White Sox sign Adam LaRoche

[hi8is]

Melky Cabrera wRC+ by season:

 

2006, 130 games - 98 wRC+

2007, 150 games - 89 wRC+

2008, 129 games - 68 wRC+

2009, 154 games - 94 wRC+

2010, 147 games - 77 wRC+

2011, 155 games - 118 wRC+

2012, 113 games - 151 wRC+

2013, 88 games - 86 wRC+

2014, 139 games - 125 wRC+

 

So, he was a rich man's Gordon Beckham for about 5 seasons. Then he becomes Alejandro De Aza. Then, well, we know what happened in 2012. Then he plays like s***. Then he plays pretty well last year.

 

I think we can toss out 2012, since he was unambiguously on steroids. This definitely casts doubt on what was going on with his improvement in 2011, but who knows about that. He had an injury-riddled, crap season in 2013 after the steroid suspension. He played well last year, with an ISO at a level he has only had previously in 2011 and 2012.

 

To me, you're taking a big risk on a guy like that. Either way, there's no sense in freaking out about us getting LaRoche as if that has any real bearing on a possible Cabrera acquisition. I particularly don't want to give up a draft pick to sign Melky Cabrera, and we didn't have to do that with LaRoche.

That was actually a post that changed my mind about Cabrera... Before I was on the fence and now I'm off it. Pass - better options will come to pass.

[caulfield12]

Melky Cabrera wRC+ by season:

 

2006, 130 games - 98 wRC+

2007, 150 games - 89 wRC+

2008, 129 games - 68 wRC+

2009, 154 games - 94 wRC+

2010, 147 games - 77 wRC+

2011, 155 games - 118 wRC+

2012, 113 games - 151 wRC+

2013, 88 games - 86 wRC+

2014, 139 games - 125 wRC+

 

So, he was a rich man's Gordon Beckham for about 5 seasons. Then he becomes Alejandro De Aza. Then, well, we know what happened in 2012. Then he plays like s***. Then he plays pretty well last year.

 

I think we can toss out 2012, since he was unambiguously on steroids. This definitely casts doubt on what was going on with his improvement in 2011, but who knows about that. He had an injury-riddled, crap season in 2013 after the steroid suspension. He played well last year, with an ISO at a level he has only had previously in 2011 and 2012.

 

To me, you're taking a big risk on a guy like that. Either way, there's no sense in freaking out about us getting LaRoche as if that has any real bearing on a possible Cabrera acquisition. I particularly don't want to give up a draft pick to sign Melky Cabrera, and we didn't have to do that with LaRoche.

 

Perfectly rational response to an over emotional exaggeration.

 

There's nobody alive from Cal Tech or MIT that could assure me why Cabrera would be a better bet than LaRoche for two years and not surrendering a pretty high second round draft pick as well.

Edited November 22, 2014 by caulfield12

[LDF]

Melky Cabrera wRC+ by season:

 

2006, 130 games - 98 wRC+

2007, 150 games - 89 wRC+

2008, 129 games - 68 wRC+

2009, 154 games - 94 wRC+

2010, 147 games - 77 wRC+

2011, 155 games - 118 wRC+

2012, 113 games - 151 wRC+

2013, 88 games - 86 wRC+

2014, 139 games - 125 wRC+

 

So, he was a rich man's Gordon Beckham for about 5 seasons. Then he becomes Alejandro De Aza. Then, well, we know what happened in 2012. Then he plays like s***. Then he plays pretty well last year.

 

I think we can toss out 2012, since he was unambiguously on steroids. This definitely casts doubt on what was going on with his improvement in 2011, but who knows about that. He had an injury-riddled, crap season in 2013 after the steroid suspension. He played well last year, with an ISO at a level he has only had previously in 2011 and 2012.

 

To me, you're taking a big risk on a guy like that. Either way, there's no sense in freaking out about us getting LaRoche as if that has any real bearing on a possible Cabrera acquisition. I particularly don't want to give up a draft pick to sign Melky Cabrera, and we didn't have to do that with LaRoche.

