Adam LaRoche retires

[Jose Abreu]

Hopefully March Madness swallows this up, but as of now, it looks like Ken Rosenthal, Bryce Harper, Blaine Boyer, Kelly Colis, and *sigh* David Kaplan are the main people bashing the Sox, either directly and indirectly. Luckily, Kaplan is getting a lot of flak, although I do see people citing his "report" in defense of LaRoche...

[Whisox05]

No I don't. If he is a distraction why would it be OK if he still is a distraction only less of the time? It makes no sense.

 

Honestly some thing had to be brought this spring that caused it to be a distraction. We don't know what it is and may never know. Only get certain information handed out.

[RockRaines]

No I don't. If he is a distraction why would it be OK if he still is a distraction only less of the time? It makes no sense.

Maybe the issue is being there ALL THE TIME. For example, maybe the kid doesnt travel with the team on away games. There is quite a difference between someone being there all the time and only some of the time. Otherwise everyone who moves in with their girlfriends would work out.

[Baron]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/colum...liams/81885844/

 

I mean even good old Bob says that some of the players were uncomfortable. Basically they had to watch their mouths at all times.

Edited March 17, 2016 by Baron

[RockRaines]

Hopefully March Madness swallows this up, but as of now, it looks like Ken Rosenthal, Bryce Harper, Blaine Boyer, Kelly Colis, and *sigh* David Kaplan are the main people bashing the Sox, either directly and indirectly. Luckily, Kaplan is getting a lot of flak, although I do see people citing his "report" in defense of LaRoche...

In about 3 hours this will be gone and only the weakest of the sports writers will try and hang onto it. Overwhelmingly the press is for the move the Sox made as are most people.

[Panerista]

Here's an article from last summer. And apparently KW didn't even realize the kid was around so much until this spring.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0620-story.html

Further supports the idea that a new player went to a front office member and said something. I wouldn't expect Kenny Williams to spend much time in the locker room, otherwise.

[fathom]

Worse than his batting average, K rate, and general suck factor?

 

His body language and energy was worse than any of those stats last year.

[RockRaines]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/colum...liams/81885844/

 

I mean even good old Bob says that some of the players were uncomfortable. Basically they had to watch their mouths at all times.

“Tell me where in America you can bring your child to work every day,” White Sox Executive Vice President Kenny Williams told USA TODAY Sports. “And how can you manage it? How can you manage the next guy. And the next guy. That’s not fair.”

 

 

 

 

So Williams sat down and told LaRoche he could bring son Drake to the clubhouse and the field every now and then but it wouldn’t be like it was last year with the White Sox. He no longer could be around every day.

 

“I just told him that he needed to dial it back, that’s all,” Williams said. “Look, I don’t want this to turn into something that makes Drake feel badly. He is such a good kid and so loved around here. But the kid is there every day. In the clubhouse. And on the field. During drills. Everywhere.

 

“Simply, you have to make a decision from the management perspective or an organization at large. We went into this season saying to ourselves, ‘We are going to commit and focus and not leave any stone unturned.’”

 

Williams told LaRoche his son was more than welcome to hang in the clubhouse, where he has a locker, and run onto the field, where he has a uniform, just not every day.

 

This has nothing to do with Drake’s conduct. He’s well-mannered and respectful. LaRoche’s teammates - past and present - love to tease him. They called him their “26th Man.”

 

Yet with a child in the clubhouse, not every White Sox player was comfortable. You have to watch your language, which can be awfully difficult in the baseball environment. You need to refrain from talking about private escapades, or family trouble, you would never want a child to hear.

 

It’s the reason Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox prohibited kids in the Atlanta Braves clubhouse during his tenure and insisted that music could be heard only with the use of headphones. If there was just one player who was uncomfortable with a child in the clubhouse or one offended by a choice of music, Cox thought it was unfair to subject everyone to it.

 

Times are different. You see kids all the time in clubhouses, most of whom are at least 10. Prince Fielder has his sons frequently hanging with him during summer home games with the Texas Rangers. You see Victor Martinez’s son sitting alongside him in the Detroit Tigers clubhouse.

 

Just not every day, before, during and after games.

Edited March 17, 2016 by RockRaines

[Dick Allen]

DA it sounds like your trying to argue with people for the sake of arguing...it's been getting ridiculous the past few pages

Not at all. If Jose Abreu had a kid in the clubhouse every day, KW wouldn't have said squat. And Soxtalk would be abuzz with what the f*** is KW doing if he actually did and Abreu made a stink over it. I just think the team should have a clear policy one way or the other.

[shago]

Well, it works one in three times.

Like Sex Panther

[Gakman23]

On Mike and Mike right now they are discussing how Robin had to basically beg the players to play yesterday after they found out Kenny stepped into the office and made the no LaRoche jr allowed in the clubhouse every day rule.

Sounds like a team all on the same page, but I would guess someone probably complained behind the scenes and that's why this happened.

