La Roche Eyes Repko's Spot (Or Not)

With Juan Pierre slated to play every inning, the Dodgers don't need a backup center fielder on their 25-man roster. That means Jason Repko's principal value comes as a pinch-runner and right-handed backup in right or left field.

While we're a long way from him proving to be proficient in the outfield, the fact that Andy La Roche will be shagging flies, according to Tony Jackson of the Daily News, amounts to some competition for Repko (who, perhaps not coincidentally, talked about the possibility of being traded with Diamond Leung of the Press-Enterprise).

James Loney, expected to backup at first base and the outfield and be one of only two left-handed bats off the bench, almost certainly will make the opening day roster instead of a 12th pitcher, because the Dodgers don't need a fifth starter during the first week. And although La Roche might be the team's third baseman of the future, at this point Wilson Betemit figures to start the season as the full-time hot cornerer, in light of Dodger manager Grady Little's vote of confidence expressed to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. With Betemit being given dibs, Ramon Martinez, Marlon Anderson and Olmedo Saenz (and even Nomar Garciaparra in an extra-inning emergency) could back him up.

But if La Roche, who has never played in a major-league game, can handle the outfield without embarrassing himself, this could be a savvy, low-key way to break him in to the bigs - getting a few at-bats off the bench while pushing Betemit. While the odds remain that La Roche won't travel with the Dodgers for the opener, his candidacy just became more viable. (If Betemit puts a firm hold on third base, La Roche could do the reverse of what many expected: starting in Los Angeles and then going to Las Vegas.)

As always, all this speculation will be rendered moot by the first injury to a Dodger starter in April, in which case there would be room for all these fellas.

Update: Never mind? Steve Henson writes today in the Times that talk of La Roche playing the outfield has "cooled."

Comments

[El Lay Dave]

1.  Let us give thanks that we can get this kind of spring training reporting in the internet age! I remember being so frustrated in years past that the only reporting was useless game scores and "personal interest" stories from camp.

I thought all players did some fly-shagging from time-to-time in practice? I find it hard to believe that this is entirely new to La Roche, but this is good news - anyway to get his bat in the lineup.

The key paragraph is the last one, of course.

[El Lay Dave]

2.  I missed earlier that Diamond Leung also reported on Wednesday (http://tinyurl.com/33jvwg) Brazoban, who is listed at 240 pounds and appeared at camp with a sizable gut, was told to drop some weight. This concerns me. A guy who is trying to come back from serious surgery ought to be taking the best care of his body that he can. Good thing we have a stable of good, young arms if Yhancy can't come back due to his lack of preparedness.

[El Lay Dave]

3.  For Bob Timmermann: "few people cared" Friday night, but you did make me hungry for the right restaurant. I saw that movie twice and had serious cravings by the end both times.

[underdog]

4.  I don't see much chance of this happening (LaRoche beating out Repko for backup OF spot). I guess they could indeed trade Repko, but I'd just been thinking how the 3 starters ahead of Repko are all lefties, giving him some value - plus he's healthy again, plus he's going to look like a great fielder compared to two of the guys starting ahead of him... LaRoche has no experience out there. Loney, I hope makes the team as Nomar's backup, but I think Repko should be the backup OFer for now because he's going to get some playing time. Just my gut feeling anyway.

2 It's not great news but it's also pretty common for someone just coming back from surgery that keeps him out of commission for awhile, to gain a little weight. Hopefully he can get his act together soon.

[D4P]

5.  Is there anyone around here who considers Pierre to be unambiguously better than Repko...?

[JJoeScott]

6.  5 (Raises hand.)

[Greg Brock]

7.  I'm willing to watch Loney play the outfield, because I want him to get at-bats, and I know he'll get some starts at first to protect Nomar's body, even though he's a vastly superior defensive first baseman. But now we're putting LaRoche in the outfield?

So, a stud third base prospect, which doesn't come along every day, and we're going to play him in left field. Ugh. If the Dodgers want to waste La Roche, just put him down in AAA and let him play his position every day.

