Adam LaRoche
Encyclopedia
David Adam LaRoche is a Major League Baseball
first baseman
. In 2011, the Washington Nationals
signed him to a two-year deal. He is the son of Dave LaRoche
and the brother of the Oakland Athletics
third baseman Andy LaRoche
.
(KS) High School, where he played baseball. He was named an All-American in baseball as a senior. His uncle, Dave Regan, was his high school head coach.
He played for his father, Dave
, at Fort Scott Community College in 1999 before transferring to Seminole (OK) Junior College in 2000, where he was an All-American and the MVP of the Junior College World Series.
in both the 1998
and 1999
amateur drafts, but refused to sign. He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves
in 2000 and did sign.
. The left-handed LaRoche platooned with 46 year-old veteran Julio Franco
and put up a respectable .278 rookie batting average.
LaRoche demonstrated his strong defensive skills at first base, but also a lack of speed on the basepaths.
He again platooned with Franco in . While he did hit 22 home runs, LaRoche had a very streaky season. He hit .385 in his final 17 games of the year, but just .105 in the 19 games that preceded that streak. He batted .500 with a grand slam in the Braves 2005 NLDS Series
against the Houston Astros
. With the offseason departure of Franco, LaRoche became the Braves sole starter at first base in .
On May 28, 2006, LaRoche contributed two of the Braves' record eight home runs in a remarkable win against the Chicago Cubs. In addition, in a wild game against the San Diego Padres
on July 14, 2006, LaRoche hit two more home runs and had five RBIs to help the Braves to a 15-12, 11-inning win. He finished the year with a .285 average, 32 home runs, and 90 RBIs - all career-bests.
on January 17, 2007 for reliever Mike González
and minor league shortstop Brent Lillibridge
.
During the 2009 season he played with his brother Andy LaRoche
with the Pirates until July 22, 2009 when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox
On May 13, 2009, LaRoche became the first player in major league history to have a home run taken away through the use of video replay.
for minor league pitcher Hunter Strickland and shortstop Argenis Díaz
. In six games, LaRoche would go on to hit one home run and three RBIs, with an average of .263.
for 1st baseman Casey Kotchman
. LaRoche was traded by Boston in order to cut payroll and the belief that Kotchman would be a better pinch hitter than LaRoche would.
. His deal includes a $7.5 million mutual option with a $1.5 million buyout.
. He will wear number 25 on the back of his jersey. His contract pays him $7 million in 2011 and $8 million in 2012 with a mutual option for $10 million in 2013. His 2011 season ended with labrum surgery on his left shoulder with career-low batting numbers of 0.172 BA/0.288 OPS/0.258 SLG
Dave LaRoche
and younger brother of Andy LaRoche
.
LaRoche is of Mexican
descent. According to his brother Andy LaRoche
, his father's surname was Garcia, however, his father changed it to LaRoche at age seven, the last name of his stepfather.
LaRoche suffers from ADHD that was diagnosed during his high school years, which occasionally leads to on field blunders such as in a game against the Washington Nationals
in 2006.
LaRoche is one of the co-owners of Outdoor Networks hunting show Buck Commander with friends and pro athletes Chipper Jones, Ryan Langerhans, Tom Martin, and Willie Robertson who is from the Duck Commander series.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. In 2011, the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
signed him to a two-year deal. He is the son of Dave LaRoche
Dave LaRoche
David Eugene LaRoche is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. LaRoche is currently the pitching coach for the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s....
and the brother of the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
third baseman Andy LaRoche
Andy LaRoche
Andrew Christian LaRoche is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent....
.
College baseball career
Adam LaRoche was a 1998 graduate of Fort ScottFort Scott, Kansas
Fort Scott is a city in and the county seat of Bourbon County, Kansas, United States, south of Kansas City, on the Marmaton River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,087. It is the home of the Fort Scott National Historic Site and the Fort Scott National...
(KS) High School, where he played baseball. He was named an All-American in baseball as a senior. His uncle, Dave Regan, was his high school head coach.
He played for his father, Dave
Dave LaRoche
David Eugene LaRoche is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. LaRoche is currently the pitching coach for the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s....
, at Fort Scott Community College in 1999 before transferring to Seminole (OK) Junior College in 2000, where he was an All-American and the MVP of the Junior College World Series.
Professional baseball career
He had been drafted by the Florida MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
in both the 1998
1998 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Greg Vaughn all hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break and engage in a historic chase for Roger Maris's single-season record of 61 home runs...
and 1999
1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
amateur drafts, but refused to sign. He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in 2000 and did sign.
