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On Friday, former Miami Marlins outfielder Juan Pierre announced his retirement from baseball at age 37. Pierre played 14 seasons in the major leagues and four with Miami, including the 2003 World Series team and most recently in 2013. During the 2003 season, Pierre's first with the Marlins, he posted a slash line of .305/.361.373 and was instrumental in the Marlins' defeat of the Yankees in the World Series.
Although Pierre stood just 5’10", and only weighed 180 pounds, he showed a "heart over height" persona. Over his career, Pierre accumulated 2,217 hits. His time with the Marlins was by far the renaissance his career. During the 2003 season, Pierre led the league in at bats, plate appearances and stolen bases. He continued the trend of greatness in 2004 where he led the league again in at bats and plate appearances but also led the league in triples and hits. The 2005 season was Pierre's least memorable, as he posted a .276/.326/.354 slash line. Pierre departed for the Chicago Cubs after the 2005 season.
Pierre is the greatest base stealer to ever wear a Marlins uniform. His 614 career steals (18th on the all-time list) put him among the greatest ever, let alone just the greatest Marlin. And Pierre can also be credited in part with bringing the Marlins the 2003 World Series title along with Luis Castillo; he was the other half of the Marlins "Dynamic Duo".
Pierre spurned the idea of days off playing the full 162 games in the 2003-2005 season. In 2004, he was the only player in the majors to play a full 162 game schedule. Something seldom seen in today's baseball. Only four players played in all 162 games in the 2014 season.
In the end Pierre will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest Marlin of all time. He did special things when he was with the Marlins and played with class. His story may not be over yet though, as Pierre is open to coaching and may be brought in as a special assistant for the Marlins. So today we pay tribute to Juan Pierre, a base stealer, a hard worker, and the Most Valuable Marlin of all time.