White Sox sign Adam LaRoche

[MDWhiteSoxFan]

My earlier post I sounded pretty sore on the signing... Don't want to sound like I didn't like it at all. I just hope we get someone that can platoon with him. Plus a 2 year deal is good for the team with his age. Solid signing just wish we could've landed someone that could hit both RHP and LHP equally well I guess. As someone said the main reason they decided against bringing him back was Zimmerman can't play 3rd anymore so they had no where to play Laroche. Living in O's and Nats ville he was definitely loved by the fans.

[SCCWS]

My earlier post I sounded pretty sore on the signing... Don't want to sound like I didn't like it at all. I just hope we get someone that can platoon with him. Plus a 2 year deal is good for the team with his age. Solid signing just wish we could've landed someone that could hit both RHP and LHP equally well I guess. As someone said the main reason they decided against bringing him back was Zimmerman can't play 3rd anymore so they had no where to play Laroche. Living in O's and Nats ville he was definitely loved by the fans.

 

A veteran club leader is another attractive part of this signing.

 

http://www.masnsports.com/byron-kerr/2014/...-nationals.html

 

[Y2Jimmy0]

Buster Olney wrote about the Adam LaRoche deal as well here:http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/post/_/id/8678/white-soxs-climb-boosts-al-central

 

 

Here is a snippet from the piece. LaRoche raked against RHP last year.

 

 

And now the White Sox seemed poised to climb, after 13 months of tremendous growth that really kicked off with the signing of Jose Abreu -- which looks as if it could be one of the great value deals in recent baseball history -- and continued this week with the signing of reliever Zach Duke and their Friday agreement with veteran first baseman Adam LaRoche, who crushed right-handed pitching last season, with an .891 OPS, 67 walks and 65 strikeouts in 431 plate appearances.

[BlackSox13]

Buster Olney wrote about the Adam LaRoche deal as well here:http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/post/_/id/8678/white-soxs-climb-boosts-al-central

 

 

Here is a snippet from the piece. LaRoche raked against RHP last year.

 

 

And now the White Sox seemed poised to climb, after 13 months of tremendous growth that really kicked off with the signing of Jose Abreu -- which looks as if it could be one of the great value deals in recent baseball history -- and continued this week with the signing of reliever Zach Duke and their Friday agreement with veteran first baseman Adam LaRoche, who crushed right-handed pitching last season, with an .891 OPS, 67 walks and 65 strikeouts in 431 plate appearances.

Thanks for posting this. I'm even more excited with the idea of LaRoche batting behind Abreu. Surely the Sox will find a cost effective platoon partner for the LHP's. I just can't see how anyone cannot like the LaRoche signing just a little bit but hey, to each their own.

[Andy the Clown]

Thanks for posting this. I'm even more excited with the idea of LaRoche batting behind Abreu. Surely the Sox will find a cost effective platoon partner for the LHP's. I just can't see how anyone cannot like the LaRoche signing just a little bit but hey, to each their own.

 

The concern is that the cost of LaRoche will hinder the Sox in their efforts to address the various (and significant) weaknesses that remain on the roster.

[BlackSox13]

The concern is that the cost of LaRoche will hinder the Sox in their efforts to address the various (and significant) weaknesses that remain on the roster.

With the Sox having so many holes to fill, that can be said about any free agent signing. Just because you don't see DH/ #4 behind Abreu as being important doesn't mean it isn't. Believe it or not, LaRoche is an upgrade over Dunn and at a cheaper price.

 

I would rather sign LaRoche for 12.5M per and have money left to spend elsewhere than sign , for example, an over priced Panda who was just offered 5/95. In this example the Sox signed LaRoche and Duke along with +3M for the current offer in on Panda.

 

I agree that the Sox can use an upgrade at 3B and C but DH and LF are huge holes and the lack of production last year hurt the offense badly. IMO, its better to fill a hole in a position first before upgrading another. Seeing as how Gillaspie and Flowers did make improvements last season, DH and LF should be priorities as well as the pen and another starting pitcher or two.