I get the "low key way to breaking him in" argument, and and I can see how people would like it. But I don't like it.

[Slikk]

8.  Jon, I have no doubt that you know this, but LaRoche is one word.

[Bumsrap]

9.  More and more I think I am going to enjoy seeing a 51s game at least through April and probably May as well.

I don't plan to go to a Dodger game until after June 1.

Uno de Juno should be celebrated like a holiday in 2007.

[D4P]

10.  Pierre vs. Repko

Power

Pierre: 12 career HRs in 4110 ABs, Career IsoP 75
Repko: 11 career HRs in 406 ABs, Career IsoP 159

SLG% are essentially equal, but I'm giving Repko the nod here.

Speed

Pierre: Career SB% of 73.7%
Repko: Career SB% of 78.9

Nod goes to Repko

Arm Strength

Pierre: One of the weakest arms in MLB history
Repko: Better than that

Nod goes to Repko

EQA

Pierre 2006: .255, career . 257
Repko 2006: .261

Nod goes to Repko

Rate2 in CF

Pierre: Career 99
Repko: Career 104

Nod goes to Repko

Patience

Pierre: Career IsoD 47
Repko: Career IsoD 69

Nod goes to Repko

Are there other stats that give Pierre the nod? Probably. But at the very least, it's difficult for me to see how Pierre is unambiguously better than Repko.

[Steve]

11.  Pierre is light-years ahead in meaningless hype.

[immouch]

12.  Dumb thought: La Roche should play 3rd regardless of the level. That's his future and, like an earlier poster said, his value is far less in the OF. Anyway, assuming that happens, is there any talk of Betiment playing 2nd? He was a SS for a long time in the Braves' system, so I'm wondering... Second dumb thought: Somehow, my gut says Repko winds up with 400 PAs and pushes either Either or Gonzales to be the starter... I'm not saying if this is good or bad.

[Greg Brock]

13.  Jon will be reluctant to post anything with Juan Pierre's name in it. It just turns into a Pierre bashing session, and nobody wants that...Except for me, D4P, Steve, Andrew, Rob, trainwreck, regfaifield (Andrew redux), and a few others.

[Bumsrap]

14.  My new name for Pierre is June Peirre because he will be a Giant beginning June 1, 2007. This is not a knock on Pierre. It is just a prediction--a wild and zany one at that.

[immouch]

15.  Add me to the Pierre bashing. And I'm part French.

[Jon Weisman]

16.  8 - Not as of last week.

[Steve]

17.  It just turns into a Pierre bashing session

Of course it does. Two years ago, Jason Repko was the Second Coming of Willie Mays when he was hitting .215/.270/.350 and stumbling around the outfield like Andrew's drunken relatives. Now, he's $43 million less valuable than some guy who vaguely resembles some of the things that we were all told Repko does so well in the first place? Dishonesty and disloyalty apparently spring from the same wellhead.

[Jon Weisman]

18.  10 - As Devil's Advocate, I'd just say you have to take into account that Pierre's expansive playing time could depress his stats. If Repko played 162 games, would he still hold those advantages? Or does he depend on platoon splits and rest and all that?

[Greg Brock]

19.  I don't think patience and power would be affected by the sample size. Those two traits (and pretty darn important ones at that) tend to hold when extrapolated out.

[Steve]

20.  And since Repko already had the other stuff two years ago (or so we were continually assured) one would think that patience and power would be plusses, unless one simply discounts them altogether.

[Frip]

21.  The life of a backup player must be so boring. If I were a manager I would totally let backups and relievers bring a book to the games. I understand that baseball jocks have relatively low psychic energy, but I'm sure even they find the whole affair quite tedious day in and day out. I don't think I'd let them play hand held Nintendo games, because that just looks wrong. But a book, by all means. Would it be THAT unseemly to see a player reading a book in the dugout? Have you ever been so bored, say, waiting in a doctor's office, that you thought you might freak out?

