kemp.. ethier.. martin at the top.. I LOVE IT!!

Replace Kent and Berroa and that would be some lineup. Say Furcal and DY….

Although Torre said he was aware of the comments, he said he hadn’t actually read them. My guess is this had nothing to do with that. Strangely timed comments, though, I must admit.

Dodgers’ Juan Pierre isn’t happy about latest move

Though he endorses trade for Manny Ramirez, Pierre says moving from left field back to center isn’t easy for him. He also worries his playing time may be cut if Andruw Jones starts hitting.

By Dylan Hernandez, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 4, 2008

Juan Pierre reiterated Sunday that this has been the toughest season of his career.

“Without a doubt,” he said.

The Dodgers’ trade for Manny Ramirez last week forced Pierre to change positions. Again.

And the fleet-footed leadoff hitter is facing the threat of being sent to the bench. Again.

“All I’ve ever done was be Juan Pierre,” he said. “I don’t know why, for some reason, they’re just sticking it to me this year. I applaud the move. Any time you get a chance to get Manny Ramirez, you get him. But from a personal standpoint, it’s putting me in a tough position.”

Pierre was moved from center field to left to make room for Andruw Jones. But with Ramirez’s place in left set in stone and Jones mired in a season-long slump, Pierre is back in center, a position Dodgers management wasn’t comfortable with him playing because of his weak throwing arm.

Pierre, who is hitting .303 with six runs in nine games since returning from the disabled list on July 25, has started the last two games in center and Manager Joe Torre has said he would receive “the bulk of the time” at that position.

“It’s kind of like riding a bike, as far as center field goes,” Pierre said.

What was unusual, he said, was moving from center to left in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 9-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, as Jones entered the game as a defensive substitute.

Pierre, who started the season as the team’s fourth outfielder and had a consecutive-games streak of 443, longest in the majors, broken on opening day, said he took no comfort in Torre’s statement about how much he is expected to play.

“To be honest, if we’re winning and Andruw starts hitting, I’ll probably be back on the bench,” he said. “That’s that power they went out and got in the off-season.”

It appears that Pierre is implying he wouldn’t be happy to see Jones start to hit. I can understand him feeling that way, but it’s something he has to keep to himself. He doesn’t actually inspire confidence that winning comes first with him. A team player he is NOT. Does he think Ethier feels any better about losing playing time? At least the young Ethier has the sense to say the right things. Can’t be said for the veteran Pierre.