Post-Game 157 Thread: Does Champagne Travel?

PIRATES 11, DODGERS 1

If ever you needed proof that baseball is also a mental game, look no further than this morning's shellacking. After a humiliating ninth inning yesterday, the Dodgers elected to watch the Rockies game in the clubhouse for a possible delayed celebration. "As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter how it happens as long as you make it happen," Jeff Weaver told the LA Times.

Of course, the Rockies won (they're off today), and the Dodgers came out this morning flatter than Kate Moss. Former Dodger — and it's always a former Dodger — Andy LaRoche did most of the damage, going 5-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs.

Then again, maybe this is the Dodgers' crafty way of bringing their playoff celebration closer to Southern California. They start a two-game series against the Padres tomorrow, and you can be sure Dodger fans will flock to PETCO Park en masse. Pretty sneaky, sis!

photo by Barry Chin/Boston Globe

Andy LaRoche Post-Mortem, One Month Later

When the Dodgers traded Andy LaRoche as part of the Manny Ramirez three-team swap back in late July, many Dodger fans groaned; here was Ned Colletti, once again giving up the future for some grasp at the present. LaRoche, like Matt Kemp, James Loney, Chad Billingsley, and (non-homegrown prospect) Andre Ethier, was one of those players that was just on the cusp of being something special for the Dodgers, but we had not seen any of those glimmers of potential cultivated into solid everyday play at third base, due primarily to untimely injuries and surprising upstarts (like Blake DeWitt).

Now that LaRoche has played almost as many games with the Pirates as he had with the Dodgers, though, let's look at the stats (through Aug 31):

	Dodgers '08	Pirates '08
G	27	24
AB	59	74
H	12	10
HR	2	2
RBI	6	5
BA	.203	.135
OBP	.319	.229
SLG	.322	.257
OPS+	67	29

Through the end of August, LaRoche had only one multi-hit game with the Pirates (in 24 games). Sadly, this was his only multi-hit game of the entire 2008 season.

LaRoche has a career batting average of .190, an OBP of .311 (Juan Pierre's career OBP, for comparison, is .346), and an OPS+ of 59. Perhaps LaRoche continues to have potential, but a move to a smaller market (to join his brother on the team) has not helped him find that big breakthrough.

I was always kind of neutral on LaRoche, with my only negative comments based on his funny-looking goatee and his short-lived inexplicable switch from "LaRoche" to "La Roche" on his uniform. I hoped he would have done better in Pittsburgh, but it seems that this season, that is unlikely to come to fruition.

And meanwhile, we've got Manny.

Five Things About the Casey Blake Trade

"Hi, I'm Casey Blake. You may remember me from the previous post."

From Diamond:

Dodgers option DeWitt, other notes

- Casey Blake said he was excited about gaining free agency at season's end and has said he would like to retire a Cleveland Indian. "I still have a chance to finish my career there," he said. Joe Torre plans to put him every day in the lineup. [...]

- When Andy LaRoche heard about the trade from a friend, his reaction was, "I'm going to Cleveland? I didn't want to go to Cleveland. It's too cold up there."

- LaRoche on Casey Blake: "If he's going to help me get a ring, throw him out there. I have to accept my role. I'm a young guy. I can't complain. I'm here. I'd rather be in LA than anywhere else. This is my home now. All my friends are on this team. Obviously, it (stinks not playing)."

- Blake DeWitt will be asked to play second base at Class AAA Las Vegas as well. "When you don't produce, it's not going to be in your favor."

So what does this tell us/make us wonder?

1. Casey Blake is a half-season rental. Will he have been worth Jonathan "Bamm-Bamm" Meloan and Carlos "Not That One" Santana? Only if the Dodgers make the playoffs.

2. Andy LaRoche loves L.A. Does L.A. love Andy LaRoche? If Ned Colletti can keep his pants on past the trade deadline, we should get a chance to find out in 2009.

