The Red Sox and Rangers are pursuing free agent Adam LaRoche, major league sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The first baseman has garnered enough interest that he is expected to reject the Nationals' one-year, $13.3MM qualifying offer by Friday's deadline.
Morosi writes that the Rangers' interest in the 33-year-old is yet another sign that Texas is preparing for life without Josh Hamilton in 2013 and beyond. The Red Sox, meanwhile, have been linked to LaRoche for a good while as they look to fill their void at first base.
Actually, LaRoche is a great fit with the Red Sox. Great defense, solid offensively. Not a bad replacement for A-Gon, though I expected him to re-up with Washington.
I see him going back there to
Rangers going to create a logjam at first with Moreland and Young already there. One could DH, but neither would do the job well.
Adam Laroche turning down $13 Mil?….Yikes. It’s gonna be an expensive winter for anyone looking for infield help.
White Sox would have been wise to pickup that Youkills option, if for no other reason, then to trade him. That’s KW for you though.
LIkely turning down one year, not the cash.
bingo
Hey now…
Adam Lind is available…
Red Sox need projectable bats. LaRoche isn’t sexy and is coming off a year he’s not likely to replicate, but solid defense and power that should play well in Boston works fine. If they can keep it at 2 years, $25-$30 million, that’s just fine. I have a feeling Napoli will be about $10-$15 million more than LaRoche and put up similar production at the plate while LaRoche is a better defender. My guess is anyone who kicks tires on Napoli would probably rather have LaRoche.
I picked Laroche to sign with the Red Sox
Didn’t the Sox have LaRoche?
They did, for like a week then they traded him
LaRoche is loved in DC, but he IS replaceable… they can move Michael Morse from the OF to 1B, they can keep Tyler Moore in the bigs to play 1B, or they can even bring up Anthony Rendon to play 3B and move Ryan Zimmerman to 1B…
I wouldn’t say he is loved anymore than anyone after a great year like
he had would, but he is certainly looked at favorably. I would like him
back, but given what his value on the market will be and the internal
options we have, I think its best for us to let him go.
Moore had 150 ABs, Rendon can’t stay healthy and hasn’t seen ML pitching, and Morse should be spending half his games at DH in the AL.
Really don’t understand the “We don’t need LaRoche” sentiment. He’s a great defender, he stays healthy, is a good hitter, big clubhouse leader, and a 3-4 year deal at 10-12 million dollars per isn’t an albatross considering the increase in revenue the Nationals are looking at.
Not
only all the reasons you mention but he also provides balance in a
fairly RH dominant lineup except for Harper. Like you i think Morse
should be in the AL. He does have value offensively and can play LF or
1B capably part time but i think hes better suited for being a DH and
part time defender as opposed to an every day fielder. I dont understand
the ppl who think LaRoche is expendable. But i can understand why they
think that way. Personally if im WSH i offer 3 yrs with some type of
vesting option for a 4th at around 11-13M a yr.
Offensively he’s probably replaceable, though having a strong
left-handed hitter to keep their line-up varied in that respect is no
small thing. The problem with replacing him would be that he’s really,
really strong defensively, and Moore and Morse would be certain
downgrades. I don’t think “bad throws he’s somehow managed to catch and
hold on to without seeming to break a sweat” is a stat, but if it were
he’d have to be one of the best. So I’d be unhappy if he left, though if another team offered him 4+ years I’d understand Rizzo not wanting to go there.
Please please please please we promise not to trade you after five days again, really!
What was the logic behind getting Kotchman anyway?
I have never really been able to figure this out. Granted, LaRoche didn’t really have a spot on that team either, but I never got why they just traded him for Worse Adam LaRoche
I pray that the Sox arent dumb enough to give up a draft pick for Laroche.
The only way I see Texas signing LaRoche is if they intend to trade
Moreland for either an OFer or SP. Moreland is capable of LaRoche’s
career 162 game average and he’s both younger and cheaper so it wouldn’t
make sense otherwise.
LaRoche? Meh…
I certainly hope this is a contingency plan if they can’t get someone better.
It would be nice to see the Red Sox pick up LaRoche, Hunter, and Bay.
I really hope they’re not even considering Bay. He was great while he was here, but I’d like to not push our luck. LaRoche would be a great fit at 1B, I think Napoli is too expensive in a crowded behind the plate situation anyway. Unless they’re going to use Salty or Lavarnway as trade bait?
Good Point. I think one of them will be traded with the signing of David Ross.