 

[greg775]

I'm pretty meh about this signing. Laroche can't hit lefties very well. His career average is about 30 points lower than righties. Also for most of his career he had definitely been a second half player minus last year. He tore it up up until July. Then was terrible for 2 months saving himself with a decent month in September. We still have to find another guy who can hit RHP to platoon DH with him. But hopefully he brings some leadership now that Dunn and Paulie are gone.

 

It's a good attempt at getting better for chump change in today's climate. I just hope that the Sox scouts targeted the right guy. If he stinks it's only a two-year deal, but you can really get sick of a guy in two years.

He is kind of old which means he could most certainly be a flop. Hahn gets an A for effort on this one. But results should be the only thing that matter in his job performance review.

[MDWhiteSoxFan]

A veteran club leader is another attractive part of this signing.

 

http://www.masnsports.com/byron-kerr/2014/...-nationals.html

 

 

Yes I agree, that was part of my first post which I really liked.

[Vance Law]

I'm pretty certain that Hahn could have gotten Ethier instead of LaRoche. He made his choice. We'll see who has the better year. Ethier probably hits better, not as much power, plays outfield, first base, DH, more speed, younger, makes Viciedo expendable, extra year, loss of a prospect, better looking. I'd have taken Ethier by a nose.

 

That could still happen. And it's pretty clear Ethier or someone else who is a comparable upgrade will happen.

[Vance Law]

I've got a feeling that Marcus will see a lot of at bats in that role, swapping in for Gillaspie or LaRoche pretty often while Sanchez takes a good amount of time at 2b.

 

If Semien platoons with Gillaspie and shares some time with Sanchez at 2nd, you could get Sanchez and Semien each about 100 starts.

[SoCalSox]

The concern is that the cost of LaRoche will hinder the Sox in their efforts to address the various (and significant) weaknesses that remain on the roster.

 

Who's concern is that?

 

They were rumored to have around $40-45M in space to spend this year. After $4.5M from Duke and presumably $12.5M from LaRoche that totals $17M, leaving anywhere from $23-28M at minimum to spend.

 

$28M is a pretty good amount of money to sign a righty in the pen and LF and a middle of the rotation RHSP.

[SoCalSox]

If Semien platoons with Gillaspie and shares some time with Sanchez at 2nd, you could get Sanchez and Semien each about 100 starts.

 

Seems like not many are giving Micah Johnson much of a chance to break ST as the starting 2nd baseman.

 

I like the speed element he should add to this team.

[southsider2k5]

Who's concern is that?

 

They were rumored to have around $40-45M in space to spend this year. After $4.5M from Duke and presumably $12.5M from LaRoche that totals $17M, leaving anywhere from $23-28M at minimum to spend.

 

$28M is a pretty good amount of money to sign a righty in the pen and LF and a middle of the rotation RHSP.

 

I have never seen $45 million in real speculation. $40 is the highest I have seen, and even that is really pushing it IMO.

[Balta1701]

Seems like not many are giving Micah Johnson much of a chance to break ST as the starting 2nd baseman.

 

I like the speed element he should add to this team.

Frankly, I'm not. I want to see him start the year in AAA. He missed so much time last year and barely saw AAA, I want to see him have time there and stay healthy for at least a little while.

[SoCalSox]

I have never seen $45 million in real speculation. $40 is the highest I have seen, and even that is really pushing it IMO.

 

Everything I read was saying $90-95M as their payroll for the year. Last I had checked before all of the moves, they were going into the offseason with around $50M in payroll.

[Balta1701]

Everything I read was saying $90-95M as their payroll for the year. Last I had checked before all of the moves, they were going into the offseason with around $50M in payroll.

