Dee Gordon is all ears

— -- Dee Gordon is a difficult man to pin down -- as pitchers and catchers around the majors will attest each time he slides into a base ahead of a tag. But comparisons are inevitable in baseball, and Gordon's speed, skill and personal growth are prompting people in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization to reflect on where he's been, marvel at some of the things he's doing and wonder aloud what he might become.

Davey Lopes, Los Angeles' first-base coach and resident baserunning guru, compares Gordon favorably to  Juan Pierre, a born worker who parlayed modest skills and plus speed into 2,217 career hits and 614 stolen bases. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly also opts for a left-handed-hitting outfielder, but he prefers a guy who outran a reputation as a suspect hitter to make two All-Star teams and sign a $48 million contract with the Cleveland Indians.