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| Andy LaRoche led the Pirates offensively in tonight's 3-1 win at Cincinnati, as he went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Both of his knocks were singles. |
Our View: LaRoche remains hot after hitting .321 in September. He ended a three-game skid without an RBI as well.
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| Andy LaRoche went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles on Tuesday, but the Pirates were shut out 6-0 by the Chicago Cubs. |
Our View: LaRoche has been tearing the cover off the ball the last week and during a six-game hitting streak is batting .520 with six doubles, three homers and nine RBI. Now that's a hot streak.
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| Andy LaRoche had a monster game on Monday afternoon as the Pirates rocked the Dodgers 11-1. LaRoche went 5-for-5 with two doubles, two home runs, four runs scored, and six RBI. |
Our View: Now that's a fantasy performance. LaRoche was absolutely dialed in today, and everything he hit did something productive. Don't expect much more of this from LaRoche, but a game like this has to give Pirate fans hope that he can begin to live up to his potential.
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| Andy LaRoche will miss his fifth game out of the Pirates' last six on Wednesday as he continues to battle the flu, according to MLBlogs.com. |
Our View: Neil Walker will start at third base in his absence.
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| Andy LaRoche has been scratched from tonight's lineup against San Diego due to an illness, according to MLBblogs.com. |
Our View: Neil Walker will cover third base in his absence. LaRoche should not miss much time while recovering from his illness.
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| Andy LaRoche went 1-for-4 with a solo homer off Bud Norris in tonight's 9-1 loss at Houston. |
Our View: The Pirates only mustered seven hits in the game, and LaRoche was their lone source of scoring. LaRoche homered in two of his last four games, after only hitting three in the entire month of August.
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| Andy LaRoche went 1-for-2 with a home run, a run scored, and an RBI in the Pirates' 4-2 loss to the Cubs on Monday. LaRoche now has eight homers on the year. |
Our View: LaRoche hasn't shown the power this year that many expected, but he has hit two homers in the last week or so. LaRoche is only hitting .247, and he will look forward to putting this season in the rear-view mirror.
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| Andy LaRoche hit his seventh home run of the season on Saturday night, but the Pirates would go on to lose 7-3 in Milwaukee. |
Our View: LaRoche has a very disappointing seven round-trippers in 2009, and is not a great option at third base in non NL-only leagues.
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| Andy LaRoche went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a pair of walks in the Pirates' 5-2 win over the Brewers on Tuesday. |
Our View: LaRoche was moved to the cleanup spot earlier in the day and responded well. He's been solid this entire month, hitting nearly .300 and getting on base at a .414 clip.
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| Andy LaRoche homered and drove in two on Wednesday, but in a losing effort, as the Pirates fell 4-3 to Arizona at home. |
Our View: LaRoche hadn't homered since July 4 and has only five all season. He's obviously not an option outside of NL-only leagues.
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| Andy LaRoche went 2-for-4 with a home run on Saturday, but the Pirates lost 5-3 to the Marlins in Miami. |
Our View: LaRoche is batting .278 in 2009, but has just four home runs. There should be better options at third base in most formats.
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| Andy LaRoche went 2-for-3 with a triple, a run scored, and an RBI in the Pirates 3-2 loss to the Royals on Sunday. LaRoche is now hitting .274 on the year. |
Our View: After an abysmal start to the season, LaRoche has become a solid hitter and a viable fantasy option. He doesn't hit for much power, but he can produce in NL-only leagues at third base.
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| Andy LaRoche hit a two-run single in the ninth inning on Thursday, leading the Pirates to a 3-1 victory in Atlanta. |
Our View: Andy is slowly emerging as a viable fantasy third basemen, though he is hurt by his lack of power. He has only two home runs in 191 at-bats this season. Overall, he is batting .289 with two home runs and 29 RBIs.
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| Andy LaRoche returned to the diamond Saturday after missing one game with a bruised right knee, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: LaRoche should be fine to return to fantasy lineups if he is a regular contributor to your team. He is currently hitting .302.
