LaRoche nearing end of miserable season with Sox

The Chicago White Sox' season ends in three weeks, but it never really got started for Adam LaRoche.

Signed to a two-year, $25 million contract last winter, LaRoche was expected to make everyone forget about Adam Dunn and be a productive designated hitter.

Instead, LaRoche has somehow made Sox fans miss Dunn while putting up a .211/.297/.348 hitting line to go with 12 home runs and 44 RBI.

With the Washington Nationals last season, LaRoche had a .259/.362/.455 slash line with 26 homers and 92 RBI.

That is quite a drop off, and the logical explanation is LaRoche - like Dunn - was a career National League first baseman that couldn't make the transition to American League DH.

To an extent, manager Robin Ventura agrees with the theory.

"I'm sure there's some of that," Ventura said. "But when you're going to the plate, you're going to the plate. It's not something foreign to you. If I had asked him to maybe play center field, that would be a bit of a different issue. I know there's guys, some are better at it than others of being able to DH. He seems to be a guy that likes to be on the field. When you play defense the way he does, I can see that. I can see why."

In 255 at-bats as a DH, LaRoche is batting .188 with 4 home runs and 21 RBI. In 156 at-bats as a first baseman, he's batting .244 with 8 homers and 20 RBI.

The numbers clearly indicate LaRoche is much more productive with the bat when he's playing in the field, but Jose Abreu prefers first base to DH and the Sox obviously want to keep their best hitter happy.

Growing up:

Erik Johnson did not have good command in Friday night's start against the Twins, as indicated by his 5 walks in 5 innings.

But Johnson allowed just 1 run before calling it a night, and he made a good impression.

"There's a confidence he has now that he didn't have last year," manager Robin Ventura said. "To see him come back with the confidence he has going out there, and when something doesn't go his way he bounces right back and gets after it. I think it's been nice when guys get experience and mature from where they were at."

Johnson, who is the early favorite to replace Jeff Samardzija in the rotation next year, is in his third stint with the White Sox.