In 2007 Matt LaPorta was taken in the first round (7th pick) of the MLB draft. In 2008 he was traded from Milwaukee's organization to Cleveland as the centerpiece of the CC (no initials, remember) Sabathia trade. In 2008 he was rated by Baseball America as the #23 prospect in baseball, in 2009 he was #27. In 2012, he may start the season in AAA. 27 and holding.
In 1008 career PAs with the Indians, LaPorta has a .238/.304/.397 line as a slow 1B. But yes, he's been a 30-HR guy, lifetime. Michael Brantley, a PTBNL in the trade, and one of the 10 most obscure players in the American League, has been three times more valuable by b-rWAR. LaPorta's greatest accomplishment, to my eyes, was beating Tim Tebow to the Gator4God twitter handle (since deleted). Second place is probably, from an Indian's perspective, he nearly killed Matt Treanor.
There's no deep lesson here, no real analysis, either. I'm smart enough to know that argument by anecdote is barely argument at all. Merely, keep in mind, LaPorta was a position player prospect at 1B: just about the lowest risk prospect possible. What was his floor back in 2008? Worst case scenario, he's Billy Butler, right? Wrong.
0 recs | 15 comments
where's my god damned 40 man roster review....
i NEED to see a breakdown of yuni’s plusses and minuses for the 47th time this offseason
billybeingbilly - February 6, 2012
iamsoangreee
Old Man Duggan - February 6, 2012
plus plusses and plus plusses?
RoyalPug - February 6, 2012
His Plusses
Are minuses.
philofthenorth - February 6, 2012
As are
his minuses.
That’s consistency.
Black and Gold - February 6, 2012
here's a idea that does improve defence
Step 1. Get 4 gritty intangibles players (getz, frenchy..etc)
Step 2. Form a human shield around homeplate
Step 3. Leave a gap in the middle for the pitched ball to pass by
There, you blocked most of the balls in play
And you still have a 1B SS and CF left to field the gap and do putout
Yamfun Cheng Kamfun - February 6, 2012
better defense
find better pitchers
Chiefshero - February 7, 2012
You are on the verge of destroying two individuals here!
marbotty - February 6, 2012
Well, I'm Waiting
philofthenorth - February 6, 2012
After 1,000+ MLB
PA’s, Len Matuszek is his nearest B-R comparable. At least he’s only 27. Now that’s analysis.
philofthenorth - February 6, 2012
so how much longer before LaPorta quits baseball to go play defensive tackle for the Raiders
and ends up landing mostly non-verbal roles in movies with Ringo Starr and the Goonies?
Gopherballs - February 6, 2012
Don't Forget The
‘Roids. Hey, maybe that’s what LaPorta needs……….
philofthenorth - February 6, 2012
I am
Officially grounded….
ChosenOneK - February 6, 2012
so the takeaway story here is what?
it can always be worse?buddyball - February 6, 2012
He's Never Had
A season in MLB that looked promising He had a .250 BABIP in 2010, so I guess he was kind of unlucky. It was .281 in 2009 and .293 in 2011, so those are on the bottom of the average range. His K rate is upper teens to lower 20’s, and he had a low 12.5% LD rate in 2010, only 15.7% for his career. Also, only 9.2% of his fly balls leave the park. Overall, not impressive for a guy who needs to be a slugger to justify his roster spot. It’s not like he’s falling off, he just never got there.
philofthenorth - February 6, 2012
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