Adam LaRoche retires

[greg775]

So you're making assumptions to call someone hypocritical? I don't think it works that way.

There are a lot of assumptions being made by people in this thread, my gosh. One question that nobody but me presents ... what's so bad about having kids around a MLB clubhouse when batboys and batgirls are kids as well?

This is not good. How many stories out of spring training are this negative? Bring back LaRoche and his kid. This team doesn't need this distraction in trying to get off to a good start. I'd love to see the Sox 3 games in front of the field by May 10th, not 8 out, which would be very very bad. I truly despise Adam's hitting style, his overall game and his beard, but this is just not right.

Edited March 17, 2016 by greg775

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I would bet it was about the other players being afraid to be "adult" around the kid more than anything else. LaRoche is religious, the players know that, so you aren't going to play all your vulgar music, tell your raunchy stories, be loud and curse, and walk around naked/clad with a kid there all the time. I get how this could be very tiresome for teammates.

 

Ever hang out with all your buddies and then they bring their kid/parent/girlfriend around? You feel like you have to censor yourself or tone it down or watch how you act. It's just not the same. I could see that leading to an awkward clubhouse and CLEARLY the focus this offseason was to bring in high-energy, loud personalities and I can see them clashing immediately.

Edited March 17, 2016 by Chilihead90

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

There are a lot of assumptions being made by people in this thread, my gosh. One question that nobody but me presents ... what's so bad about having kids around a MLB clubhouse when batboys and batgirls are kids as well?

This is not good. How many stories out of spring training are this negative? Bring back LaRoche and his kid. This team doesn't need this distraction in trying to get off to a good start. I'd love to see the Sox 3 games in front of the field by May 10th, not 8 out, which would be very very bad. I truly despise Adam's hitting style, his overall game and his beard, but this is just not right.

 

Do you honestly think the White Sox bat boys/girls have the same exposure/access to the team that Drake did? Seriously?

[chitownsportsfan]

There's a lesson here, and that lesson is: YOU NEVER SIGN AN AGING DH SLUGGER FROM THE NL. *

 

 

 

 

 

* at least if you're the White Sox

[chitownsportsfan]

I would be it was about the other players being afraid to be "adult" around the kid more than anything else. LaRoche is religious, the players know that, so you aren't going to play all your vulgar music, tell your raunchy stories, be loud and curse, and walk around naked/clad with a kid there all the time. I get how this could be very tiresome for teammates.

 

Ever hang out with all your buddies and then they bring their kid/parent/girlfriend around? You feel like you have to censor yourself or tone it down or watch how you act. It's just not the same. I could see that leading to an awkward clubhouse and CLEARLY the focus this offseason was to bring in high-energy, loud personalities and I can see them clashing immediately.

 

it's ridiculous. Try and imagine this in an NFL or NBA locker room. You can't. Only by some crazy baseball logic is this even close to a thing.

[Middle Buffalo]

Not generally a huge fan of Kenny Williams, but I agree 100% with him on this. He said the kid is welcome, just not every day. Like KW said, even half the time is too much, but it's a starting point. LaRoche is a baby.

 

What if one of the guys brought his daughter to shag flies, and she was pretty good. So, she comes the next day. Then she's in the locker room. What's the cutoff? How much is too much? What is off limits? Would guys be happy about a fourteen year old girl hanging around the locker room?

 

 

 

[Jerksticks]

I would bet it was about the other players being afraid to be "adult" around the kid more than anything else. LaRoche is religious, the players know that, so you aren't going to play all your vulgar music, tell your raunchy stories, be loud and curse, and walk around naked/clad with a kid there all the time. I get how this could be very tiresome for teammates.

 

Ever hang out with all your buddies and then they bring their kid/parent/girlfriend around? You feel like you have to censor yourself or tone it down or watch how you act. It's just not the same. I could see that leading to an awkward clubhouse and CLEARLY the focus this offseason was to bring in high-energy, loud personalities and I can see them clashing immediately.

After thinking about this for awhile you & CSN are 100% correct. I feel like any other opinion is wrong. You can't have your kid around the grown boys all the time. You just can't do it. Can't do it. Who the hell did he think he was doing that? I think Robin may be at fault a bit for immediately not putting his foot down last year by saying, "Whoa buddy, what the hell do you think you're doing; show some respect."

[daggins]

Robin probably had the green light from the FO to let Drake have that access. It's not like the manager doesn't have bosses as well.

[chitownsportsfan]

After thinking about this for awhile you & CSN are 100% correct. I feel like any other opinion is wrong. You can't have your kid around the grown boys all the time. You just can't do it. Can't do it. Who the hell did he think he was doing that? I think Robin may be at fault a bit for immediately not putting his foot down last year by saying, "Whoa buddy, what the hell do you think you're doing; show some respect."

