Pierre could slide right over to Sox
Cubs might not be able to keep free agent in fold
''Yeah, I love Ozzie,'' Pierre said of Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, his former third-base coach during the Florida Marlins' World Series championship season in 2003. ''I know how he is as a person. He talks, but you go out there and play hard with no excuses, and you get along with him. Just knowing him and being around him for so long, and winning the World Series with him, yeah, I definitely wouldn't mind playing for Ozzie.''
General manager Jim Hendry confirmed he wants to keep the National League's hits leader, and the Cubs have begun preliminary talks about re-signing Pierre.
But it's clear the speedy leadoff hitter is determined to test the market. The Cubs' best chance of keeping Pierre, 29, is retaining manager Dusty Baker -- and that's simply not going to happen.
''It will weigh in,'' Pierre said of Baker's fate playing a role in his decision. ''There are a lot of question marks. Dusty will be a factor because he is the best manager I've ever played for. I respect him a lot.
''I'm still sitting down with my agent and seeing what is best for me. As a player, you play six years to call your shot for one time. This is probably the peak of my career and this will be my only chance as far as my age and things like that where I will be in a position like this. So I am definitely weighing my options to see what is best for me.''
Pierre will not only be in demand from Chicago's two teams, but around baseball. Pierre is putting the perfect finishing touches on a season leading into free agency. Though he has a .330 on-base percentage -- too low for a leadoff hitter -- Pierre is hitting .310 (94-for-303) in the second half, lifting his overall average to .291.
His 56 stolen bases are the most for a Cub since Frank Chance stole 57 in 1906. Not only is he the only Cub to play in every game this season, Pierre hasn't missed a game since Sept. 17. 2002, while with the Colorado Rockies.
''The guy's a ballplayer,'' Baker said before the Cubs' 5-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday. ''That's about as big a compliment I can give a guy -- he's a ballplayer. It kind of encompasses everything in the game.''
Pierre is earning $5.75 million this season, and finding a proven leadoff hitter has become one of the toughest tasks for general managers. When shortstop Rafael Furcal spurned the Cubs to sign a three-year, $39 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason, the salary range for leadoff hitters got thrown out of whack.
But the White Sox and Cubs each will have the money -- and desire -- to land a top leadoff hitter.
On the South Side, left fielder Scott Podsednik has been a major disappointment and is expected to be dumped -- either by trade or being non-tendered a contract -- during the offseason. Guillen has long respected Pierre. When the center fielder struggled at the plate earlier in the season, Guillen often said: ''If Dusty's biggest problem is Juan Pierre, he has no problems at all.''
Pierre returns the love.
''I know him and how he goes about his business,'' he said of Guillen. ''He is kind of like Dusty, but he is a little more flamboyant than Dusty. I would not mind playing for him -- put it like that.''
On the North Side, the Cubs have no one else in the organization ready to fill the role. Center fielder Felix Pie is a touted prospect, but he's not even a lock to make the Opening Day roster in 2007. If he does, having such an unpolished player in the leadoff spot would be a major miscalculation by the Cubs.
The Cubs know they need Pierre -- slow start or not -- in 2007.
''He's not only a quality player but a quality individual,'' Hendry said. ''He struggled early and it coincided with us struggling early, but we're not going to pin that on him.''
Despite his solid second-half numbers, Pierre's take on his first season with the Cubs was a dim one.
''Horrible, from beginning to end,'' he said. ''Nothing pretty much went well for us this year. All we can do is try to finish strong and have a good last week here.''
Cubs fans expected Furcal to be the team's leadoff hitter this season. When that fell through, Pierre was clearly the second choice. When he struggled early -- hitting .226 in May -- it didn't take long for the boos to emerge.
''Coming to a new team, you want to get off to a good start, and I didn't,'' Pierre said. ''But I didn't lose confidence. I know all of the media did, saying, 'Wow, we got this guy? Bring Pie up or get Corey Patterson back.'
''But I knew I could play this game and it would only be a matter of time. It was just bad that we were losing as a team, so that just compounded all of that stuff.''
That's why Pierre feels like he deserves a large part of the blame for Baker's certain exit.
''I have a lot of respect for him and I'm glad to have a chance to at least play under him for one year,'' Pierre said of Baker. ''Who knows where he'll be next year? Who knows where I'll be next year?''
1. Gary Matthews Jr. (32 years old), Rangers: The former Cub is having a career year, hitting .318 with a .377 on-base percentage. It's a standout season for a switch-hitter who has been mostly mediocre during his career. He could lead off and fill the void until prospect Felix Pie is ready, but Matthews might want a longer deal that better suits the White Sox.
2. Torii Hunter (31), Twins: Baseball's top defensive center fielder, Hunter reportedly has the Cubs on his short list of teams he can't be traded to, so it's hard to imagine he would sign with them. He's a middle-of-the-order hitter who could command a premium package if the Twins don't pick up his $12 million option for 2007. Might be to too pricey for Sox.
3. Dave Roberts (34), Padres: His defense, specifically his arm, is suspect, but Roberts entered Monday with a .360 OBP and 43 stolen bases. He could be a relatively cheap pickup until Pie arrives, or a stopgap for the Sox.
4. Kenny Lofton (39), Dodgers: Probably the safest bet to accept a one-year deal. He carried the Cubs in the second half of 2003, but that was three years ago. Questions remain whether he could be anything more than a platoon player.
5. Jim Edmonds (36), Cardinals: Once one of the top defensive center fielders in the National League, Edmonds' recent rash of injuries have frustrated the Cards, who are unlikely to pick up his $10 million option for next season.
Chris De Luca