3. Blake DeWitt might be the next Jeff Kent. That is, our next second baseman. Despite his recent slump, DeWitt bought himself a ton of credit with Joe Torre and Dodger management with his first-half play. Instead of playing to impress as he did this year, second base may be his to lose in 2009.

4. Which free agents do the Dodgers target in the off-season? With this lineup...

C Martin
1B Loney
2B DeWitt
3B LaRoche
SS ???
LF Pierre
CF Kemp
RF Ethier

...and a trade for a shortstop unlikely, will the Dodgers still try to re-sign Rafael Furcal? (How many millions has Furcal's injury cost him?) Will the Dodgers play in the free agent pitching pool again and throw $$ at CC Sabathia?

5. Whither Andruw in 2009? Still shoehorned into center? The bench? Traded? Released? Fat camp?

Also from Diamond:

- Colletti said he is now looking to acquire a relief pitcher, as he's not too excited about the starting pitchers available.

The fun ain't over yet, folks!

Andy LaRoche Getting In On the Act

Earlier: Hey Ladies..., Jeff Kent's Influence on Russell Martin

Congratulations, Andy LaRoche

Hot on the heels of Blake DeWitt's Rookie of the Month award comes Andy LaRoche, whose home run last night against the Padres earned him "Rookie of the Minute":

For Andy LaRoche, it's all about timing.

After persevering through rehab caused by a freak spring training injury, Andy LaRoche made his 2008 debut a memorable one with a solo shot off of the Padres' Randy Wolf in the fourth inning. That fact was acknowledged on Thursday morning, when LaRoche was selected as Gillette's Rookie of the Minute winner for June 11, 2008, at 7:36pm PT / 10:36pm ET in the National League.

LaRoche beat out the Giants' John Bowker, whose single to shallow right at precisely the same time in Colorado would have otherwise won the award, commonly referred to as the ROTMin1936PT Award.

LaRoche will receive a glossy cardstock Rookie of the Minute trophy, and Gillette will make a donation of one $1.00-off Gillette Fusion ("The World's Most Powerful Shave" (TM)) coupon to a charitable children's-but-post-puberty organization in LaRoche's name.

In all seriousness, welcome back Andy, and congrats on HR #1 last night.

photo: AP/Sandy Huffaker

Finally...LaRoche to Join Club

...only two months after we expected him. From Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times:

Andy LaRoche is expected to be called up from triple-A Las Vegas for the Dodgers' game in San Diego on Tuesday to take the place on the active roster that previously belonged to rookie shortstop Chin-lung Hu, who was optioned to Las Vegas today. [...]

LaRoche, who was hitting .267 with five home runs and 26 RBIs in 37 games at triple A, played at first and second base in recent weeks to increase the ways he could be useful to the big-league club.

Manager Joe Torre said last week that when LaRoche is called up, he will be used as a backup at first and third base.

LaRoche Only Has One Veteran With Which to Compete

Scott Rolen was traded to the Blue Jays today for Troy Glaus. There, it's done, we can stop Rolen these rumors around. I was getting Glaussy-eyed just thinking about them.

It's your job to win, Andy!

Winter Workout Wonderland

Wes Parker, James Loney, Don Mattingly

Andy LaRoche, Matt Kemp

Stan Conte, Andruw Jones

photos by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers

Dodgers Evoke Abbott and Costello: "I Don't Know" Is On Third

The latest entry on Dodgers.com (devoid of any post-season coverage, since we were one of two NL West teams to miss post-season play) was a mailbag entry from Ken Gurnick which focused on our third base abyss:

If A-Rod doesn't opt out of his contract and the best free agents are center fielders Torii Hunter and Andruw Jones, which one would the Dodgers pursue? -- Corey N., San Dimas, Calif.

Maybe neither. If the Dodgers try to solve their offensive problems by acquiring an outfielder, it won't solve their third-base situation. I can't believe management is secure turning that position over to either Nomar Garciaparra or Andy LaRoche based on their play in 2007.

