Pirates land LaRoche in trade for Gonzalez and another player

By Rob Biertempfel
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, January 17, 2007


The Pirates are on the verge of completing a trade for the power hitter they have sought all offseason, but it will cost them closer Mike Gonzalez and another player.
Reached by phone Wednesday evening, both Gonzalez and Adam LaRoche of the Atlanta Braves confirmed the trade. The deal is pending the completion of physicals.

A source with the Braves indicated it is a four-player trade, with one player from each team still unidentified.

The agents for Pirates outfielder/first baseman Ryan Doumit and centerfielder Chris Duffy said they have not been told their clients are involved in the trade. Pitchers Paul Maholm and Sean Burnett said they are not part of the deal.

LaRoche, 27, batted .285 with 32 home runs and 90 RBI last season. When salary arbitration figures were exchanged Tuesday, LaRoche asked for $3.7 million and the Braves offered $2.8 million. LaRoche made $420,000 last year.

Gonzalez on Tuesday signed a one-year contract worth $2.35 million, avoiding arbitration.

Gonzalez, 28, converted 24 straight save opportunities and went 3-4 with a 2.17 ERA last year, but was shut down in late August due to elbow tendinitis. He resumed throwing two weeks ago, and said his elbow feels fine.

Gonzalez is in Pittsburgh to participate in the Pirates' offseason conditioning program. LaRoche was repairing a fence on his ranch in Kansas when he got the news from Braves officials.


Rob Biertempfel can be reached at rbiertempfel@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7811.