Juan Pierre stops by Marlins camp, could front office gig be in future?
JUPITER, Fla. -- Three days after officially announcing his retirement, Juan Pierre greeted familiar faces at the Miami Marlins spring training complex at Roger Dean Stadium.
Pierre, the Marlins' starting center fielder from 2003-05, won the World Series in his first year with the club and never missed a game. He rejoined the organization in 2013 in his final season.
The 37-year-old made the 40-minute drive to visit the club that "put me on the map, boosted my career and just supported me nonstop."
"It comes a point in everybody's career," said Pierre, a .295 batter over 14 seasons. "Everybody still thinks they can do it. And everybody talks consistently, 'I know I can still go out there and play.' Last year, I really wanted to play and this year I was going to go all out if I would've gotten a call. But I'm not going to wait around all summer long hoping and wishing and doing that type of thing. I gave the first week of camp and I figured I was going to be at home. The decision was easy. It's hard 'cause everybody knows the passion and love for the game I have, but it comes a point where you can't play forever. When you're 22, 23, you think you can, but as it starts winding down you know you can't play forever."
This year's Marlins club will feature another No. 9 with a similar skillset: All-Star second baseman Dee Gordon.
Gordon, who got to know Pierre when both guys were with the the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, grew up watching Marlins games on TV and and "always kind of looked up to him."
The 26-year-old converted shortstop broke through in 2014 by hitting .289 with 24 doubles, a National League-leading 12 triples, two home runs and 34 RBI in 148 games. In his previous three seasons, he went back-and-forth between the majors and minors, appearing in 181 games and batting .255.
"He was just so cool, just an awesome guy to talk to and he was always willing to talk to you," Gordon said. "You wouldn't mind being compared to somebody like Juan Pierre."
In his first season with the Marlins in 2003, Pierre led the NL with 65 stolen bases. Gordon paced the league in 2014 with 64 steals. Both players are leadoff batters and undersized with limited power.
"He's on the cusp of being that great player," Pierre said of Gordon. "(He's) similar to me -- getting traded over here from the Rockies and him from the Dodgers to here. In (Marlins Park) you need speed, and he'll be able to run and maybe he couldn't do (that) with the Dodgers. It's definitely more laid back here. The Dodgers media -- it's a lot of them out there. I think he's right on the cusp of being a really great player. He's in a perfect spot for him because they embrace the game here. You want him to run and score runs and make it a lot easier for the guys in the middle of the lineup. I definitely see a lot of similarities at the plate. He probably has more pop than me."
Pierre's return Monday morning was a moment Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill had been wanting to happen for two years.
Although he was the starting left fielder on Opening Day 2013, Pierre appeared in 113 games with the Marlins mainly as the fourth outfielder. He mentored young outfielders Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna and Jake Marisnick in their first taste of the big leagues.
"We brought him back his last year playing in '13 by design," Hill said. "That was an important year for us in the growth of our young players. We wanted to introduce Yelich and Ozuna into the big leagues and get their routines established so they could hopefully turn into the players that we hoped they could be. JP was a part of that, and I think you saw it. When those guys see him on the field there's admiration and respect for how he approached the game, and they're appreciative for what he did for them as they were starting their career."
Hill's first call as a farm director, letting a player know he was going to be in the big leagues, was to Pierre. In the minors, he had moved Pierre up to the leadoff spot and levels of the minors.
While Pierre doesn't know what the future holds, Hill would like to see him impart his love of the game on the current club. Pierre walked around greeting guys he crossed paths with over his career.
"It's just great to have him around," Hill said. "He's not ready to take on any role with the organization, but just in this game and in my capacity you want good people around you and you want quality people, hard workers. And that's what JP embodies. He personifies that. He was a pro on and off the field, tremendous work ethic, tremendous energy, passion for the game. Whenever he is ready I'm hopeful that'll translate into some capacity in the front office -- in our front office, the Marlins front office."
You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.