 

I'm in my experience in life if you give people an inch, they will often, over time, take a mile. Most of the time the fault is with you giving the initial inch without reassurances it won't turn into a mile.

 

Here's what the Sox might have said to Adam: "Adam, your son is welcome in the clubhouse any time" and Adam, being the egomaniac that he apparently is, took that as a sign that he was free to travel with the team like he was ON the team. No.

[caulfield12]

Not to mention, if he's on the field of play participating in drills...there's an additional liability issue for the club, as there's a very real possibility of him getting injured by a thrown or batted ball.

 

I'd like to think if his son ended up with a fractured skull that they wouldn't sue the team and would take responsibility, but an increasing number of fans are suing over this issue in recent years.

 

It's not a TOP FIVE reason for Drake to be limited, but it's yet another concern the front office shouldn't have to worry about.

[dmbjeff]

A few things I've thought about with this bizarre story:

 

1. Do other kids of MLB'ers get their own locker in the locker room? I am sure kids are free to visit from time to time in the locker room at restricted hours, but how many others have free reign to hang out with adults in a locker room setting which includes naked dudes.

 

2. Wouldn't it make sense that having your kid at the ballpark is cool, but why the locker room? Couldn't he be in a suite with the rest of the family while dad is off busy working. Maybe LaRoche would be better off spending more time working out, looking at film, in the batting cages, fielding, etc. while son is eating Cracker Jacks and having a pop.

 

3. Don't teams have family days where there kids are allowed out on the field, playing catch and running around with dad. Why couldn't this be enough and why was it so important that his kid be in the locker room? What life lessons were learned from it? Now dragging your kid's name through the mud as you leave the game. Real classy.

 

4. How many players thought this behavior was so unprofessional, given what we know about sports locker rooms. A place where players will tell dirty jokes, swear, cuss, drink beer after games. It just never in my mind seemed like a place for a kid to be outside of a meet and greet with other players for autographs.

 

Such a weird story and will be very glad when it fades away.

[caulfield12]

http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/white-...&ocid=yahoo

 

That's one interesting ploy to bring the team together, KW.

[Real]

"that's a 13 million dollar can o' corn right there Stone Pony. He gawn!"

[TheFutureIsNear]

I find it hilarious that people think this was some executive decision by KW. Like he showed up to the ballpark one day and said " I'm tired seeing this kid's stupid face. He's gone, don't care if his dad goes with him." Like really? Obviously there were multiple people complaining. Most likely both players and coaches and I'm sure it was ongoing. Idk, seems like a pretty obvious conclusion to me...

 

And again, what the hell are the players supposed to say to the media about this? "Thank god that little creep is gone, couldn't stand him. Or do you think a professional athlete would take the politically correct, not getting them in trouble, way out and say what a swell kid he was and they loved having him?

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Bottom line Laroche wasn't told he couldn't have his kid in the clubhouse. People are acting like thats what happened but it didnt. He is there payed to play baseball. His kid being there or not shouldn't justify him to being able to play. If he can't handle stepping onto the field to preform with his son not in the dugout or in the clubhouse then there is a issue. It's not like he's going to another country to play baseball and won't see his kid in months. Might not be a good comparison but we have men and women who serve their country and have families that they leave all the time. They know they have to go and do their job. LaRoche is playing a sport but can't do it with out his kid so he quits. What is wrong with this picture. question raised is why is it a problem now. Something had to have changed since he signed and was allowed to have the kid this whole time with him before. Especially in the last week place since it was reported that Kenny had to talk to him twice about it. If this was an issue last year then why didnt the Sox say something before. Maybe they did but it was never reported. Something has to give.

 

The argument going around somewhat in this thread is if LaRoche had played better it wouldn't be an issue as if the Sox give preferential treatment to good players and its wrong. However if you play badly naturally the club looks for reasons why you have played badly. Having to devote so much time to his son , I could see how management might think he needs to focus more on being a better player. You're getting payed a hefty sum of money to do just that. He's not getting paid $13M to be Mr. Mom but to focus on and play the game at a level commensurate with his salary.

[RockRaines]

Kaplan sucks. I can't wait to see him try and get more clicks as this story does away during the game today.

 

Everyone adding their two cents is great. There's been like 5 players all time that have had their kids around every day and now it's the norm.

[Y2Jimmy0]

This story is dumb. Not only is LaRoche a giant baby, his relationship with his son is weird, almost cult like behavior. Where's LaRoches daughter? Does she go to school? Why isn't she in the clubhouse constantly?

