LaRoche Traded; At First I Was Upset, But Then I Felt Better

ATL gets:
P Mike Gonzalez
SS Brent Lillibridge

PIT gets:
1B Adam LaRoche
OF Jamie Romak

At first, I was upset about this trade, and so were a few other Braves fans on Baseball Fever, because we thought that this was a trade of LaRoche for Gonzalez straight up. I was against that because it just didn't seem right on it's face. Trading a young first baseman who appears to be just hitting his peak for an excellent reliever who just happens to have a problematic elbow. I then learned that there were prospects involved. I left for dinner, I came back home and read more about the trade.

I think the Braves came away nicely in this one. Who is Brent Lillibridge? One of the top prospects in the Pirates organization, that's who. :)

The downside of this whole thing is that Scott Thorman is starting. He has no business doing so and the upcoming season will show that. On the other hand, this means that Jarrod Saltalamacchia could get a look at first base in Richmond in 2007 and be the first baseman in 2008 if it doesn't work out with Thorman.