IN MY continuing quest to do nothing but help the Dodgers, I went to Juan Pierre before Wednesday's game to ask him if he's ever considered getting an arm transplant.
Just think how good Pierre might be if he really could play this game.
Before I could ask the question, Pierre told me it was time to go work on the field. It was only 3:50 p.m., and nobody on the Dodgers works that early, so I was impressed. I asked if we might talk when he was done, but I got the impression from the look on his face that he now has plans to work the rest of his life.
I gave him a few minutes and then checked to see what he was working on. He was sitting on the bench. Nice to see, that the guy the Dodgers signed for five years and $44 million, was working on his future position with the team.
I asked why he had lied? and he said, "You come at me like you know me,'' and "I do,'' I said. "You're the guy who has been such a huge disappointment this season, and I was wondering, have you ever considered getting an arm transplant?''
"Go ahead and rip on me,'' Pierre said, and for a minute there I thought he had me confused with the team surgeon.
"I'M HAPPY with what God gave me,'' Pierre said, which was a lie, because when I asked him if he wished he had a stronger arm, he said, "yes, I do.''