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| Andy LaRoche is not in Friday's lineup at Houston after suffering a right knee contusion when struck by a pitch in Thursday's battle with the Mets, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. |
Our View: LaRoche is considered day-to-day. He could be used as a pinch-hitter if needed.
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| Andy LaRoche exited Thursday's game against New York after the sixth inning due to a right knee contusion, according to MLBblogs.com. He sustained the injury when struck on his knee by a Mike Pelfrey pitch. |
Our View: LaRoche is considered day-to-day. Eric Hinske replaced him at third base.
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| Andy LaRoche went 2-for-4 with three RBI in Monday's 8-5 win over the Mets at PNC Park. He hit a single and a triple. |
Our View: LaRoche has collected two hits in three of his last four games. He is off to a good start in June after hitting .330 in May.
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| Andy LaRoche kept his hot hitting alive on Friday with a 2-for-4 effort in the Pirates' 6-1 loss to the Astros. |
Our View: LaRoche now has his average over .300 for the first time this season, which is impressive considering he went hitless in his first 16 at-bats of the season and hit just .254 in May. He's worth a look in NL-only leagues for sure now.
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| Andy LaRoche sat out Friday's game at the White Sox, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: LaRoche is not injured, and skipper John Russell just wanted to get Ramon Vazquez some playing time in his place. LaRoche should draw back into the lineup for Saturday's game.
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| Andy LaRoche hit his second home run of the season in the Pirates' 8-5 win over the Nationals on Tuesday. It was a two-run shot and he was 1-for-3 on the day. |
Our View: LaRoche has struggled this season and is showing very little power. He has driven in 18 on the year, but isn't worth more than a late look in NL-only leagues.
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| Andy LaRoche went 2-for-3 in Saturday's 10-1 loss at New York. Both of his hits were doubles. |
Our View: The Pirates only mustered five hits in the game. LaRoche has collected a hit in six of his last seven games, with eight hits over the span.
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| Andy LaRoche extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double in Monday's loss at Milwaukee, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: LaRoche offers very little speed or power, but should remain useful in NL-only leagues while hot. He started the season in an 0-for-18 slump.
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| Andy LaRoche has extended his hitting streak to 10 games with two hits in Sunday's win over the Padres, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: LaRoche has 19 total hits (five doubles) over the span, and his 0-for-18 start to the season has been forgotten. He should continue to be employed in NL-only lineups while he is hot.
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| Andy LaRoche went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI as the Pirates beat the Marlins 7-4 on Wednesday. |
Our View: After a terrible start to the season, LaRoche now has a six game hitting streak. It may not sound like much, but this is the best he's hit (during the regular season) since joining the Pirates last season.
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| Andy LaRoche continues to receive treatment for his ailing back, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He missed a week in spring training due to back spasms. |
Our View: Ramon Vazquez replaced LaRoche in the starting lineup at third base Monday, and LaRoche should be held out of fantasy lineups until further notice. He is hitless over his first 14 at-bats of the season.
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| According to the Pittsburgh Tribune, the Pirates have benched Andy LaRoche following his atrocious start to the 2009 season. |
Our View: This is the third time in the last five games that LaRoche has found himself on the bench, but manager John Russell stated "We're going to give Andy every chance to work through this", so it appears as if he will still get his chances.
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| Andy LaRoche is hitless over 14 at-bats this season, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He has struck out three times, and reached base once on a walk. |
Our View: LaRoche may not end his slump today, as he is 1-for-24 (.042) over his career against the Astros.
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| According to MLB.com, struggling third baseman Andy LaRoche was held out of Wednesday's lineup against the Cardinals. He has yet to get a hit this season and committed three errors in his first two games, so the move doesn't come as a huge surprise. |
Our View: Fantasy owners shouldn't be too concerned. LaRoche is off to a bad start, but it's only been two games. He's still the Bucs starting third baseman and should get his job back soon. This is likely just a day of rest or a mild punishment for the three errors.
