Adam LaRoche, we hardly knew ye. Seriously. Six games into his Sox career, the veteran first baseman was traded again Friday, July 31 to Atlanta — his second stint there — and in exchange for fellow lefty first baseman Casey Kotchman. The Sox front office phones were dialing and ringing furiously during the final hours and minutes of last Friday’s 4 pm non-waiver trade deadline, pursuing everyone from Seattle’s Felix Hernandez and San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez to the eventual big score, Cleveland’s three-time All-Star Victor Martinez.
I’m sure Theo Epstein thought there was little chance of getting this dream acquisition in the days and weeks leading up to last Friday, otherwise Adam LaRoche wouldn’t have been traded to Boston a couple of weeks ago. But once Epstein offered up swingman Justin Masterson and younger pitching prospects Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price to Cleveland last Friday, it was apparently enough to get one of the best hitting and versatile catchers in the game.
On games he catches, Martinez immediately adds more power and a better throwing arm than Jason Varitek (who calls a great game but can’t throw out runners) and George Kottaras (now on the DL), has a better average and comparable power to Ortiz when he DHs, and a comparable average, power, and run production to Kevin Youkilis when starting at first. Plus, like ‘Tek, he’s a switch-hitter.
In this regard, V-Mart is the perfect fit for the Sox offense and is steady defensively as well, though it remains to be seen if he can catch Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball, something he was actually willing to do during the ’09 All-Star game if asked. True, he still has to learn a new pitching staff and call games as brilliantly as Varitek. Not an easy task but remember, V-Mart did catch Cliff Lee, the reigning Cy Young Award winner from last year, and CC Sabathia before him.
Though I thought he was a good fit for Boston, I didn’t think the Sox would get the most of out LaRoche as a part-time player, something’s he’s not used to being. Therefore it was wise to get the younger (but sometimes injury-prone) Kotchman for that role. Plus, the fact that Martinez is a better all-around player than LaRoche made the latter expendable.
With LaRoche now back in the National League and V-Mart helping a contending Red Sox team, it’s a win-win for both camps. Cleveland, I’m not so sure, though the Sox will surely miss the versatility of Masterson as a reliable reliever and spot starter. So will Hall of Famer and current Sox analyst Dennis Eckersley, for reasons best seen and heard here.
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
Martinez was quite a snag. Although now this means Jason Varitek has to wear Doug Mirabelli's jersey.