Tony La Russa named Manager

[Chisoxfn]

8 minutes ago, bmags said:

What are the absurd hot takes

Lets see -

1. He is old - therefor he can't possibly relate to others and knows nothing about analytics 

2. No FA will ever come here - maybe some won't, I don't know - but Stroman likes a tweet and assume that 100% states he won't be back and evne more so means no players will. For all we know there are a number of players who have played with other vets who were on TLR teams who are like he's a hell of a mgr, will have great coaches, etc. 

3. Our own players are going to revolt - based upon what - no one knows shit. All I see is massive speculation - why don't we wait and see vs. instantly react 

4. He is anti-anlytic and anti-fun - I don't know what basis we have for this; Bash Brothers, Ricky, and others.  

5. This is worst move Sox have made in forever - I'm done - Seriously - this is the move that makes you done.

Could the above end up being true - sure, but in general I think those are mainly massive hot takes.  What I know for a fact is, in the past, he hasn't been a mgr who has gotten in the way of his team winning and who has acheived the ultimate pinnacle (championships).  I am not going to ignorantly assume because he's old he can't continue to do that.  Warren Buffet is old as shit - he is still one of the best there ever has been around making brilliant investing decisions.  He still innovates.  

[Balta1701]

Just now, NWINFan said:

I don't understand this move. And like another poster said, I wonder if the FO really considered anyone else. We've all been through this before. A big decision with little thought.

They wouldn't have removed RR and Cooper if the job wasn't already going to LaRussa. They did a couple of other interviews to check the boxes on diversity but never seriously considered anyone else. 

[Rowand44]

1 minute ago, Baker said:

That steroid stuff is past the statue of limitations. If Tony gets Eloy to hustle in left field, I don’t care if he’s a little put out. Hopefully we’ll see some sharp, crisp, intelligent baseball here. 

So is Tony.

[Chisoxfn]

1 minute ago, Balta1701 said:

There's no assumption about it. 

So you are just jumping to conclusions and stating it is absolutely the case - you are going to ignore 20+ years of evidence (1st female front office individual, multiple minority managers, minority GM (who than became president), etc.  GMAFB. 

[Danny Dravot]

3 minutes ago, Sockin said:

After this, I will not give a shit about Jerry when he dies.

Yeah! Stupid rich asshole needs to die so our team can flourish! /s

[Soxnfins]

Imagine to tear down your team and to rebuild your team in the vision of your eyes, make your owner be happy by saving money, then finally being able to compete (albeit in a short season) by spending a bit of money, only to have your owner kick you in the balls and say, NOW IT'S MY TURN

[Balta1701]

Just now, Chisoxfn said:

So you are just jumping to conclusions and stating it is absolutely the case - you are going to ignore 20+ years of evidence (1st female front office individual, multiple minority managers, minority GM (who than became president), etc.  GMAFB. 

No, I'm using the fairly strong piece of evidence as to LaRussa being hired. 

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

6 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Frankly, bullcrap. MLB repeatedly sent out memos saying "steroids are not allowed in this game", going as far back as the early 1990s, I believe under commissioner Fay Vincent it was so long ago. MLB sent out a memo saying the same thing about video recording. LaRussa ignored those memos, those rules, and frankly federal law in some cases, for what, 20 years? McGwire felt it totally ok to have a bottle of andro sitting openly in his locker in 1998 during the home run chase. 

There are zero ways to justify the bolded, unless the next clause is "the steroid era was far worse". The steroid era was open defiance of MLB rules, and in many cases even of federal controlled substance regulations. 

Frank Thomas brought up steroids as a problem during the 1993 CBA.

[bmags]

2 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

Lets see -

1. He is old - therefor he can't possibly relate to others and knows nothing about analytics 

2. No FA will ever come here - maybe some won't, I don't know - but Stroman likes a tweet and assume that 100% states he won't be back and evne more so means no players will. For all we know there are a number of players who have played with other vets who were on TLR teams who are like he's a hell of a mgr, will have great coaches, etc. 

3. Our own players are going to revolt - based upon what - no one knows shit. All I see is massive speculation - why don't we wait and see vs. instantly react 

4. He is anti-anlytic and anti-fun - I don't know what basis we have for this; Bash Brothers, Ricky, and others.  

5. This is worst move Sox have made in forever - I'm done - Seriously - this is the move that makes you done.

Could the above end up being true - sure, but in general I think those are mainly massive hot takes.  What I know for a fact is, in the past, he hasn't been a mgr who has gotten in the way of his team winning and who has acheived the ultimate pinnacle (championships).  I am not going to ignorantly assume because he's old he can't continue to do that.  Warren Buffet is old as shit - he is still one of the best there ever has been around making brilliant investing decisions.  He still innovates.  

