genuine, how do you NOT start him at third.

Isn't Loney > Betemit pretty roundly agreed upon?

[Greg Brock]

15.  13 If Juan Pierre somehow meant that the Bruins would can Karl, I would have only one reaction...

Where's my liliputian little Dodger batting helmet!?

[Curtis Lowe]

16.  Timline Nov. 20, 2006

noon- Pierre and Dodgers in talks
DT- AHHHHHHH

1500- Pierre agrees to 5/45
DT- #$%&

1800- Pierre and the Dodgers in talks
DT- hmmm

[Steve]

17.  Right at this moment, Ned could field Greg Brady at third base and it wouldn't matter.

[Bob Timmermann]

18.  Speaking of money, I went to the bank today and I discovered I had $20,000 less than I thought I had saved up.

Turns out that I never deducted the money I spent on my car last year from my personal accounts.

[trainwreck]

19.  11
Lol

I am sorry Chaminade, but now all my anger is directed at you and I hope UCLA crushes you without let up.

[Gold Star for Robot Boy]

20.  18 - Ouch.

[Bob Timmermann]

21.  20
Well, at least I figured out where it was pretty quickly and it wasn't like I had bounced any checks.

[greenchris]

22.  LA Times make it seem like it a done deal

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers21nov21,0,2185664.story?coll=la-home-sports

[natepurcell]

23.  okay, hope has been crushed.

from latimes...

Left-handed slap hitter, who has played in 162 games each of the last four seasons, agrees in principle to a five-year deal worth about $44 million.

[Greg Brock]

24.  Yes, Chaminade must pay for this.

[natepurcell]

25.  "This man gets on base an awful lot," Colletti said of Pierre

huh......?

[Greg Brock]

26.  It's official.

The Mustache is a moron.

[Uncle Miltie]

27.  "This man gets on base an awful lot," Colletti said of Pierre "He gets 200 hits or more, is a great guy on a club".
I don't know whether I should laugh or cry.

This is the man who is running the Dodgers?

[Steve]

28.  I wouldn't spend a lot of time on the spin, Nate. Its pretty meaningless at this point, the fundamental equivalent of Karl rove claiming two weeks before the election that republicans would hold congress.

[Gold Star for Robot Boy]

29.  Uggggghh!

[trainwreck]

30.  25 and 27

My jaw just hit the ground!

[Uncle Miltie]

31.  "We lost 20 home runs with [J.D.] Drew, but there are people in the organization who feel there is more power with Wilson Betemit, Andre Ethier, maybe more with Russell Martin. Matt Kemp has a chance to rebound and hit 20."
I thought Kemp was going to start the season in the minors. No mention of LaRoche who is one of the best power hitters on the farm.

[trainwreck]

32.  Ok, maybe Ned does not use metrics, but does he even know what OBP means?

[Greg Brock]

33.  "If we come up with a surplus of pitching, maybe we can move a pitcher to get a hitter," he said.

Yeah, and sign Juan Pierre. Make sure to do that too. Just make sure you LOCK THAT GUY UP TO A 45 MILLION DOLLAR DEAL.

Dios Mio.

[Robert Daeley]

34.  Never mind all that: "Garciaparra's wife, former soccer star Mia Hamm, is pregnant with twins."

I'm guessing they're gonna be pretty athletic. :)

[Paul B]

35.  Talk about ading insult to injury: first Lofton loses his job, then this from the Times:

"Pierre, 29, is in many ways a younger version of 16-year veteran Kenny Lofton, who batted .301 with 32 stolen bases in his only Dodgers season."

[Gold Star for Robot Boy]

36.  Hmmmm...
He has plenty of money to spend even after committing more than $60 million to Pierre and Garciaparra.
Makes me wonder what the budget is.

[MSarg29]

37.  I'm sick to my stomach. $45 million for a slap hitter who doesnt get on base?
We better buckle in because this is going to hurt.

[natepurcell]

38.  28

its not spin, its just an outright lie!

[Greg Brock]

39.  So, do we just pretend that this thread doesn't exist?

And if so, do we wait for a new one?

And where the HECK are my slippers?

[Bob Timmermann]

40.  34
Twins! Luis Gonzalez scoffs! But maybe those twins will keep Vin happy.

I need a due date. I have to put it in my calendar. I did that yesterday with a friend's wife who told me a due date. I'll probably be wondering my Blackberry will be buzzing next month around 5 pm on December 17.

[Gold Star for Robot Boy]

41.  Miles OT:
Is anyone watching Giants-Jags now? Jax coach Jack del Rio is wearing a suit and tie. I can't remember the last time I saw I coach dress in anything fancier than a polo, or a sweater over a button-down shirt.

