Cubs Designate Bryan LaHair For Assignment

The Cubs have designated Bryan LaHair for assignment, according to a club press release.  The team and LaHair are "pursuing an opportunity" for LaHair to sign with a Japanese team.

LaHair had a peculiar 2012 season, beginning the campaign as Chicago's regular first baseman and breaking out to 12 homers and a .988 OPS over his first 51 games.  This hot start was enough for LaHair to make the NL All-Star team, though he cooled off considerably after May and ended up on the bench as Anthony Rizzo took over at first and the Cubs had too many other options in the outfield. 

LaHair finished 2012 with a .259/.334/.450 line and 16 homers in 380 plate appearances with almost all of that damage coming against right-handed pitching — the left-handed hitting LaHair had an .865 OPS against righties and a .292 OPS against southpaws.