Ted Green: Juan Pierre’s world just isn’t fair

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Just as perhaps a million people flock to L.A. to celebrate the life of a supernaturally gifted entertainer, but possible pedophile, and just as we cheer ourselves hoarse for a steroid cheat because he’s a colorful savant who happens to hit the heck out of a baseball, so, too, do we often ignore the understated professionals who work hard, say little, exceed expectations and play by the rules.

Welcome to Juan‘s world.

You almost shook your head knowingly when National League managers entrusted with making the right calls ignored Juan Pierre, too, choosing Orlando Hudson as an All-Star reserve instead of Pierre, who’s hitting a phat 40 points higher than his slumping teammate, .328 to .288.

That .328, by the way, is fifth best in the National League and sixth best in all of baseball. And two of the five guys ahead of him are named Suzuki and Pujols.

Yet, amid a sea of 99 jerseys and braided wigs, good luck finding one fan wearing a number 9 with ‘Pierre’ stitched across the back.

But if it’s professionalism you admire, look no farther than the Dodgers’ new backup left fielder.

Not only did Pierre step into the Dodger outfield when Manny got caught trying to get pregnant, or whatever he was doing with P-E-D’s, but the 32-year-old from Louisiana performed brilliantly, immediately becoming the team’s most reliable everyday player. What’s more, when Manny finished his 50-game penance and was proclaimed ready to take over the world again, with all seemingly forgiven and forgotten, as if nothing happened, Pierre didn’t utter a peep.

Instead, when Joe Torre, a genius communicator, courteously asked Pierre last Friday night, the night Manny returned in San Diego, if he Juan-ted to talk, if he needed some Juan on Juan time with his manager, if there was anything he needed to say or get off his chest, Pierre replied as he typically would:

‘No, skip, I’m OK.’

So with our sports values often turned upside down, right on their heads, here’s to you, Juan Pierre. You’re MORE than OK. You’re now officially the best fourth outfielder in the major leagues, even though we all know you’re really a regular caught in a numbers game squeeze.

I wonder how many Dodger fans know that long after you had become an established major leaguer and a millionaire, you still went back to your high school during the off-season, late at night, turning on your car lights and aiming them at the field so you could take batting practice while most everyone else was asleep. Or partying.

Just a moment here to say that one Aretha Franklin word that fits you best, Juan: Respect.

Your manager, your coaches, your teammates and Dodger fans respect your ethic: First to arrive, last to leave, responding to every wish from the people signing your checks, whether their decisions hurt you whether they’re fair, giving the Dodgers $1.10 worth of effort for a dollar paid, and doing it with the kind of quiet professionalism today’s media doesn’t bother to celebrate, being too busy, preoccupied and frenzied with Michael and Manny to have time or patience, column inches or photo ops, for someone like Juan Pierre.

-- Ted Green

Green formerly covered sports for the L.A. Times. He is currently Senior Sports Producer for KTLA Prime News