[Greg Brock]

42.  41 The league wouldn't let Mike Nolan and Del Rio wear suits last year.

The made NFL liscensed suits for the this year. Yay for our economic overlords!

[Bob Timmermann]

43.  34
I would also bring up my mom's theory about how children will look when they get older.

I predict that the Garciaparras will have fraternal twins, a boy and a girl, and the girl will look like Nomar and the boy will look Mia.

[Uncle Miltie]

44.  41- Jim Tressel was wearing a suit and tie under his jacket on Saturday.

[trainwreck]

45.  I do not want to lose Laroche.

[Bob Timmermann]

46.  Save the centerfielder!
Save the world!

[Icaros]

47.  Make the hurting stop.

[CanuckDodger]

48.  If you play in 162 games a year and have an OBA of .330, you are getting on base a lot, as in, the absolute number of times on base is high, higher than the number of times Kenny Lofton got on base this year even with his higher OBA thanks to Lofton missing a lot of games. I think that is all Colletti meant, and he is, technically, correct. [Smiley face]

[natepurcell]

49.  pierres 2007 ZIPS as a cub...
663AB 299/.342/385 38BB 41K 45SB 18CS

[trainwreck]

50.  49
Can't wait for that at the top of the lineup.

[Robert Daeley]

51.  43 Imagine if they had a psychic-connection thing going on like the Sedin brothers -- I could see them kicking butt as the first MLS brother/sister combo on the LA Galaxy in 2026. ;)

[Gold Star for Robot Boy]

52.  42 - My GF and I agree that is hilarious.

[Uncle Miltie]

53.  I'm glad that Furcal was signed before this new character policy was put into place.

[Bob Timmermann]

54.  I picture one of the Garciaparra twins getting an ill-deserved red card from a stupid Uruguayan ref in the 2026 World Cup that will be played in Australia.

[Greg Brock]

55.  52 The league would not allow Peyton Manning to wear black hightops in honor of Unitas the week that he died.

The NFL is not flexible. In fact, you could say that they are "quite inflexible"

[Gold Star for Robot Boy]

56.  More on the NFL and suits:
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/16042576.htm

[Jon Weisman]

57.  With the kids right now. Does Colletti confirm the signing in the Times article?

[Greg Brock]

58.  So, do you think Jon shudders when he adds JP to the salary numbers on the sidebar?

Or does he give out a hearty Sideshow Bob laugh.

HAAHHAHAAAHHAAAHAAAA!

[Bob Timmermann]

59.  From the story:

"If we are able to come to terms with [Pierre] and he can be at the top of the order along with Raffy, that will help the ballclub," General Manager Ned Colletti said.

[FirstMohican]

60.  The paragraph after Henson quoted Colletti with "[he] gets on base an awful lot", he added "his critics, however, point out that he doesn't walk much".

I wouldn've gone with "his critics, however, point out that he does not, in fact, get on base an 'aweful lot'".

[Icaros]

61.  The Dodgers have basically re-acquired Cesar Izturis and put him in centerfield.

[Bob Timmermann]

62.  ESPN reports that the signing is just contingent on a physical.

Dave Revsine wouldn't lie to me, would he?

[natepurcell]

63.  how much money do we actually have to work with? I personally have the dodgers payroll at around 90mil right now with 8.8 to pierre and 7.5 to nomar...

[regfairfield]

64.  63 I have it at 79,235,000 pre-Pierre.

[Uncle Miltie]

65.  61- I wouldn't go that far. Pierre's worst is pretty much Cesar's best.

[Steve]

66.  It astounds me how badly people make the counterarguments on issues like this. I humbly suggest that if an argument for Pierre must be made, simply take soriano's contract, divide by his win shares rinse and repeat. Otherwise, an alligator simply isn't a hamster.

[natepurcell]

67.  from pierre's agent...

"It came down to a variety of factors," Peiper wrote. "He likes the players and really respects Grady [Little]. It's also a team that is going to win for several years. They have a good mix of veteran and young players and an owner that is committed to trying to win a World Series. Once you've won a championship like Juan has [with the Marlins], you want to do whatever you can to try to get back there."

[Uncle Miltie]

68.  In your face Gurnick!
Colletti indicated there probably is room on the same roster for Garciaparra and top first-base prospect James Loney.

"Obviously, [Loney] is a first baseman, but he also can play some outfield and he may play both this year," Colletti said. "Guys get banged up. He has a great shot to make our club. He'll play first base more than a year ago and also some time in the outfield."