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| Andy LaRoche hit his second home run of the season in Pittsburgh's 7-7 tie with Tampa Bay on Sunday. It was his only hit of the game as he finished 1-for-2 with a walk. |
Our View: The younger LaRoche is hitting 13-for-25 this spring, but he is responsible for just two extra base hits. He has typically always been good for a high batting average in the minors, but in 223 major league at-bats last year, he hit only .166. He'll be the Pirates' third baseman this season, and he can be had for next to nothing at the draft table.
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| Andy LaRoche went 2-for-3 with a run scored in Pittsburgh's 10-1 win over the Twins on Saturday. |
Our View: The third baseman is hitting 7-for-13 this spring, and he can still be had for next nothing in fantasy drafts. He was an exceptional hitter with a strong batting eye in the minors, but that has not even slightly translated to the major leagues.
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| Andy LaRoche continued his hot spring Thursday going 1-for-2 with a walk and raising his preseason average to an even .500. |
Our View: LaRoche will continue to get more looks if he keeps up his torrid pace this spring and may even start popping up at the bottom of draft boards in mixed leagues.
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| Andy LaRoche hit his first spring homerun Wednesday in a 2-1 victory over the Twins. His two-run shot represented the only runs for the offensively starved Pirates. |
Our View: LaRoche is a talented player, but until he proves himself consistenly on the big league stage he's not worth more than a late look in NL only leagues.
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| Andy LaRoche, who had been dealing with back spasms, was able to start at third base in Thursday's game against Boston, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He hit a single in his first at-bat. |
Our View: LaRoche had been displaying a smooth stroke previously during minicamp, and would be worth targeting as a flier for NL-only leagues if healthy.
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| Andy LaRoche, who has been dealing with back spasms, may start today against Boston, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: He had been displaying a smooth stroke previously during minicamp, and would be worth targeting as a flier for NL-only leagues if healthy.
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| Pirates third baseman Andy LaRoche has an ailing back, and won't be ready to play in the team's initial contest of spring training on Wednesday, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "This offseason I didn't really stick with (the exercises) like I should," LaRoche said. "I guess the doctors were right when they said I'll have to stick with them for the rest of my career." |
Our View: To know that he was told to stick with the exercises and that he didn't do it is somewhat startling, considering he was one of the worst players in the game last year. Continue to ignore him for fantasy purposes.
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| Andy LaRoche was unable to participate in camp Thursday due to a back ailment, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Manager John Russell said, "Just had a little back spasm. We held him out. We will see how he is doing." |
Our View: LaRoche will be re-evaluated daily. He had been displaying a smooth stroke previously during minicamp, and would be worth targeting as a flier for NL-only leagues if healthy.
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| Andy LaRoche struggled with a poor .166 batting average and .252 OBP last season, but is regaining his confidence and is looking forward to a fresh start in 2009, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He said, "I will get the confidence back. I know I will. I have had a lot of success in the minor leagues, a lot of people who have believed in me, and I am not going to let two bad months or the fact that I stunk when I first got here ruin that. I am starting fresh."
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Our View: LaRoche has displayed a smooth and powerful stroke during minicamp, and the 25-year-old is going to get a chance to hold the starting gig at third base. He is worth a look in NL-only leagues as a flier.
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| Due to what are perceived to be high salary demands on a long-term deal, it does not seem likely that first baseman Andy LaRoche will be long-term fixture at first base for Pittsburgh, according to Pirates.com. |
Our View: The team did not offer him a long-term extension in the offseason, though LaRoche has said he would like to stay. The Pirates traditionally do not have a large payroll, and when LaRoche and the team talked numbers before last year, they were quite a ways apart.
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| The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Andy LaRoche will likely be the Opening Day third baseman for the Pirates. |
Our View: LaRoche couldn't get his bat going in the majors last season. In 223 at-bats, he hit a mere .166. Ramon Vazquez figures to be his only competition at the position in spring training.
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| Andy LaRoche has had two cage sessions this winter with hitting coach Don Long to work on regaining his timing between his upper and lower body, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. LaRoche struggled with the Pirates in 2008 but skipper John Russell commented, "The kid's been working hard, and we're hopeful he can be a good bat for us."
