Adam LaRoche retires

[OmarComing25]

The more I hear about this, the more it falls on KW for handling it badly. There are only a few ways this could have started...

 

1. Kenny did this fully on his own. That's bad - he really shouldn't be interfering in the clubhouse that way. Leave that to the manager, coaches and players.

 

2. A player (or players) went to KW about it. This is also bad in terms of what it says about Ventura and the players involved. But either way, even if this is what happened, KW's response should have been to go to Ventura, agree on a plan, and have Ventura handle it. Not KW.

 

3. A player went to Ventura, who escalated it to KW. Same as #2, Ventura should be the one to handle it.

 

It's not about the decision - which was a reasonable and professional one. It is the way it was handled, which sounds like, badly by KW.

I'm not really sure I agree that Ventura should have handled it. It sounds like some of the players are upset with KW over the decision, and I'd rather they were angry with Kenny than with Robin.

[shysocks]

I'm not really sure I agree that Ventura should have handled it. It sounds like some of the players are upset with KW over the decision, and I'd rather they were angry with Kenny than with Robin.

Beat me to it. This is how I see it.

[Iwritecode]

The more I hear about this, the more it falls on KW for handling it badly. There are only a few ways this could have started...

 

1. Kenny did this fully on his own. That's bad - he really shouldn't be interfering in the clubhouse that way. Leave that to the manager, coaches and players.

 

2. A player (or players) went to KW about it. This is also bad in terms of what it says about Ventura and the players involved. But either way, even if this is what happened, KW's response should have been to go to Ventura, agree on a plan, and have Ventura handle it. Not KW.

 

3. A player went to Ventura, who escalated it to KW. Same as #2, Ventura should be the one to handle it.

 

It's not about the decision - which was a reasonable and professional one. It is the way it was handled, which sounds like, badly by KW.

 

If the story about the team possibly boycotting the game is true, then I'm glad it was KW and not Robin that handled the situation. You really don't want the players and the manager on opposing sides of a controversy.

[ptatc]

If there was a policy in place saying Drake can come 3 days a week, I would be fine with it. But there wasn't, and still isn't. And he did the exact same thing last season. If it bothered a player and that is what KW is covering for, he could have waited a couple of weeks and changed the policy. LaRoche hasn't been playing so Drake's presence wasn't inhibiting his getting ready to play. If the team policy changed to no kids, that's fine too.

So what you're saying is they need a policy for every conceivable situation. This is the problem when people abuse privileges. It becomes over regulated then people complain about the regulations. Do they need policies now to stop players from going on twitter to cause issues? Or can the team just go to them and say "please don't do that to your team mates." "I can do it it because there isn't a policy."

There are common decent things to do for your co-workers or team mates. He abused it, players complained.

Mulligan was on the score earlier and said he knows that some of the players that are the most supportive of laRoche on social media were the players that complained the most to the front office about the kid being there.

[ptatc]

The more I hear about this, the more it falls on KW for handling it badly. There are only a few ways this could have started...

 

1. Kenny did this fully on his own. That's bad - he really shouldn't be interfering in the clubhouse that way. Leave that to the manager, coaches and players.

 

2. A player (or players) went to KW about it. This is also bad in terms of what it says about Ventura and the players involved. But either way, even if this is what happened, KW's response should have been to go to Ventura, agree on a plan, and have Ventura handle it. Not KW.

 

3. A player went to Ventura, who escalated it to KW. Same as #2, Ventura should be the one to handle it.

 

It's not about the decision - which was a reasonable and professional one. It is the way it was handled, which sounds like, badly by KW.

KW handled it correctly, behind closed doors and not talking to the media. Either LaRoche or one of his group leaked it.

 

you can't have the manager divide the clubhouse. It would be bad for everyone. Everyone can be mad at the person they don't need to see everyday. It was handled properly by the FO.

[Dick Allen]

The bat boys arent traveling with the team to every away game and staying in the hotel with the players.

I've been in the White Sox team hotel many times. They would have zero problem avoiding the Drake at the hotel.

[ptatc]

The bat boys arent traveling with the team to every away game and staying in the hotel with the players.

True.

