Phillies Sign Outfielder Juan Pierre
By Spike Eskin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Phillies have signed outfielder Juan Pierre to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training according to a press release from the team.
Pierre played most recently with the Chicago White Sox, hitting .279 with 27 stolen bases.
With the starting outfield positions for the Phillies belonging to Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino, and Laynce Nix (or John Mayberry Jr.), Pierre would be competing for a spot on the Phillies bench.
Pierre was once a premier outfielder with at least 200 hits in four different seasons, and stole at least 40 bases for ten straight seasons. That streak ended last year.
The release also notes that Pierre was 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.
