Greg LaRocca

American baseball player (born 1972)

Gregory Mark LaRocca (born November 10, 1972) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) second baseman who played for the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians between 2000 and 2003. He also played in the Nippon Professional Baseball league from 2004 to 2010.

LaRocca attended Manchester High School West in Manchester, New Hampshire and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In 1993, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Cardinals of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 10th round (262nd overall) of the 1994 MLB Draft.

LaRocca played for Low A Spokane Indians and High A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. LaRocca is a hitting and fielding instructor in New Hampshire for both private and team consulting.

LaRocca was a middle of the order hitter that pulled the ball to left field. When he signed with Orix, he formed "big boys batting line" with Tuffy Rhodes and Alex Cabrera (including Jose Fernandez in 2009 season). When reporters asked the reasons for the strong showing at Orix, "Tuffy hits behind me, I can swing the bat carefully and I can swing the bat hard" putting trust in Rhodes. He played second, third, and first base during his career. LaRocca had good command of all positions, earning a .945 career fielding percentage at all levels. He excited fans in Japan with many diving stops and throws on the run. LaRocca was often injured in Japan due to hit by pitches and while of defense.

LaRocca was known in Japan as a player who was often hit by pitches. In 2007, he was hit 28 times, which is a NPB record. In seven seasons up to 2010, he has recorded 109 HBP. During this time, the number of at bats per HBP was about 21.8 (2375 AB / 109 HBP), more than twice as much as the previous record. In 2007 he received 20 HBP in the first half of the season. Before the All Star Game, LaRocca said "I thought that there would be no [hit by pitches] in the All Star game", but he received a ball from Koharu Uehara in the first bat. Because there was little damage, the pitcher spread both hands to appeal for health. At the moment when he received the 25th HBP of the season from Shibuya Naoyuki on September 17 against Lotte Marines, when he passed the Japanese record set by Yoshiyuki Iwamoto, LaRocca waved hands towards the audience and also bowed. In the same year's salary negotiation, it turned out that LaRocca was hoping for an "unprecedented" incentive at the number of HBP ". Among the increase in annual salary, "treatment expenses" of injuries caused by HBP were included.

September 28, 2007, the Orix team announced that it would donate 100 million yen to the Research Promotion Foundation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. LaRocca revealed how he offered the donation "I want to repay for Japan" under the influence of his wife. Greg is married to his wife, Amanda. They have two children together. They reside in New Hampshire. LaRocca has played in the Wounded Warriors Project softball game in 2016 and 2017 on the celebrity team. This game is to raise money to aid veterans who were injured in combat.