[RockRaines]

I've been in the White Sox team hotel many times. They would have zero problem avoiding the Drake at the hotel.

That wasnt the point.

[ptatc]

I've been in the White Sox team hotel many times. They would have zero problem avoiding the Drake at the hotel.

But the issue is they shouldn't have to try to avoid the kid. What kind of work environment is that? But it's also not just the hotel. It's the plane rides, the bus rides, the locker room, the field etc. He flat abused the privilege of letting your kid be around the team.

I've been in many pro sports clubhouses, it's difficult to avoid anyone there before games and after games.

Edited March 17, 2016 by ptatc

[LittleHurt05]

KW handled it correctly, behind closed doors and not talking to the media. Either LaRoche or one of his group leaked it.

 

you can't have the manager divide the clubhouse. It would be bad for everyone. Everyone can be mad at the person they don't need to see everyday. It was handled properly by the FO.

 

It makes you wonder about that tweet yesterday from the guy in Pittsburgh. That could have been at the request of the LaRoche family, both brothers played there.

[southsider2k5]

So what you're saying is they need a policy for every conceivable situation. This is the problem when people abuse privileges. It becomes over regulated then people complain about the regulations. Do they need policies now to stop players from going on twitter to cause issues? Or can the team just go to them and say "please don't do that to your team mates." "I can do it it because there isn't a policy."

There are common decent things to do for your co-workers or team mates. He abused it, players complained.

Mulligan was on the score earlier and said he knows that some of the players that are the most supportive of laRoche on social media were the players that complained the most to the front office about the kid being there.

 

It figures.

[Dick Allen]

But the issue is they shouldn't have to try to avoid the kid. What kind of work environment is that? But it's also not just the hotel. It's the plane rides, the bus rides, the locker room, the field etc. He flat abused the privilege of letting your kid be around the team.

I've been in many pro sports clubhouses, it's difficult to avoid anyone there before games and after games.

Again, if the kid bothers someone that much, then why is it OK for that person to be bothered 3 days a week?

[LDF]

And the pro-LaRoche people are acting like he was given an ultimatum that it's either all the time or none of the time. I'm happy the Sox didn't say none of the time, because in theory that's something that could hurt them trying to attract players.

 

am i missing something. maybe it is me.

 

but on this site, how many are in the pro-laroche camp????

[Kyyle23]

The more I hear about this, the more it falls on KW for handling it badly. There are only a few ways this could have started...

 

1. Kenny did this fully on his own. That's bad - he really shouldn't be interfering in the clubhouse that way. Leave that to the manager, coaches and players.

 

2. A player (or players) went to KW about it. This is also bad in terms of what it says about Ventura and the players involved. But either way, even if this is what happened, KW's response should have been to go to Ventura, agree on a plan, and have Ventura handle it. Not KW.

 

3. A player went to Ventura, who escalated it to KW. Same as #2, Ventura should be the one to handle it.

 

It's not about the decision - which was a reasonable and professional one. It is the way it was handled, which sounds like, badly by KW.

 

To be honest, KW should have handled it because it appears KW ok-ed the situation in the first place. I dont think LaRoche asked Ventura if it was ok and if his kid could have a locker, it was very likely he asked Hahn and KW

[fathom]

To be honest, KW should have handled it because it appears KW ok-ed the situation in the first place. I dont think LaRoche asked Ventura if it was ok and if his kid could have a locker, it was very likely he asked Hahn and KW

 

Kaplan said last night it was Hahn and Ventura who said it was fine last year

[shysocks]

Again, if the kid bothers someone that much, then why is it OK for that person to be bothered 3 days a week?

Are you familiar with the concept of moderation?

 

If so, there's no reason to keep arguing about this.

[LDF]

The more I hear about this, the more it falls on KW for handling it badly. There are only a few ways this could have started...

 

1. Kenny did this fully on his own. That's bad - he really shouldn't be interfering in the clubhouse that way. Leave that to the manager, coaches and players.

 

2. A player (or players) went to KW about it. This is also bad in terms of what it says about Ventura and the players involved. But either way, even if this is what happened, KW's response should have been to go to Ventura, agree on a plan, and have Ventura handle it. Not KW.

