Our first LaRoche Watch of the season comes after Adam LaRoche was traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Pittsburgh Pirates over the winter. What this means for fans here in Fort Scott is fewer opportunities to watch the FSHS graduate on TV since the Pirates don't have a "superstation" showing their games.

Meanwhile, Andy LaRoche, Adam's younger brother, has been working in the outfield on some occasions as he tries to break into the big leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Adam: Number 25

Adam's never been able to wear his first choice for a jersey number, 17, in the major leagues. That number was worn by his father, Dave, for most of his major-league career and Adam also wore it in high school and for the one season he played at Fort Scott Community College.

In Atlanta, he wore No. 19 because 17 belonged to then-base coach Glenn Hubbard, who was also a second baseman on Atlanta's teams in the early 1980s.

In Pittsburgh, bullpen coach Bobby Cuellar wears No. 17 and No. 19 was already taken by veteran infielder Jose Bautista. So this year, Adam's taken No. 25.

LaRoche, 27, is expected to provide the powerful left-handed bat many feel the Pirates were missing last season.

"He brings stability to the middle of our order and, strategically, he makes it a little more difficult for opposing managers to deal with our lineup," Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy told mlb.com's Dawn Klemish. "This guy's (also) a real good defensive first baseman. It helps to shore us up defensively on the infield."

Adam's already made an appearance on national television as the Pirates' Wednesday afternoon game with the Boston Red Sox was shown on ESPN. The main attraction for the network was Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, a/k/a "Dice-K." He held the Pirates to one run on one hit in 5 2/3 innings but the hit and the run were both produced by LaRoche, who got a single in just under the glove of Boston right fielder J.D. Drew in the first inning.

The Pirates open the season April 2 at Houston. They will play their home opener against St. Louis on April 9.

As far as getting close to home, since the Pirates are in the National League Central Division with the St. Louis Cardinals, he will play there more often each season than he did with the Braves, who usually only play one series there each season. The Pirates will be at St. Louis May 22-24 and again September 3-6.

The Pirates and LaRoche's former team, the Braves, play in Pittsburgh May 11-13 and in Atlanta July 13-15.

The Pirates and Kansas City Royals don't meet in interleague play this season, so there won't be a chance for LaRoche to play in Kansas City.

Andy: Number 28

In Andy's case, No. 17 belongs to outfielder Jason Repko, so he's wearing No. 28, at least for spring training.

And LaRoche has a pretty good chance of making the team, it seems. The Dodgers have used LaRoche in the outfield a couple of times in order to increase his versatility, which should help his cause.

LaRoche was fairly versatile in high school, where he played second base, catcher, a little shortstop, some third and, at least on some summer teams, pitched. He's been a shortstop and a third baseman for the most part in his minor-league career.

The Dodgers will open the season at Milwaukee on April 2. The first home game will be against the Colorado Rockies on April 9. It's already been confirmed that the April 15 game against San Diego will be on ESPN.

Should LaRoche make the big-league roster, he could face big brother Adam seven times. The Dodgers host the Pirates in a three-game series April 20-22 and go to Pittsburgh June 1-4 for a four-game series.

The Dodgers travel to St. Louis August 10-12, which will be as close as he gets to home this year. The Dodgers will not play the Royals in interleague play this season.