Jon Paul Morosi writes that the Rangers and the Red Sox are among the teams reportedly pursuing free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche.
LaRoche just turned 33 two days ago, and has had a better career than you probably think he has:
Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | IBB | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | 24 | ATL | NL | 110 | 356 | 324 | 45 | 90 | 27 | 1 | 13 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 78 | .278 | .333 | .488 | .821 | 108 | 1 |
2005 | 25 | ATL | NL | 141 | 502 | 451 | 53 | 117 | 28 | 0 | 20 | 78 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 87 | .259 | .320 | .455 | .775 | 100 | 7 |
2006 | 26 | ATL | NL | 149 | 557 | 492 | 89 | 140 | 38 | 1 | 32 | 90 | 0 | 2 | 55 | 128 | .285 | .354 | .561 | .915 | 130 | 5 |
2007 | 27 | PIT | NL | 152 | 632 | 563 | 71 | 153 | 42 | 0 | 21 | 88 | 1 | 1 | 62 | 131 | .272 | .345 | .458 | .803 | 109 | 5 |
2008 | 28 | PIT | NL | 136 | 554 | 492 | 66 | 133 | 32 | 3 | 25 | 85 | 1 | 1 | 54 | 122 | .270 | .341 | .500 | .841 | 122 | 7 |
2009 | 29 | TOT | MLB | 150 | 629 | 555 | 78 | 154 | 38 | 2 | 25 | 83 | 2 | 2 | 69 | 142 | .277 | .355 | .488 | .843 | 122 | 12 |
2009 | 29 | TOT | NL | 144 | 610 | 536 | 76 | 149 | 36 | 2 | 24 | 80 | 2 | 2 | 69 | 140 | .278 | .357 | .487 | .844 | 122 | 12 |
2009 | 29 | PIT | NL | 87 | 368 | 324 | 46 | 80 | 25 | 1 | 12 | 40 | 2 | 2 | 41 | 81 | .247 | .329 | .441 | .770 | 103 | 6 |
2009 | 29 | BOS | AL | 6 | 19 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .263 | .263 | .526 | .789 | 97 | 0 |
2009 | 29 | ATL | NL | 57 | 242 | 212 | 30 | 69 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 59 | .325 | .401 | .557 | .957 | 151 | 6 |
2010 | 30 | ARI | NL | 151 | 615 | 560 | 75 | 146 | 37 | 2 | 25 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 172 | .261 | .320 | .468 | .788 | 106 | 4 |
2011 | 31 | WSN | NL | 43 | 177 | 151 | 15 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 37 | .172 | .288 | .258 | .546 | 52 | 0 |
2012 | 32 | WSN | NL | 154 | 647 | 571 | 76 | 155 | 35 | 1 | 33 | 100 | 1 | 1 | 67 | 138 | .271 | .343 | .510 | .853 | 128 | 7 |
9 Yrs | 1186 | 4669 | 4159 | 568 | 1114 | 281 | 10 | 197 | 684 | 6 | 10 | 446 | 1035 | .268 | .338 | .482 | .820 | 114 | 48 | |||
162 Game Avg. | 162 | 638 | 568 | 78 | 152 | 38 | 1 | 27 | 93 | 1 | 1 | 61 | 141 | .268 | .338 | .482 | .820 | 114 | 7 | |||
ATL (4 yrs) | 457 | 1657 | 1479 | 217 | 416 | 104 | 3 | 77 | 253 | 0 | 4 | 149 | 352 | .281 | .346 | .512 | .858 | 119 | 19 | |||
PIT (3 yrs) | 375 | 1554 | 1379 | 183 | 366 | 99 | 4 | 58 | 213 | 4 | 4 | 157 | 334 | .265 | .340 | .469 | .809 | 112 | 18 | |||
WSN (2 yrs) | 197 | 824 | 722 | 91 | 181 | 39 | 1 | 36 | 115 | 2 | 1 | 92 | 175 | .251 | .331 | .457 | .788 | 113 | 7 | |||
ARI (1 yr) | 151 | 615 | 560 | 75 | 146 | 37 | 2 | 25 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 172 | .261 | .320 | .468 | .788 | 106 | 4 | |||
BOS (1 yr) | 6 | 19 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .263 | .263 | .526 | .789 | 97 | 0 | |||
NL (9 yrs) | 1180 | 4650 | 4140 | 566 | 1109 | 279 | 10 | 196 | 681 | 6 | 10 | 446 | 1033 | .268 | .338 | .482 | .820 | 114 | 48 | |||
AL (1 yr) | 6 | 19 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .263 | .263 | .526 | .789 | 97 | 0 |
LaRoche is expected to reject the one year, $13.3 million qualifying offer that the Nationals have tendered, which means that signing him will likely require a multi-year deal at eight figures per season, and will also cost the Rangers their first round draft pick, if they were to sign LaRoche.
While Morosi speculates that this is a sign the Rangers are prepared to move on from Josh Hamilton, I don't think that's what this is about. Hamilton is an outfielder, LaRoche is a first baseman. Pursuing LaRoche suggests that the Rangers are preparing to move on from either Mitch Moreland or Michael Young.
Signing LaRoche could mean that Moreland could take over David Murphy's role as a left-handed hitting guy off the bench, playing some RF, 1B and DH against righthanders, with Murphy either becoming a starter or being traded, depending on how things play out.
Or it could mean that the front office has decided that Michael Young isn't going to have a full-time role in Texas next season, and is getting someone in place who would replace Young.
I've got mixed feelings about all of this. I don't think the Rangers can afford to go into next season with Mitch Moreland and Michael Young as their primary 1B and DH -- at least, not if they are planning on competing -- but at the same time, I have a hard time getting too enthused about upgrading to Adam LaRoche, particularly on what would likely be a three year deal.
Also, this is a good time to remind you that there's a "hub" for Rangers offseason news and stories, which you can get to here. Stuff that has to do with personnel moves, trade rumors, arbitration cases, etc. is all grouped together there.