Gonzalez for LaRoche

by omshagome on Jan 17, 2007 5:32 PM EST

Ok, this thing has been boiling for weeks now, and ESPN says its official..one thing i can't understand is why Pittsburgh is doing this.

LaRoche is great and all, but isn't he now blocking Brad Eldred to ever making the big leagues?

Gonzalez could've gotten the Pirates way more than just LaRoche from numerous teams that were interested. That's why these talks went on forever, but it looks like the Pirates are willing to settle on LaRoche.

Does anyone other than me think that Atlanta totally won this deal because of how valuable relief help is now a days especially since Gonzalez is a young lefty. There are plenty of slugging first basemen out there.

Poll

Who won this deal?

Pittsburgh by a lot, Gonzalez is injury prone and has bad breath

1 votes

Atlanta by a lot, Gonzalez fills their closer need

3 votes

Atlanta by a little, LaRoche will be tough to replace

2 votes

Neither, basically a swap of young talent

2 votes

Pittsburgh by a little, LaRoche finally gives them a big bat to protect Jason Bay

5 votes

13 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

i dont know......

maybe this is a prelude to a Eric Duncan/Melkey Cabrera for gonzalez type deal? not saying its enough or not enough,but maybe they will swap him for Melky and someone the Yankees got as a prospect this past offseason since rumors were Braves liked melky in a 3 team type deal if we all believe rumors.

by butchhuskeylover99 on Jan 17, 2007 5:44 PM EST reply actions

i guess

i never thought of that, to just turn around and trade him to the Yankees...

guess its always a possibility

by omshagome on Jan 17, 2007 6:01 PM EST up reply actions

Gonzo goes from closer.....

to setup??? wow....that's big hit for Gonzo owners in keeper leagues. Eric just hit the jackpot in his NL only league with Torres.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jan 17, 2007 5:49 PM EST reply actions

Blocking Brad Eldred?

How about Eldred's strikeout problem and horrendous hole-filled swing, being reasons why he's no longer in the majors?

by Jake @ FakeTeams on Jan 17, 2007 6:21 PM EST reply actions

Eldred

i dont claim to know anything, i'm just a fan, but i thought that Eldred was supposed to be groomed for 1st base this year, and now the pirates get LaRoche, i guess Eldred is tradable?

by omshagome on Jan 18, 2007 5:58 PM EST up reply actions

I think so too

However, Eldred's numbers last year at AAA made him tradeable.

by Jake @ FakeTeams on Jan 18, 2007 6:04 PM EST up reply actions

Eldred

He could be a valuable pinch-hitter with that power. But he is clearly not in the Pirates plans. LaRoche is proof positive.

by faketeams on Jan 19, 2007 6:57 AM EST up reply actions

Minor leaguer

The Pirates sent a .400+ OBP/.500+ SLG SS to the Braves, Brent Lillibridge. In the Sallie League!

by faketeams on Jan 17, 2007 7:38 PM EST reply actions

SBs

looks like he's a speedster too...given the steals in those short seasons...

by omshagome on Jan 18, 2007 6:00 PM EST up reply actions

Salmon Torres is headed for a major pitstop t

Look at the innings the past three years and games pitched in the season:
2004 84 games 92 innings 2.64 ERA BB/9IN 2.15
2005 78 games 94 innings 2.76 ERA BB/9IN 3.42
2006 94 games 93 innings 3.28 ERA BB/9IN 3.66

What do all these stats mean? Arms aren't made of rubber, that is on average more than half the games. I believe that the true winner in the deal is not the owners of TORRES, but the owners of MATT CAPP, the heir apparent after Torres breaks down, runs out of gas, or just can't cut it.

DAVE

by djhogness @ FakeTeams on Jan 18, 2007 1:55 AM EST reply actions

Torres

I have Torres in an NL-only keeper league - picked him up last September just in time to get 12 saves in the last month. That said, you make an excellent point and games don't lie.

by faketeams on Jan 18, 2007 8:44 AM EST up reply actions

by looking at the poll

you can see the reader base is very unsure about both sides and who won, i guess only time will tell

by omshagome on Jan 18, 2007 1:23 PM EST reply actions

Then..

the trade was even? That's how I usually feel when I make a trade that causes lingering buyer's remorse in myself and my trading partner.

Lillibridge is the wildcard. The hype is building now. The AJC beat writer, Dave O'Brien, just said on Charlie Steiner's excellent XM show, The Beat, that Lillibridge is close to a can't-miss.

by faketeams on Jan 18, 2007 2:03 PM EST up reply actions

Fake Teams Retro

This is the link to my write-up from early December when this trade was originally set to occur. The two prospects are not considered, obviously, but the other stuff seems to remain relevent.

Laroche-for-Gonzalez

by faketeams on Jan 18, 2007 2:00 PM EST reply actions

Good Deal but why trade Lillibridge over Duffy?

Can't beleive they traded Lillibridge. He's been one of my sleeper prospects for a year now, and with Wilson getting on in years that was pretty stupid. I would have much rather dealt Duffy (McClouth clone) than Brent.

Gonzo was 24 for 24 in save opps last season, only MLB closer with a 100% rate. But a full time bat like Laroche is of more value to the Pirates right now. This gives Bay protection, and gives the Pirates some nice middle of the line-up power (Bay, LaRoche, Nady).

With some protection (finally), expect a BIG year out of Bay.

by Kman @ FakeTeams on Jan 18, 2007 2:29 PM EST reply actions

I'm not sold on LaRoche.

He's still horrid against lefties (.241 AVG), though improved from 2005 (.191 AVG), and will not repeat his rate stats from a season if he isn't platooned.

by Eli on Jan 24, 2007 6:48 AM EST reply actions