I am with the Sox on all of this. Though it should be said that if LaRoche had a .840 OPS last year and Kenny did this, causing him to leave...every Sox fan would be up in arms at Kenny, siding with Adam

 

If he had an OPS of 840 last year maybe he gets traded at the deadline, makes a playoff run, and then his new club says "s***, bring your whole family". Hindsight is pointless.

I'm gonna comment first, then read all your comments so to not let them influence me. Yes I despised LaRoche perhaps more than any other player in Sox history. But now, after reading Kenny Williams wouldn't let him bring his son to the clubhouse every day, I have changed my tune.

I would gladly see LaRoche hit .150 with 80 percent strikeouts if it meant bringing him back to stick it up Kenny's backside so to speak. What a chicken s*** thing to do to LaRoche. Players bring their kids all the time to clubhouses. Very sad. Wonder if this will hurt the Sox in the future trying to sign guys.

Again, I thought LaRoche was a pathetic hitter and I even despised his beard, but after reading this? Let him come back and bleep you, Kenny.

 

FAMILY OVER EVERYTHING

NASCAR

A lawsuit over a gentleman's agreement would be laughed out of court.

 

That said, if Hahn or Kenny did promise LaRoche extra access for his kid, that definitely changes things.

 

We need to bring in illinilaw.

 

If LaRoche was promised that privilege, everyone in the Sox organization (especially the players) were aware of this fact, as well as some of his ex-teammates like Harper or Boyer...would the White Sox be covered legally because there wasn't an explicit promise written into the contract?

 

 

At any rate, it still makes the White Sox look bad if that was the case. They shouldn't have offered that "open clubhouse" policy in the first place unless they were willing to deal with the consequences.

 

KW comes off here as more of a bully who's hiding behind not wanting to set a precedent for other players (in the future) when that's exactly what they did in the first place apparently.

Edited March 17, 201610 yr by caulfield12

As in typical pro athletes talking about "banging the chicks" that they met in the bar the previous evening. Not appropriate for a 14-year-old.

LaRoche is pretty religious...I have a feeling there wasn't much talk of banging chicks around him or his son.

We need to bring in illinilaw.

 

If LaRoche was promised that privilege, everyone in the Sox organization (especially the players) were aware of this fact, as well as some of his ex-teammates like Harper or Boyer...would the White Sox be covered legally because there wasn't an explicit promise written into the contract?

 

At any rate, it still makes the White Sox look bad if that was the case. They shouldn't have offered that "open clubhouse" policy in the first place unless they were willing to deal with the consequences.

 

Isn't that why they did everything Sunday? They offered it but felt like LaRoche took it a little too far?

Edited March 17, 201610 yr by fathom

LaRoche is pretty religious...I have a feeling there wasn't much talk of banging chicks around him or his son.

 

At the risk of starting a flame war it's the same intolerance of differences in LaRoche's religious beliefs that led him to this conclusion. It's his way or the highway. You'd think a guy in team sports would learn to get along with others and go with the flow. If he wanted to have his kid around all the time he should have asked for it in his contract.

 

That he just assumed the Sox would be cool with it is moronic and shows the sort of thinker he is IMO...

Edited March 17, 201610 yr by chitownsportsfan

We need to bring in illinilaw.

 

If LaRoche was promised that privilege, everyone in the Sox organization (especially the players) were aware of this fact, as well as some of his ex-teammates like Harper or Boyer...would the White Sox be covered legally because there wasn't an explicit promise written into the contract?

 

I'm not a lawyer, but unless management announced the terms of this agreement in the presence of several eyewitnesses (unlikely), it's most likely hearsay.

 

At any rate, it still makes the White Sox look bad if that was the case. They shouldn't have offered that "open clubhouse" policy in the first place unless they were willing to deal with the consequences.

 

If that was the case, I agree.

 

If Jose Anreu or Chris Sale brought their kid to the clubhouse every day this spring and Brett Lowry didn't like it, do you really think KW would have done the same thing?

 

That is the one question to me is most important. KW talked about being fair, but I think, and perhaps incorrectly, LaRoche's status as a player had something to do with this.

I think they would request this from anyone. From the reports, I've never seen anyone bring their kid to the clubhouse as much as he did, even last year when it wasn't 100% of the time. He was taking advantage of the team allowing the kid to be there. I think they didn't like it last year but got really concerned when it escalated this year. The team and players probably thought that with this being his last year the kid may be there all the time during the season for the farewell tour. They wanted him to cut back. He chose to spend all the time with his kid at home.