[flavum]

I just want to know what changed from last year to this year other than him playing terrible? Was Adam putting his kid over rehabbing his back? And why on March 15th in his second spring training with the team? Again, I think it's weird he would have that type of access, but they allowed it last year, and they put up a locker for the kid, why now? There's two weeks left.

 

They could have just got through the two weeks with the understanding that the regular season will be different this year. And if that was the case (a change in the regular season access), then the Sox did nothing wrong, and LaRoche has the prerogative to walk away--as weird as that may be.

[Y2Jimmy0]

I just want to know what changed from last year to this year other than him playing terrible? Was Adam putting his kid over rehabbing his back? And why on March 15th in his second spring training with the team? Again, I think it's weird he would have that type of access, but they allowed it last year, and they put up a locker for the kid, why now? There's two weeks left.

 

They could have just got through the two weeks with the understanding that the regular season will be different this year. And if that was the case (a change in the regular season access), then the Sox did nothing wrong, and LaRoche has the prerogative to walk away--as weird as that may be.

 

 

Players on the team complained about Drake being there 24/7. They'll never say that though.

[Chicago White Sox]

This story is dumb. Not only is LaRoche a giant baby, his relationship with his son is weird, almost cult like behavior. Where's LaRoches daughter? Does she go to school? Why isn't she in the clubhouse constantly?

100% this. And no matter what the Sox told him, it's selfish as f*** to bring your kid into the clubhouse every single day. I have never been a big LaRoche fan, but I find this whole Drake situation both ridiculous and troubling for the entire family.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Mike Wilbon on Mike and Mike right now. He's completely defending the White Sox stance.

[flavum]

Players on the team complained about Drake being there 24/7. They'll never say that though.

 

That's where Robin needs to take the new players that may have objected, and say something like, "Look, yeah we blew it last year saying he could bring Drake, but we didn't think it would be all day, everyday. Just get through the next couple weeks, and we'll tighten up the rules for the regular season and for future spring trainings."

 

Now if the kid was a clown, then yeah, immediately boot him. But from all accounts, he was respectful---but just there all of the time.

 

To me it's all about expectations and establishing clear rules beforehand.

Edited March 17, 2016 by flavum

[LDF]

I find it hilarious that people think this was some executive decision by KW. Like he showed up to the ballpark one day and said " I'm tired seeing this kid's stupid face. He's gone, don't care if his dad goes with him." Like really? Obviously there were multiple people complaining. Most likely both players and coaches and I'm sure it was ongoing. Idk, seems like a pretty obvious conclusion to me...

 

And again, what the hell are the players supposed to say to the media about this? "Thank god that little creep is gone, couldn't stand him. Or do you think a professional athlete would take the politically correct, not getting them in trouble, way out and say what a swell kid he was and they loved having him?

 

this is my thoughts as well.

 

1. the sox had no problem with the idea, last yr proved it.

2. the sox even made a stall right next to his dad

3. then the sox quietly asked him to ease his sons presence in the clubhouse.

4. between 1 and 3, what change the sox fo opinion on the presence of adam's son??

5. kw took the bullet for the org in this, public decision to address it with laroche.

[oldsox]

A few things I've thought about with this bizarre story:

 

1. Do other kids of MLB'ers get their own locker in the locker room? I am sure kids are free to visit from time to time in the locker room at restricted hours, but how many others have free reign to hang out with adults in a locker room setting which includes naked dudes.

 

2. Wouldn't it make sense that having your kid at the ballpark is cool, but why the locker room? Couldn't he be in a suite with the rest of the family while dad is off busy working. Maybe LaRoche would be better off spending more time working out, looking at film, in the batting cages, fielding, etc. while son is eating Cracker Jacks and having a pop.

 

3. Don't teams have family days where there kids are allowed out on the field, playing catch and running around with dad. Why couldn't this be enough and why was it so important that his kid be in the locker room? What life lessons were learned from it? Now dragging your kid's name through the mud as you leave the game. Real classy.

 

4. How many players thought this behavior was so unprofessional, given what we know about sports locker rooms. A place where players will tell dirty jokes, swear, cuss, drink beer after games. It just never in my mind seemed like a place for a kid to be outside of a meet and greet with other players for autographs.

 

Such a weird story and will be very glad when it fades away.

Story won't fade away when Mrs. LaRoche comes to her senses and orders Adam back to the ballpark without Drake.

[LDF]

Mike Wilbon on Mike and Mike right now. He's completely defending the White Sox stance.

 

finally some one in the media is defending the sox and kw.

 

i complain on the sox and the FO, but come on, they are innocent here.