Juan Pierre: In Memoriam

by larry on Nov 23, 2011 1:40 PM CST in White Sox History

December 15, 2009 - November 23, 2011

We are gathered here today to remember Juan D'Vaughn Pierre. He came to us, with $10.5 million, from the Los Angeles Dodgers for John "Phil Rogers' Boy" Ely and Jon Link. Today, he leaves us.

My favorite Juan Pierre memory is when he reached base twice from the leadoff position in his first two plate appearances and then got picked off twice.

Please add your memory - or at least your name - to the guestbook below.

Tweet Comment 84 comments | 3 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I'd never seen a left fielder yield to a third baseman in medium left field before.

Whales! Squids! Sharks! They're everywhere! Hello, I am Poseidon! Now, when people told me I was crazy that thinly sliced roast beef would be a delicious fast-food option, I knew it was the greatest idea, and you can thank me later for Arby's.

by Jim Margalus on Nov 23, 2011 1:45 PM CST reply actions

The man wore an unbelievably tiny hat.

He’s a good guy, and if Mark Kotsay’s signing with the Padres is any indication, that’ll give him a spot on someone’s bench, irritating another fanbase.

by Titan52 on Nov 23, 2011 1:45 PM CST reply actions

Let me know when Beast Mode Beer is released and I'll up a couple of those, too.

The lords of dawn are men such as Mr. Lucy.

by Uribe Down on Nov 23, 2011 1:53 PM CST reply actions

Thanks Juan for...uh, well, not sucking as much as you could have.

Admittedly, you were a decent guy. So, good luck.

To my knowledge, certain things were not known.
-James Murdoch

by 2ndHalfAdjustments on Nov 23, 2011 1:55 PM CST reply actions

i'm kinda sad that there are only 4 posts on thie site that have ever been tagged

‘things that make larry happy’. somebody give that man a hug.
also; this means pods is coming back now, right?

by craigws on Nov 23, 2011 1:56 PM CST reply actions

there's probably a few more posts than that.

the search function has been messed up for awhile. there are certainly more in memoriam posts than come up in a search. i had to use google to find my most recent one.

by larry on Nov 23, 2011 3:07 PM CST up reply actions

April 8, 2011

Defensive fail #1 of several. Ruined my first game of the year. Have fun on the Long Island Ducks dickface.

It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity

by Rhubarb on Nov 23, 2011 2:00 PM CST reply actions 3 recs

Sure, THAT ruined the game for you. :-)

"I considered throwing a volley, but since I'm considerably closer to Ford City than Dodge City, I figure it might have been misinterpreted."

by RWShow on Nov 23, 2011 5:08 PM CST up reply actions

You're right meeting you in person and Teahen tying the game up with homerun also contributed

It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity

by Rhubarb on Nov 23, 2011 5:17 PM CST up reply actions

Much better.

"I considered throwing a volley, but since I'm considerably closer to Ford City than Dodge City, I figure it might have been misinterpreted."

by RWShow on Nov 23, 2011 5:37 PM CST up reply actions

"I don't see anyone on that team that can steal 50 bases."

Oops. Wrong black guy.

"Rooting for the Twins is just a roundabout way of rooting for a first-round playoff bye for the Yankees." by big_fun

by Tdogg on Nov 23, 2011 2:04 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

he wasn't my favorite of all time... but i liked him better than podsednik.

and he came to play. good luck in your future endeavors juan

Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.

by KenWo4LiFe on Nov 23, 2011 2:08 PM CST reply actions

ahem.

by craigws on Nov 23, 2011 2:15 PM CST up reply actions 6 recs

this

one of my favorite WS moments.

It's 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, 1/2 pack of cigarettes...it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.

by lastof12 on Nov 23, 2011 2:22 PM CST up reply actions

first homer of the season wasnt it?

hit none in the regular season i believe

The realist keepin it real amongst the surrealists

I was in Baghdad before these little B.G.'s was in they daddy-bags.

by starbury_to_s-jaxci2000 on Nov 23, 2011 10:43 PM CST up reply actions

he hit one in the first game of the playoffs

against boston.

"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck

by BuehrleMan on Nov 23, 2011 10:51 PM CST up reply actions

big deal. still liked pierre better than podsednik.

Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.

by KenWo4LiFe on Nov 23, 2011 2:45 PM CST up reply actions

Not this

Dave Martinez woulda had that.

by Nordhagen on Nov 23, 2011 3:33 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

yeah, just one of the biggest deals in white sox history.

you have to let carlos lee go, ken.

by craigws on Nov 23, 2011 11:30 PM CST up reply actions

never!

Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.

by KenWo4LiFe on Nov 24, 2011 9:47 AM CST up reply actions

I have the SI cover featuring this HR framed on my wall.

Every night before I go to bed I pray to it. And in return, every night I bang Pods’ wife in my dreams. Blessed is the man that gives praise to Pods.

Pods be with you.

by Billy Ray Durham on Nov 23, 2011 4:19 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs

Pods brought intangibles to the park. But you had to sit in the wive's section to see them.

(stolen from Rany when the Royals signed him.)

"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."

John Kenneth Galbraith

by Chiburb on Nov 23, 2011 5:55 PM CST up reply actions

Looked very tangible to me.

But I’d love to check and make sure.

Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.

by MarketMaker on Nov 23, 2011 9:21 PM CST up reply actions

and also with you.

by craigws on Nov 23, 2011 11:29 PM CST up reply actions

let us praysednik

by Billy Ray Durham on Nov 24, 2011 1:17 AM CST up reply actions

My favorite memory:

Three straight game-winning hits in Denver and on the North Side, one of which was almost a slam. He put up a surprising 2.9 fWAR/1.8 rWAR in 2010, but a crappy 2011. So what does this move mean for the White Sox?
- No more noodle arm in the outfield
- No more getting caught stealing 17 times
- DJ won’t say “Jean Pierre” anymore
- The end of grindy, powerless slap-hitting
- Don’t have to manufacture any more 6 1/4 size caps
- We’re finally separated from plays like this

"That baseball is the smartest thing out on that field." —Hawk Harrelson

by mikecws91 on Nov 23, 2011 2:11 PM CST reply actions

that's the one I was mis-remembering

thanks ALOT! (not a typo)

It's 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, 1/2 pack of cigarettes...it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.

by lastof12 on Nov 23, 2011 2:21 PM CST up reply actions

I've typed my last johnpete.

by Trooper on Nov 23, 2011 2:15 PM CST reply actions

DJ constantly calling him

John Pierre

by JPSoprano80 on Nov 23, 2011 2:25 PM CST reply actions

Thanks Juan, for the walk-off single that finally ended that 14-inning death march on 8/16/11

It was also pretty neat to see him hook one over the fence in right field earlier that night. The .067 career ISO really made that shit seem special.

I was also there on April 11th, when he dropped a ball on the warning track to spoil 8 shutout innings from Buehrle. I couldn’t see it from the left field bleachers; I could only hear the gasps.

by WSO on Nov 23, 2011 2:29 PM CST reply actions

Hope his career comes full-circle and he ends up in Miami

FOG and FJP but mostly FOG

It was then I realized vegans can’t be trusted

by Scotty Ballgame on Nov 23, 2011 2:35 PM CST reply actions

Eh, I can't hate JP. I didn't much like him as a player, but he had his tool and knew how to use it (at least in 2010).

I’d laugh if he ended up in Miami, though.

Also, who dis?

The lords of dawn are men such as Mr. Lucy.

by Uribe Down on Nov 23, 2011 2:44 PM CST up reply actions

I guess that came off harsh meant to be more of a shot at Ozzie than JP.

Yeah I kinda dropped off the face of the earth working a lot of hours and dealing with some legal issues. I didn’t realize how badly I slacked though until I read Rhubarb’s latest masterpiece. Not even a cameo!

It was then I realized vegans can’t be trusted

by Scotty Ballgame on Nov 23, 2011 3:06 PM CST up reply actions

in my experience, most legal issues can be prevented by never talking to the police.

by larry on Nov 23, 2011 3:08 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

Totally unrelated question

I once got pulled over for speeding in Illinois just outside St Louis. The cop asked me several times if I was from the city that it says on my license (McHenry, IL), I told him yes everytime and he let me off with a warning.

My fiancee insists this was some preferential treatment of small towners. Had I admitted I lived in StL or Chicago (I lived in one but I don’t remember which at the time), he would have ticketed me. I assumed it was his attempt to ding me for a smaller offense than speeding by getting me for a license with out of date info because I was a polite caucasian with no other moving violations.