LaRoche is pretty religious...I have a feeling there wasn't much talk of banging chicks around him or his son.

 

Unless the kid was attached to LaRoche's hip the entire time, he undoubtedly heard stuff like this in the clubhouse.

 

This is another reason why players were probably not happy with a 14-year-old being around all of the time. Pro athletes tend to be raunchy and strongly prefer a clubhouse where "men can be men."

 

Edited March 17, 201610 yr by Black_Jack29

I will say it is kind of pathetic that Ventura had nothing to say today about everything

When it's players against players for off the field issues he should stay of it. He needs to manage and work with them daily on the field. They can't have the manager get into it with the players.

Unless the kid was attached to LaRoche's hip the entire time, he undoubtedly heard stuff like this in the clubhouse.

 

This is another reason why players were probably not happy with a 14-year-old being around all of the time. Pro athletes tend to be raunchy and strongly prefer a clubhouse where "men can be men."

 

It's basically their office. In fact, it is their office. Your kids don't belong at the office every day, it doesn't matter what your profession is that's just how it's done in society.

LaDouche completely sucks .... Good riddance, take the money and redeploy. Total blessing. Next....

When it's players against players for off the field issues he should stay of it. He needs to manage and work with them daily on the field. They can't have the manager get into it with the players.

 

Eh it's pathetic. Why the hell is the "executive VP" down in the clubhouse anyways to sort this out? That's literally like the first responsibility (and most important perhaps) of the manager.

 

WTF are the paying RV for exactly?

https://mobile.twitter.com/thekapman/status...306078743855104

Was it in writing?

No

Eh it's pathetic. Why the hell is the "executive VP" down in the clubhouse anyways to sort this out? That's literally like the first responsibility (and most important perhaps) of the manager.

 

WTF are the paying RV for exactly?

 

In addition to setting the lineup and handling the pitching staff, managers handle player egos and smooth over hard feelings. Ventura can't get into the middle of a spat like this and alienate a bunch of players. I agree that somebody higher up had to intervene.

 

Strong words here by Jim Bowden

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/JimBowden_ESPN/s...306693758910464

Adam LaRoche - I am all about family too...as a former GM...my 5 boys were allowed to partake in spring... https://t.co/485QNm4Rty

https://twitter.com/JimBowden_ESPN/status/710306693758910464

 

 

In addition to setting the lineup and handling the pitching staff, managers handle player egos and smooth over hard feelings. Ventura can't get into the middle of a spat like this and alienate a bunch of players. I agree that somebody higher up had to intervene.

 

Uh, yea, that describes this situation pretty well. RV is just a weak leader and it's proven again. A strong leader would have told LaRoche privately to go f*** himself.

 

Also speaks to a failure of the players to police their own clubhouse.

Edited March 17, 201610 yr by chitownsportsfan

https://mobile.twitter.com/thekapman/status...306078743855104

 

 

Whats even worse with Kaplan taking Laroche side is that Laroches meat company is like egging Kaplan on.

 

Well, this feces-storm pretty much ensures that LaRoche can't come back now, even if he wanted to.

 

That said, changing his mind would pretty much force the Sox to release him and pay out the $13M. If he's ticked off at the Sox, that'd be a good way to stick it to them.

 

Oh darn, Sox will struggle to sign big time free agents now

 

Agents will have to find a different team to use against bidders

I think this is a pretty crappy move by the organization if its true that he was promised access.

We saved 13mm and are spared the agony of that total bucket of suck batting .200 and striking out all the time? There is a God, even if it ain't Adam's! Amen.......

Uh, yea, that describes this situation pretty well. RV is just a weak leader and it's proven again. A strong leader would have told LaRoche privately to go f*** himself.

 

Ventura is no Earl Weaver, that's for sure. That said, telling LaRoche to go f*** himself wouldn't accomplish anything constructive. Unless you think that making Eaton and LaRoche's other buddies hate RV is constructive.

 

Today's pro athletes tend to be entitled morons who think that the world revolves around them. Yet, as a manager, you have to get these morons to like you and play hard for you, if you want to keep your job. That's Ventura's job, not to pound his fist on the table and act like a tough guy. Guys like Earl Weaver don't last for long in the bigs anymore.