 

interesting way of showing the info. ok, I am convince again, do not sign him. I am back to

my original thought of not trusting him.

 

[LDF]

That was actually a post that changed my mind about Cabrera... Before I was on the fence and now I'm off it. Pass - better options will come to pass.

 

oh crap, I didn't know you chg your mind as well. dang it.

 

peat and repeat.

[Andy the Clown]

 

Would you like to make a low stakes Internet bet? I bet you that LaRoche slugs lower than .430 next year. Care to try it? If I lose, I'll change my avatar to the picture above. If you lose, you'll admit that you're a good for nothing troll. What do you think?

[hi8is]

Would you like to make a low stakes Internet bet? I bet you that LaRoche slugs lower than .430 next year. Care to try it? If I lose, I'll change my avatar to the picture above. If you lose, you'll admit that you're a good for nothing troll. What do you think?

A career.470+ slg player in the cell... Um... Yea, I'll take that bet man.

[Andy the Clown]

A career.470+ slg player in the cell... Um... Yea, I'll take that bet man.

 

Ok. You're on.

[hi8is]

Ok. You're on.

My entrance into this madness needs to also have one disclosure - no matter what happens - at some point in 2015 my signature will make reference to you... Clown.

[Andy the Clown]

My entrance into this madness needs to also have one disclosure - no matter what happens - at some point in 2015 my signature will make reference to you... Clown.

 

So be it.

 

Good luck to you sir. I hope I'm wrong and made to play the...Clown.

[ptatc]

A career.470+ slg player in the cell... Um... Yea, I'll take that bet man.

you mean like the career .510 slg that Dunn had before coming to the cell.

 

 

[hi8is]

So be it.

 

Good luck to you sir. I hope I'm wrong and made to play the...Clown.

 

Check it... Reading material for while you're on the pot.

 

LaRoche moves from a neutral home ballpark (doesn't favor hitters or pitchers) to one that favors hitters. Specifically, Nationals Park had a 95 Park Factor for lefty home runs in 2014 according to FanGraphs, meaning the park suppressed homers by left-handed hitters by about 5 percent. US Cellular Field had a 106 Park Factor for lefty homers. That's a swing of 11 percentage points in LaRoche's favor.

[hi8is]

you mean like the career .510 slg that Dunn had before coming to the cell.

If LaRoche is Dunn part 2 - I'll probably vomit in the clown guys shoes.

It's highly unlikely he has such a HISTORICALLY HORRID first year with the sox like Dunn.

 

Throwing that year out - Dunn slugged over .430 with us in his other years.

 

I understand the fear with this being Dunn part two but they're totally different offensive players for their careers.

 

Look at the strike outs for example.

[chw42]

This is interesting. This should mean he gets a therapeutic exemption and should be allowed to use adderall or another amphetamine-based stimulant. So basically when other players are wearing down in September, LaRoche is going to dropping speed, getting fired up and having locked in focus.

 

I think his numbers late in the year are actually pretty good...

 

I decided to look them up and I think you may be on to something.

 

Career in August: .377 wOBA

Career in September/October: .373 wOBA

 

Career in first half: .334 wOBA

Career in second half: .366 wOBA

 

So yeah...he's gonna be good down the stretch. This also means don't freak out when he doesn't produce that well in April.

[chitownsportsfan]

that is true hi8is lol when i read that. hopefully laroche won't be historically bad. this signing could go a lot of ways. it probably won't go that way.

[chw42]

that is true hi8is lol when i read that. hopefully laroche won't be historically bad. this signing could go a lot of ways. it probably won't go that way.

 

It's hard to envision LaRoche being Adam Dunn part 2. He's not the same type of hitter.

 

Yes, he's left handed. Yes, he hits for some power. Yes, they're both named Adam. But LaRoche is not a 3 true outcomes guy like Dunn is.