[bhsportsguy]

22.  You can bring out every stat you want but short of an injury, Juan Pierre is going to be out in CF everyday and if he does what he has done in his career you will not here a peep about his production from the dugout or the front office.

Look, I realize no one wants to admit that but that's the truth, now 3B, LF or the 5th spot, those spots are open for debate but CF is done.

Now back to pimping Repko.

[bhsportsguy]

23.  And Jon, once again, Ethier show us that you can never trust a player to be truthful about his health and condition.

[Jon Weisman]

24.  22 - With all due respect, we all realize Pierre is playing, so I don't think that needs to be pointed out as if we don't.

20 - I assume that the more righties Repko faced, the more his slugging percentage would dip. Which doesn't negate the fact that us even having this conversation argues strongly against the Pierre contract.

[Icaros]

25.  Diamond Leung is one of the coolest names I've ever seen, especially for a male.

[berkowit28]

26.  While passing the time here, waiting for games to start, would anyone (Jon?) like to explain what rule 9 is about? (Especially the explicit proscription of "typing"...)

[skybluestoday]

27.  Re: 21

God, I hate waiting for anything. I bring a book with me almost every time I know there's even a remote possibility that I might be waiting around aimlessly (i.e. post office, pharmacy, traffic court). What amazes me is that I am often the only one in line who seems to have thought ahead and done something about it. Everybody else just seems annoyed and restless.

(This rule of thumb does not apply when I am with someone else, since then I can have a conversation, which makes downtime move along nicely.)

[Greg Brock]

28.  26 Just don't talk about no hitters. I think we agreed that saying "something special going on in Detroit, Houston, etc." is the preferred method of telling people about what's going on.

Specialness is discussed. No-hitters are not discussed.

[Icaros]

29.  I wish we were allowed to jinx Giants no-hitters, but it's okay.

[Jon Weisman]

30.  23 - Yeah, it's something, isn't it?

[berkowit28]

31.  28 Ah, on the Macbeth ("the Scottish play") principle. OK.

Is there a generally agreed number of innings after which a game in its early stages during which no hits have yet been made, just part of score-keeping to date, turns into a recognizable no-hitter-in-the-making-that-cannot-be-discussed?

[Andrew Shimmin]

32.  27- You bring a book to the Post Office? That's very cool, but I don't think I could handle it. Aren't you worried you'll miss that the next clerk is available, and hold up the line for an extra five seconds, earning you the scorn of every other person in the building? Plus, it's difficult to get a real good read going while standing up, for me at least. I can do it if I must, but it always feels awkward. Like sleeping on a couch.

[D4P]

33.  29
I've asked this before, but didn't get an answer: are we allowed to jinx no-hitters being pitched against the Dodgers...?

[Greg Brock]

34.  31 9 outs to go. Don't tell me about no-hitters in the fourth inning.

Specialness exists with nine outs to go.

[skybluestoday]

35.  32 -- I go to the post office often enough that I could care less when someone is telling me "Hey, that clerk is available!" with an urgent and annoyed tone (probably because they didn't bring a book). Actually, my local PO (in the heart of LA) is so busy that you have plenty of time to read (or fill out postal paperwork) before you're up at the head of the line.

It's true that reading while standing up and shuffling in line can be a bit difficult, but I often just bring a newspaper/magazine (i.e. The LA Weekly) or something I have read before, so that I don't mind so much when my concentration is bumped a bit.

[skybluestoday]

36.  32 -- And come to think of it, I sleep on my couch a lot.

[berkowit28]

37.  27 Hmmm. So you only have conversations with people you bring along specially for the purpose? You know, I've heard of people that start up conversations with those next to them in line to avoid getting bored. Freaky, but true. ;-)

[gpellamjr]

38.  34 Didn't we say rather that these games were "interesting" than "special"? That's the way I remember it, and the name is more aesthetically pleasing to me.

