If the Yankees are in the market for a bat, then they need to look no further than the team they’re currently playing. Underneath the hot Arizona sun lies a very attractive option. Ladies and gentlemen, the Yankees should trade for DBacks 1B Adam LaRoche and slot him in the DH spot.
Here’s why it makes sense:
1. The Yankees could use an offensive boost. Heading into Tuesday’s game, they trailed Boston in runs per game, wOBA, ISO, and OPS.
2. On June 17th, Girardi stated that he had no idea when Nick Johnson would even pick up a bat.
3. LaRoche is a proven quality major league hitter. Look at the numbers he’s registered during his six+ year career:
- .272/.343/.490
- .353 wOBA
- 115 OPS+
- 116 wRC+
- .850 OPS versus RHP, .766 OPS versus LHP
4. He’s a notorious 2nd half hitter, so the timing of the trade could be very good (if you believe in 1H / 2H patterns). Check out his monthly splits.
| Split | G | PA | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April/March | 150 | 582 | .211 | .304 | .396 | .701 |
| May | 183 | 708 | .257 | .332 | .449 | .782 |
| June | 146 | 563 | .266 | .331 | .454 | .785 |
| July | 128 | 500 | .296 | .353 | .556 | .908 |
| August | 143 | 561 | .310 | .384 | .549 | .933 |
| Sept/Oct | 154 | 585 | .302 | .358 | .550 | .908 |
5. For you SABR-projection heads, ZiPS has him at a .376 wOBA for the rest of the season.
6. He’s likely very available. Arizona is not making the playoffs, and GM Josh Byrnes
“We’re underachieving as a team,” LaRoche said. “When that happens, everybody knows — with the exception of maybe one or two guys — that you’re being shopped around. That’s how teams rebuild and make things happen down the road. Regardless of what your numbers are, as a team, if you’re not going getting the job done, guys will get traded. That’s baseball.
7. He has a contract that doesn’t give Arizona much leverage.
According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, LaRoche is only signed through this season ($6 mil) and has a mutual option for 2011. If Arizona does not trade him, he could walk. Thus, the cost of trade should not be prohibitive.
There are many reasons why a trade for Adam LaRoche is a compelling and realistic option for the Yankees. It could only benefit the team to add a bat of his caliber.
We’d like Cashman to make a raid in the desert.
*Props to Vizzini and Marshall Seymour for also contributing to this post.
75 Comments
Rich Mahogany June 23, 2010 16:27
@Lori,
My favorite Yankee is Pettitte.
I read RAB but don’t comments there. Too many in-jokes.
Most of the ideas posted on this site and in the comments are good ones. There’s just been a strange bit of dumb thinking in the comments lately, especially with the team playing so well.
Rich Mahogany June 23, 2010 16:36
Eric Hinske,
You should be happy. You are starting in Atlanta and playing very well, so I’m especially puzzled why you’re saying the Yankees should have signed you. You chose Atlanta because you could start there but would be a backup on teams like the Yankees. Cashman wasn’t going to outbid the Braves just to make you a backup.
I don’t see how Reed Johnson would help us. He’s batting .296/.320/.388 with 0 HR, 3 BB in 105 PA, and is 1 for 2 in SB. He’s giving the Dodgers an empty batting average and piss-poor production for a corner OF.
You’re basically saying that Cashman was dumb for signing Winn, who was available and cheap, and should have signed (a) you, even though you wouldn’t play for us, and (b) another terrible player in Reed Johnson. I think you should stick to playing baseball rather than writing about it, because you’re dumb as hell.
Carl Crawford June 23, 2010 16:58
Can you guys just sign me and DH Swisher next year? Please? You’d probably have the best defensive OF in mlb.
Carl Crawford June 23, 2010 17:02
I remember Nomaas said I wouldn’t steal 60 bases this year. How ya like me now. Nomaas is a joke.
Eric Hinske's soulmate June 23, 2010 18:39
What is $600,000 for a team who has a site whose tag line is “If we had $200 million to spend…..”
Reed Johnson June 23, 2010 19:44
Hey did you check my numbers vs lefty pitchers ? I think thats why the Yankees wanted me, you know a platoon player who can hit lefties and isnt the worst left fielder of all time like your man Marcus Thames. So I would say Hinske knows very well what he is talking about.
Lori Rubinson June 23, 2010 20:53
@Rich Mahogany: Thanks, I like to ask that on my show
Re: RAB — I don’t know what’s better… 1000s of comments by “SABR-heads” who have played more fantasy or videogame baseball than real sports (and spent even less time with statistics, in general) OR … the way they absolutely shoot their load congratulating each other’s brilliant posts with the reply, “This!” (= “You’re a genius, you think just like me!”)
Fucking ponderous.
Walt June 24, 2010 00:11
The timing of this trade suggestion could not have been any better.
Mickey Mantle's Ghost June 24, 2010 00:58
Hey Carl and Reed, quit wasting your time writing on websites. Go get a beer and some tail. Sheesh, I thought you were baseball players.
