Juan Pierre is confirmed for Philadelphia Phillies' opening day roster - MLB Update
Juan Pierre finds his way to Philadelphia Phillies’ opening day roster as confirmation comes after his outing yesterday against Tampa Bay Rays. Preferred ahead of infielder Hector Luna and outfielder Scott Podsednik, he looks upon days ahead to prove his
selection right.
Signing a Minor League contract with Phillies in January under the premise that he will part ways if not chosen for Major League until March 30, his selection points to improvements he exhibited to the manager, Charlie Manuel, in his Minor League outings.
“He’s started playing better over the last four or five games,” Manuel said. “I look at where he could fit in some of the lineups we could use, and he’s done a little bit of everything in the game. He’s been a bench player. … He’s been a regular for a long
time. In the last couple of years, he has a lot of at-bats in the big leagues.”
However as criticism emerges from various circles on his selection, his ability to actually turn up successful in the season is not lost on opponents. Not a powerful hitter but a troubling run manufacturer that penetrates slowly and hurts immensely in the
end. His career 554 stolen bases and accumulation of 973 runs speak of what he is and what roles he is expected of in the Major League.
Troubling predicament he may find himself in the knowledge that Luna and Podsednik have been equally impressive in Spring Training and above all have amazing career record of hitting and stealing bases. Irrespective of how he vindicates himself on the field,
what is important for him is sustaining the confidence that the management has in him.
As some fans lash out at the decision, considering Podsednik’s 1036 career hits and 41 home-runs as reflective of a rather balanced mix of expertise, Pierre will be taking the swipe in days to follow. With some Spring Training games down the line, he will
be taking those as an opportunity to silence critics and thus further his quest for Major League batting experience.
Although he did display subtle hits he can generate in last game, it will be interesting to see how far he can carry on with the same performance in forthcoming games.
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