Friday, January 27, 2012
[size=150]PHILLIES SIGN PIERRE[/size]
Outfielder Juan Pierre signed a minor league contract with the Phillies, which includes an invitation to major league spring training, Assistant General Manager Scott Proefrock announced today.
Pierre, 34, batted .279 with two home runs, 50 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 158 games for the Chicago White Sox last season. A left-handed batter, he hit .329 against left-handed pitching and .331 with runners in scoring position. Pierre made 152 starts last year, all in left field.
Among active players, Pierre has the most career stolen bases (554) and ranks 26th on the all-time list, three behind Davey Lopes. He has had nine seasons with at least 40 steals, including a career-high 68 in 2010. Over the last 11 seasons (2001-11), Pierre has the fifth-most hits (1,958) among all major league players, including four years with 200 or more hits during that span.
Originally selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 13th round of the June 1998 draft, Pierre has a .296 career batting average with 234 doubles, 86 triples, 16 home runs and 484 RBI in 1,751 games for the Rockies (2000-02), Florida Marlins (2003-05), Chicago Cubs (2006), Los Angeles Dodgers (2007-09) and White Sox (2010-11). As a pinch-hitter, he has hit .311 (28-90) and in 31 career games at Citizens Bank Park he has a .307 (39-127) batting average. Pierre was a member of the 2003 World Champion Marlins.
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Press Releases provided courtesy of the Phillies, Media Relations. Thanks, guys!