Phieleblunt June 24, 2010 03:58
As long as they dont do a Joba the Hutt post with Susan Waldman photoshopped on Pricess Leais body I am good with the Star Wars posts
Not a Fake Player June 24, 2010 09:48
I’m not a fake player; I’m just self-actualizing, as per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Brian June 24, 2010 10:47
There are many reasons why a trade for Adam LaRoche is a compelling and realistic option for the Yankees. It could only benefit the team to add a bat of his caliber.
LaRoche is batting .259 – how many .250 hitters do the Yanks want to trade for? Granderson trade has proven to be a bust already, Nady trade didn’t produce much for the Yanks, Nick Johnson’s signing was a bust, so lets trade for a guy who has played on 4 teams in half a season. Their is a reason why this guy can’t stay on 1 team…he isn’t any good. Why can’t the Yanks just bring a guy up and fill the role for this year, why is a trade necessary? The Yanks trail 1 team in runs scored and lead that team by 2.5 games in the standings so clearly scoring more runs than Boston when they aren’t playing each other doesn’t really mean all that much. The Yanks aren’t going to be any better with LaRoche as the Red Sox weren’t any better with him last year.
Lionel Richie June 24, 2010 10:54
Excellent points Brian. I mean why not just try Jesus in the spot. What would be the worst case? He doesn’t work out and three weeks later he’s back in the minors? Best case he works out and is a part of the team.
I’m of the camp that we don’t even need any offensive help. Are we really having trouble scoring runs?
If anything maybe they could add some pen help, but the lineup is fine.
The Nick Johnson signing was one of the worst off season moves ever made by Cashman.
Steve June 24, 2010 10:58
Brian, did you seriously just call Granderson a bust b/c of his batting average? You might want to turn off your Fraz Ferdinand CD b/c it’s not 2002 anymore. Also, the Red Sox only had LaRoche for a very brief period last year, so that argument is BS. If you had said the Braves weren’t any better with LaRoche, well, that would at least be more rooted in reality, but still BS.
Anyway, as for Eric Hinske and Reed Johnson, I can’t believe we have to spell this out, but why would Johnson or Hinske sign on to be the FIFTH OFer???
I can see the argument that Cashman erred signing Winn over ONE of those guys. But if he signs Hinske or Johnson, do you really think the other one is ALSO going to sign up to fight for scraps of PT? Really, this seems pretty obvious to me. You can’t just add up the salaries and say the Yankees could have signed both, these are real people with real options. Believe it or not, it’s not every player’s dream to ride the pine for the Yankees. 4th OFer, sure. 5th OFer? No way. Common sense.
Lori Rubinson June 24, 2010 11:23
@Brian – even I know enough to think your comment’s pretty ironic; a few hours after CG hit the go-ahead run.
Anyway, who’s your favorite Yankee?
Ernie Anastos June 24, 2010 13:54
@ Lori
Since I can’t imagine an actual WFAN host would not only come on here and RAB, but venture into the comments and leave some- I have to ask, what possible incentive is there to pretend to be Lori Rubinson and not make jokes?
Rich Mahogany June 24, 2010 13:56
Brian, you have reached a LoHud level of commenting stupidity. LaRoche sucks because he go traded a lot? Sure. You know who else must suck? Cliff Lee. He’s pitched for three teams in two seasons and could easily be pitching for a fourth by the trade deadline. What a loser.
I won’t even touch calling Granderson a bust before the All-Star break.
Reed Johnson, I checked your numbers against lefties and saw that you can’t draw walks off them or hit the ball out of the park. As soon as you hit a cold streak and your average drops, you will be one of the worst-hitting corner OFs in baseball. We don’t want you.
Lionel Richie June 24, 2010 14:00
Can anyone speak to why we need to add offense? I mean we’re dancing on the ceiling lately.
This is a unecessary panic. It’s very stupid and childish to think this way. I’d say it’s moronic.
How about we add some bullpen depth. Our bullpen is terrible.
Jonathan Albaladejo June 24, 2010 14:35
Hola pendejos!
Ju don need nobody ju don haf. I am light out right now, bery bery low era.
juss gimme a chance, jes, spreeng train me cago en la leche, but i ready mang.
Lori Rubinson June 24, 2010 14:43
@Ernie Anastos: so who’s YOUR favorite Yankee?
Rich Mahogany June 24, 2010 15:33
I agree that we don’t need to add offense. A reliever to replace Park would be great, Lionel.
Josh Beckett June 24, 2010 16:12
My favorite Yankee is Francisco Cervelli. I’d love to be his catcher!
youks bar OF SOAP June 25, 2010 18:00
F wak Reed Johnson, anyone see the year Johny Gomes is having. Id prefer trading for an RH OF bat like Austin Kearns, who is also a plus RFer.
test pareja June 30, 2010 16:32
Garfield Siracuse
dolar hoy June 30, 2010 18:25
Elroy Ruthman