What don’t I like? This.
So the Dodgers signed Andruw Jones. Let’s list some pros and cons about this:
PRO: It gets Juan Pierre and his range of a 300-pound legless sloth out of center field.
CON: Unless the Dodgers can get some stupid team to take him, it puts Juan Pierre somewhere else in the outfield.
CON: Having Juan Pierre in an outfield corner puts either Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp on the bench (or, more likely, the trading block).
CON: Juan Pierre does not have the offense to play a corner outfield spot.
CON: Oh yeah, and the guy we just signed for $18 million a year batted .222 last year with a .724 OPS. Yes, he gets a decent number of walks, but when all your walks only get your OBP up to .311, I am not impressed.
CON: Jones is listed at 6’1″, 170 pounds. If Jones weighs 170 pounds, I’ll eat my hat, unless he beats me to it and eats it first. He is at least 220, and he will not be an elite center fielder for much longer (if he still is).
PRO: It’s only two years. If the Big Dodger In The Sky smiles down on Chavez Ravine, Jones will have two monster years, culminating with a career-ending injury making the final catch in the World Series-clinching game for the Dodgers in 2009, so they won’t be tempted to throw more money at him for his 33-36-year-old seasons.
PRO: Rob Neyer told me this last week:
Jeff (Eagle Mountain, UT): Will Andruw Jones ever hit .270 in a season again?
Rob Neyer: Absolutely. He’s still got some big seasons in his future, and I think he’s still got a solid shot at Cooperstown.
CON: I don’t believe Rob Neyer.
I hope I’m wrong. I hope Andruw regains the form he had a few years ago, both offensively and defensively. I hope he leads the Dodgers to a World Series championship. I hope the Dodgers have the sense to unload Juan Pierre on one of the teams looking for a center fielder.
I hope I hope I hope.
You said “we.” What position do you play?
Plus, Andruw’s mom didn’t know how to spell his name.