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Our View: The Pirates still have high hopes for LaRoche as he was a top prospect with the Dodgers and is only 25 years old. He will have a good chance to roam third base for Pittsburgh in 2009.
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| MLB.com reports that Andy LaRoche will have to battle for the third base job in 2009. "Obviously, it's not been what anybody wants to this point, and I think Andy would be the first to acknowledge that," Huntington said. |
Our View: LaRoche has done little to solidify his case for earning the job in his two months with the Pirates, so far. If anything, he's taken a step back. Heading into Thursday's series finale vs. the Brewers, he carried a .167 batting average and only 18 RBIs in 209 at-bats. His 10 season errors, many the result of inadequate footwork, haven't helped make a good first impression, either.
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| Andy LaRoche has been horrific while with the Pirates, but he did help their cause greatly by hitting a solo home run in the team's 3-2 win over the Reds. |
Our View: LaRoche saw his average go from .165 all the way to .169. Wasting a roster spot on him is a poor idea.
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| Andy LaRoche has had a miserable season, and part of it may be that he does not seem to be putting out much of an effort, according to ESPN.com. |
Our View: LaRoche has been chided for not running out ground balls and general malaise, which are things a guy hitting .159 can't really be doing. Clearly, his fantasy value is non-existent.
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| Andy LaRoche returned to the Pirates' lineup today and continued his slide. He was 0-3 at the plate and has no hits in his last 27 at-bats. |
Our View: LaRoche has no real fantasy value.
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| Andy LaRoche is only hitting .169 for the season, and has made six errors in his 17 games with the Pirates, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is struggling, but Manager John Russell still has faith in him as he said, "He's got a good glove. We need to continue to work his footwork so he's in a better position to throw. It's going to take some work. He still has a lot of development to go through, but the mistakes are correctable. You see the pluses, and the projections are all good."
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Our View: The Pirates' third baseman should not be considered for fantasy lineups.
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| Andy LaRoche went 0-for-4 and his average has plummeted to .177 on the season, as the Pirates lost to Milwaukee 10-4. |
Our View: LaRoche had a lot of fantasy owners thinking he could do some things when traded to Pittsburgh, but that has not materialized. He holds no fantasy value.
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| Andy LaRoche has been struggling in the field as of late with the Pirates, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He made two errors on ground balls Sunday, giving him four in 12 games with Pittsburgh. Infield instructor Tony Beasley supported him by saying, "Those were not routine plays. This is a good third baseman."
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Our View: He is performing fine with his bat, however. He has a four-game hitting streak, with one homer and two RBI over the span. He shouldn't be in jeopardy of losing his spot at third base.
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| Andy LaRoche is still struggling after his move to Pittsburgh from L.A., and his 0-for-3 performance in Pittsburgh's 5-2 win over the Reds moved his average down to .176. |
Our View: LaRoche was a hot fantasy option after being shipped to the Pirates, but needless to say, that fervor has died down, and he is hitting only .115 in August.
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| Andy LaRoche, who is out with a bruised right thumb, pinch-hit yesterday, and may be able to start Monday against the Mets, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: He will be welcomed back to the Pirates' lineup, but fantasy owners should not consider him as he holds a .187 average over 75 at-bats this season.
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| Andy LaRoche (thumb) will not be in the lineup Friday as hoped, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. |
Our View: The finger remains swollen though there is some growing mobility. LaRoche will hopefully be able to return to action either Sunday or Monday.
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| Andy LaRoche will resume swinging a bat on Friday, and if that goes favorably without any issues, he could play that night, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: If he has a problem with his injured thumb on Friday, he will undergo an MRI. The injury to his right thumb is unrelated to the torn ligament that cost him two months earlier this year.
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| After injuring his right thumb in Monday night's game, Andy LaRoche's X-rays came back negative. |
Our View: He'll undergo more tests today to determine the severity of the injury.
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| Andy LaRoche had a brutal night at the plate, going 0-for-5 with a strikeout and leaving seven men on base in Pittsburgh's loss to Arizona. |
Our View: LaRoche is now hitting under .200, and is 2-for-16 since being acquired from the Bucs. He has promise in fantasy play, but he'll need to start hitting sometime soon.