 

edited to make more sense, sorry still on my 1st cup of coffee

Edited March 17, 2016 by Gakman23

[Jose Abreu]

Not at all. If Jose Abreu had a kid in the clubhouse every day, KW wouldn't have said squat. And Soxtalk would be abuzz with what the f*** is KW doing if he actually did and Abreu made a stink over it. I just think the team should have a clear policy one way or the other.

I think that would be hard with his kid living in Cuba

[Panerista]

Good grief, I agree with Rock.

 

I don't know why Dick Allen thinks this is so complicated "It doesn't make any sense"

 

It makes perfect sense. "Dial it back" is completely fair. Your kid doesn't need to be in the locker room every day.

[Panerista]

On Mike and Mike right now they are discussing how Robin had to basically beg the players to play yesterday after they found out Kenny stepped into the office and made the no LaRoche jr allowed in the office every day.

Sounds like a team all on the same page, but I would guess someone probably complained behind the scenes and that's why this happened.

I'm almost certain that whoever was uncomfortable fell in line behind the rest of the team to preserve chemistry.

 

If I have a problem with my co-worker, I go to my boss, then act as though it didn't happen for the sake of the workplace environment.

[Jose Abreu]

On Mike and Mike right now they are discussing how Robin had to basically beg the players to play yesterday after they found out Kenny stepped into the office and made the no LaRoche jr allowed in the office every day.

Sounds like a team all on the same page, but I would guess someone probably complained behind the scenes and that's why this happened.

That seems... weird. A dissension that extreme is the last thing this team needs. All the positive "improved clubhouse atmosphere" stories from the days prior were refreshing.

[fathom]

On Mike and Mike right now they are discussing how Robin had to basically beg the players to play yesterday after they found out Kenny stepped into the office and made the no LaRoche jr allowed in the office every day.

Sounds like a team all on the same page, but I would guess someone probably complained behind the scenes and that's why this happened.

 

That's not good to hear about the game. Hate to say this but LaRoche returning might be what's best for the clubhouse.

[Panerista]

That's not good to hear about the game. Hate to say this but LaRoche returning might be what's best for the clubhouse.

I think that whole thing is overblown. And the players played yesterday, so clearly they weren't that militant that a weak manager like Ventura could talk them into playing.

[ptatc]

Again, I would be fine then if KW just banned kids period. But he didn't. If they are a distraction, this is a half assed effort on his and the team's part.

This is not an all or none concept. It would be fun for a kid to be there occasionally. Its a burden to have them there all the time. If you truly can't see that, you are just after crticizing KW to criticiae him.

[Panerista]

This is not an all or none concept. It would be fun for a kid to be there occasionally. Its a burden to have them there all the time. If you truly can't see that, you are just after crticizing KW to criticiae him.

And this is super common in all sports. Kids are around the clubhouse but not all the time.

[fathom]

I think that whole thing is overblown. And the players played yesterday, so clearly they weren't that militant that a weak manager like Ventura could talk them into playing.

 

Just wait until LaRoche makes it official he's retiring, that's when I think things get worse with the players. As of now, maybe they're holding out hope he returns.

[flavum]

Can we all agree that players today aren't men? They're fun junky frat boys that want no rules.

[Dick Allen]

Good grief, I agree with Rock.

 

I don't know why Dick Allen thinks this is so complicated "It doesn't make any sense"

 

It makes perfect sense. "Dial it back" is completely fair. Your kid doesn't need to be in the locker room every day.

No it doesn't. Either kids are distractions or they are not. Either they make players uncomfortable or they don't. It makes no sense that this distraction is fine a few days a week, but it is unacceptable every day. Don't change the policy in the middle of spring training, and then have the nerve to say you didn't change the policy. KW could have waited a couple more weeks and then said no more. Drake was around last year. Why didn't he say anything then?

[Y2Jimmy0]

No it doesn't. Either kids are distractions or they are not. Either they make players uncomfortable or they don't. It makes no sense that this distraction is fine a few days a week, but it is unacceptable every day. Don't change the policy in the middle of spring training, and then have the nerve to say you didn't change the policy. KW could have waited a couple more weeks and then said no more. Drake was around last year. Why didn't he say anything then?

 

 

He didn't say anything then because nobody complained about then, Dick. That's why this happened. I don't know how many players were uncomfortable with Drake being around but I can promise you it's more than zero.

[ptatc]

And this is super common in all sports. Kids are around the clubhouse but not all the time.

Yes they are. But in all the sports locker rooms ive been in baseball gives kids the most access. LaRoche just abused the privilege.

[Dick Allen]

This is not an all or none concept. It would be fun for a kid to be there occasionally. Its a burden to have them there all the time. If you truly can't see that, you are just after crticizing KW to criticiae him.

I would bet there is a guy Drake LaRoche's age or younger around the Sox clubhouse 162 games this season even if LaRoche sticks with retiring. If it was so burdensome, why was this addressed in March of 2016, 13 months after this has been going on?

Edited March 17, 2016 by Dick Allen