One scenario discussed internally is moving Matt Kemp to center field, Juan Pierre to left and targeting a third baseman through a trade. Miguel Cabrera is the obvious impact bat that many teams would covet, although the return of Adrian Beltre would also be an upgrade defensively as well as offensively. Whether either of them, or any other quality third baseman, will be available is another question altogether.

I continue to read that the Dodgers are in need of a power-hitting third baseman. Where does this leave LaRoche? -- Jay O., Bakersfield, Calif.

It leaves him needing to prove he can be a healthy, power-hitting third baseman in the Major Leagues. While his chances with the Dodgers have been limited, so has been his success. Martin, Jonathan Broxton, Chad Billingsley, James Loney and Kemp produced pretty much immediately and have earned more secure spots in the club's future.

LaRoche has not, and his tendency to get hurt at the age of 23 might be of greater concern than his lack of production. Back and shoulder injuries like the ones he has can become chronic.

Will Garciaparra be the starting third baseman next year or will he return to first base? -- Dennis M., El Monte, Calif.

Probably neither. Garciaparra had a truly unspectacular 2007 after a Comeback Player of the Year season in 2006 led to his re-signing and the expectation of production in the middle of the batting order. He hit only seven home runs with 59 RBIs, which isn't nearly enough for an everyday player at either corner infield position.

And he hasn't stayed healthy through an entire season since 2003. He's a wildly popular player, but the Dodgers need to make personnel decisions void of emotion. It would be great if Garciaparra could suddenly regain his form of four years ago, or even of 2006, but expecting it isn't logical.

With Olmedo Saenz gone, Garciaparra could be very valuable as a clutch right-handed bat off the bench with the defensive ability to fill in anywhere around the infield. Whether he would be accepting of that diminished role is another huge offseason issue for management, but it's probably time for somebody to find out.

All right, let's get psyched! To recap Kenny G., (1) Don't bother me with center fielder questions, since if we can't get A-Rod we're cooked; (2) LaRoche is not the answer; (3) Nomar should better get comfortable in an Olmedo Saenz, one-at-bat-a-week role, as he isn't the answer at third either. I Don't Know is alive and well and playing third for the Dodgers. Whoo hoo!

I have a signed Adrian Beltre baseball at home that I bought in a charity auction after his kick-ass, 2nd-in-MVP-vote 2004 season. Those were the days.

FOUND: Pictures of Dodgers' Rookie Hazing! Part 1!

Last week we put out the call for pictures various Dodger rookies (and second-year players) in full hazing regalia. Well, we have a winner. BIG thanks to Phil Witte for forwarding these pictures taken by Belen Mota (any relation to Manny?). Enjoy!

Andy LaRoche preparing to terrorize children across the country.

Andre Ethier. Pink dress. He still looks better than the rest of us.

James Loney: "I yam what I yam—a guy who's hit five home runs in his last six games."

Chin-Lung Hu as...medieval Chun Li?

Stay tuned, SoSG faithful! More pictures to come!

Keith Law, Proct(or)ologist

ESPN's Keith Law says that Scott Proctor's addition to the Dodgers may be a wash, but losing Betemit will put more urgency on considering Dodger prospect Andy LaRoche: (insider only)

Scott Proctor was Joe Torre's go-to guy in 2006, a dubious distinction because it carries with it a very high workload -- 83 games and over 100 innings of work. He already showed signs of fatigue down the stretch last year; his fastball was still solid at 93-97 mph, but it went from having little movement to having no movement, and he couldn't keep his front shoulder closed through his delivery.

Those issues haven't resolved themselves this year, and Proctor's peripherals have all gotten worse, including a near-doubling of his walk rate and a big spike in his home run rate. The switch in leagues should help him, but Dodger Stadium is a good home run park, which might cancel the former out. This does open up a small hole in the Yankees' bullpen, although Joba Chamberlain could come up to fill those missing innings if the Yankees don't fill the hole via trade.

Betemit was once one of the top prospects in the minors, but inconsistent playing time and a long swing have held him back. He may not hit for much average due to his trouble making contact, but he has good power for a third baseman, good hands, and a well above-average arm. His work ethic has also been a question mark, and his on-field effort level is inconsistent.

