ADAM LaROCHE

11/6/79; 29th '00 (Atl); Seminole State College
L/L; 6-3, 180

Level	BA	OBP	SA	AB	2B	3B	HR	BB	K	SB	CS
2000 R (Atl)	.308	.381	.507	201	13	3	7	24	46	4	1
2001 A+ (Atl)	.251	.305	.361	471	31	0	7	30	108	10	8
2002 AA (Atl)	.269	.363	.410	173	9	0	4	19	36	1	1
2002 A+ (Atl)	.336	.406	.512	250	17	0	9	27	37	0	2
2003 AAA (Atl)	.295	.360	.466	264	21	0	8	27	58	1	2
2003 AA (Atl)	.283	.381	.511	219	12	1	12	34	53	1	2
2004 NL (Atl)	.278	.333	.488	324	27	1	13	27	78	0	0
2004 AAA (Atl)	.182	.250	.455	11	0	0	1	1	0	0	0
2005 NL (Atl)	.259	.320	.455	451	28	0	20	39	87	0	2
2006 NL (Atl)	.285	.354	.561	492	38	1	32	55	128	0	2
2007 NL	.272	.345	.458	563	42	0	21	62	131	1	1
2008 NL	.270	.341	.500	492	32	3	25	54	122	1	1
2008 A	.600	.667	1.000	10	1	0	1	2	1	0	0

The Pirates acquired LaRoche and Jamie Romak for Mike Gonzalez and Brent Lillibridge. LaRoche was expected to fill their long-standing desire for a LH power hitter, as well as solve their chronic problem of getting far below average offense from the premium offensive position.

LaRoche was originally regarded more as a solid prospect than a potential star, and appeared to be best cast as a platoon player until his big 2006 season. The question with him was whether 2006 was a peak year or whether he could maintain the improvement. He started drawing more walks that year as well as hitting better, although he also struck out more than previously. He improved a great deal against LHPs, as he hit 241/315/482 against them after struggling his first two years. LaRoche himself has said his improvement came about from taking medication for attention deficit disorder-he started the medication at mid-season and went from an OPS of .804 before the All-Star break to 1.042 after.

Unfortunately, LaRoche's Pirate career got off to a horrific start. He batted 133/255/265 in April and didn't get above the Mendoza line to stay until May 27. As the final numbers show, he eventually did start to hit, posting an OPS of .905 in July and .971 in August. He finished 16th among 19 qualifiers in OPS at his position in the majors, as his first month was just so bad that there was little chance of his final numbers being more than mediocre. On the plus side, he had no meaningful platoon split and he improved his plate discipline a little. He hit much better at PNC than on the road, although he's not a dead pull hitter. He hit a lot of balls at PNC to CF, many of which ended up as doubles, so the park probably won't help his HR total. His road numbers (237/319/401) were probably an aberration.

The Pirates were optimistic that LaRoche would avoid another bad start in 2008, especially when he hit well in spring training, but they didn't get their wish. He hit 163/247/225 in April, had a decent May, then struggled in June. He rebounded in the second half again, posting a 1.277 OPS in July, a rally that was cut short by a rub muscle strain. He missed the first half of August and had a couple mediocre weeks after returning. He then posted a 1.065 OPS in September to finish with numbers very similar to his 2004 season. He had more of a platoon split on the season, posting a .765 OPS against LHPs and .868 against RHPs. He hit slightly better on the road. LaRoche can be a frustrating hitter to watch, as pitchers generally throw him breaking balls away, which he tries not to chase. Some umpires, however, will call strikes on breaking balls that are far outside, which leads to repeated scenarios in which LaRoche gets called out on pitches he thinks, usually correctly, aren't strikes. He almost always reacts laconically, just barely showing his displeasure, which leads fans to think he doesn't care.

LaRoche is a mixed bag defensively. His range isn't good, but he has good hands and a strong arm, and is very aggressive in cutting down runners at second on bunts. He was prone to getting caught off-guard late in the 2008 season, as he and other Pirates seemed less than engaged after Jason Bay and Xavier Nady were traded. On the bases he's about as slow as it gets. His hitting three triples has to be one of the upset stories of the year.

LaRoche isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2009 season, so he should be the regular at 1B until then. Some fans have speculated whether the Pirates will try to trade him, but with Bay and Nady gone he's one of the team's few remaining power sources. The lingering concern, of course, will be his terrible starts. The supposition is that, if he could avoid one, he'd put up numbers all year like he did in 2008 in July and September. Odds are, though, that regardless of whether he starts well or badly, he'll combine good and bad stretches in some way that leaves him somewhere around his 2004 and 2008 numbers.

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