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Thread: Does LaRue Have Any Trade Value?

  1. #31
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    I don't think I'm fighting a losing battle on the stats, just tired of going back and forth between this cite and ESPN. I do not believe Larue will be the catcher for this team next year. I think a more fundamentally sound offensive and defensive catcher will be acquired. The Reds have 4 catchers on the 40 man roster and none appears to be the answer. Maybe Corky Miller makes sense to split time with a new guy.


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  3. #32
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    People here keep saying LaRue doesn't call a good game, so let me ask, what is involved in calling a good game?

    I doubt LaRue is "calling" for a hanging curveball, or calling for the pitchers to fall behind 2-0.

    It seems to me with the pitching staff the Reds have, one could "call" the perfect game but the pitchers wouldn't be able to make the pitches.

  4. #33
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    From everything I've seen, the Reds dugout calls the game. I, personally, think a catcher should be able to call a game. With Larue, I don't think they want to burden him with calling the game. I think they just want him to concentrate on catching the ball.

  5. #34
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    If LaRue had a good bat, we probably might have tolerated his passed balls deficiency. But, his overall game is nothing to brag about and he has been in Bob Boone's doghouse all season. If he comes back next season, I'll be shocked.

  6. #35
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    Originally posted by Krusty
    If LaRue had a good bat, we probably might have tolerated his passed balls deficiency. But, his overall game is nothing to brag about and he has been in Bob Boone's doghouse all season. If he comes back next season, I'll be shocked.

    Krusty, what would a "good bat" be for a catcher? We've already shown that the AVERAGE catcher has a sub .700 OPS, and that LaRue is at about .720.

    PSR

  7. #36
    Member RollyInRaleigh's Avatar
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    I would have a hard time calling Larue's bat good, regardless of all the stats you dig up. He simply is not a good hitter. You don't need stats to see that. Just watch a ballgame instead of the stat sheet. Undisciplined, with holes as big as the grand canyon.

  8. #37
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    Originally posted by RANDY IN CHAR NC
    I would have a hard time calling Larue's bat good, regardless of all the stats you dig up. He simply is not a good hitter. You don't need stats to see that. Just watch a ballgame instead of the stat sheet. Undisciplined, with holes as big as the grand canyon.
    Oh lord, here we go again.

    Forget about actual performance, and focus on how a guy "looks."

    LaRue has been the 12th best hitting catcher in the majors in 2002. So what if he "looks" like the 25th best?

    Would I rather have I-Rod or Piazza? Hell yes. But I'll TAKE an above average hitting catcher over a below average hitting catcher in a pinch.

    The Reds have a LOT more pressing needs then upgrading at catcher.

    PSR

  9. #38
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    Raisor,

    You are actually saying that Jason Larue is a good hitter? Again, you can rummage through all the statistics that you can find, and you can lay them out on the table any pretty way that you can think of, but based on what I see from Jason Larue on a regular basis, I will not agree that he is a good hitter in any way shape or form. He is a pretty easy out on a regular basis for most of the pitchers in the National League. There are times when Jimmy Haynes is pitching that I would rather see Haynes walking to the plate than Larue.

    We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. You can call Jason Larue a good hitter from here on out, and I won't call you on it. I pretty much know how you feel, and you know how I feel. Based on Jason Larue, today, September 16, 2002, I just can't agree with you. As an everyday player, he is not a good hitter. Many, here on the forum, will probably disagree with me. Enough said. I'm out on this one. I've beaten it to death.:hat:

  10. #39
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    Is LaRue a good hitter? It depends on who you compare him to.

    Compared to the firstbasemen in the league, absolutly not. Compared to any other postion player? Absolutly not. Compared to the other catchers in the league? Absolutly, and since he is a catcher, that's who you have to compare him to.

    PSR

  11. #40
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    To me this is like looking at a bad car and pointing towards the spare tire as the problem rather than the engine. Granted, Larue's defense (specifically PB's) are a problem, but he is not one of the top 5 cogs of the offense even. If Griffey stays healthy, Dunn and Kearns keep improving, Casey gets back to some semblance of '99 form, and Boone goes 25-100, all Larue has to do is turn in a .700ish OPS and this team is fine. As a Reds fan you want to see Jason improve a little more but he is not the major problem. The top 5 guys being absent due to injury or underachieving is a much, much bigger problem.

  12. #41
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    Originally posted by PuffyPig
    Larue has trade value. He's the best catcher in baseball at throwing out basestealers. He's, at worst, an average hitting catcher. He's got some power, and drives in runs. He's a bit of a clutch hitter. His PB's are abysmal, but if 10 is average(?), and considering a number came with Fernandez, is 20 really costing us so much? Certainly not enough to say he has no trade value. We will not get Rodriquez. It would be a ridiculous signing for a small market team.
    This is so close to what I was thinking I had to copy it and say it.

  13. #42
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    It amazes me how this thread started out as whether or not Larue was a "below average hitter for a catcher", and when proven wrong, it's changed to whether or not he "was below average hitter". Of course he is, as almost all catchers are. Even Jason Kandall and Deluca, 2 of the better hitting catchers around, hit less than Larue this year. For posters who say that Larue does not deserve to be on a major league roster, or who would rather see Haynes hit, I'm just glad you're not running the Reds. Haynes has a lifetime OPS of .353. It's .401 this year. He makes Castro look like God. And you want to see him hit??

  14. #43
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    I think LaRue is like Reggie Taylor. Both have holes in their swing and seem to be searching on what works best for them. I think having Dunn and Kearns come up together gives all Reds fans that feeling that all players should hit like them. I've seen many bash Larkin for his year, but he has a career high in doubles and is great in the field. Dunn who was the most love Red has shown he is human! Kearns has also been streaky. LaRue has had some big hits and has some power. He also has a great arm. Look at the catchers around the league - it's just not a position of offense. Not many Piazza, Pudge types of the world.
    He has trade value, but he probably needs to be the back up and spot starter in Cincy. We can't afford Stinnett at over 1 million so lets have a couple decent catchers with some pop. No he probably won't ever carry this team for more then a couple games, but a few game winning HRs will occur. He certainly should not be put in the same conversation as Castro!

  15. #44
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    Larue is a below average hitting catcher. With one qualification. He is probably average or better compared to the part time catchers that play for a number of teams. Compare him to the true starting catchers and he is below average.

    Only about half the teams in the major leagues (or fewer) have a true starting catcher. The Reds need to become one.

  16. #45
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    Originally posted by Kc61
    Larue is a below average hitting catcher. With one qualification. He is probably average or better compared to the part time catchers that play for a number of teams. Compare him to the true starting catchers and he is below average.

    Only about half the teams in the major leagues (or fewer) have a true starting catcher. The Reds need to become one.
    Now that might be the most convoluted logic I've seen in some time. Since only about 15 out of 30 teams have "real' starting catchers, Larue might rank 12 out of those 15 so is below average. The fact that the other 15 teams don't even have someone they can call a regular (presumably someone worse than Larue) should be ignored. Yeah right. Whatever you're trying to sell here, I'm not buying.


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