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| Two newcomers to the Pirates went deep on Sunday as Brandon Moss and B Andy LaRoche each took Cubs pitcher's deep. |
Our View: LaRoche was in the five hole, Moss batted sixth, as the team is in need of some pop with Andy LaRoche on the sidelines. LaRoche could end up being a fine play down the stretch and is worth monitoring even in mixed leagues.
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| As expected, Andy LaRoche will replace Jose Bautista as the Pirates starting third baseman, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. |
Our View: LaRoche is hitting fifth in the Bucs lineup and should provide a much higher on-base percentage than Bautista. LaRoche's OBP in the minors this year was a dazzling .445.
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| The Pirates have acquired Andy LaRoche as part of the Manny Ramirez deal. |
Our View: LaRoche should be the everyday third baseman right away in Pittsburgh, where he will be joining his brother. It's a little odd the Bucs asked for LaRoche in the deal given that their first-round pick from June, Pedro Alvarez, also plays third.
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| Andy LaRoche has been optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas, according to the AP. Mark Sweeney was activated from the DL as the corresponding move. |
Our View: LaRoche failed to make an impact with the Dodgers this season, as he only hit .203 over 59 at-bats. The acquisition of Casey Blake from the Indians made LaRoche expendable.
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| Andy LaRoche may start at third base for the entire series against Colorado, which the LA Times suggests could be an indication the Dodgers are showcasing him for a potential trade. |
Our View: It is speculation that the team may trade him, and the Dodgers could just be getting him some work to keep him sharp.
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| Andy LaRoche made his first start at second base today against the White Sox, according to the LA Daily News. |
Our View: Russell Martin made another start at third base, and Danny Ardoin is behind the plate.
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| Andy LaRoche got his second straight start at third base against a left-hander Saturday. However, manager Joe Torre doesn't want to say there is a strict platoon between LaRoche and Blake DeWitt. "I don't want to say it's a platoon [at third base], because there may be a game where I think Loney has trouble with this particular left-hander, I'll put LaRoche over there and DeWitt'll play," Torre said on MLB.com. "I'm not afraid to have DeWitt hit against left-handers, but his numbers lately against left-handers haven't been as good as the overall number." |
Our View: LaRoche is just 1-for-13 so far at the plate this year (including today's at-bats), so he'll have to pick it up at the plate if he wants to continue getting at least semi-regular playing time.
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| Andy LaRoche made his major league debut on Wednesday night, not at his traditional third base, but at first base, according to MLB.com. "Hopefully, I won't make too much of a fool out of myself," said LaRoche. He didn't look out of place at the plate as he hit a home run. |
Our View: Andy could also see some time at second base, in addition to his traditional spot at the hot corner, as he will try his best to be a jack of all trades until a full time spot opens up.
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| Manager Joe Torre plans on playing Andy LaRoche every day against left-handers. "We'll find somebody whose place he'll take against left-handers," Torre said in the LA Times. "Now that he's here, we have to find places to get him enough at-bats so he can help us." |
Our View: It seems like an obvious decision to bench the left-handed hitting Blake DeWitt against southpaws, but DeWitt is batting .348 against them thus far. LaRoche can play the outfield and second base, as well.
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| The Dodgers are expected to recall Andy LaRoche from Triple-A Las Vegas before Tuesday's game, according to MLB.com. LaRoche is expected to serve as a backup to Blake DeWitt at third base, James Loney at first base and even Jeff Kent at second base. |
Our View: LaRoche had never played second until the Dodgers put him there a couple weeks ago, presumably so that he could be used in a utility role in the majors. He was batting .277 with five homers and 26 RB with a .444 OBP at Triple-A. LaRoche's ceiling is higher than Blake DeWitt's but DeWitt has played well enough that he should still get the majority of starts at the hot corner.
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| Andy LaRoche was taken out of a game on Saturday after being hit by a pitch on the middle finger of his right hand, but X-rays were negative and LaRoche returned to action on Sunday, according to the LA Times.