[gpellamjr]

39.  37 That was much easier to do in southern California than it is in New Jersey or central Ohio. I get a lot of dirty looks when I try to get strangers to talk.

[Bumsrap]

40.  Ned to Frank--Good news Frank, it turns out that we had someone in-house all along to play CF and we no longer need Juan Pierre. And Frank, I have more good news. I can trade Juan to the Giants. Now I just need you to sign this check for $9,000,000 for the fifth year of Juan's contract.....

[Greg Brock]

41.  The prediction bandied about, that Juan Pierre will be playing somewhere else in three years, is pretty good. We'll probably be paying upwards of five million a year of his contract, and he'll be splashing around the waterfall at Kaufmann Stadium, or adding to the scenic beauty of PNC Park.

[LA Native]

42.  23
I think he may have let the team know about his injuries but not the media which would make sense. Its not clear if Grittles held him out the last month b/c of his slump or he knew he was hurt.

La Roche needs to be playing every day. Remember he hasn't played a full season at AAA yet and he is trying to recover from an injury. Having him be a backup at a new position (where he is less valuable) is insane. It makes a little more sense with Loney who played some outfield last year in Vegas and who has a great arm (he used to be a pitcher).

I like Repko, even though he hasn't shown much in the majors. He is valuable as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement (can play all 3 outfield positions). I think he is a better option in left field than Gonzo against lefties. Also, just b/c Pierre always plays 162 games doesn't mean he has to now. I'd expect Repko to get a few starts in center against lefties, b/c it is probably the right thing to do regardless of contract. Pierre just isn't as valuable here as he was in other places, b/c we already have a leadoff hitter.

[Andrew Shimmin]

43.  There are people who have couches that aren't so awful for sleeping. I'm not one of them. Even a bad couch is better than a hide-a-bed sofa, though, so maybe that's the better analogy.

37- That sort of behavior should be selectively bred out of the human instinct. Those people are not doing anyone any favors. They're just imposing their own boredom on others.

[Jon Weisman]

44.  At Dodger Thoughts, you are not allowed to mention a no-hitter in progress at any point after the first pitch, for or against either side.

[Bob Timmermann]

45.  44
It's #9 in the "Thank you for not..."

Originally the Ten Commandments were called the "The Ten Thank You for Nots".

"I am the Lord thy God, thank you for not having false gods before me."

"Thank you for not killing."

"Thank you for not stealing."

"Thank you for not coveting your neighbor's wife."

[Icaros]

46.  I guess Jon's post is already obsolete. That was fast.

Steve Henson:

Talk of prospect Andy La Roche learning to play the outfield has cooled and he is devoting nearly all his time to becoming the best third baseman possible. "We're not going to confuse him right now," Little said.

[Terry A]

47.  The Ten Thank You for Nots were kept in the tabernacle, behind a special curtain with a sign that read: no sandals, no circumcision, no service.

[Icaros]

48.  Encouraging stuff about Greg Miller in the same article.

[Bob Timmermann]

49.  I have built a really cool golden calf in my apartment if anybody wants to come by and worship it.

[ToyCannon]

50.  I'm still amazed that such intelligent posters think that Repko was a solution to CF for a team trying to win a world championship. If he played fulltime against all pitching he'd be one of the worse offensive Centerfielders in baseball. RHP would crush his average to below 250 with an OBP < 300. The only thing he'd bring is some power against LHP and not much of that and a good arm. His reckless play in the OF will continue to result in injuries. Counting on him to be our starting CF would have been foolhardy. We're not talking Chris Denorfia who would have been a very cost effective and better player then the one we ended up with and still not be a solution that could be sold to the media or clubhouse.

I ain't happy about Juan but this pimping of Repko as an everyday CF is just silly. At best he's a platoon CF, at worse he's a 5th outfielder.

[Icaros]

51.  SF Chronicle:

(Bengie Molina on his WS victory against his new team)

"It's not something that should be brought up," Molina said, "because I'm here now and I'm giving my 120 percent or 150 percent to the Giants, and my heart is with the Giants, and we're going to win the whole thing. I don't want 2002 in my head, and I don't want any fans to think about 2002. It's like five years ago."

