Andy LaRoche: Difference between revisions
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LaRoche is the son of [[Dave LaRoche]], a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the [[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim|California Angels]], and brother of [[Adam LaRoche]], a [[first baseman]] for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]. |
LaRoche is the son of [[Dave LaRoche]], a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the [[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim|California Angels]], and brother of [[Adam LaRoche]], a [[first baseman]] for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]. |
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On July 31st 2008, Andy LaRoche was traded to Pittsburgh to join his brother [[Adam LaRoche]], in part of a three team deal involving the [[Boston Red Sox]] and the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] that included [[Jason Bay]] and [[Manny Ramirez]]. |
On July 31st 2008, Andy LaRoche was traded to [[Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh Pirates]] to join his brother [[Adam LaRoche]], in part of a three team deal involving the [[Boston Red Sox]] and the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] that included [[Jason Bay]] and [[Manny Ramirez]]. |
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==College and draft== |
==College and draft== |
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Revision as of 20:52, 31 July 2008
| Andy LaRoche | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 28 | |
| Third baseman | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| debut | |
| May 6, 2007, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Career statistics (through June 29, 2008) | |
| Batting Average | .227 |
| Home Runs | 2 |
| Runs Batted In | 11 |
| Teams | |
| |
Andrew Christian LaRoche (born September 13, 1983 in Fort Scott, Kansas), is an infielder currently playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
LaRoche is the son of Dave LaRoche, a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the California Angels, and brother of Adam LaRoche, a first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
On July 31st 2008, Andy LaRoche was traded to Pittsburgh Pirates to join his brother Adam LaRoche, in part of a three team deal involving the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers that included Jason Bay and Manny Ramirez.
College and draft
LaRoche played shortstop for Grayson County College and became the top position-player prospect in the Cape Cod League. He was originally drafted in the 21st round by the San Diego Padres in 2002 but he turned down an offer estimated at $200,000 to remain in school and re-enter the draft the following year. Despite breaking a bone in his left leg in a collision while playing first base, his stock soared and scouts projected him as a first rounder.
But teams were concerned about their ability to sign him because he had turned down the Padres offer and was planning on transferring to Rice University.
Nevertheless he was drafted in the 39th round of the 2003 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers but still got supplemental money when the Dodgers signed him in August 2003. At the time, his bonus was the highest for a "non draft and follow" outside the first three rounds. [1]
Minor League Baseball
Concern about his range caused the Dodgers to move him from shortstop to third base prior to sending him to their rookie league team the Ogden Raptors for the last few games of the 2003 season. [2]
He started the 2004 season with the Dodgers "A" ball team in Columbus, hitting .283 with 13 Home Runs and 42 RBIs before being promoted to the higher "A" team in Vero Beach where he struggled a bit, hitting only .237 with 10 HRs and 34 RBIs.
In 2005, at Vero Beach he hit .333 with 21 HRs and 51 RBIs and received a call-up to the "AA" Jacksonville Suns. At Jacksonville, he hit .273 with 9 HRs and 43 RBIs. He was voted the Dodgers Minor League Player of the Year. [3]
For the 2006 minor league season he started at Jacksonville and hit .309 with 9 HRs and 46 RBIs, gaining a call-up to the AAA Las Vegas 51s where he hit .322 with 10 HRs and 35 RBIs.
Major League Baseball
During LaRoche's second big league spring training in 2007, he noted that his last name should be spelled "La Roche" with a defined space. However, as reported by Steve Henson of the Los Angeles Times, he decided to revert back to the previous spelling by the end of camp.
LaRoche made his major league debut on May 6, 2007, against the Atlanta Braves. He recorded his first major league hit (ground-rule double) against Kyle Davies.
On May 7, 2007, LaRoche scored his first two RBIs against the Florida Marlins. After being demoted to Triple A Las Vegas, LaRoche was recalled September 1. LaRoche received a lot of playing time down the stretch of the season due to Nomar Garciaparra's injury problems. LaRoche played for Team USA during the offseason in the Olympic trials.
On September 20, 2007, LaRoche hit his first major league home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Matt Herges[4].
On March 7, 2008, in a freak accident during a spring training exhibition game against the St. Louis Cardinals, LaRoche tore the ulnar collateral ligament off the base of his right thumb. He was attempting to catch a pickoff throw from Dodgers catcher Danny Ardoin that deflected off St. Louis base runner D'Angelo Jimenez and struck him on his throwing hand. LaRoche was placed on the disabled list. Surgery involved the use of an anchor suture to reconnect the ligament and part of the metacarpal bone that chipped off.
LaRoche was injured in the fifth inning after taking over third base duties for Nomar Garciaparra, who was injured an inning earlier when he was struck on the right wrist with a pitch from Kyle McClellan. At the time, LaRoche and Garciaparra were in competition for the starting third base job. Both players could not begin the season, and minor league rookie Blake DeWitt assumed third base duties on opening day, 2008. [1]
On May 3, 2008, after completing a ten game rehab assignment with the AA Jacksonville Suns and the AAA Las Vegas 51s, LaRoche was reinstated from the disabled list and optioned to the Dodgers AAA club. This move was seen as an endorsement by Dodgers management for rookie Blake DeWitt, who had played well enough to keep his starting role while LaRoche was on the disabled list.
LaRoche was recalled from Las Vegas on June 10 and made his 2008 debut the next day at first base. He hit a home run against Padres starter Randy Wolf in the fourth inning.
On July 31, 2008, LaRoche was sent to the Pirates in a trade involving Manny Ramirez being sent to Los Angeles, allowing LaRoche to join his brother Adam in Pittsburgh.
Awards and honors
- No. 26 - MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 - Minor League News
References
See also
External links
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