For the Yanks, he slots in as a solid backup infielder in case there's an injury, but his playing time will be very limited given who he's behind. He's not exactly a good insurance policy if Alex Rodriguez opts out of his contract, but he's a capable reserve. For the Dodgers, this needs to be followed by the recall of Andy LaRoche, the best third base option in their organization. LaRoche is unathletic and just an average glove, but he can rake and gives them an on-base threat in a lineup that already has a number of them. If LaRoche gets the full-time job and plays to his potential, the Dodgers will have by far the best offense in their division.

Jon Weisman, for the record, is equally guarded on this trade. It is curious to me to see Dodger Stadium mentioned as a home run park, though I suppose the changes in the foul territory due to all of McCourt's added seats has made it less pitcher-friendly. But if Proctor is just another reliever who gives up jacks (as he has been with the Yankees), then don't we already have that in Rudy Seanez?

Hong-Chih Up, Andy Down

Kuo Up, LaRoche Down (Dodger Thoughts)

LaRoche Making Fantasy Impacts

I tend not to write about fantasy baseball too much, having lost an entire summer of my youth to a season of rotisserie. But I did like this analysis of Dodger Andy LaRoche, (espn insider, requires subscription) already making an impact on the Dodgers, and on fantasy baseball teams:

Andy LaRoche, 3B, LAD. This is cheating because LaRoche just got called up by the big club, and on Sunday was installed as the Dodgers' third baseman over struggling Wilson Betemit. This move indicates two things: (1) L.A. made a mistake counting on .140-hitting Betemit out of spring training; (2) L.A. isn't afraid to admit it. LaRoche wasn't exactly tearing it up at Triple-A Las Vegas (.235, 3 HR, 11 RBI), and his defense will be an adventure. But he needs to be owned in all NL-only fantasy leagues and in deeper mixed leagues.

Betemit made a pinch-hit appearance in tonight's game against the Reds, and went 0-for-1 to drop his average to .156. We need to give this guy a rest from the lineup, for the Dodgers' and his sake. I'm sure he's got potential, but he's a step away from hearing voices in the middle of the night. He needs a breather.

The ESPN article also says to keep an eye out on James Loney, 1B, LAD: "He hasn't been great at Triple-A Las Vegas; it likely would take an injury to Nomar Garciaparra." We still hope the Dodgers will Free James Loney.

Who Is This Mysterious A ROCHE?

A screenshot from ESPN.com's GameCast of today's game:

Who is A ROCHE? Apparently just a guy with 2 RBIs so far in today's game.

LaRoche Promoted

From "Dodgers call up LaRoche from Vegas" by Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com:

ATLANTA -- Looking desperately for help at third base, the Dodgers announced on Sunday the promotion of Andy LaRoche from Triple-A Las Vegas and made room for him by placing Marlon Anderson on the 15-day disabled list with a sore elbow.

LaRoche wasn't exactly tearing up the Pacific Coast League with a .235 average and three home runs. But the Dodgers have been starting Wilson Betemit for most of this season and he is hitting .140 with only one home run, which he hit Saturday night as a pinch-hitter.

Who does James Loney have to sleep with to make it back to the majors?

That's It Andy, You're Pissing Us Off Now

There has got to be a better way to make news than announcing you are changing your name. Still, that's not stopping Andy LaRoche from changing the spacing in his last name to Andy La Roche, before announcing today that he is going back to the original spacing of Andy LaRoche. According to Steve Henson of the LATimes:

Upon further contemplation, Andy LaRoche wants to close the gap between the lower case 'a' and upper case 'R' in his surname. In other words, clubhouse manager can discard the jersey that reads La Roche.

LaRoche requested that his name be spelled with the space about a month ago, a departure from the way his brother — Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Adam — and father — former big league pitcher Dave — spelled it.

"I ought to go with it the way everybody else does," Andy said. "I'm not sure what I was thinking."

