Saturday, March 9, 2008

LaRoche’s Injury Ends the Third Base Competition

Copyrighted by Sarah D. Morris, 2008

Today the competition for the third base job ended unless the Dodgers find another player for third base. Andy LaRoche tore the collateral ligament in his thumb and needs surgery. He will be out for eight to ten weeks. Despite being hit on the wrist earlier in today’s game, Nomar Garciaparra appears to be the Dodger third baseman on opening day.

Before spring training started, every Dodger fan waited to see if LaRoche was ready for the major league level. When Joe Torre told Dodger fans that he likes to go with experience, I thought Garciaparra would get the nod to start at third base.

Although I normally prefer that the Dodgers go with young players, I agree that Garciaparra should be the opening day third baseman. I have seen LaRoche play third base, and he didn’t impress me. He didn’t make an error, but I wasn’t comfortable with his fielding.

After LaRoche’s performance during the Baseball World Cup, the Dodgers thought he was ready because he hit many home runs. When I saw him hitting with the Dodgers last September, I didn’t like what I saw. He was tentative. Instead of choosing his pitch to hit, he took too many pitches and looked overwhelmed. Most rookies don’t want to walk, but LaRoche wanted to walk because he looked like he didn’t believe in his ability to hit in the major leagues.

Though Baseball America thought LaRoche was one of the fabulous Jacksonville five in 2005, he hasn’t performed like the others, Russell Martin, James Loney, Chad Billingsley, and Jonathan Broxton. I have wanted the Dodgers to trade the young third baseman.

This is the third spring that the Dodgers have wanted to have LaRoche to be their third baseman, and he hasn’t performed the way he should be to make the team. The first spring he couldn’t hit anything and his defense lacked. During the season, he injured his shoulder and didn’t want to have surgery. His poor performance didn’t earn him a September call up.

Last spring he was battling with Wilson Betemit, who had an awful spring. If LaRoche could stay healthy, he would have earned the job. However, a bulging disk in his back limited his playing time. He started and spent most of the season in Las Vegas.

Now he has injured his thumb while catching a ball. To me, LaRoche is injury prone. Both his shoulder and back injuries can linger.

Although Garciaparra has had many injuries over his ten-year career, he had none before the age twenty-seven. This spring he is healthy and showing he can still hit. Today before he left with a minor injury that will be fine after a day or so, he hit a home run. Though people worry about Garciaparra’s throwing arm because he has a weird throwing angle, he didn’t make many errors when he played third base last season.

Before LaRoche got hurt, Torre was considering making Garciaparra a utility player. With his superb athletic ability, Garciaparra would make a great utility player.

I would like to see the Dodgers try Delwynn Young at third base. Though they think his defense is lacking, he might make a good third baseman. He is a short man, which is ideal for a third baseman. Since the Dodgers made him an outfielder, he must have a strong throwing arm. He has the ability to field ground balls since he has been a second baseman. Every Dodger fan knows Young can hit.

Today Tony Abreu played his first game of the spring because he has been recovering from off-season surgery. If he can play, he is a decent third baseman. His speed will help the Dodgers because speed never has a slump.

Because Jeff Kent has a strained hamstring, it complicates the situation. Though nobody thinks he will miss opening day, at forty no one knows how fast he will heal. In late July of 2007 he missed a week and a half with similar injury. If Kent can’t go on opening day, it opens the door for another young player.

Although it is a shame about Andy LaRoche’s injury, it makes another opportunity for another player to play. It seems cruel if LaRoche doesn’t get the opportunity to show the Dodgers and their fans what he can do. However, this is baseball. One player’s misfortune turns into another’s opportunity. With or without LaRoche the Dodgers will be okay at third base.