That doesn't count the amount it takes to fill out a roster, when you add in all the $500k guys that fill out a roster it puts them right around $60 million to start the year. $65 if Viciedo is offered arb.

[SoCalSox]

That doesn't count the amount it takes to fill out a roster, when you add in all the $500k guys that fill out a roster it puts them right around $60 million to start the year. $65 if Viciedo is offered arb.

 

I would need to sit down and really calculate it out, I suppose.

 

I always do that for each Bears offseason and have got it down to within about $600K of what it usually projects with Spotrac, etc. Just haven't had the time yet.

[southsider2k5]

That doesn't count the amount it takes to fill out a roster, when you add in all the $500k guys that fill out a roster it puts them right around $60 million to start the year. $65 if Viciedo is offered arb.

 

Yep. This exactly.

[Soxfest]

http://www.si.com/mlb/2014/11/21/adam-laro...surprising-move

 

SI not happy.............too bad!

[SoCalSox]

Yep. This exactly.

 

Yeah, just did some math and it's about $74M after 16 roster spots averaged at about $.600M (3 spots for LF, RHSP and reliever). From what I read the other day, it was projection that Hahn would have a higher payroll than last year ($90M).

 

I would say $95M is a pretty decent guess with how the market goes. If that is the case, they have about $21M or so to spend.

 

I would also be willing to guess that either Alexei or Danks will go to save a bit of space but obviously can't count on that until it happens.

 

$21M or so is still a pretty decent amount of space to fill 3 spots, IMO.

[BlackSox13]

Yeah, just did some math and it's about $74M after 16 roster spots averaged at about $.600M (3 spots for LF, RHSP and reliever). From what I read the other day, it was projection that Hahn would have a higher payroll than last year ($90M).

 

I would say $95M is a pretty decent guess with how the market goes. If that is the case, they have about $21M or so to spend.

 

I would also be willing to guess that either Alexei or Danks will go to save a bit of space but obviously can't count on that until it happens.

 

$21M or so is still a pretty decent amount of space to fill 3 spots, IMO.

Maybe now people will stop clamoring for Lester or Scherzer.

 

Good work on the payroll calculations. I was thinking the Sox had roughly 20-25M left in the piggy bank.

 

 

[caulfield12]

http://www.si.com/mlb/2014/11/21/adam-laro...surprising-move

 

SI not happy.............too bad!

 

 

Apparently SI isn't aware of Rodon's existence.

 

And the point of free agency is to go where you're wanted...and/or you will receive financial compensation (respect) that is line with your abilities.

 

By SI's narrow definition, signing FA's wouldn't make sense for the bottom 10-12 teams in the league every year...so I guess they should just follow the Royals or Pirates plan of struggling for two decades instead.

 

Well, more disrespect and treatment as a "small market" club...the only way to reverse that is putting up wins on the board against the Royals and Tigers.

Edited November 23, 2014 by caulfield12

[BlackSox13]

http://www.si.com/mlb/2014/11/21/adam-laro...surprising-move

 

SI not happy.............too bad!

Thanks for posting man. It amazes me how some writers get their jobs. I see much better material written on this board than what I see from alot of asshats that are paid to write.

 

I read the headline and immediately stopped because it showed he knows nothing about the Sox or baseball in general. Just another imbicile to ignore in the world of sports writing. I think Bruce Levine might be that guys daddy.

 

 

[Vance Law]

Yeah, just did some math and it's about $74M after 16 roster spots averaged at about $.600M (3 spots for LF, RHSP and reliever).

 

I don't fully understand how you got to the $74 million

[SoCalSox]

I don't fully understand how you got to the $74 million

 

With Duke, they are already at $51M. Adding in $12.5M for LaRoche this year and 16 players at an average of $.600M (Around $10M), you have a $73.5M figure.

 

I know it seems a bit confusing BUT I think the Sox will sign at least 3 more players at something over $1M to count vs payroll, so that is why I only accounted 16 players at around $.600M.