Next month is when contending teams will get serious about adding talent for the stretch run. If the right deals are there – and give Pirates GM NEal Huntington credit for not unloading players from a position of weakness last winter – then the Pirates must listen hard on offers for Xavier Nady, Jason Bay, John Grabow, Damaso Marte, Adam LaRoche and any other reasonably productive veteran player. If Huntington isn’t enamored with what he hears, he can wait until winter and hope for something better. But in the cases of Nady and Bay, that would be risky. Both are 29 and headed toward unrestricted free agency after the 2009 season and might never be as marketable as they are now, in the midst of such productive seasons. The Pirates should hope LaRoche starts to hit and thus becomes an attractive commodity (they should be thankful contract talks fell apart during the offseason, too). — Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Posts Tagged ‘andy laroche’
Pirates shopping Nady and LaRoche?
Saturday, June 14th, 2008Atlanta sends slugging first baseman LaRoche to Pittsburgh for reliever Mike Gonzalez
Wednesday, January 17th, 2007After more than two months of discussions, it appears the Braves and Pirates have finally agreed to a trade that will bring left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez to Atlanta in exchange for first baseman Adam LaRoche. A source familiar with the negotiations confirmed this agreement and indicated that the deal will be officially completed once both players pass their physicals. It’s believed the Braves and Pirates will both include a Minor League player in the trade.
After converting all 24 of his save opportunities and posting a 2.17 ERA in 54 innings in 2006, Gonzalez missed all of September with a sore left shoulder. He has been examined by doctors twice this offseason and has received a clean bill of health on both occasions. With Gonzalez, the Braves have further proven their commitment to improving a bullpen that struggled last year. They re-signed closer Bob Wickman in September and acquired highly regarded right-hander Rafael Soriano from the Mariners in December.
LaRoche, 27, would fulfill the Pirates’ need for a left-handed slugger to hit in the middle of the order between the team’s two top right-handed hitters, Freddy Sanchez and Jason Bay.
Orioles renew pursuit for LaRoche
Tuesday, December 19th, 2006The Orioles have renewed their pursuit of Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche, this time without offering second baseman Brian Roberts.
In the latest discussions, the Braves likely are targeting Orioles closer Chris Ray, who could join closer Bob Wickman and setup man Rafael Soriano to give the team formidable late-inning relief. The Braves probably would want another player in addition to Ray — perhaps Penn. They have been reluctant to trade LaRoche for Pirates closer Mike Gonzalez without receiving another piece in return.
The Orioles don’t want to move Ray, but they would be foolish to dismiss the idea if they could add LaRoche, a left-handed hitter who could thrive at Camden Yards.
By adding three free-agent relievers — right-handers Danys Baez and Chad Bradford and lefty Jamie Walker — the Orioles have built enough bullpen depth to withstand the loss of Ray.