Adam Laroche traded (1 Viewer)

[monessen]

From Peter Gammons

On the Adam LaRoche deal: The Red Sox have been searching for ways to upgrade their sliding offense for weeks. This deal has been on the table for three weeks, and after losing their fourth straight game on Tuesday and declining to trade Clay Buchholz for Victor Martinez, Theo Epstein took LaRoche.The Red Sox will work LaRoche, Mike Lowell and David Ortiz into the first-base, DH and third-base spots, with Kevin Youkilis moving back and forth between first and third. Boston's team OPS has declined every month this season, and in the past four years, LaRoche's second-half OPS is .938.The Red Sox felt they had to move Wednesday because the Pirates had a deal to send LaRoche to another team in exchange for a better package than Argenis Diaz and Hunter Strickland, but Boston was willing to take on LaRoche's entire salary.

Am not surprised the Pirates took a lesser deal to save money. Par for the course. Thanks for the Gammons take.McLouth went to the All-Star game last year, did he not? And was under contract through 2011? And the Bucs said last year they would not trade him for Robinson Cano. Cano is worth much more than the players the Pirates received in return for McLouth from the Braves.

 

[Spartans Rule]

Wow, As a Red Sox fan I'm psyched. We got a top 5ish power hitting first baseman for next to nothing. Laroche should be able to poke 40 at the Fens.

mclouth? ive said before, i think he's a nice piece on a good team. on the pirates, he looks like he's a star. he's 29 i think. mccucheon has been great. now we'll have an OF of milledge, mccutcheon and jones. that looks pretty good. steve pearce is coming up to play 1B full-time. not jones.

McLouth is 27, and had an extremely affordable salary through 2011. I don't think anybody said he is a star, what he is is a solid fielder (although his gold glove was a joke), and a very good hitter. He is a good player on any team.

NO, HE ISN'T.

Yes he is.

No, he really isn't.804 OPS this season ranks him 37th among qualifying MLB outfielders. His career OPS is 800. He has decent pop, but his batting average and OBP are about league-average.

Adjectives like "decent" or "above average" best describe McLouth as a hitter. Not "very good".

 

[eagles2007]

thanks. i like mclouth, don't get me wrong. but very good hitters hit better than .260. unless they are hitting 45 plus home runs.

 

[Capella]

the Pirates had a deal to send LaRoche to another team in exchange for a better package than Argenis Diaz and Hunter Strickland, but Boston was willing to take on LaRoche's entire salary.

Pittsburgh Baseball

 

[monessen]

McLouth has 15 homers in 338 AB as of this, and 14 SB. By contrast, look at BJ Upton's numbers this year, including his strikeouts. Isn't he over 100 K's now? If McLouth is "decent," this season, Upton must "stink."

Nice to see LaRoche homer off a lefty tonight at Fenway. Boston'll be glad to have him as the season wears on. More homers to come. Lugo has started off well at SS for St. Louis, but that is fine since the Pirates got a Double A .250 hitter to play short once Wilson is dealt. Can't wait for this Diaz if he can get past Triple A.

Haven't heard if the Pirates have offered a package yet to Toronto for Halladay. Anybody know?

As for our Buccos, well, 74 wins is still plausible this year. Just wait until 2014 unless we deal off the better players by then for "prospects."

 

[Spartans Rule]

McLouth has 15 homers in 338 AB as of this, and 14 SB. By contrast, look at BJ Upton's numbers this year, including his strikeouts. Isn't he over 100 K's now? If McLouth is "decent," this season, Upton must "stink."

Yes, Upton does stink this year. I dunno who'd dispute that. A line of .238/.320/.369 for a 688 OPS is terrible.You can stop trying to pump up traded Pirates by comparing them to this year's biggest busts.

 

[Knobs]

the Pirates had a deal to send LaRoche to another team in exchange for a better package than Argenis Diaz and Hunter Strickland, but Boston was willing to take on LaRoche's entire salary.

Pittsburgh Baseball

And I thought it sucked to be an A's fan. Ouch.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

the Pirates had a deal to send LaRoche to another team in exchange for a better package than Argenis Diaz and Hunter Strickland, but Boston was willing to take on LaRoche's entire salary.

Pittsburgh Baseball

What's the other package of players?Strickland combined for a no-hitter in his first start in the Pirates system this week.

 

[monessen]

Gammons did not make that clear about what the other package consisted of.