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Our View: He went 2-for-3 in the game, and his ailment didn't hinder him. Manager Joe Torre previously mentioned that LaRoche was close to getting recalled from Triple-A, and as early as Monday.
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| With the Dodgers designating corner infielder Terry Tiffee for assignment, the team is facing problems with a a lack of personnel and may turn to Andy LaRoche to as the likely answer, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: LaRoche is working as the third baseman for Triple-A Las Vegas and manager Joe Torre, while reserving a desire to see what shortstop Angel Berroa (recently acquired via trade) has to offer, spoke of giving LaRoche that opportunity, noting he could be called up as early as Monday.
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| Andy LaRoche has begun playing first base in an effort to increase his versatility. "We're going to move him all over the infield with the anticipation that when he comes up to this level, that if we want to get [starting first baseman James] Loney out of there against a certain left-hander, we can do that," manager Joe Torre informs the Los Angeles Times. "It's just more options for us." LaRoche may also try his hand at second base. |
Our View: It's becoming more and more clear that Blake DeWitt has secured the third base gig, at least for the near term. LaRoche still has plenty of upside, but it's going to take some time until he has a job in the majors.
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| Andy LaRoche hit his second home run in as many games for Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday. |
Our View: To say that LaRoche has nothing left to prove offensively in Triple-A would be the understatement of the year, but the Dodgers apparently don’t think that he can help them right now. He is hitting .324-4-9 with a 12/2 BB/K ratio in 12 games for Vegas.
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| Andy LaRoche hit .318 over six games at Double-A Jacksonville and on Tuesday was moved up to Triple-A Las Vegas, where he was hitting .154 with one home run over four games, according to MLB.com. He was optioned to Las Vegas.
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Our View: Blake DeWitt is holding his own as the starting third baseman for the Dodgers, and LaRoche has been sent to Las Vegas instead of coming back to Los Angeles to fight DeWitt for playing time.
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| Andy LaRoche could start a minor league rehab assignment on Wednesday, according to the LA Times.
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Our View: He will fight for playing time at third base when he ultimately returns to the Dodgers, which will be some time in May.
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| Andy LaRoche took another step toward returning to the Dodgers, as he made throws from the infield on Monday afternoon, according to MLB.com. He said, "I just threw it across the diamond, third to first, nothing really difficult, and it felt good. It was better than I expected. I'm three weeks ahead of schedule right now, so it's come along real well." He is on pace to return sometime in May, as he continues to recover from his thumb surgery.
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Our View: He will fight for playing time at third base when he ultimately returns.
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| Andy LaRoche is advising the team to send him to extended spring training in Vero Beach, Fla., when the Dodgers travel to Atlanta, according to the LA Times. He has been throwing a baseball for the last three days and will attempt to throw across the diamond today. But he noted that he feels a lack of strength in his hand when hitting.
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Our View: His rehab from thumb surgery was previously said to be about two weeks ahead of schedule. He will battle Blake DeWitt for playing time when he returns.
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| Andy LaRoche continues to make favorable progress in his recovery from thumb surgery, according to the LA Times. He reportedly participated in two rounds of batting practice and threw a baseball Friday, the first time he has done either since tearing a ligament in his right thumb on March 7. He commented, "No pain at all. I want to stay out here all day, but I've still got to stay patient. Nature still has to take its course." His rehab is now two weeks ahead of schedule.
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Our View: He will fight Blake DeWitt for playing time at third base when he returns. DeWitt is notably performing well as the acting starter.
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| Andy LaRoche has begun hitting off of a tee, according to the LA Daily News. He also said that he could hit light toss today. Following his thumb surgery on March 10, LaRoche was expected to be out for a minimum of six weeks. |
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| Andy LaRoche had his cast removed on Tuesday, according to the LA Times. He had the cast and three pins removed from his surgically repaired right thumb on Tuesday, and an X-ray revealed that his torn tendon has healed favorably. LaRoche took ground balls during pregame warmups, but stated that he didn't know when he would be able to hit or throw again. Following his surgery on March 10, LaRoche was expected to be out for a minimum of six weeks.