What do you think?

by joewho112 on Nov 23, 2011 3:30 PM CST up reply actions

i think you're right.

by larry on Nov 23, 2011 3:42 PM CST up reply actions

I had a license that didn't match my current address

and the cop ticketed me for that among other things. He was an obnoxious prick. Found a way to make up several offenses and charge me with them in an effort to apparently punish me for driving like a Chicagoan in Chicagoland.
And that no doubt small-membered, insecure, douche bag of a state trooper forever cemented my total hate and lack of respect for law enforcement. Just remembering that incident (8-9 yrs ago) makes my blood boil.

Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.

by MarketMaker on Nov 23, 2011 4:41 PM CST up reply actions

RIP Juan Pierre, by the way.

Sorry to go off topic. Funerals always bring out more anger than sadness in me.
That and I’ve been drinking.

Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.

by MarketMaker on Nov 23, 2011 4:43 PM CST up reply actions

I love making generalizations.

Traffic cops here are hypocrites, liars, and pricks.

by Shoeless In SC on Nov 23, 2011 4:56 PM CST up reply actions

Between JP's departure and Greg Walker's firing, I'm now completely unclear as to whom will be the first mediocre talent to the ballpark every day.

I’m thinking Bacon may need to start setting his alarm clock for a few hours earlier.

by FlyingSpaghettiMonster on Nov 23, 2011 3:30 PM CST reply actions 6 recs

X

by South Side Expat on Nov 23, 2011 3:35 PM CST reply actions 6 recs

this is incredible.

by obnoxious american on Nov 23, 2011 6:56 PM CST up reply actions

Nordy

(Just being polite)

Dave Martinez woulda had that.

by Nordhagen on Nov 23, 2011 3:35 PM CST via mobile reply actions

We have not had a real death in awhile.

Memories, guys and gals. He’s dead. Respect.

My favorite memory is when he went 0-5 one day,IIRC, and in addressing the media and manned up to sucking a lot. A professional ballplayer.

How do you get mad at a Little League player who tries hard but has huge limitations and is not put in a position of his highest and best use? Blame the guys who put him there.

Adios, JP.

And today we can celebrate our victory around the pike still skewering the rotten skeleton of The Cheat.

by winningugly on Nov 23, 2011 3:38 PM CST via mobile reply actions 2 recs

Bingo

Juan Pierre gets beat up for things that aren’t entirely his doing.

The Dodgers, of sound mind and their own free will, gave Juan Pierre a shit-ton of money. What was he supposed to do? Say no?

Ozzie stubbornly and persistently gave him the most at-bats of any player on the ballclub. As OG famously said, “I make the goddamn lineups.” Not Juan Pierre.

By all accounts, JP is a good guy and a good teammate. He’s made millions of dollars, so I’m pretty sure he doesn’t need me to say “good luck.”

What?! I ain't no Professor Pickles!

by 67WMAQ on Nov 23, 2011 3:42 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs

You said it best.

The lords of dawn are men such as Mr. Lucy.

by Uribe Down on Nov 23, 2011 4:59 PM CST up reply actions

all true.

except maybe the part about the sound mind.

"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck

by BuehrleMan on Nov 23, 2011 7:30 PM CST up reply actions

at least he played hard or gave off that impression

the talent evaporated by the time he got to Chicago the second time, he’s just a player doing what he’s told

The realist keepin it real amongst the surrealists

I was in Baghdad before these little B.G.'s was in they daddy-bags.

by starbury_to_s-jaxci2000 on Nov 23, 2011 10:46 PM CST up reply actions

Well said.

rec.

by Billy Ray Durham on Nov 24, 2011 1:16 AM CST up reply actions

au revoir, podsnoir.

I love seasons too. That's why I live in a place that skips the shitty ones.

by thatshortkid on Nov 23, 2011 3:40 PM CST reply actions 3 recs

That's poetry, man.

by FlyingSpaghettiMonster on Nov 23, 2011 3:40 PM CST up reply actions

And it rhymes, too!

To my knowledge, certain things were not known.
-James Murdoch

by 2ndHalfAdjustments on Nov 23, 2011 3:45 PM CST up reply actions

cy chen back with royals

heyman: Chen’s $9M deal with royals is for 2 yrs (also gets $1M roster bonus, $1M incentives)

by larry on Nov 23, 2011 4:17 PM CST reply actions

I always thought he jogged weird.

by Shinons* on Nov 23, 2011 4:36 PM CST reply actions

I will forever remember this piece of artwork:

by Shoeless In SC on Nov 23, 2011 5:02 PM CST reply actions 2 recs

Yes! Good times

Lillibridge’s face should be on the kid though

It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity

by Rhubarb on Nov 23, 2011 5:07 PM CST up reply actions

agreed

by Shoeless In SC on Nov 23, 2011 9:01 PM CST up reply actions

Of all the former or current Sox players to hate...

