Player: Andy LaRoche
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?
Player: Casey Blake
2008 Stats: .251, 10 homeruns, 23 RBIs (Full Season: .274, 21 homeruns, 81 RBIs)
2008 Analysis: Casey Blake was a solid veteran presence at 3rd base for the stretch run. He wasn't great, but he was solid. His 10 homeruns in just over two months was impressive, but he didn't hit for a high average and struck out an awful lot. His defense was above average, collecting only two errors in 133 total chances (.985). Overall, he provided what the Dodgers needed at the time. An everyday 3rd baseman.
Whether or not the Dodgers gave up too much in the trade for him is still to be seen, but as far at the 2008 season goes, he's was good enough.
2009 Outlook: The free agent market for 3rd basemen is not strong at all. Frankly, the only two free agents worth really looking at are Joe Crede and Casey Blake. Crede is a health risk but I'd rather have him than Blake. Still, should Crede end up not an option, or some other 3rd baseman can't be had in a trade, I guess I wouldn't mind seeing Blake back for the 2009 season. Maybe...
Player: Blake DeWitt
2008 Stats: .264, nine homeruns, 52 RBIs
2008 Analysis: Well, for a kid who was mostly expected to play no higher than AAA in 2008, playing in 117 games at the big league level and starting at 2nd through the entire playoffs was a bit of an upgrade. And for a kid who had that low expectations coming into the season, how he performed was above and beyond the call of duty.
That being said, DeWitt was a lot less impressive over an entire year. He was solid in April, excellent in May (.322, five homeruns, 18 RBIs, .896 OPS), then dropped off for the rest of the year. Following May, until the end of the year, DeWitt batted .235 with only four homeruns and 23 RBIs. His OPS over that span was .649.
DeWitt's fielding at 3rd was solid, even though his fielding percentage was an average .969. DeWitt's percentage wasconsiderably better at 2nd (.981) though in less chances. He did look uncomfortable there at times, though.
2009 Outlook: So what are we to make of DeWitt's numbers in 2008. Can he play more like a May-DeWitt or will he play more like a 2nd-half-DeWitt? Baseball is always said to be a sport about adjustments. Can DeWitt make those adjustments? Scouting reports must have come out after May, because pitcher started hitting him with breaking balls low and in that DeWitt could neither hit nor hold off on.
Here's what I feel. DeWitt is good baseball player. He's not going to hit well enough to warrent a third base job (you'd ideally like someone with a little more power over there), but he could be our 2nd baseman for years to come. If he can make the adjustments he needs to, he could hit maybe somewhere around 15 homeruns and bat in the high-.200's for a whole season. If we get that kind of production out of him at 2nd, I'll be happy.
I hope to see him shore up his defense at 2nd base and come into Spring Training 2009 ready for the job.
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.
...for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
