Player profile: Adam LaRoche
I know what you are thinking right now as you read the title post. Damn that guy is so inconsistent. He always struggles in the first half, kills my team, I drop him and then he goes on a second-half surge. It has been true for the most part, but it wasn't as stark last season.
LaRoche hit .268 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs in the first half with an .842 OPS and batted .287 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs with an .849 OPS in the second half. LaRoche has hit at least 20 home runs in five consecutive seasons and at least 25 in three of the last four years. He has been very consistent.
That came with him playing mostly in Atlanta. Now, he goes to a great hitters park in Arizona at Chase Field and he will hit in the middle of the lineup. I think too many fantasy owners hold his poor first half reputation against him and let him slip in drafts. I have seen go extremely late in some drafts.
He provides great value as your corner infielder and can get him late in drafts. With first base so deep, he tends to fall to the latter rounds. Since 2005, he has hit 20, 32, 21, 25 and 25 homers and had 78, 90, 88, 85 and 83 RBIs.
LaRoche is someone you want to target late in drafts. It's not often you find someone who is a good bet for 25 home runs and 90 RBIs that late.
For 2010 draft preparation, click on the 2010 draft prep tag below.
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