Tony La Russa named Manager

[chw42]

If their intention is to make an AJ Hinch hiring look good, it's working.

[YourWhatHurts]

***I also just wanted to ad to this thread that I think it's crazy that Carlton Fisk never became a manager.  Anyone know why?

[southsider2k5]

3 minutes ago, YourWhatHurts said:

Why would he need to be at Great Falls with a guy like Getz as his superior when let's be honest Getz was just a jabroni at the MLB level.  If you put AJ at 3B under TLR or Bruce Bochy, and advance him to bench coach after a year, then maybe manager after at least 2 years of being a bench coach, then that is fine.

Believe me, AJ working under TLR directly, with TLR directly reporting directly to ownership, is a lot more likely to "put AJ in line" or "keep AJ in line" than being stuck in the minors under a bunch of guys with nothing even close to his resume.  Honestly, the idea of AJ taking instruction from a guy like Getz is insulting.

Because there is a major doubt that AJ lacks the single most important leadership skill out there, and I don't want him poisoning this team if the obvious does happen. The fact the he can't take instruction without it being "insulting" is literally his playing career. That IS the problem with AJ.

[YourWhatHurts]

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

Because there is a major doubt that AJ lacks the single most important leadership skill out there, and I don't want him poisoning this team if the obvious does happen. The fact the he can't take instruction without it being "insulting" is literally his playing career. That IS the problem with AJ.

You don't think a guy like TLR would verbally undress AJ right in the middle of the dugout and in front of the players if he thought it was necessary?  I certainly do.  He's a keeper of the order.

Edited October 14, 2020 by YourWhatHurts

[Sleepy Harold]

So all of a sudden, the White Sox, notorious for being under the radar and keeping their moves under wraps until deals are complete, have info leaking out to the media about their managerial search. Let alone, literally the first person mentioned by media to be getting an interview is now 100% guaranteed (in the eyes of some) to get the job, if he chooses. IMO, something seems very fishy about the whole ordeal and what we've heard.  

[Sleepy Harold]

8 minutes ago, YourWhatHurts said:

Why would he need to be at Great Falls with a guy like Getz as his superior when let's be honest Getz was just a jabroni at the MLB level.  If you put AJ at 3B under TLR or Bruce Bochy, and advance him to bench coach after a year, then maybe manager after at least 2 years of being a bench coach, then that is fine.

Believe me, AJ working under TLR directly, with TLR directly reporting directly to ownership, is a lot more likely to "put AJ in line" or "keep AJ in line" than being stuck in the minors under a bunch of guys with nothing even close to his resume.  Honestly, the idea of AJ taking instruction from a guy like Getz is insulting.

Are you AJ? 

[southsider2k5]

1 minute ago, YourWhatHurts said:

You don't think a guy like TLR would verbally undress AJ right in the middle of the dugout and in front of the players if he thought it was necessary?  I certainly do.  He's a keeper of the order.

Coaches arguing in the dugout isn't a good thing. You realize that, right? The literal point here is to have an organization on the same page and working in the same direction.  We won't get that from AJP. Look at his career. He was never that guy. He never will be that guy.

[Orlando]

2 minutes ago, Sleepy Harold said:

So all of a sudden, the White Sox, notorious for being under the radar and keeping their moves under wraps until deals are complete, have info leaking out to the media about their managerial search. Let alone, literally the first person mentioned by media to be getting an interview is now 100% guaranteed (in the eyes of some) to get the job, if he chooses. IMO, something seems very fishy about the whole ordeal and what we've heard.  

This was true until every signing after Grandal was leaked last year

[YourWhatHurts]

2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Coaches arguing in the dugout isn't a good thing. You realize that, right? The literal point here is to have an organization on the same page and working in the same direction.  We won't get that from AJP. Look at his career. He was never that guy. He never will be that guy.

That's why I added "if he thought it was necessary."  

I trust TLR is the kind of guy who would keep AJ in line.

Regardless, you are not in the Sox dugout.  There's so much hate in Sox fan forums for AJ that isn't even warranted.  It's a lot like the fans complaining for years that Frank was a whiner, etc.  The same thoughts get repeated over and over, but look at how long AJ stuck around in baseball and how many players he must have gotten along with to last so long.  Look at Puig now.  AJ's reputation has always been overinflated.

There really is no basis for you to say he was never on the same page with his teammates and management / coaching staff.  For how much Ozzie says he hated AJ, how many years did AJ play for Ozzie?  Ozzie always laughs when he says that and makes an remark about AJ.  But then ask Ozzie about Swisher and you see the difference.  I mean for as much as this organization has been built around SP, there's no way AJ would have lasted so long if he was actually the guy you're painting him as.  He led a championship pitching staff on the field and continued to lead quality pitchers for the rest of his career.  He really mustn't be that bad.

[Jack Parkman]

If they're really bringing TLR back.....

[SonofaRoache]

10 minutes ago, Sleepy Harold said:

So all of a sudden, the White Sox, notorious for being under the radar and keeping their moves under wraps until deals are complete, have info leaking out to the media about their managerial search. Let alone, literally the first person mentioned by media to be getting an interview is now 100% guaranteed (in the eyes of some) to get the job, if he chooses. IMO, something seems very fishy about the whole ordeal and what we've heard.  

There is no competition here if he is their guy. No need to keep it in wraps and they can get fans prepped if need be. The only two knocks I had on TLR was his age and views on the modern game. IF he is open to modernized baseball, I can forgive his age if someone else is groomed for the job in a few years. Or, would be ready if he were to pass. For me, Hinch is the only other option available that makes sense.  

