Bosses tend to be pissed when one doesn't follow instructions. It was stupid for La Russa to call for taking a pitch, but he did. His player was stupid for ignoring him.
They don't win a whole lot with him in the lineup. In Angels bizarro world watch them now start winning more games with him out of the lineup.
Screw La Russa. Dude is a scumbag and a hypocrite. How can anyone take him seriously, yapping about breaking unwritten rules when he so brazenly disregards written ones, like DWIs.
Why is someone giving a big league hitter signs in the middle of a blowout? Maybe he didn't see the signs? I thought we were letting the kids play?
I would love to see an Old Guy Manage Off, between the 2 most insufferable MLB people, who are actually very good managers but their ego continually lets them outsmart themselves into dipsh!t decisions: Maddon vs LaRussa Undercard: Girardi vs Francona
I have no problem letting the kids play. La Russa does and is giving signs because he has decided he wants his team to play a certain way. It is the player's responsibility to see signs. Missing a sign and ignoring it should be treated similarly. I see a huge difference in a coach wanting his team to play a certain way (regardless if it is stupid), and an opposing coach/player getting upset about an unwritten rule.
It’s tough because if you have an MVP player in their prime...you’re going to have a winning team usually. Closest is probably The Buffalo Braves in the early 70s. Had Dr Jack Ramsey as coach, Bob Mcadoo won an MVP at 23, and good 2 way players in Gar Heard and Randy Smith. Couldn’t get out of the 1st round though and they eventually fell on tough time before turning into the Clippers. You could even throw in the Clippers as a whole as they’ve never made the Conference finals, but had some good coaches and players roll through.
I’ve never understood why baseball players are expected to roll over late in games just because the score is lopsided. Same goes for late game no hitters and bunting. You play to win the game! The La Russa thing is just so dumb. If a team wants to let a position player throw to save the bullpen, then there should be a forfeit rule for teams mailing it in. But to come out against players who are trying...give me a break. Until then, though, I just find it mind-numbingly hypocritical to expect professional athletes, who are paid to win games, to not try or to get called out for trying to win. It’s just idiotic. Comebacks do happen. This is their careers and statistics are incredibly important, arguably now more than ever. La Russa needs to go. I’m surprised CWS hired that bum.
Being in first place and all, I think the folks up there are probably pretty happy with him, despite his antics.
Nobody could have possibly predicted that hiring a crotchety 76 year man to manage one of the most exciting "new-era" teams in MLB would cause internal issues. Oh wait...everyone around baseball predicted this (except Reinsdorf, who hired TLR). He sure seems to have his finger firmly on the pulse of the clubhouse: All La Russa had to do was not say a damn thing and handle it internally, instead he spent his whole post-game presser talking about it to embarrass his player and make some sort of "old man yells at cloud" soapbox stand. And then the Twin predictably pull this chickensh!t "enforcement maneuver" : "...because baseball is supposed to be fun and why can't we just play baseball?"
Tony don't care about your rules. https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2021/5...-white-sox-reds-rules-extra-innings-explained Also: https://www.soxmachine.com/2021/05/...whispers-of-tony-la-russa-related-discontent/ This is pretty much the definition of "winning in spite of". I need a local Chicago @Nook report, I may be totally off. I am admittedly biased as I cannot stand that guy.
I'm going back and forth with this. Yes, LaRussa is coming off as a total hypocritical ass-hat when he can't even follow the basic rules of society, and makes choices that could seriously kill people... yet he's treating his players decision to swing away as something even 'worse' than a DUI (let alone multiple DUI's). It wouldn't be hard to lose that clubhouse, especially in today's social media era of player empowerment. On the other hand, TLR explicitly told him to take and he didn't listen. TLR isn't going to change or adjust at his age. The White Sox knew this when hiring him (or should have known this), and we can continue to question whether or not he was the right choice of manager for this young/up-coming team... despite their record. In the end, if the White Sox owner/front office wants an old-school fundamentalist task-master as their leader of men... they (and the team they've constructed) have to abide by his leadership choices.
On the Tony LaRussa stuff, he's an absolute clown. He out of touch with baseball, hell, he's out of touch with reality. If your boss tells you to do something that is absurd, then I have no problem with disregarding it - especially in a situation like this where a player has clout. What is LaRussa going to do? Pull a guy batting a .350+? The White Sox are loaded with talent and winning despite TLR clown show antics.
