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Community Projection: Adam LaRoche

Adam LaRoche
Photo: David Watson.
UPDATE: The LaRoche projections are now closed.

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Let the community projections begin! For those who weren't around the last two years, what we do here is we all try to guess how various Pirate starters will do, and then at the end of the year we review the projections to see who came the closest and how close we got as a group. Any registered user can participate; all you've got to do is leave a comment guessing the player's (in this case, Adam LaRoche's) 2008 batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage).

I'm starting with LaRoche because beginning with Ronny Paulino would just be too depressing, and anyway I'd rather wait for a week or two on Paulino just in case the Pirates acquire another catcher. (Which seems unlikely, but it's more likely than the Bucs dealing LaRoche or something.)

I think the most interesting aspect of the LaRoche projections will be seeing what people think his performance last April means. How much does it matter relative to the other months of the year, when he performed pretty well? Can we expect another slow start?

For the curious among you, here are our 2007 projections for LaRoche, and here is the review of those projections I did in October. It suggests that more April struggles may be in store. Here are LaRoche's career stats.

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let's hope
I'm going to be optimistic, I think Laroche will settle down at the plate, and with a J Bay resurgence, Laroche will finish .289, .356, .479

by OpiateOfTheMasses on Feb 4, 2008 6:09 PM EST reply actions  

Very Optimistic
I'm going with a very optimistic of .275/.350/.520

I think he will hit over 30HRs in 2008!

by zogger on Feb 4, 2008 6:25 PM EST reply actions  

Also Optimistic
I think he will hit .282 avg

.353 On Base
.518 slugging

I think hell hit 31 home runs and have 105 rbi's too. The guy can play and he is gonna make us forget his disappointing start of 2007.

BRING BACK TIKE REDMAN

by omar moreno on Feb 4, 2008 8:21 PM EST reply actions  

What I meant
Last year I wrote I was "bullish" on LaRoche.  I meant bullshit.  I'm bullshit on LaRoche.  Clearly.

.275/.338/.484

by azibuck on Feb 4, 2008 8:32 PM EST reply actions  

280/358/470
I don't think PNC is a good park for LH non-pull hitters.

by WTM on Feb 4, 2008 8:38 PM EST reply actions  

ready for this?
.290/.352/.517

The pressure is off of him this year.  He'll rebound.

You're a Pirates fan?

by thegetupkids on Feb 4, 2008 8:54 PM EST reply actions  

out on a limb....
.303/.362/.525

no early slump, VERY productive July/August...I hope!

by 1eyedjack on Feb 4, 2008 10:17 PM EST reply actions  

LaRoche wants to be in Pittsburgh, so..
here's to a career year
(remember his streak before last year's All Star game):

.299/.365/.570

38 homers, 90 RBIs

by long4willie on Feb 5, 2008 12:47 AM EST reply actions  

He'll improve
.277/.353/.518

by nick3849 on Feb 5, 2008 2:23 AM EST reply actions  

2 years away
.282/.365/.575

Improvement over last year but still working out the kinks.

For King, for country!

by johnlevoy on Feb 5, 2008 7:12 AM EST reply actions  

Projection
.280/.350/.500

I think it was Pat at WHYGAVS who did a nice analysis (with graphics!) pointing out that the move to PNC, which was supposed to be nirvana for LH hitters, may have cost LaRoche some opposite-field power which he didn't compensate for by pulling the ball over the Clemente wall. One hopes maybe he'd try changing his approach this year.

Anyway ... he's going to be 28, and if he doesn't get it in gear this year it ain't coming, IMHO. What I did above was split the difference between his 2006 and 2007, a bounceback year but not quite up to the season that made us go after him in the first place.

Oh yeah, I expect a very cold April/May again.

by bucdaddy on Feb 5, 2008 9:25 AM EST reply actions  

Huh. Look at that.
For the record, I do not look at any of the other projections before I post my own, so it's just a coincidence that The New Guy and I came up with the same numbers.

by bucdaddy on Feb 5, 2008 9:28 AM EST reply actions  

Same Old Same Old
.280/.340/.480

he's got a slow, loopy swing.

by Blyleven Curve Ball on Feb 5, 2008 9:30 AM EST reply actions  

Adam comes out swinging
Hoping he can figure out how to start better my projection is .285 - .355 - .560.  The big year we expected last year.  Fingers crossed.

by meandterry on Feb 5, 2008 9:48 AM EST reply actions  

.278/.362/.503
Slow start won't be as extreme as 2007, but he won't match his power of 2006.  I expect a few more walks this year.

by MBandi on Feb 5, 2008 12:20 PM EST reply actions  

.281/.352/.487
without the slow start he could be very valuable..
http://raisethejollyroger21.blogspot.com/

by Brian M on Feb 5, 2008 6:17 PM EST reply actions  

.280/.340/.470
Good hitter, not a great hitter. Not a great fit for PNC, either (Bucdaddy- you are correct, it was my post that broke down his power in PNC, at least most recently, I certainly wasn't the first).
http://whereisvanslyke.blogspot.com
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/mlb

by whygavs on Feb 5, 2008 8:09 PM EST reply actions  

.285/.345/.480
decent, respectable, better than most of our club.

by chetthespian on Feb 5, 2008 10:23 PM EST reply actions  

Betting on Trade
Heck, I'm betting on a trade of LaRoche or Bay and expecting them to fit Pearce in

Oh.. .265 22Hr  78RBI

by RoscoeP on Feb 6, 2008 2:01 AM EST reply actions  

Not brilliant...
...but better than most.

.272/.344/.486

by DANNDANN on Feb 6, 2008 7:57 AM EST reply actions  

.282/.355/.551
More comfortable, more power, no April / May disaster.

by OmarMoreno18 on Feb 6, 2008 10:10 AM EST reply actions  

280/345/560

by lgavind @ Bucs Dugout on Feb 6, 2008 5:26 PM EST reply actions  

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