Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche missed most of last season with a shoulder injury, so there is a chip on it this season as he intends to rebound. LaRoche, however, did not get off to the start he would have liked Thursday, when he went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in the Nationals' season-opening 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.
After the game, Nats fans probably scoffed at LaRoche's poor performance, but via The Washington Times' Amanda Comak, LaRoche faced his toughest critic:
His nine-year-old son Drake walked right up to him and said "Dad, what were you doing?"
"I said, 'Drake, you're exactly right.'"
LaRoche, a historically slow starter who spent much of 2011 out of commission and got just a handful of spring training at-bats due a bone bruise in his left foot, came out on Saturday and went 4-for-5 with a three singles and a two-run home run.
"It’s just funny that kids don’t care what they say," LaRoche said. "If he thinks it, he’s going to say it. That was the first thing when I stepped out of here. ‘Dad, what were you doing today?’ So I had to laugh at that."
Little LaRoche's words must have struck a chord within his father, who went out Saturday and producing, going 4-for-5 with three singles and a two-run home run in Washington's 7-4 win.
Kids say the darndest things.
Adam Vingan is co-founder and editor of Kings Of Leonsis, a Caps-centric blog, and is the Capitals Editor for SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter @Adam_KOL and e-mail your story ideas to adamvingan (at) gmail.com.