Well, in their defense, there already is a player saying they wouldn't want to play for him and other reporters. At that point it doesn't seem so absurd. As for him not being able to relate and players revolting, well, there is his history of very public fights with players that maybe they don't want in a fun clubhouse.

4. There are his many quotes the last 5-6 years on him being against the Tatis Jr 3-0 grand slam, how analytics are out of control, on the other hand - you say its absurd.

5. It thankfully is not the sox worst move. For that I agree, there are far too many awful ones.

[poppysox]

8 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Tony LaRussa is absolutely going to have the final say on personnel decisions. The former GM/now assistant GM opposed this move and it was driven by others - so if LaRussa and Assistant GM Hahn have a disagreement on a player's use or on an acquisition, it's already clear that the owner will come down on LaRussa's side. 

Assistant GM Hahn might make 95% of the moves, but he's already lost any power struggles. 

Hahn might have been the guy who brought up Tony as a couple of year bridge to Jirschele for what any of us know.  Anxious to hear about bench coach/3rd base coach/ pitching coach.  Tony knows everyone in the game so there should be some interesting names.

[CyAcosta41]

26 minutes ago, southsideirish71 said:

The only ones who love this are boomers who are in their golden years and think 80 year olds are just as mentally fit and actionable as 42 year olds.  The same people also forget that the accelerator pedal and the brake are two different instruments.  

Never let a hot take get in the way of the facts, junior.

Been talking LaRussa with my core group of Sox fanatics the past couple of weeks. Maybe 15-20 guys, all aged 60-67 or so. Not a single one of us like it at all. And if I canvassed a broader network of the discerning baseball types (distinguished from the meathead fan) I know, I'd guess not 1 in 10 would like it.

We saw LaRussa in the 80s. Most of us were not unhappy when he was gone. We were all baseball fans who watched what he did with the A's and the Cardinals.  And most of us who are discerning understand the huge opportunity cost lost by giving a plum job to the old buddy and not take into account the personality of the modern ballplayer generally and this team in particular.

Conference about to start -- I can be persuaded to NOT HATE IT, if and only if it's some sort of goofy "we're smarter than everyone else" pairing of LaRussa with Justin Jirschele. That would be bizarre, but a non-traditional of grooming a guy like JJ is ... interesting ... and could work. But simply hiring LaRussa, as a retread manager, yuck.

Taking a break from my golden years for a moment to give you my take.

[YourWhatHurts]

Really, the last time there was even a somewhat thorough managerial interview process was when Ozzie came in.  I know he had at least 2 interviews and maybe 3.  Robin was hired before he walked in the building and KW said it was going to either be him or Paulie as a player coach.  RR was hired as soon as he was brought in to be a bench coach.  It was clear he was there to replace Robin.  

But even the Ozzie hire wasn't the result of all that deep of a search.  Again, Sox gonna Sox, and they make a managerial hire without following any proper process almost as if they're trading for Mark Teahen again, where they traded 2 pieces for a non-tender candidate shitty 3B who was moved to RF and then extended immediately after at a rate above his likely FA price for 1 season.  Just because.  The Sox just traded for Nestor Molina again, just traded a prospect they gave 6 figures to for James Shields before even seeing him play, etc.

Once again a total lacking of proper due diligence.  It's the Bulls.

[Quin]

I will say this - just because TLR is a numbnuts when it comes to societal issues does not mean Reinsdorf is.

Reinsdorf can be blinded by friendship and loyalty, as many people are when it comes to overlooking flaws in their loved ones. I'll always hold that at his heart Reinsdorf is a good man and I'd take him every day of the week and twice on Sundays over the dregs of society on the North Side.

Jerry's flaw is he is absurdly, overly loyal. There's worse things to be.

Example: You could be Tony La Russa

[Jerksticks]

6 minutes ago, Superstar Lamar said:

Are we just going to assume that an owner who has been an industry leader in promoting diversity, a team that has had an african american as the in facto and de facto organizational decision maker for 20 years and a team that has had a minority field manager for 18 of the last 22 years has abandoned this long term commitment 

Exactly.  They are the cutting edge of baseball’s progressive movement.  

