Chicago's 'Lucky' to have 'Pierre'

Over time, a number of ballplayers have shared their major league career with both Chicago baseball franchises. Even Cub heroes like Ron Santo had to ride the red line to stop over by 35th and Shields late in their career. Meanwhile, Sox television personality Steve Stone, and also radio 670 color man Darrin Jackson made stops on both sides of town in their pilgrimage in the majors. One Sox player that has 'toured the city' recently is their current 5 foot, 9 inch leadoff man, Juan Pierre. Pierre, once again is putting together a solid, productive season at the top of a contending team's lineup without anyone really noticing. Has there been a more steady leadoff man since 2001 besides Ichiro? Pierre is Kenny Lofton without a 7 1/2 lb. chain, Jose Reyes without the astronomical ego and model posing. Ever since Pierre shaved that heinous half-mustache that he rocked in his days in the mile high city, he has made a career out of invariably fouling off good pitches long enough until he can hit a weak looper over the shortstop's head, pull up his Greg Maddux edition stirrups, steal second base like a midnight criminal, and eventually be driven home to score.

With the edition of Manny Ramirez, the Sox are looking for someone in the 5th spot of their lineup that will: A) protect AL MVP candidate Paul Konerko in the cleanup position, and B) drive in the first 4 hitters of the White Sox top-heavy lineup (Pierre: .284, Vizquel/Ramirez: .285/.285, Rios: .293, Konerko: .320) So often times it's Juan though who gets the Sox started by forcing the pitcher to labor through a double-digit amount of pitches in the first AB of the game to set the table (fitting, because he kind of does look like a busboy, doesn't he?) for the rest of the White Sox lineup. Aside from hitting in the mid .280's, Juan has reputable range in the outfield and tracks down balls well despite possibly having a weaker arm than a member of the Oak Park U-14 travel team.

When Juan became a Cub in 2003, he was fresh off his series winning performance in the Fall Classic and eventually his paltry rap performance at the Marlins victory parade. Still, he came into Chicago and hit .292, lead the National League in: hits, at-bats, games played, bunt-hits, infield hits, and had the lowest strikeout percentage in the MLB at 5.4%. Nonetheless, Cubs fans were disappointed because of the teams deplorable last place finish closing up the season one game behind the lowly Pirates, despite the productivity of their leadoff hitter. In L.A.,he was benched behind his current Sox teammates Andruw "the diamond dinosaur" Jones and Manny Ramirez. Then, while Manny was suspended for 50 games in 2009 for being hopped up on estrogen and seasons of Sex and the City, Pierre stepped in at left field for the Dodgers and kept them near the top of the division from the top of the lineup before Manny's return. Now, with an 11 stolen base stranglehold on the American League lead with the White Sox this season, Pierre is once again doing what he does best--get to the front of the line, get there early, and get there often.

As for pick of the day, since the Pulse man picked a parlay for yesterday's bet, we'll stay true to that bet so we don't feel like Charlie Sheen at an Atlantic City craps table by having too much money on the table. So, we're rooting for John Lester to take down the Baltimore Birds while simultaneously pulling for Johnny "Chili Con" Cueto to keep a handle on the Brew Crew.

Pick of the Day: Parlay- Red Sox vs. Orioles, RED SOX (-210) and Brewers vs. Reds, REDS (-169) total odds: (+160)

Record: (14-11-0)

2nd Manny being Manny Moment: Reinsdorf tells Ramirez he needs to do something with his hair. So, with the Boston road trip coming up, Manny calls his former barber L'Montro to set up an appointment for a trim. Little does Reinsdorf know, he's probably getting a box-top fade.

Here Comes the 'Man' In Black

Some people thoroughly enjoy Will Smith and his second-rate movies, I am not one of those people. Similarly, some people have a complete distaste for professional athletes like Manny Ramirez, I, once again, am not one of these people. I have always been an advocate for Manny Ramirez and his baseball career, despite his sometimes childish antics on and off the field. Normally, if a player acts like a 19 year old juvenile delinquent when he's a professional, I would chastise him. But in Manny Ramirez's case, he does so at such an effortless capacity that you can't help but smirk at the dumbfounding style in which he goes about his 'business' (not necessarily talking about how he goes to the bathroom).

In Boston, the Red Sox faithful adored Manny for his ability to blast tape measure home runs over the green monster into the Boston night sky with such an insouciant demeanor you'd think he just received a happy ending massage from the team trainer. Then, after he won his two rings and wore out his welcome by bumbling around left field with a blindfold on and making it entirely explicit that he wasn't trying (who does this over the age of 7?), Boston shipped him off to Hollywood to give a new city and managerial staff a chance to experience "Manny being Manny". In Mannywood, he came out guns blazing and injected a shot of energy into the Los Angeles baseball scene that previously relied on Vinny Chase from Entourage playing right field (Andre Ethier) and Turtle (Russel Martin) catching as the only excitable things happening in Dodger Stadium. Then, the 'Manny being Tranny' phase began as he was busted with female fertility pills in his system that were for some reason banned by the MLB (perhaps Bud Selig wanted to ensure that no pregnant women were going to join a late season contender just to lean over the plate and take one for the team off their baby bump). After this, Manny's suspension led the Dodger's management to second guess who Manny Ramirez really is and stop catering to his asinine demands like having Joe Torre arrange for him a blind date with Ke$ha. Now he finds himself and his run producing bat toting the waiver wire with a very interesting suitor waiting to claim him--the Chicago White Sox.

Ozzie Guillen has made it known to the Chicago media that he doesn't think Manny's infantile personality will disrupt the karma in the Sox clubhouse and also acknowledged the possibility of Manny's bat in the middle of the lineup helping the South siders keep up with the Twins. Most of us know by know that when there is a free agent that could help the club, Kenny Williams goes out and gets the job done. (funny how teams have cap room to sign people when they're not paying an overrated, 33 year old, Japanese outfielder who hits .260 14 mill!) So, with the possibility of Manny wearing silver and black by Saturday morning, Sox fans are understandable excited. Over the past two trade deadlines, the silver and black have acquired a Cy Young Award Winner (Jake Peavy) and possibly the MLB's all time leader in post season home runs and RBI's--prett-ay impressive stuff.

Additionally, I think uniting Ozzie and Manny's personalities can combine for some of the most fabled broken-English press conferences the sports world has seen since Omar Samhan's witticism during tournament time last March. Imaginably, Manny can see this relationship similarly to the friendship he endured with Pedro Martinez in Boston and things like bringing midgets into the locker room, whimsically cutting off relay throws from the outfield, and winning AL championships can once again be seen as commonplace.

As for pick of the day, Aaron Rodgers really made the Pulse Man look knowledgeable as the Pack hung 59 on the defending AFC champions in a game that played out like a 60 minute offensive power play. With the steam of a 2 game winning streak trailing from the back of his worn down pair of Nike Cortez's, he has decided to trust the USA national basketball team to cover the 23 point spread they are facing against the Croatian national team (Toni Kukoc isn't playing) on Saturday at (-105). I Still think it's a hoax Rondo isn't on that team--wasn't he arguably the best player in the league besides Kobe in the postseason? In other news, Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo was robbed at gunpoint in Milwaukee yesterday--stay classy Wisconsin.

Pick of the Day: USA vs. Croatia, FIBA Basketball. Pick- USA -23 (-105)

Record:(13-11-0)