Gammons predicted, some years ago, that David Littlefield would be a success as GM and turn the Pirates around.

 

[eagles2007]

a two-week rental of adam laroche netted the pirates hunter strickland and a decent SS prospect. pretty good, i'd say. and before anyone says well, why didn't we get casey kotchman, i'd say i would rather have the two guys we got.

 

[monessen]

a two-week rental of adam laroche netted the pirates hunter strickland and a decent SS prospect. pretty good, i'd say. and before anyone says well, why didn't we get casey kotchman, i'd say i would rather have the two guys we got.

Really? The Braves have both Mike Gonzalez AND Adam LaRoche now. Would you have given up Gonzalez coming off his year as closer for the Bucs for a .157 hitting minor league SS and the famous Hunter Strickland? I'd have to say Atlanta got the best of all worlds on the transactions.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

a two-week rental of adam laroche netted the pirates hunter strickland and a decent SS prospect. pretty good, i'd say. and before anyone says well, why didn't we get casey kotchman, i'd say i would rather have the two guys we got.

Really? The Braves have both Mike Gonzalez AND Adam LaRoche now. Would you have given up Gonzalez coming off his year as closer for the Bucs for a .157 hitting minor league SS and the famous Hunter Strickland? I'd have to say Atlanta got the best of all worlds on the transactions.

is mike gonzalez even in baseball anymore?

 

[monessen]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player?statsId=7207

Yes. Doing pretty well. Just like LaRoche.

 

[Copeman]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player?statsId=7207

Yes. Doing pretty well. Just like LaRoche.

Yeah, the Pirates were wonderful when they had those two. Now not so much.

 

[eagles2007]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player?statsId=7207

Yes. Doing pretty well. Just like LaRoche.

not doing as wel as you seem to think.he as annointed closer coming out of spring training and couldn't hold the job.

the pirates made a good move trading gonzalez for laroche. and that was proven by the fragility of gonazalez. laroche was a great risk. unfortunately, he didn't pan out. i thought bringing his ibrother in would help him greatly in terms of relaxing. unfortunately, it seems like it really helped andy, who has played much better since becoming a pirate.

 

[monessen]

Based on his ERA and in complementing Soriano in the bullpen, I think Gonzalez is doing well enough. Cox prefers Soriano to close, but Gonzalez has 9 saves and is a strong set-up guy.

Of course, he is no Yumeiro Petit, with an ERA over 6 and a 1-5 record entering tonight's game against the Bucs. In addition to Cedeno's single, the Pirates had a few walks and hit some hard foul balls. How many times will this team be shut out this season? Petit has not been mistaken for Dan Haren.

Andy LaRoche is not a starting major league third baseman. Almost no power and doesn't hit for average either. I do agree that having Adam LaRoche there was good for both brothers. But hey, we got a single A pitcher and a double A shortstop who can't hit .200. Maybe we should have swapped LaRoche for Petit.

 

[eagles2007]

Based on his ERA and in complementing Soriano in the bullpen, I think Gonzalez is doing well enough. Cox prefers Soriano to close, but Gonzalez has 9 saves and is a strong set-up guy.

Of course, he is no Yumeiro Petit, with an ERA over 6 and a 1-5 record entering tonight's game against the Bucs. In addition to Cedeno's single, the Pirates had a few walks and hit some hard foul balls. How many times will this team be shut out this season? Petit has not been mistaken for Dan Haren.

Andy LaRoche is not a starting major league third baseman. Almost no power and doesn't hit for average either. I do agree that having Adam LaRoche there was good for both brothers. But hey, we got a single A pitcher and a double A shortstop who can't hit .200. Maybe we should have swapped LaRoche for Petit.

really? then why did cox annoint gonzalez as the closer in spring training? you are wrong, as usual.

 

[monessen]

Based on his ERA and in complementing Soriano in the bullpen, I think Gonzalez is doing well enough. Cox prefers Soriano to close, but Gonzalez has 9 saves and is a strong set-up guy.

Of course, he is no Yumeiro Petit, with an ERA over 6 and a 1-5 record entering tonight's game against the Bucs. In addition to Cedeno's single, the Pirates had a few walks and hit some hard foul balls. How many times will this team be shut out this season? Petit has not been mistaken for Dan Haren.