[hi8is]

40 minutes ago, greg775 said:

I am so happy. Tony LaRussa back where he belongs ... with the Chicago White Sox. Folks, our team is in the best hands to win multi WS titles. Hopefully the cards will fall right, no pun intended, and we bag 2-3 titles. Tony LaRussa!!! What an early Christmas/Halloween/Tgiving present. Great news amid a horrific Covid year!

Trust me, people. You will be happy with this move. Sox will use analytics but have a pure baseball mind to not be beholden to all moves suggested to him. Celebrate people. Barring bad luck (injuries, etc) we are the champions (not saying next year, but it's coming).

The Greg loves it. Surprise.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

20 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

That’s...a really weird rule of thumb.  Also, make sure you don’t say that if you’re ever deposed in an age discrimination case.

Question, why does ageism only apply to old people? 

Why say can the Sox not hire a 16 year old manager? You would consider that absurd, right? Why? Because their brains aren't fully developed... 

As you age, cognitive decline happens. It's simply a fact. I find the ageism thing hilarious; old people run the world - politics and other positions of power. Meanwhile, young people never get opportunities of power. Are you going to tell me that's not ageism either?

[Quin]

1 minute ago, YourWhatHurts said:

Really, the last time there was even a somewhat thorough managerial interview process was when Ozzie came in.  I know he had at least 2 interviews and maybe 3.  Robin was hired before he walked in the building and KW said it was going to either be him or Paulie as a player coach.  RR was hired as soon as he was brought in to be a bench coach.  It was clear he was there to replace Robin.  

But even the Ozzie hire wasn't the result of all that deep of a search.  Again, Sox gonna Sox, and they make a managerial hire without following any proper process almost as if they're trading for Mark Teahen again, where they traded 2 pieces for a non-tender candidate shitty 3B who was moved to RF and then extended immediately after at a rate above his likely FA price for 1 season.  Just because.  The Sox just traded for Nestor Molina again, just traded a prospect they gave 6 figures to for James Shields before even seeing him play, etc.

Once again a total lacking of proper due diligence.  It's the Bulls.

Shit man, the Bulls actually did work this offseason (well, once they were in the offseason).

[southsider2k5]

1 minute ago, Tony said:

Dude, come on. Don't do that Jason. Don't say "based upon what?" 

You know what. It's been detailed very clearly, multiple times, what he has said about kneeling. It's documented, and it's recent. 

Additionally, you have this quote:

He is basically saying he's coming back to correct the balance in baseball, and wants to go back to the head, heart and guts of a manager because analytics have taken over the game. He's got a grudge to settle. 

Don't dumb Jason, because you aren't. 

I mean none of these stances is rooting in anything but Tony's own words, except the age stuff.  The age stuff is the only one I can't agree with.  I have a much bigger problem with the fact he hasn't been in the dugout for a decade than his age.

[Sockin]

 

[YourWhatHurts]

1 minute ago, Jerksticks said:

Exactly.  They are the cutting edge of baseball’s progressive movement.  

LOL the Sox hire TLR and you think this???  Really?

[Chisoxfn]

3 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

No, I'm using the fairly strong piece of evidence as to LaRussa being hired. 

Yeah - your own personal classification of Tony - who you have never met, who you don't know, etc.  You take a few quotes over his entire lifetime and have now reached your own 100% fact based conclusion. Sure - that makes sense.  And with that - you have used that small and narrow view to paint a broader brush on JR that negates everything he has done over past 20 years.  

I'm not surprised - I'm never surprised - I just fundamentally disagree.  Mainly because this absolutism that exists in this world is crap. It is literally not how life works.  

[bmags]

For the record I'd be okay with warren buffet as manager.

[Balta1701]

2 minutes ago, Quin said:

I will say this - just because TLR is a numbnuts when it comes to societal issues does not mean Reinsdorf is.

Reinsdorf can be blinded by friendship and loyalty, as many people are when it comes to overlooking flaws in their loved ones. I'll always hold that at his heart Reinsdorf is a good man and I'd take him every day of the week and twice on Sundays over the dregs of society on the North Side.

Jerry's flaw is he is absurdly, overly loyal. There's worse things to be.

Example: You could be Tony La Russa

See, I can't follow how the line at the last doesn't, in the end, overrule the first point? It feels like you're going with the "JR has black friends!" line there, when given the choice we see right here what the final decision was. 

[ChiSox59]

ANyone have a link to the presser?  Pretty please. 

[reiks12]

is there a stream to the press conference for us out of towners?