CHICAGO -- Changing uniforms hasn't altered the close friendship between Dontrelle Willis and Juan Pierre.

 

Pierre, the former Marlins fan favorite now with the Cubs, had breakfast on Monday with Willis, who will be pitching at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night.

 

Great friends, Willis and Pierre both make South Florida their offseason homes. Pierre bought a house in Parkland, Fla., the week before he reported to Spring Training with the Cubs.

 

Leading off for the Cubs, it won't take long for Pierre to step in and face Willis.

 

"Facing Dontrelle," Pierre said. "That's going to be pretty weird. We had breakfast this morning. I told him, 'I'm going to get him though. I told him, 'You think I was just catching you for your benefit.' "

 

While with the Marlins, Pierre obtained a left-handed catcher's glove so he could work out with Willis the day after the D-Train's starts. Hours before games on the outfield grass, Pierre would get into catchers position while Willis would throw to him.

 

"It's going to be weird, a guy you went to battle with and played behind so much, now [you're] trying to get hits off him and trying to beat him," Pierre said. "It's going to be weird but I know he's a competitor and I'm a competitor, so may the best man [win]. I've been watching him and still keeping up with him. They're a young team, so they've got to take their lumps. But they're going to be pretty good, I think."

 

Pierre says he has retired that glove, because he isn't ready to catch the likes of Carlos Zambrano.

 

Pierre also remains a big Miami Heat fan. Ironically, the Heat are playing the Chicago Bulls in the NBA playoffs.

 

"I didn't like the way they came out the other night," Pierre said of the Heat's slow start in a game they ended up winning. "I wanted them to come out like the Spurs, within the first five minutes, the game was over. I still think they are going to be all right. I'm kind of torn. I can't really talk about them too much here in Chicago. They love their sports out here. I have to root for the Heat silently around here. I'm definitely rooting for them, though. They play Thursday here, and we have an off-day. I'm going to see if I can sneak in there."

:thumbup

That's all good to hear. They had a very strong relationship.

Did anyone ever notice that Dontrelle and Juan wear those white and black camo t shirts under their jerseys? I used to notice it all the time when Juan was still in Florida and I saw it again last night...Thats like those 2's thing I guess.

i miss pierre...

DUH! lol

 

EDIT: I can see Pierre re-joining this team in the VERY near future.

I never want Pierre back on this team.

 

Also, of course they're still friends. It's not like you're going to hate someone because they get transferred in their job.