2007 a space oddity for Dodgers’ La Roche

Andy La Roche wants a little space. Is that so wrong?

From now on, he said, his name should be spelled with a space before Roche, not as LaRoche, as the Dodgers have spelled it since he was drafted in 2003. The third baseman, a top prospect who probably will begin the season at triple A, quietly told clubhouse manager Mitch Poole, and it’s written that way on his jersey and above his locker.

“There really should be a space there,” he said. “That’s the way it is supposed to be.”

No matter that his name comes up in a Google search 45,300 times as LaRoche and only 318 times as La Roche.

Or that his brother Adam, first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates, comes up 196,000 times without the space and 2,050 times with it.

Or that their father, former major league pitcher Dave, is found 21,500 times without a space and 222 times with one.

The 2007 media guide will reflect the change -- a fix was made in the final proofreading.

La Roche said his father’s surname was Garcia. At age 7, Dave changed it to La Roche, the last name of his stepfather.

“La Roche is French, but I have no French in me,” Andy La Roche said. “My grandfather was 100% Mexican.”

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-- Steve Henson