[Terry A]

52.  If you go to Bob's for the calf worship, don't stay for drinks.

[Bob Timmermann]

53.  I'll serve pie!

[Steve]

54.  So were people lying about Repko then or Pierre now?

[Greg Brock]

55.  I don't think anybody really envisions Repko as a starting CF on a championship-caliber team. But if the argument can be made that they are within striking distance of each other, it's just another way to indicate how ludicrous and unjustifiable it was to sign 'Head.

The real argument should be about Matt Kemp, and the fact that breaking ball issues or not, he would destroy Pierre's numbers if given the opportunity.

[Jon Weisman]

56.  46 - I shoulda stayed on vacation.

[Greg Brock]

57.  56 It's hard to stay up to date while battling scurvy.

Thoughts and prayers, Jon. Thoughts and prayers.

[twerp]

58.  47 Priceless!

[Benaiah]

59.  How can someone see how people got to their blog? Do you need to put some device on your blog or what? I don't really understand metalinks or whatever, so I am wondering how this works?

P.S. I am mostly wondering because my little blog experienced a huge spike in page views this week, but I don't know why.

[Humma Kavula]

60.  Apologies if this is out of place or not cool for any reason, but...

I am part of a season ticket package -- tix are in the buy two, get two free section in the Loge. We had some folks drop out this season and several tickets are available... if you're interested in joining us, shoot an email to me and I'll give details.

toddhatesspam at yahoo dot com

Thanks, everybody.

[was it tims mitt i saw]

61.  59 - i use a counter from sitemeter.com and it keeps track of what sites linked your website.

[twerp]

62.  7 Curious how we know Loney is a vastly superior defensive 1b. Not intended to challenge but really find out what this is based on.

Nomar adaped to first last year with very few errors and kept Furcal from quite a few more with digouts. He didn't have the greatest range as a SS, but range wouldn't be much of a factor at 1B, would it? Why's Loney so much better?

I'm just ignorant, I guess.

{many hands pop up to second this motion}

[Greg Brock]

63.  62 There are tons of scouting reports from places like Baseball America, Sickels, etc. that rave about Loney's defense. And, less scientifically but anecdotally, watching Loney shows me an absolutely slick first baseman. Most baseball folks concede that were he to play right now, he'd be one of the top three or four defensive first basemen in the majors.

Nomar has equipped himself very well at first, and I'm very pleased with his defense, but there really isn't much argument in baseball circles about how special Loney is at first base.

[Andrew Shimmin]

64.  59- Sitemeter keeps track of referrals, like 61 said. You can also use technorati.com, if you don't have a system in place already, to see where they're coming from. Congratulations, in any event. Have you posted a link to your page, here, before?

[CanuckDodger]

65.  62 -- James Loney is silky and Nomar isn't, and that settles that.

[regfairfield]

66.  Loney also isn't the shortest first baseman in baseball.

[Icaros]

67.  Loney is also taller and left-handed, both advantages for the position.

[Benaiah]

68.  64 - I have, you went there to tell me to stick it to T-Mobile. The traffic isn't all that heavy, not that I mind all that much, blogging for all but those who are very successful (like our beloved leader) is mostly self-release. It is nice when people tell you they read it, but usually I just need to get some rant off my chest.

[Andrew Shimmin]

69.  68- Oh yeah! I remember that. I've got it bookmarked, somewhere, but my bookmarks are in such a state of eternal chaos, I can never find anything after the first time.

Woah. Benaiah has some cheesecake pictures up at his site. That's a good way to attract page views.

[Benaiah]

70.  69 - Says comment 69. I try not to post too much cheesecake, but my television review ended up being a series of photos of attractive actresses in my favorite shows.

[Greg Brock]

71.  65 Care to elaborate?