… I don’t think Juan Pierre makes my top 25. I am indifferent to him, but I can’t find it in my heart to put the hate on him.

by LorenzoBandini on Nov 23, 2011 5:34 PM CST reply actions

one more time and then into the bin

we hardly knew ye

White Sox 2012: Helplessly hoping.

by greenlight on Nov 23, 2011 5:37 PM CST reply actions

As Ken Tremendous said...

Having Juan Pierre bat leadoff for your team is like performing circumcision in the back seat of a moving vehicle. It MAY work out ok, but why take the chance?

(paraphrased due to memory loss)

"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."

John Kenneth Galbraith

by Chiburb on Nov 23, 2011 6:02 PM CST reply actions

my memory of pierre was that time

on july 28, 2009 when buehrle was pitching and with two on and two out he butchered that fly ball by mauer. this was just two batters after buehrle’s record streak of 45 consecutive batters was ended when he walked alexi casilla . mauer’s “hit” was ruled a double (ground rule double) but it was a clear error. it was the most important play of the game WPA-wise at 20%. cost buehrle a run and the sox went on to lose the game. i was so furious i was seeing red. i’m still furious, actually.

oh, wait, that was podsednik.
nevermind.

"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck

by BuehrleMan on Nov 23, 2011 6:51 PM CST reply actions

Adjust the contrast on your TV.

by FlyingSpaghettiMonster on Nov 23, 2011 6:57 PM CST via mobile up reply actions 5 recs

i liked that time where he didn't bunt.

by obnoxious american on Nov 23, 2011 6:57 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

My Juan Pierre memory

is when he snubbed me in the negro league museum gift shop in KC in August of 2010…

by Sox2727 on Nov 23, 2011 7:03 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

4/1 J Germano 4-T 1 _2_ 0-14 Juan Pierre flied out to right (Fliner (Liner)).

White Sox Talk: She needs premium, dude! PREMIUUUUM! DUUUUUDE!

by UribeAuction on Nov 23, 2011 8:08 PM CST reply actions

My first live game in a long time was game #2 against the Indians in Cleveland

During warm-ups I was watching JP and Rio$ long tossing. I had always heard how weak JP’s arm was, but it’s not always so clear on TV. Holy cow, his arm was mind-boggling weak. Just jaw-droppingly bad. I still had fun at that game.

Well, boys, it's a round ball and a round bat and you got to hit the ball square. ~Joe Schultz, 1969

by zevsenesca on Nov 23, 2011 9:40 PM CST reply actions

everytime my seats were in left field

i wanted to break his legs for those defensive miscues.

A lady who loves sports: hockey is number one though. BLACKHAWKS, WHITE SOX AND BEARS

by pierzynskirules on Nov 23, 2011 10:29 PM CST reply actions

hey buddy!

"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck

by BuehrleMan on Nov 23, 2011 10:52 PM CST up reply actions

hey!

A lady who loves sports: hockey is number one though. BLACKHAWKS, WHITE SOX AND BEARS

by pierzynskirules on Nov 23, 2011 10:52 PM CST up reply actions

yoyoyo!

Packers Season

by OznCoop on Nov 23, 2011 11:12 PM CST up reply actions

JP, bad cop stories, and circumcisions

the link is there, you just have to reaaaaaally squint hard to see it.

by Shoeless In SC on Nov 23, 2011 11:00 PM CST reply actions

hmmm......

I love seasons too. That's why I live in a place that skips the shitty ones.

by thatshortkid on Nov 24, 2011 12:45 AM CST up reply actions

I really like Pierre

just not as a baseball player. I do think the guy has done a ton with the talent he has, he’s a pretty big overachiever. In his younger days I wouldn’t mind him as a bench player, but those days are long gone. No hate here, though, I wish Pierre only good things in this life as long as he’s not on the White Sox anymore.

by Gentleman Jim on Nov 23, 2011 11:46 PM CST reply actions

Agreed

All jokes aside, he seems like a solid dude. You have to respect the guy. There’s been countless guys with twice the talent that amounted to nothing. He’s essentially a victim of his contract. a $44MM victim. Poor JP :-(

by Billy Ray Durham on Nov 24, 2011 1:14 AM CST up reply actions