MLB - Sports Rumors

Sat Mar 08, 2008 8:37 am EST

Thumb injury drops LaRoche from Dodgers' third base battle

By Joe Zedalis

Andy LaRoche

Getty Images

Andy LaRoche fell out of the two-man race to be the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting third baseman Friday night, when a ligament in his right thumb was revealed to be torn and in need of surgery that will sideline him eight to 10 weeks the Los Angeles Times reported.

LaRoche will undergo surgery in the next couple of days, probably in Los Angeles, General Manager Ned Colletti said. With the 24-year old LaRoche out until at least May, the job at third base will almost certainly go to Nomar Garciaparra, who narrowly escaped a serious injury of his own in the Dodgers' 6-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. It was because Garciaparra was hit by a pitch above his right wrist in the fourth inning that LaRoche had to enter the game as a pinch-runner.

A half inning later, LaRoche was rolling on the ground in agony, his throwing hand having been hit by a pickoff throw to third base by Dodgers catcher Danny Ardoin that deflected off runner D'Angelo Jimenez.

Source: Los Angeles TimesNew Window

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57 Comments

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  1. sc
    1. Posted by sc Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:50 pm EDT

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    Gosh now he's taken Repko injuries in ST from last year. Can we please stay healthy for the love of god.
  2. Create Wonders
    2. Posted by Create Wonders Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:11 pm EDT

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    Honestly I wouldn't have been bothered with either Laroche or Nomar getting the nod at third. Nomar has been clutch for us over his tenure in L.A. and quite productive. Laroche is definitely the future. Guess this way it gives us a chance to give Nomar a head-start at the position and see if he delivers the goods. If he doesn't in the amount of time he has, then when Laroche returns slot him back in at third. Win-Win situation if you ask me....
  3. GFY!
    3. Posted by GFY! Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:17 pm EDT

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    Who cares it's the national league. Soon to be called the forgotten league unless a few of the teams step up and put together a decent team that can compete with the AL. Lets face it the top 6 or so teams in baseball are in the AL. Not being pessimistic its just the truth and overall bad for baseball.
  4. live 4 surf
    4. Posted by live 4 surf Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:56 pm EDT

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    gfy! #6 is right only 3 teams spend any money in the n.l. mets,cubs,and dodgers and they have a history of not playing up to their payrolls, until they buy their way into the playoffs every year like the yankees the other clubs won't feel the pressure to spend with them.
  5. Christian D
    5. Posted by Christian D Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    Hopefully it doesnt affect the way he hits or anything maybe Nomar can bounce back
  6. jim
    6. Posted by jim Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    #8 fruit (not froot) lets use spell check can we????????????
  7. P Tain
    7. Posted by P Tain Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

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    Chris L - I hope so too, I think he will be fine. No matter how this year works out, I think he is your future third baseman. I'm a Mets fan but I have a soft spot for the Dodgers as well. I wish your team luck in '08.
  8. The Champiiiin
    8. Posted by The Champiiiin Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

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    News flash to any Dodger fan that thought torre would play Laroche over Nomar- No way! Torre is loyal to veterans on an unhealthy level, no matter what Laroche did in spring it was going to be Nomar's job, period. Get used to that and his mediocre bullpen management and your torre break in period will be short.
  9. Dukeston1
    9. Posted by Dukeston1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    You are right up to a certain point, Thomas G, Furcal wasn't as good as he could have been last year because of injuries. His numbers were quite a bit down from the years before. Heres his numbers from last Year and his 3 year averages before.
    Last Year: Avg.270, OBP.333, 87 R, 23 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 47 RBI, 25 SB in 138 Games
    3 Year Avg: Avg.288, OBP.354, 105R, 29 2B, 8 3B, 14 HR, 60 RBI, 37 SB in 152 Games
    I really think that Furcal can get back to being a top 5 SS in this league if he can avoid the injury bug. ::crosses fingers::
  10. wakanooga
    10. Posted by wakanooga Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:36 pm EDT

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    Hopefully LaRoche is back in time for when Nomar hurts himself... Say, around Memorial Day? This isn't the worst news in the world for the team (sorry, Andy -- hope you come back strong and play 10 years at the position for the Blue, befitting the your uniform number).
  11. Pain Train
    11. Posted by Pain Train Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:55 pm EDT

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    It Works out well because in the end Nomar is gonna be one of Torre's guy's and Torre ain't gonna be jerking these guys in & out of the line up. Your either one of his guys or your not. Ain't that right Kyle Farnsworth?
  12. Pain Train
    12. Posted by Pain Train Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:55 pm EDT

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    #15 got it right...But i feel Proctor to Broxton to Saito is real strong and Joe won't screw that up as long as he lets them work through ups & downs. He's a push button manager that relief corp is tailor made for him.
  13. Steve H
    13. Posted by Steve H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:21 pm EDT

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    Is it just me or are there ALOT more injuries this year for MLB than last year? FIRE the trainers for not having these players ready to do battle.
  14. Eddie S
    14. Posted by Eddie S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    Furcal rhymes with Urkel and Pierre should be shipped out so Ethier can play or put
    both of these clowns in a package and get a good SS.
  15. dee
    15. Posted by dee Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    Cant any one stay healthy, its staring to get to that sicking point once again. its only baseball!!!!!!!!!!!!
  16. Scott
    16. Posted by Scott Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

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    The Dodgers will be fine. Colletti knows what he is doing, he held onto the future rather than go for the quick fix. Nomar and Furcal for one more year then in with the youth. Two mistakes Ned made the Pierre signing and Schmidt signing, those will be rectified with when Jones and Kenp explode this season and Kershaw arrives mid-season. The west is tough no matter what but the Dodgers should prevail and represent the NL in the series this year. So everyone should just chill and wait for the party to start in October.
  17. live 4 surf
    17. Posted by live 4 surf Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:56 pm EDT

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    thomas g thank you for your concern, furcal is a free agent in 09 and pierre is the subject of trade talks but his contract is fattttttttt. making it hard to trade him. you may get your wish soon. good thing you don't need to hear to post just read. that thump is in long term memory
  18. Moonlight Graham
    18. Posted by Moonlight Graham Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    LA - trade for Inge. He won't out of Detroit and he can strike out just as well in a Dodgers uniform as a Tigers.
  19. Frank O
    19. Posted by Frank O Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:35 pm EDT

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    Brandon Inge is available! go tigers
  20. kingpaddy
    20. Posted by kingpaddy Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:01 pm EDT

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    Y
  21. kathy g
    21. Posted by kathy g Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:50 pm EDT

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    Go get Josh Fields from Sox - pay the price and be done with it
  22. JAMESL
    22. Posted by JAMESL Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

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    The Dodger should go get Mike Hessman from the Tigers. He is a big third/first basemen with power & good defensively. With their lineup he will be on the way back to Toledo again. He could play for a lot of teams.
  23. live 4 surf
    23. Posted by live 4 surf Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:56 pm EDT

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    right thomas g.
  24. shamrock
    24. Posted by shamrock Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:40 pm EDT

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    You said it dan m right on doyer fans are fake there raydur fan too and they like loseing and whining all the time..angels rule
  25. BRUCE B
    25. Posted by BRUCE B Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    # 12 you are wrong froot loops is the cereal and it is spelled froot not fruit,now don't you feel stupid?

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