Talking LaRoche with a NLED Scout

I sat down today with a long time, and now retired, baseball scout in the NLED (disclaimer - not with the Braves) and threw some LaRoche questions by him and here's what he had to say:

Bucco Blog: The Pirates wanted LaRoche, the Braves wanted Gonzalez, the two teams never came together with a satisfactory package to get the deal done. Why do you think this is stalling?

Scout: Perhaps because LaRoche is seen as a platoon player.

Bucco Blog: Platoon? I knew he had some issues against LH pitchers but I thought he turned that around in 2006?

Scout: If you consider a .240/15/42 vs southpaws decent in a breakout year, then I suppose you could say he turned it around. His lifeline [his farm system and majors stats combined] suggests he will always have trouble against left-hand pitching.

Bucco Blog: So are you suggesting that Adam LaRoche might be priced a bit high?

Scout: I don't know what his price was so that is hard to make a decision on. His value to the Pirates is not the same as his value to the Cubs, for instance. The Pirates might use him everyday where another team might use him in a platoon.

Bucco Blog: Tell us how you view LaRoche's offensive capabilities.

Scout: Line to line hitter with a plus bat to both fields when he chooses the right approach at the plate. He gets into trouble when he gets too patient or he swings a long bat. He has two plate approaches: impatient at the plate and a lot of contact and power at the expense of higher K's or patient at the plate and no power.

Bucco Blog: How do you see him fitting in with the Pirates and at PNC?

Scout: The NLCD has some crafty arms compared to the hard throwers we see in the NLED and with his reduced plate discipline the last few years, that could hurt his power. On the other hand, the Pirates desperately need a middle of the order left-hand bat - even if he needs to be platooned like he was in the Braves farm system.

Bucco Blog: Are you saying LaRoche might be more of a doubles hitter at PNC?

Scout: Hard to tell. He has plus power both ways but only if he can get extended. He isn't like a JD Drew who will sit on a hook out of the zone and then drive it over the fence on you. LaRoche will probably miss it. Toss a second hook there and LaRoche will take it while JD might drive it down the line. I can see him hitting 40+ doubles at PNC at the expense of home runs.

Bucco Blog: Another Sean Casey?

Scout: Sean Casey with significantly more translated power, less plate discipline and balance, and a better glove, yes.

Bucco Blog: Gonzalez or LaRoche?

Scout: If I'm Pittsburgh, LaRoche.

Bucco Blog: Gonzalez and Maholm or Duffy - you choose - or LaRoche.

Scout: I hate to go there but I wouldn't trade Maholm and Gonzalez for LaRoche.

Bucco Blog: One last question - Oliver Perez or Xavier Nady?

Scout: Oliver Perez for anybody but the Pirates. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with Nady's gap power this year if he isn't over exposed. He would be an excellent platoon partner with LaRoche for the Pirates.

Bucco Blog: Over exposed?

Scout: Nady's struggles against right hand pitching are justified although he loses some power facing southpaws.