Boston Red Sox Rumors

 

Orioles Hesitant To Pursue LaRoche

The Orioles would like to add power to the lineup and improve their defense at first base, but Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun writes that the draft pick compensation that is tied to Adam LaRoche is a deterrent to executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette.

The 33-year-old LaRoche hit .271/.343/.510 with a career-high 33 homers in 2012 after missing the majority of 2011 with a torn labrum. For the third consecutive season, both the Fielding Bible and Ultimate Zone Rating praised LaRoche's defense at first base.

Connolly writes that multiple sources have told him the Orioles have legitimate interest in LaRoche. However, Duquette's plan since taking the reins in Baltimore has been to build through the draft. Forfeiting the 24th overall pick to sign LaRoche, who turned down a qualifying offer from the Nationals, would go against that mentality. The Orioles do also have the 35th pick, but Duquette prefers to stockpile picks rather than consider some expendable.

As for LaRoche himself, he doesn't mind playing the waiting game, according to the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore. LaRoche is content to wait out his situation, and doing so could have an initially unexpected benefit. Should the Red Sox see their deal with Mike Napoli fall apart, LaRoche would have another interested suitor. There does appear to be a snag in the finalization of the deal between Napoli and Boston.

Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/boston_red_sox/index.html#SDV8TzHGHPPOigjC.99

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ya dont even think about laroche, 33 years old and would cost a pick, no thanks. if the napoli deal falls through i would go afte kendry morales (well i would go after him either way) and maybe have swisher as a back up. (though it sounds like hes going to cleveland)

In response to redsoxpride34's comment:

Right, we don't need a guy who actually plays 1B and can hit 30+ HRs, do we?

In response to Alibiike's comment:

How can he can hit 30 HRS at fenway park??

In response to GoUconn13's comment:

By hitting the ball over the fence 30 times?

In response to carnie's comment:

The same way A-Gon hit the ball over the fence 40 times?....

In response to chickenandboose's comment:

with or without the 40 bombs he was still a stud.

Playing in Fenway for half of his games, Laroche is not likely to hit 33 home runs in any season unless he can quickly learn to hit them over the wall in left.  The park in Washington is much more friendly to lefty power hitters than Fenway ever has been.

He is a good fielder, but I think that the Sox can do better filling their first base needs (if they do not sign Napoli) without giving up the draft pick that signing laroche will cost.  Give Gomez or Sands full chances before signing Laroche.

In response to chickenandboose's comment:

His power is not even as close as A-Gonz or Papi.   

no sense in arguing abot Laroche. Sox wont give up any draft choices as compesation to sign him, so it wont happen.

offensively, I think everyone would prefer a healthy Napoli over Laroche. Naploi also offers the 3rd C insurance (if healthy) allowing movement on Salty or Lavarnway.

I think the everyday 8 is good enough offensively if everyone has a healthy "normal" year and Middlebrooks progresses.

I do think Dempster and Lackey will provide 200 range innings each, allowing the bullpen to flourish. To me, the key to the season is getting LEster and Buch to pitch to their best years, get De La Rosa 100-120 innings, and allow Bogaerts, Barnes and Bradley additional time.

In response to rkarp's comment:

there hasn't been much talk of RDLR so far this offseason, i am really excited to see how he does and if they start him off in AAA i can't wait for the pawsox to come into town to i can check some of these kids out.

Not sure the Sox want to pay him for 3 years when he'll be 37 and lose a draft pick. Same deal with Swisher.