Still haven’t lost three in a row

29 -21 (58%): The Dodgers’ record without Manny

21-8 (72%): The Dodgers’ record with Manny

The only team with a better winning percentage for the season than the Dodgers’ Manny-less winning percentage was the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees came close with 57.7%. 

Of course the Dodgers are better with Manny. They also were very good without him. I thought they would hang in there but they went above expectations. Manny makes a relatively big difference for the team but he is still one player. Juan Pierre stepped in and did a fine job. I was not enthralled about having to watch him play but he played well enough that I didn’t wince as much. I don’t know if there are many proponents of Pierre out there but I would say that if he was really worth retaining him in the lineup on a regular/somewhat regular basis, he would have trade value.

Yes, the contract weighs him down but that is the point. He is overpaid for what he is. He has no arm and historically does not get on base enough to justify his other lead-off skills like slap hitting and base stealing. He has had a good fifty games and has had good stretches like this before but he is not that good of a player. If I were him, I would still want a trade but I would also find a way to be content with my ten million dollars rolling in every year. Yes, he gets to the ballpark early and is the hardest worker but he was signed to be the leadoff center fielder and he is not either on a championship team. I may have said this before but if he must play everyday he would be better off somewhere else. If he wants to play for a winner, he can pinch hit and pinch run. Also, since I don’t believe in jinxes, it is not unfathomable that he would get a chance to play as the season goes on. Hopefully not in October though.