 

LaRoche's career K% is right around the ML average at 21%. Dunn's is at 29%. LaRoche is a career .264 hitter with a 10.3 BB%, Dunn a .237 hitter with a 15.8 BB%. Dunn has a career .253 ISO, LaRoche is at .208.

 

LaRoche will actually hit singles and doubles and not strike out 200 times a year.

 

The age thing is a bit troubling since he's 35 starting next year, but he finished off 2014 strong after a horrible July.

 

As long as the talent stays there (I think it should, especially if we rest him as a DH a good amount of the time), he should be a fairly productive left handed bat for us. Something we've been missing since Dunn's one and only good year in 2012.

 

[caulfield12]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-leag...-011410312.html

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nation...cago-white-sox/

Edited November 22, 2014 by caulfield12

[BlackSox13]

Really nice things said about LaRoche by Nat's fans in the Washington Post article. Pretty cool.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Meh. I don't think LaRoche really fits will with this team's timeframe of success, unless Hahn has plans to add a SP, OF, another RP, and possibly a C upgrade. And obviously he wouldn't be trading or even considering trading Alexei unless he is going to also sign Hanley Ramirez for SS.

 

I just think this team Adam LaRoche is a final piece for this team, not a building block. If this move was made in January after Hahn acquired those other pieces, then I would love this. But being that it's the first piece (well, 2nd to Duke I guess), I am not a real big fan of it.

 

He better be a 2.5 WAR player over the next couple years if Hahn wants any surplus value from this deal.

[Lemon_44]

This is a nothing move to me. In fact, it's probably an over pay. They probably cold have waited until after the New Year and signed him for 1 year at about 7 mill. I just don't think there was a huge demand for a 35 year platoon DH/backup 1b.

[beautox]

Its an ok move, when the going rate for someone like Cuddyer is accepting a QO of 15M and Billy Butler is getting 3/30, I'm ok with this. Still need one more piece in the bullpen a right handed starter an outfielder and a upgrade at catcher wouldn't be terrible.

 

 

 

 

[RockRaines]

Meh. I don't think LaRoche really fits will with this team's timeframe of success, unless Hahn has plans to add a SP, OF, another RP, and possibly a C upgrade. And obviously he wouldn't be trading or even considering trading Alexei unless he is going to also sign Hanley Ramirez for SS.

 

I just think this team Adam LaRoche is a final piece for this team, not a building block. If this move was made in January after Hahn acquired those other pieces, then I would love this. But being that it's the first piece (well, 2nd to Duke I guess), I am not a real big fan of it.

 

He better be a 2.5 WAR player over the next couple years if Hahn wants any surplus value from this deal.

Yes the plan is to try and add those positions.

[RockRaines]

This is a nothing move to me. In fact, it's probably an over pay. They probably cold have waited until after the New Year and signed him for 1 year at about 7 mill. I just don't think there was a huge demand for a 35 year platoon DH/backup 1b.

I don't think much of your post is accurate at all.

[LDF]

If LaRoche is Dunn part 2 - I'll probably vomit in the clown guys shoes.

It's highly unlikely he has such a HISTORICALLY HORRID first year with the sox like Dunn.

 

Throwing that year out - Dunn slugged over .430 with us in his other years.

 

I understand the fear with this being Dunn part two but they're totally different offensive players for their careers.

 

Look at the strike outs for example.

 

a classic response, truly a classic.

[MDWhiteSoxFan]

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.

[Chicago White Sox]

This is a nothing move to me. In fact, it's probably an over pay. They probably cold have waited until after the New Year and signed him for 1 year at about 7 mill. I just don't think there was a huge demand for a 35 year platoon DH/backup 1b.

Well there was a rumor out there that the Marlins offered 2/$20M, so I think you're pretty wrong here. One way or the other LaRoche was getting a 2 year deal in the mid $20Ms. If anything, the AAV of this deal is a bit less than I was expecting.

Edited November 22, 2014 by Chicago White Sox