LaRoche came into spring training hoping to battle Wilson Betemit at third base but mostly battled himself. He has made seven errors, is batting .180 and will begin the season at Las Vegas.

Well if you're batting .180, I guess you're not going to make headlines otherwise. Needless to say, this blog is going to start calling him Andy Lar Oche.

--Sons of Steve Ga Rvey

Logan White Drives a Hard Bargain

From "La Roche trying to prove his worth: Dodgers' top prospect likely to start '07 at Triple-A Las Vegas" (Dodgers.com):

Logan White, the Dodgers' scouting director, rolled the dice. [Andy] La Roche said he expected to go undrafted and learned he was taken three days later with a phone call from his older brother. Two months went by before White decided to take up formal negotiations, winding up across the table from LaRoche -- no agent, no family member.

"I told him it had to be more than a million," said La Roche, who had broken his leg in the Cape Cod League. "Logan said the Dodgers would pay me a million, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a penny and gave it to me and said, 'That's more than a million, we've got a deal.'"

Said White: "First time I ever had to pay part of a player's bonus myself."

Dodgers Beat Tigers on Walk-off HR, 4-3

Looks like a nice performance all around for the Dodgers today, as they beat the defending American League champs. The Dodgers' 4-3 win over the Tigers featured doubles by Olmedo Saenz, Rafael Furcal, Russell Martin, Luis Gonzalez, and Wilson Betemit (although the Saenz one was apparently a cheapie off the glove of Brandon Inge). Gonzalez, Martin, and Betemit all went 2 for 3 today. In addition, potential power bat Bobby, er, Tony Abreu hit a walk-off homer in the the ninth off of Bobby Seay to win it for the blue.

Derek Lowe went five innings and gave up one run with 2Ks. Takashi Saito ended up blowing the save in the seventh with two runs, neither of which were earned due to errors from Wilson Valdez and Andy La Roche (his sixth this spring). Betemit and his .192 spring average won't hear footsteps from La Roche at that rate (La Roche is also batting .241 this spring), giving us a pretty deep abyss at third. Let's hope at least one of those guys turns it around, since we're going to need production from all spots.

Must be the off-day tomorrow which got the whole lineup excited.

3/12 Postgame Thoughts: Tomko Sharp As Dodgers Down Orioles

Box score: Dodgers 4, Orioles 2

Brett Tomko had three great innings pitched yesterday, giving up one run and one hit. His ERA in spring training is 1.29, which is ironically exactly 1/10th the size of Brad Penny's spring training ERA of 12.86. After both of Penny's outings, everyone from Penny to Grady Little says they are unconcerned, but after his second-half meltdown last year, I think "unconcerned" reflects some denial. True, spring training statistics are ridiculous, but this doesn't augur well.

I'll stay positive, though, and say that it is nice to see Tomko looking like he is regaining his form. Last year, Tomko said all the right things when he was asked to come out of the bullpen, despite the fact that he got a lot of garbage time in the second half. He is certainly making his case to start again in 2007.

Joe Mays also pitched well with three innings of one-hit ball on his own. He also had two Ks and has a 2.57 ERA in spring training. Jon Weisman says it's still problematic for Mays to make the roster since it would trigger a number of moves, including dropping Mark Hendrickson from the team. I don't necessarily think this is such a bad idea, but I understand the logic.

With the bats, Andy La Roche went 2 for 4 with a double and his first RBI of the spring. Juan Pierre went 1 for 3 with a RBI.

La Roche Trying Outfield Too

From "Notes: Dodgers' La Roche learning OF: Prized prospect making himself more versatile for big club" by Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com:

[Andy] La Roche's brief fling in left in a night game was in sharp contrast with James Loney's spring debut in right field the previous day game, when Loney lost sight of three catchable balls off the bat.

"When you put a player in a new position they seem to hit balls at them right away," said manager Grady Little. "I don't know if it's coincidence or the baseball gods. Sure enough, they hit a couple but he [La Roche] handled them well."

The Dodgers are experimenting with La Roche and Loney in an attempt to create more at-bats by making them more versatile defensively.