Manny set to return to Dodgers' lineup: Blessing or a curse?

on 07 3, 2009

With Manny set to return to baseball at the Major League level Friday, most people consider it a positive, and with good reason. Manny is one of the best pure-hitters of our generation, however, we don’t know what effect his return will have on the National League’s best team in terms of wins and losses.

Look, everyone knows Manny is one of the best hitters in the game, it’shard to argue that. On the other hand, there are many reasons why it is possible that Manny’s return will not be as positive as people expect. For one, his return relegates Juan Pierre to a spot on the bench. While you could argue that it only helps add depth to the lineup and provides a solid left-handed option off the bench in pinch-hitting and pinch-running situations, one could also argue that the impact of benching the speedy multi-talented outfielder on a daily basis only makes the Dodgers offense that much more one-dimensional. Juan Pierre hit .322 with 22 steals during his 71 games filling in for Ramirez. He was the table setter for a team desperately in need of someone who doesn’t clog the base paths. With Rafeal Furcal only hitting .240 and getting on base at a .313 clip, Pierre was essential in adding a second dimension to LA’s offense.

Another aspect overlooked is the defensive downgrade encountered when replacing the speedy Pierre with Manny and his well-known defensive prowess, or lack there of. Pierre had zero errors in his 512+ innings in the outfield. He can play multiple positions, and play them well. Ramirez? Not so much. Manny was only average in his stint with the Dodgers’ minor league clubs offensively, who knows how long it will take him to acclimate himself with Major League pitching. They have the type of lead in the NL West which allows them to be patient with Man-Ram, but Pierre’s time on the bench could potentially cool him off and make him unhappy.

Lastly, there’s always the aspect of clubhouse chemistry. With Manny comes a media circus, how will Los Angeles deal with it? As teammates of Pierre have said, he is an All-Star OF in 2009, and it’s hard to argue that. There’s no telling how the team will react to Manny’s return and all that comes with it. Without Pierre in the lineup on a daily basis, this offense becomes one-dimensional and that’s never a positive. Manny is a great hitter, but defense and speed are two of the most underrated aspects of baseball, and Ramirez is very blow average in both of those regards. Pierre on the other hand is not. It is a shame that his weapons will be relegated to coming off the bench in late game situations rather than being featured on a regular basis.

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