Let's get this one going.  The man failed to deliver in the playoffs and made some head scratching decisions tactically to say the least. That said, the team seems to love him and players around the league take notice. 

Is he an above replacement level manager? I don't fucking know man but I do know we'll discuss it.

Here's an interesting article to get us started.

Quote

Harrison fits right in.

“You could tell they have fun,” Harrison said of playing against the White Sox last season. “I mean, I’m going to be me wherever I go, but I know me being me here definitely feels like I’m at home.”

The White Sox culture is a team-wide thing, and despite the fears that he’d snuff it out, Tony La Russa has helped it flourish, the most repeated compliment he received from his players last season being that he allowed them to be themselves. Anderson was the focal point of all those fan concerns about La Russa, and the shortstop even admitted to not being on board with the hire initially. But the two worked well together, La Russa realizing what a critical element Anderson was to the team’s success and Anderson appreciating La Russa’s willingness to step into the already established culture rather than dictate a new one.

Well, how about Harrison hits the walkoff to send the Sox to the ALCS? Then I'll give the "good vibes" guy credit again.

Link feature does not seem to be working, hmm.

https://www.allchgo.com/2022/04/06/how-josh-harrison-helped-tim-anderson-change-the-game-long-before-joining-white-sox/

Edited April 6, 20223 yr by chitownsportsfan

I have nothing to contribute at this time but look forward to grabbing some popcorn and reading this thread regularly.

Thank you.

Its so weird... because i hate Tony LaRussa with a passion...but the team really does rally around him and say all the right things. Its either total PR Bullshit or he has changed his philosophy and learned to be a tolerable ass hat. But...it aint no thing without that ring.

Managerial in-game decisions (lineups, pitching changes, bunting, stealing, etc.) are overrated. Not saying they don’t matter, but they don’t matter nearly to the degree you would think from reading this message board. 

Oh, and it was the pitching staff who failed to deliver in the playoffs last year. 

5 minutes ago, SoxBlanco said:

Managerial in-game decisions (lineups, pitching changes, bunting, stealing, etc.) are overrated. Not saying they don’t matter, but they don’t matter nearly to the degree you would think from reading this message board. 

Oh, and it was the pitching staff who failed to deliver in the playoffs last year. 

How about shifting vs not shifting?

35 minutes ago, EloyJenkins said:

Its so weird... because i hate Tony LaRussa with a passion...but the team really does rally around him and say all the right things. Its either total PR Bullshit or he has changed his philosophy and learned to be a tolerable ass hat. But...it aint no thing without that ring.

Thing is I figured he'd be horrible on the "chemistry shit" and good on the "don't do dumb shit in game" stuff. A complete 180 so far. 

@fathomthat sounds like an org problem to me more than the manager.

Edited April 6, 20223 yr by chitownsportsfan

43 minutes ago, EloyJenkins said:

Its so weird... because i hate Tony LaRussa with a passion...but the team really does rally around him and say all the right things. Its either total PR Bullshit or he has changed his philosophy and learned to be a tolerable ass hat. But...it aint no thing without that ring.

I can't see that players would want to knock their manager just as the season begins. I don't know what the real truth is, but what is the incentive for a player or anyone to pop off just when a season with high expectations is about to begin?

Can't wait for us to rest guys up for the playoffs

40 minutes ago, fathom said:

How about shifting vs not shifting?

That's more the stats department than anything.

2 minutes ago, ptatc said:

That's more the stats department than anything.

Is that still Dave Duncan’s son? A guy who clearly has complete qualifications and was not a nepotism hire?

1 minute ago, Balta1701 said:

Is that still Dave Duncan’s son? A guy who clearly has complete qualifications and was not a nepotism hire?

I have no idea who is in that department. 

My point is that it isn't a TLR decision in isolation.

15 minutes ago, NWINFan said:

I can't see that players would want to knock their manager just as the season begins. I don't know what the real truth is, but what is the incentive for a player or anyone to pop off just when a season with high expectations is about to begin?

Not only is there none, but even if someone really hates him in private, the Chicago media probably wouldn’t report it.

He was brought in to win in the playoffs.  Until he does so with this team, he is a failure.

Just now, ptatc said:

I have no idea who is in that department. 

My point is that it isn't a TLR decision in isolation.

Just a guy hired by TLR as a nepotism hire. 

Just now, Balta1701 said:

Not only is there none, but even if someone really hates him in private, the Chicago media probably wouldn’t report it.

With all of the ripping if the Sox for hiring him? There were many stories about hiw RH was told to hire him and it was all a JR decision.

It would come out if there was a significant issue.

3 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Just a guy hired by TLR as a nepotism hire. 

So what youre saying is that the White Sox set up the stats department so that they only do what TLR wants them to do and don't actually do any analytics about the other team?

2 minutes ago, ptatc said:

With all of the ripping if the Sox for hiring him? There were many stories about hiw RH was told to hire him and it was all a JR decision.

It would come out if there was a significant issue.

Instead, you’d see a whole bunch of random and weird to the point of creepy comments about how the team needed “energy” from their new arrival, with no one going so far as to call the previous years’ team low energy.

1 minute ago, ptatc said:

So what youre saying is that the White Sox set up the stats department so that they only do what TLR wants them to do and don't actually do any analytics about the other team?

They hired the son of his pitching coach in St Louis. Even you can’t get away with telling me that was totally a coincidence.

If you are saying their analytical work is bad, you are blaming Tony LaRussa’s handpicked hire to excuse Toby LaRussa’s decisions.

2 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Instead, you’d see a whole bunch of random and weird to the point of creepy comments about how the team needed “energy” from their new arrival, with no one going so far as to call the previous years’ team low energy.

What does that have to do with the media reporting issues ayers have with the manager?

Everyone rest their typing fingers and toes. I have a phone call into Mr LaRussa demanding to know his yet unmade decision  making l. As soon as he returns my calls I will let you guys all know

1 hour ago, SoxBlanco said:

Managerial in-game decisions (lineups, pitching changes, bunting, stealing, etc.) are overrated. Not saying they don’t matter, but they don’t matter nearly to the degree you would think from reading this message board. 

Oh, and it was the pitching staff who failed to deliver in the playoffs last year. 

Because I’m not going to let this hang…it is amazing how people say it was only the pitchers without paying any attention to how terrible of positions he put them in.

Just now, Balta1701 said:

They hired the son of his pitching coach in St Louis. Even you can’t get away with telling me that was totally a coincidence.

If you are saying their analytical work is bad, you are blaming Tony LaRussa’s handpicked hire to excuse Toby LaRussa’s decisions.

I'm saying the decisions are not solely based on one person. I'm sure even in the analytics department, Duncan doesn't have the only say and whatever he says goes regardless of any other input.

Everyone says TLR is too old school. Well the old school way was for the Manger to manage the players andet the coaches do their work.

TLR is going to get Manager of the Year. Laugh at me now I don't mind.

1 minute ago, Balta1701 said:

Because I’m not going to let this hang…it is amazing how people say it was only the pitchers without paying any attention to how terrible of positions he put them in.

Again, are you saying that TLR made these decisions while ignoring the suggestions of the pitching coach and bullpen coach?

3 minutes ago, ptatc said:

I'm saying the decisions are not solely based on one person. I'm sure even in the analytics department, Duncan doesn't have the only say and whatever he says goes regardless of any other input.

Everyone says TLR is too old school. Well the old school way was for the Manger to manage the players andet the coaches do their work.

So you agree that your blaming of the analytics department doesn’t hold water. Roger.