[Jon Weisman]

72.  Only six entries in the Screen Jam Oscar Pool so far. Your chances of winning if you enter now are better than of a Dodger pitcher getting a hit. Or something like that.

[Benaiah]

73.  69 - By the way, I sent the collection agency a certified letter, and got a letter back saying they didn't know who sent the letter (I didn't include my social security number and apparently they have millions of people with my name on file that have disputes with T-Mobile). So I call them and saying I sent the letter, and all of a sudden I started getting calls everyday to settle. So I call back and it turns out that they hadn't done anything after my first call. Fortunately they haven't called back since, though they are probably ruining my credit and putting sugar in my gas tank in the mean time.

[CanuckDodger]

74.  71 -- I was making a reference, tongue-in-cheek, to an argument here last season over what the adjective "silky" meant when it was applied to Loney in the media.

[Andrew Shimmin]

75.  73- If you think murdering D4P would help, that could be arranged.

[Greg Brock]

76.  ItD languishes at four posts per day without bokonon, trainwreck, delino4pedro, Marty, and the Sad Panda.

We can't kill D4P. We need him elsewhere.

[Benaiah]

77.  75 - I asked already and they said they didn't think so, but it couldn't hurt.

[Andrew Shimmin]

78.  74- I found that thread, but won't link it, because it makes me angry at you, all over again. What I can't decide, though, is whether you've loosened up, or if I'm just more tolerant. And thoughtful. And charming. Attractive, charitable, vivacious. . .

[Uncle Miltie]

79.  Did anyone watch the Oregon/Washington game last night? Ryan Appleby won't be winning any sportsmanship award any time soon.

[Gen3Blue]

80.  I got a feeling Betemit or La Roche is going to get traded, perhaps this year
Which one is going to reveal a bit about the D's approach. Also if Laroche is in a trade package for anything but a superstar power hitter, it will be a total waste

[Greg Brock]

81.  If La Roche is put in a package for Miguel Cabrera, I'm on board. Anything other than that, trading the kid without ever giving him a chance, and I will be legitimately irate.

Can you imagine the Mets trading Reyes or Wright? Kazmir, yeah, that was dumb, but they didn't ever think of dishing Reyes or Wright.

[Disabled List]

82.  I find I'm having as hard a time adjusting to La Roche's new spelling as I do with Kuo/Guo.

I also still haven't gotten used to Kobe Bryant wearing #24.

[Bob Timmermann]

83.  Jim Hill is interviewing Jeff Kent now.

Jim Hill keeps using the word "potentiality."

My dictionary says it's a word, but I don't like it.

Not one bit.

[Jon Weisman]

84.  NPOT

[CanuckDodger]

85.  78 -- I wouldn't have minded a link to that thread, because I can't remember all the particulars of what was said, even by me. I do remember that the argument came at a time when some people here were thinking Loney was a J.T. Snow clone. Many months later, I don't think many people here haven't come around to my way of thinking on Loney.

[Bob Timmermann]

86.  I thought it was NPUT?

[Uncle Miltie]

87.  The fans of #1 Ohio State rushed court after beating #2 Wisconsin.

.....Bob?

[Greg Brock]

88.  New Post Overtly Topical?

[Jon Weisman]

89.  NPUT.

[Gen3Blue]

90.  83 unbelievable- but there is no shortage of verbous blow-hards

[Benaiah]

91.  It turns out that posting an "Oscar Cheat Sheet" will lead to a lot of people coming to your blog the week before the Oscars. This reminds me of when Ken Levine had a post that told a story that entirely consisted of top Google search words.

http://tinyurl.com/32mxqj

[Andrew Shimmin]

92.  85- Fire works start at 512, with your vicious, unprovoked assault on me, and end at 552 with the worst apology in the history of the world. "Oh, I'm so sorry if you're too stupid to realize that I wasn't insulting you. Moron. . ."

http://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/341294.html

[Steve]

93.  That was an extraordinarily silly thread, but very indicative of the point.