 

3. A player went to Ventura, who escalated it to KW. Same as #2, Ventura should be the one to handle it.

 

It's not about the decision - which was a reasonable and professional one. It is the way it was handled, which sounds like, badly by KW.

 

for this discussion. i disagree on #2 and 3

 

the way it plays out in your scenario, RV did the right thing or kw did the right thing. it was agreed that a person on the highest level in management below the owners, took it upon him self to take the bullet.

 

like this shielding the manager who has to manage and see the players all the time.

[Doc Edwards Shot]

I have mixed feelings about this bizarre issue.

 

On one hand, as a manager with direct reports at my work I fully understand the need for standards and maintaining a workplace environment without distractions. I don't know what's been going on with LaRoche's son, but maybe he was a distraction. I can only guess. So I can understand Kenny Williams' position, especially if some other players in the clubhouse complained about Adam's son being there so much.

 

On the other hand, I deeply appreciate LaRoche's desire to have his son around and be a father to him. Parenting is one of the most underrated aspects of society these days. All too often, professional athletes don't give two craps about their kids. They pawn them off on nannies so they can go out and selfishly hit the bars. If more parents actually prioritized the parenting and mentoring of their kids, there wouldn't be so many losers in this world.

 

But I think LaRoche is being weird here. I would have sucked it up for one last season, grabbed the $13 million, and then given it to the kid if I didn't want it. That is A LOT of cash to leave behind when we're only talking about one year. It sounds like Adam let his emotions get the best of him and they made him irrational.

[Dick Allen]

Are you familiar with the concept of moderation?

 

If so, there's no reason to keep arguing about this.

 

So if you worked some place where they let people bring your kids and your co-worker brought their child every day and it was bothering you, affecting your work, it wouldn't bother you or affect your work if the kid was around only half the time? I don't understand that at all. Either the kid bothers you and or causes your work to be affected, or he or she doesn't.

[flavum]

I keep going back to original rules and expectations. When it comes to a teenager being around the team, the rules should have been layed out before he signed, including the understanding that it could have changed going into the second season. The Sox are right to limit access, I just question the timing, that's all. Hopefully we'll get more details tomorrow so we can have more informed opinions.

[LDF]

Can someone give me a summary of the past 200 or so posts? Thanks in advance.

 

ok, there was this player who brought his son to work, bosses told him it wasn't kool, player got mad, management was in the middle and other players got mad. said player thinking of retiring.

 

end of story.

Edited March 17, 2016 by LDF

[Black_Jack29]

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

 

Exactly. LaRoche retires and walks away from $13M because he was told that his kid should be in the clubhouse less than 50% of the time, and the rest of the team refuses to go play baseball and earn their multi-million dollar contracts. It's just embarrassing. I have no idea how managers put up with this crap.

 

[Dick Allen]

Exactly. LaRoche retires and walks away from $13M because he was told that his kid should be in the clubhouse less than 50% of the time, and the rest of the team refuses to go play baseball and earn their multi-million dollar contracts. It's just embarrassing. I have no idea how managers put up with this crap.

I would hope if my dad had $13 million coming to him in the next 6 months he wouldn't walk away from it because his boss didn't want to see me so much. But he did. Who are we to judge?

 

I am on LaRoche's side with this, but if I was him, I wouldn't have retired.

Edited March 17, 2016 by Dick Allen

[RockRaines]

I would hope if my dad had $13 million coming to him in the next 6 months he wouldn't walk away from it because his boss didn't want to see me so much. But he did. Who are we to judge?

 

I am on LaRoche's side with this, but if I was him, I wouldn't have retired.

So you arent on his side then. His side is to leave the game of baseball because of it.

[ptatc]

Again, if the kid bothers someone that much, then why is it OK for that person to be bothered 3 days a week?

Because 3 days a week, it's cute how much he cares about his kid. I can deal with my neighbors kid that much. Him being there everyday is annoying.

 

If you truly can't understand why the kid being there everyday around all the time is different than him being there 3 days a week then either you have no annoying co-workers, kids or are just so mellow that nothing bothers you.

 

Edit: I thought of another option: You are so anti-White sox FO or KW that you will always side against them.

Edited March 17, 2016 by ptatc