Red Sox Trade: Understanding Second-Half Stud Adam LaRoche

With the out-of-left field announcement Wednesday that they had traded for Pittsburgh first baseman Adam LaRoche, the Boston Red Sox added depth and additional questions surrounding their corner infielder position situation.

But who is this guy they just traded for?

Apparently, he is a second-half stud.

The 30-year-old is an Orange County, CA, native that turns 31 this November. Originally drafted by Atlanta, LaRoche played three seasons for the Braves, achieving career bests in 2006 with a .285 average, 32 home runs, 90 RBI, and 89 runs.

He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates after that career year as part of a four-player trade, but has yet to realize the same success. LaRoche's average has hovered in the .270's with home run totals in the mid-20s since the deal, but his RBI have stayed consistent (88 and 85 driven in respectively the past two seasons.)

So far in '09, LaRoche is hitting just .247 with 12 long balls, 40 RBI, and 46 runs scored in 324 at-bats. According to BaseballHQ.com, he is one of just 3 percent of batters who show a "consistent increase or decline" between their first half and second half numbers in home runs, RBI, and batting average.

He's on the positive side of that ledger however, as he hit .323 in the second half of 2006, .328 in the second half of 2007, and .321 in the second half of 2008 after horrendous starts.

He has played in the postseason with Atlanta, hitting .320 with two homers and 10 RBI in eight games. He's a lefty first baseman with no games at any other position than DH and will be a free agent after this season.

His younger brother Andy also plays with the Pirates. 

As stated earlier, this raises questions about how the team will juggle Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell the rest of the season—does Mark Kotsay remain?

Also, will this bleed over to potentially the DH position with David Ortiz?

Who will be the roster cut or DL visit to accommodate the move?

All in all, just another day in Red Sox Nation.

Josh Nason is the publisher and main writer for Small White Ball, a New England-centric sports and media blog that has been contributing to Bleacher Report since 2008. You can email Josh at [e-mail]