[YourWhatHurts]

11 minutes ago, Sleepy Harold said:

So all of a sudden, the White Sox, notorious for being under the radar and keeping their moves under wraps until deals are complete, have info leaking out to the media about their managerial search. Let alone, literally the first person mentioned by media to be getting an interview is now 100% guaranteed (in the eyes of some) to get the job, if he chooses. IMO, something seems very fishy about the whole ordeal and what we've heard.  

If you're going to interview TLR, why not him first?  Pick his brain in the interview before you get to the other candidates.  Think about it: if you already know you will be interviewing younger potential managers, and if you are looking for a guy who hopefully could stick around the game as long as TLR has, why wouldn't you talk to TLR first and then compare the other interviews to his after?

There are advantages here for the Sox just by interviewing him.  He's friends with ownership so I doubt they won't do favors for each other.  This might just be an opportunity to gather info and there may not even be a real intention of hiring him.

[YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES!]

 

[Chisoxfn]

28 minutes ago, hi8is said:

This is strange. All of it....

Bruuuuuuuce stating TLR is "up on the analytics side" is surprising. 

Still not buying it... maybe I'm in denial. 

LaRussa spent a few seasons for the Red Sox, who I believe are an analytically driven organization and Angels had moved that way, especially post Scioscia where he had been.  This all goes back to my original point - people are assuming things based upon one or two quotes or the fact that he is old.  Now I have no idea how involved or not involved he has been in the game of baseball, but if Tony has been plugged in and kept up with things, I don't see how this is as terrible of a decision as most here think it is.  

[southsider2k5]

13 minutes ago, YourWhatHurts said:

That's why I added "if he thought it was necessary."  

I trust TLR is the kind of guy who would keep AJ in line.

Regardless, you are not in the Sox dugout.  There's so much hate in Sox fan forums for AJ that isn't even warranted.  It's a lot like the fans complaining for years that Frank was a whiner, etc.  The same thoughts get repeated over and over, but look at how long AJ stuck around in baseball and how many players he must have gotten along with to last so long.  Look at Puig now.  AJ's reputation has always been overinflated.

There really is no basis for you to say he was never on the same page with his teammates and management / coaching staff.  For how much Ozzie says he hated AJ, how many years did AJ play for Ozzie?  Ozzie always laughs when he says that and makes an remark about AJ.  But then ask Ozzie about Swisher and you see the difference.  I mean for as much as this organization has been built around SP, there's no way AJ would have lasted so long if he was actually the guy you're painting him as.  He led a championship pitching staff on the field and continued to lead quality pitchers for the rest of his career.  He really mustn't be that bad.

Its not about "hate for AJ".  It is about recognizing that what made him great as a player would be a death knell as manager in 2020.

[Jerksticks]

Based on Stone’s quote, I think there’s been a deal in place for a while now with somebody.  Wonder who that is.  

Edited October 14, 2020 by Jerksticks

[Dick Allen]

5 minutes ago, Jerksticks said:

Based on Stone’s quote, I think there’s been a deal in place for a while now with somebody.  Wonder who that is.  

If he truly knows, it is Hinch. 

[Sockin]

1 minute ago, Dick Allen said:

If he truly knows, it is Hinch. 

Also I just don’t think Keuchel would be THAT stoked about TLR.

[BFirebird]

6 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

If he truly knows, it is Hinch. 

And we found the Hahn mouthpiece vs the KW/JR mouthpiece. ?

[Sleepy Harold]

1 hour ago, YourWhatHurts said:

If you're going to interview TLR, why not him first?  Pick his brain in the interview before you get to the other candidates.  Think about it: if you already know you will be interviewing younger potential managers, and if you are looking for a guy who hopefully could stick around the game as long as TLR has, why wouldn't you talk to TLR first and then compare the other interviews to his after?

There are advantages here for the Sox just by interviewing him.  He's friends with ownership so I doubt they won't do favors for each other.  This might just be an opportunity to gather info and there may not even be a real intention of hiring him.

I don't care about him interviewing or even going first, but treating their hiring process as if they aren't interviewing one other candidate is ridiculous. We've heard rumblings of Hinch, but that can't get going until after the WS. Other potential candidates have teams still playing right now, so obviously they can't be interviewed either. Like, I can't wrapy head around the whole concept of it being a one and done situation, because I 100% believe that it won't be and that TLR isn't their guy. 

[Sleepy Harold]

1 hour ago, SonofaRoache said:

There is no competition here if he is their guy. No need to keep it in wraps and they can get fans prepped if need be. The only two knocks I had on TLR was his age and views on the modern game. IF he is open to modernized baseball, I can forgive his age if someone else is groomed for the job in a few years. Or, would be ready if he were to pass. For me, Hinch is the only other option available that makes sense.  

What job would only interview one candidate for a position? It's just weird. 

[ron883]

1 minute ago, Sleepy Harold said:

What job would only interview one candidate for a position? It's just weird. 

The Cubs did it with Joe Maddon

[Chicago White Sox]

4 hours ago, YourWhatHurts said:

I think AJ Pierzynski has all of the qualities I would love to see in a manager, for the long haul, but his ego might be too big.  I think he would be a very smart game manager.

IMO, AJ as bench coach, MB as assistant pitching coach, and both are groomed to be manager and pitching coach.  I'm not sure MB would ever have the mind to manage but I bet he could be a great pitching coach, if he had any interest.

I love AJ, but him as a coach in any capacity is a horrible idea.  He should replace Stone as color commentator when he eventually retires.

[fathom]

So Stoney isn’t saying no to a TLR and younger coach tandem. Instead of AJP, I wonder if Konerko is interested

[Chicago White Sox]

4 hours ago, TheTruth05 said:

Can't believe how many people are buying this. Zero chance TLR is their man.

100% agree.  This is misdirection, a way to show the Sox are serious about adding a big name, and/or a favor for Tony.  Honestly, it’s probably a mix of all three.