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| Andy LaRoche is expected to be placed on the 15-day DL at the start of the season, according to MLB.com. He stated that he will have pins removed from his thumb on Tuesday, three weeks after surgery to fix a torn ligament in his right thumb. Blake DeWitt is expected to open the season at third base, as Garciaparra is headed to the DL additionally.
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| 3B Andy LaRoche , nursing a torn ligament in his right thumb, should get his soft cast off in just over two weeks and begin rehabbing, likely in extended spring training in Vero Beach, according to the Associated Press. The injury, along with the concerns of failing durability that might befall Jeff Kent, is feeding rumors that state the Dodgers are seeking to make a trade to bring a versatile infielder into the fold. Today's timeline shows the team is laying plans, but the future remains uncertain. |
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| The injury of Andy LaRoche and the age and durability of Jeff Kent and Garciaparra has the Dodgers in the market for a versatile infielder, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com. So far Ronnie Belliard and Esteban German have been named, as well as Delwyn Young. |
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| Andy LaRoche has torn the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb during action on Friday and will miss 8-10 weeks, according to the LA Daily News. Nomar Garciaparra will likely move up on fantasy draft boards for now. |
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| GM Ned Coletti said that Andy LaRoche and Nomar Garciaparra will battle for the third base job this spring, and at this point no one has a leg up in the competition. "Andy and Nomar give us two great options at third base, and we're going to let them figure it out," Coletti told the LA Times. The GM also said that there's a good chance LaRoche will make the team even if he doesn't beat Garciaparra out for the starting job. "He's almost going to have to not make the club. It's a pretty good spot to be in." |
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| The Dodgers recalled Andy LaRoche from Triple-A Las Vegas Sunday. LaRoche hit just .211 in 38 at-bats earlier this year with the Dodgers, but he hit .309 with 18 homers in 265 at-bats for Las Vegas. LaRoche started for the Dodgers on Sunday and could get the bulk of the playing time at the hot corner down the stretch, with Nomar Garciaparra's return not in sight. |
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| The Dodgers are expected to option Andy LaRoche back to Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday, according to the LA Times. He hit just .211 in 28 at-bats since being called up. The Dodgers hope he can iron out his swing while seeing regular action in the minors. |
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| Andy LaRoche went 0-for-4 Wednesday, dropping his average to .204. Although he has walked 13 times in 47 plate appearances, he hasn't done much else since being pressed into part-time duty at third base. |
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| Andy LaRoche left Monday's contest in the eighth inning after being hit in the wrist by a pitch from Jorge Julio, according to the LA Times. X-rays after the game were negative, and it's unclear if he'll be back in the lineup today. In six at-bats with the Dodgers this year, he's hitting .333 with two RBI and a stolen base. |
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| With the benching of Wilson Betemit, the Dodgers called up Andy LaRoche from Triple-A on Sunday, according to the AP. LaRoche, the Dodgers' top prospect, wasn't exactly tearing up the minor leagues, hitting just .235 with three homers and 11 RBI in 24 games, but he should be given the chance to claim the starting job at third base. Consider him in NL-only play. |
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| The Dodgers haven't totally scrapped the idea of third-base prospect Andy LaRoche in the outfield, because he was working in the outfield with coach Dave Jauss on Monday, the team's official site reports. |
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| Andy LaRoche underwent an MRI this week and is likely to require surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, according to the Dodgers official site. LaRoche, 23, played 62 games at Jacksonville and 55 games at Las Vegas, batting a combined .315 with 19 homers and 81 RBIs in 117 games. "He's probably going to have [surgery], but it hasn't been confirmed," said Roy Smith, the club's vice president of player development. |
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| It is unlikely that Andy LaRoche will be recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas, according to the LA Times. With Wilson Betemit and Julio Lugo already platooning at third base, there wouldn't be that much playing time available for LaRoche. Another factor keeping LaRoche in the minors is that the team wants the third baseman to fully recover from his shoulder injury, even though he has played through the injury since mid June. LaRoche is hitting .315 with 19 homers and 81 RBI between Las Vegas and Double-A Jacksonville this year. |
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