2008 Stats: .203 (12-59), two homeruns, six RBIs (Full Season: .166, five homeruns, 18 RBIs)
2008 Analysis: It was a bit of a tough year for Andy. After suffering a painful injury in Spring Training, LaRoche rehabbed quickly to try and get back to help the team. Upon recovering from his injury, he found his 3rd base job being filled by Blake DeWitt (having the best month of his life). So LaRoche was optioned to AAA, where he began to play 1st and 2nd base to try and get back to the majors. He was called up June 10th and hit a homerun in his first game on June 11th. Then he was benched. He made a few spot starts here and there until late July when he got to start more than two games in a row.He was being showcased for a trade.
On July 31st, he was traded.
2009 Outlook: Andy LaRoche is will be the starting 3rd baseman in 2009...
...for the Pittsburgh Pirates.Here's my issue, and it has been ever since the trade. Manny Ramírez was fun. He got us to the playoffs and we won a series... but we didn't win it all. In fact, all we really won was the title of NL West 2008 Division Champion (which is nothing to be ashamed of, but nothing to be too proud of either).
Now, this is where it really hurts. I cringe looking at the 3rd basemen free agent list. I'm not kidding when I tell you that Joe Crede and Casey Blake are the only options worth consideration in that free agent pool (and by the way, don't think they don't know that). And now that the Dodger owners might or might not be willing to spend money to bring in quality free agents, I'm starting to get very scared about what 3rd base will look like next year (Mike Lamb anyone?).
To tell you the truth, I'd give back our minor success in 2008 to have Andy LaRoche back as our starter in 2009. And the funny thing is, the money we now have to spend to get a quality 3rd baseman could have gone toward signing Manny away from the Red Sox. We could have had both, now we don't have one, and might not end up with either.
Isn't that ironic?
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