Andy LaRoche is not a starting major league third baseman. Almost no power and doesn't hit for average either. I do agree that having Adam LaRoche there was good for both brothers. But hey, we got a single A pitcher and a double A shortstop who can't hit .200. Maybe we should have swapped LaRoche for Petit.

really? then why did cox annoint gonzalez as the closer in spring training? you are wrong, as usual.

Soriano really came on and threw harder, but Gonzalez is used often and, if Soriano gives up more Ethier home runs, Cox will return to "annointing" Gonzalez to close if a left-handed hitter continues to beat them in the 9th. So, you think Gonzalez has been a disappointment, eh? A lot of teams would love to have him. The Braves have Gonzalez and LaRoche now. That's my point, not what Cox does, unless I'm "wrong as usual." And who do the Pirates have in place of those guys again? Oh right, minor leaguers. That's great for Double A ball. Would you rather have LaRoche and Gonzales or the unknowns? I know what cheap owners would answer to that question.

 

[eagles2007]

Based on his ERA and in complementing Soriano in the bullpen, I think Gonzalez is doing well enough. Cox prefers Soriano to close, but Gonzalez has 9 saves and is a strong set-up guy.

Of course, he is no Yumeiro Petit, with an ERA over 6 and a 1-5 record entering tonight's game against the Bucs. In addition to Cedeno's single, the Pirates had a few walks and hit some hard foul balls. How many times will this team be shut out this season? Petit has not been mistaken for Dan Haren.

Andy LaRoche is not a starting major league third baseman. Almost no power and doesn't hit for average either. I do agree that having Adam LaRoche there was good for both brothers. But hey, we got a single A pitcher and a double A shortstop who can't hit .200. Maybe we should have swapped LaRoche for Petit.

really? then why did cox annoint gonzalez as the closer in spring training? you are wrong, as usual.

Soriano really came on and threw harder, but Gonzalez is used often and, if Soriano gives up more Ethier home runs, Cox will return to "annointing" Gonzalez to close if a left-handed hitter continues to beat them in the 9th. So, you think Gonzalez has been a disappointment, eh? A lot of teams would love to have him. The Braves have Gonzalez and LaRoche now. That's my point, not what Cox does, unless I'm "wrong as usual." And who do the Pirates have in place of those guys again? Oh right, minor leaguers. That's great for Double A ball. Would you rather have LaRoche and Gonzales or the unknowns? I know what cheap owners would answer to that question.

had laroche for 2 years. were they a winning team? no. god you are a moron. you'd rather field a bad team with veterans than a bad team with youngsters who have a chance to get better.

 

[monessen]

Based on his ERA and in complementing Soriano in the bullpen, I think Gonzalez is doing well enough. Cox prefers Soriano to close, but Gonzalez has 9 saves and is a strong set-up guy.

Of course, he is no Yumeiro Petit, with an ERA over 6 and a 1-5 record entering tonight's game against the Bucs. In addition to Cedeno's single, the Pirates had a few walks and hit some hard foul balls. How many times will this team be shut out this season? Petit has not been mistaken for Dan Haren.

Andy LaRoche is not a starting major league third baseman. Almost no power and doesn't hit for average either. I do agree that having Adam LaRoche there was good for both brothers. But hey, we got a single A pitcher and a double A shortstop who can't hit .200. Maybe we should have swapped LaRoche for Petit.

really? then why did cox annoint gonzalez as the closer in spring training? you are wrong, as usual.

Soriano really came on and threw harder, but Gonzalez is used often and, if Soriano gives up more Ethier home runs, Cox will return to "annointing" Gonzalez to close if a left-handed hitter continues to beat them in the 9th. So, you think Gonzalez has been a disappointment, eh? A lot of teams would love to have him. The Braves have Gonzalez and LaRoche now. That's my point, not what Cox does, unless I'm "wrong as usual." And who do the Pirates have in place of those guys again? Oh right, minor leaguers. That's great for Double A ball. Would you rather have LaRoche and Gonzales or the unknowns? I know what cheap owners would answer to that question.

had laroche for 2 years. were they a winning team? no. god you are a moron. you'd rather field a bad team with veterans than a bad team with youngsters who have a chance to get better.

I am just pointing out that LaRoche and Gonzalez are solid big-league players. And I didn't call you any names. You disappoint me with that kind of stuff. If you want the last word, take it. But I'd appreciate some civility. As to your comment about the players who "have a chance to get better," we have a chance to travel to Mars someday, too. And I don't mean Mars, Pennsylvania.