The Los Angeles Dodgers recently added some blazing speed at the front end of their batting order by signing center fielder Juan Pierre out of free agency. The much travelled twenty-nine year old will be joining his fourth club after stints with the Cubs, Rockies and Marlins. Last season with the Cubbies he hit .292 with a total of 204 hits, but it is likely that his 58 stolen bases last year was what helped to sway the Dodgers into making him an offer. He has a career total of 325 steals and has finished first or second in National League stolen bases for the last six seasons. Pierre who signed a forty-four million dollar, five-year contract will be a great addition at the top of the order to go along with Rafael Furcal.

General Manager Ned Colletti was quoted as saying that it was Pierre’s ability to get his bat on the ball matched with his quickness that will make him a “perfect catalyst” for the Dodgers. Colletti has yet to determine who will hit where, but it’s an easy assumption to make that Pierre will lead off with Furcal coming to bat either second or third. Pierre says it does not matter to him where he hits, but I can’t see the Dodgers messing with the fact Pierre has been a lead-off hitter his whole career. The “trend is your friend” in this case!

Before free agency began, most baseball gurus had the Dodgers lacking in power and were candidates to sign a “big” hitter. However because of a lack of free agent power hitters available the Dodgers instituted a change in their plans and went with Pierre for speed rather than hunting up a free agent power guy. Pierre has had a total of nearly 1200 hits since 2001 and it was this consistency that also attracted the Dodgers. The Dodgers also re-signed Nomar Garciaparra to a 2-year contract, locking him in until 2008. Garciararra who was named comeback player of the year and also made the NL All Star team last year was a perfect fit for LA and the Dodgers made an excellent move in bringing him back.

Yesterday it was reported that free agent left handed pitcher Randy Wolf of the Philadelphia Phillies was close to signing with the Dodgers. It is believed that Wolf is interested in signing the offer of a 1-year deal with a year option. Wolf went 4 and 0 last year in 2006 with an ERA of 5.56 a year after Tommy John surgery. He apparently was offered more money by the Phillies, but the chance for him to return home to his California roots may be have swung the deal.

The Dodgers were swept by the Mets in last years best of five NL division series and these off season moves seem to indicate that they are gearing up to improve their squad’s chances for post-season play next year and hope to vastly improve on the horrible 1-12 record in the playoffs since 1988.

John Paul "Sporty" SPN Correspondent

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