From Pierre's agent
"It came down to a variety of factors," Peiper wrote. "He likes the players and really respects Grady [Little]. It's also a team that is going to win for several years. They have a good mix of veteran and young players and an owner that is committed to trying to win a World Series. Once you've won a championship like Juan has [with the Marlins], you want to do whatever you can to try to get back there."
Translation: The Dodgers offered Juan a 5 year deal for a substantial amount of money. We ran with it.

[Steve]

69.  Or put another way, does soriano's contract justify Pierre's? That would be a possibly justifiable proposition.

[Greg Brock]

70.  Come on guys, let's have a little perspective. This is nowhere near as bad as the time we signed Juan Pierre to a 4 year, 44 million dollar contract.

Wait...Nevermind.

[Greg Brock]

71.  That's five years.

[trainwreck]

72.  If Brad Penny had a hand in this we must trade him now!

[Bob Timmermann]

73.  Those 2003 Marlins have had a magic touch wherever they've gone:

Brad Penny
Alex Gonzalez
Luis Castillo
Josh Beckett
Jeff Conine
Mike Lowell
AJ Burnett

Two of them have gone on to win another World Series:

Juan Encarnacion and Braden Looper

[trainwreck]

74.  I think we can take DePaul and Kentucky. Neither of these teams can play defense.

[kevinarno]

75.  Just wait a sec:

"He's another guy with great qualities as a human being, like Nomar [Garciaparra]," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told the Associated Press.

In related news, the Dodgers sign former Czech president and human rights advocate Vaclav Havel to a six year, $72 million deal. According to Dodgers assitant GM, Kim Ng, Haval brings another big heart to the Dodgers lineup. He is expected to share time at third base with Wilson Betemit.

[Greg Brock]

76.  75 Nice. Really well done.

[still bevens]

77.  I don't know whats worse, this signing or Chris Berman's tie.

Seriously. The tie is that bad.

[natepurcell]

78.  i wish we signed carlos beltran back in 2004.

[Bob Timmermann]

79.  The Dodgers have the high bid in to for the negotiating rights to Aung San Suu Kyi.

[trainwreck]

80.  I wish we signed Vlad.

[Uncle Miltie]

81.  79- what position does she play?

[Greg Brock]

82.  I wish I had a better pair of dress shoes.

[trainwreck]

83.  I wish I was in Maui.

[kevinarno]

84.  Bob T:

I like Kyi, but she has trouble against power lefties and really doesn't have a position.

She did, however, put up a 6.93 RC/27 in the Burmese Fall League.

ka

[natepurcell]

85.  for others that are keep track of the 2007 dodgers salaries, what do you have the payroll at right now?

[Uncle Miltie]

86.  I wish my essay for my ethnic studies class would finish itself

[natepurcell]

87.  keeping

[Greg Brock]

88.  I wish we would sign Juan Pierre.

Wait a second...

[Bob Timmermann]

89.  83
I went to the Maui Classic once. It was before they put AC in. It was really hot. USC beat Memphis.

A few months later Brian Scalabrine came in to the library to research a paper. I helped him find his books, but he left his wallet behind. I chased him down as he is an easy guy to spot in a crowd.

Greg Brock will now cast further aspersions on my UCLA bona fides.

Oh, and, I was rooting for USC that day as well.

[Ladderkite]

90.  Make the bad man stop.

[Greg Brock]

91.  89 I cast no aspersions on your UCLA bona fides.

It is your improperly aligned hatred that I decry.

[StolenMonkey86]

92.  Ned Colletti thinks Pierre gets on base an awful lot.

Well, it's a pretty awful lot, I will say that much.

[trainwreck]

93.  How many 100s did he have in his wallet?

[jakewoods]

94.  73

Pierre had a great touch last yr

Last place touch

[bigcpa]

95.  Among 160 ML qualifiers in 2006, Pierre ranked 130th in OBP. That's a bit more convincing than "doesn't walk much."

[Bob Timmermann]

96.  I think Mr. Scalabrine at the time would have been fortunate to have enough to pay the parking attendant.

That would not be a problem for him now.

If USC paid off their basketball players, they would likely have better basketball players.

[Vaudeville Villain]

97.  But he doesn't strike out!

[trainwreck]

98.  They at least got to the NCAA tournament back in those days. I do not think this era of suspect students with me first personalities will get them there.

[regfairfield]

99.  85 Assuming Pierre gets nine million, $87,815,00

[StolenMonkey86]

100.  The LA Times reports that Furcal's power last year was "surprising," and that he might bat third.

I trust Ned Colletti now less than I trust Rick Honeycutt and Rich Donnelly combined.