Atlanta Braves
For the start of the season, the Braves made LaRoche, who had not yet made his major league debut, their starting first basemanFirst baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. The left-handed LaRoche platooned with 46 year-old veteran Julio Franco
Julio Franco
Julio César Robles Franco is a former Major League Baseball infielder and designated hitter. In , Franco was the oldest active player in the major leagues at the age of 49....
and put up a respectable .278 rookie batting average.
LaRoche demonstrated his strong defensive skills at first base, but also a lack of speed on the basepaths.
He again platooned with Franco in . While he did hit 22 home runs, LaRoche had a very streaky season. He hit .385 in his final 17 games of the year, but just .105 in the 19 games that preceded that streak. He batted .500 with a grand slam in the Braves 2005 NLDS Series
2005 National League Division Series
-Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros:-Game 1, October 4:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriIt was a matchup between Jake Peavy and eventual 2005 Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter. In the bottom of the first, Jim Edmonds's one-out solo homer put the Cardinals up 1–0...
against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. With the offseason departure of Franco, LaRoche became the Braves sole starter at first base in .
On May 28, 2006, LaRoche contributed two of the Braves' record eight home runs in a remarkable win against the Chicago Cubs. In addition, in a wild game against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
on July 14, 2006, LaRoche hit two more home runs and had five RBIs to help the Braves to a 15-12, 11-inning win. He finished the year with a .285 average, 32 home runs, and 90 RBIs - all career-bests.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Braves traded LaRoche and minor league outfielder Jamie Romak to the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
on January 17, 2007 for reliever Mike González
Mike González (baseball pitcher)
Michael Vela Gonzalez is a Major League Baseball pitcher .He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 30th round of the Major League Baseball Draft and made his major league debut on August 11,...
and minor league shortstop Brent Lillibridge
Brent Lillibridge
Brent Stuart Lillibridge is a Major League Baseball position player for the Chicago White Sox...
.
During the 2009 season he played with his brother Andy LaRoche
Andy LaRoche
Andrew Christian LaRoche is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent....
with the Pirates until July 22, 2009 when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox
On May 13, 2009, LaRoche became the first player in major league history to have a home run taken away through the use of video replay.
Boston Red Sox
On July 22, 2009, LaRoche was traded to the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
for minor league pitcher Hunter Strickland and shortstop Argenis Díaz
Argenis Diaz
Argenis Díaz is a Major League Baseball shortstop in the Detroit Tigers organization.-Career:Díaz was acquired by the Boston Red Sox organization in July 2003 as an international free agent...
. In six games, LaRoche would go on to hit one home run and three RBIs, with an average of .263.
Return to the Braves
On July 31, 2009, after only spending six games with Boston he was dealt back to one of his former teams, the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for 1st baseman Casey Kotchman
Casey Kotchman
Casey John Kotchman is an American Major League Baseball first baseman.-High school:He was on the 2001 national champion team of Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida.-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:...
. LaRoche was traded by Boston in order to cut payroll and the belief that Kotchman would be a better pinch hitter than LaRoche would.
Arizona Diamondbacks
On January 14, 2010, LaRoche agreed to a 1 year, $4.5 million contract with the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. His deal includes a $7.5 million mutual option with a $1.5 million buyout.
Washington Nationals
On January 4, 2011, LaRoche agreed to a 2 year contract with the Washington NationalsWashington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He will wear number 25 on the back of his jersey. His contract pays him $7 million in 2011 and $8 million in 2012 with a mutual option for $10 million in 2013. His 2011 season ended with labrum surgery on his left shoulder with career-low batting numbers of 0.172 BA/0.288 OPS/0.258 SLG
Personal life
LaRoche and his wife Jennifer have a daughter, Montana, and a son, Drake. His hobbies include fishing, hunting, and golf. He is the son of former Major League pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Dave LaRoche
Dave LaRoche
David Eugene LaRoche is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. LaRoche is currently the pitching coach for the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s....
and younger brother of Andy LaRoche
Andy LaRoche
Andrew Christian LaRoche is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent....
.
LaRoche is of Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
descent. According to his brother Andy LaRoche
Andy LaRoche
Andrew Christian LaRoche is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent....
, his father's surname was Garcia, however, his father changed it to LaRoche at age seven, the last name of his stepfather.
LaRoche suffers from ADHD that was diagnosed during his high school years, which occasionally leads to on field blunders such as in a game against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
in 2006.
LaRoche is one of the co-owners of Outdoor Networks hunting show Buck Commander with friends and pro athletes Chipper Jones, Ryan Langerhans, Tom Martin, and Willie Robertson who is from the Duck Commander series.