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* I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Kenny Williams has got to go…
White Sox pitcher Chris Sale said executive vice president Ken Williams created an unnecessary distraction when he asked Adam LaRoche to limit the amount of time his son spent in the clubhouse.
LaRoche said Tuesday he planned to leave the team following Williams’ new restrictions, but Sale said Friday the problems now go beyond LaRoche’s possible retirement to trust issues within the organization.
“We were rolling,” Sale said. “We had a team coming together of new guys, getting acquainted. No hiccups, nothing. We were a steam engine going full steam ahead, and it kind of derailed it. … There was no problem in here with anyone, and he created a problem.”
Sale said the players “got bold-faced lied to by someone we are supposed to be able to trust.”
Sale said Williams told contradicting stories, citing the players, the coaches and Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf at different times as the reason he was setting the limitations now. Many Sox players publicly have said they didn’t have a problem with Drake LaRoche, 14, spending enough time with the team that he had a locker at U.S. Cellular Field.
I got some great discounts on airfare and a hotel, so I’m planning to spend a few days at spring training later this month to wind down from the campaign and this never-ending impasse. But now I’m as depressed about my team as I am about my state.
Ugh!
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:39 am
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“Everyone loves the Drake!”
I guess Kenny Williams is Newman in all this?
The Reinsdorf Family has this Achilles’ Heel thing with the Bulls and White Sox when it comes to blind loyalty and allowing the people in the business of running franchise to be marginalized by those the Reinsforf Family has the most loyalty to, no matter how bad the decisions, especially in PR, turn out to be, short and long term.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:45 am
I am the second biggest White Sox fan behind Rich. I agree this is an unfortunate distraction and not the way to begin a winning year. That said, I think it very odd that a 14 year-old has a locker in a professional baseball team’s locker room. Doesn’t the kid go to school? I just think it’s strange.
Comment by Colin O'Scopey Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:50 am
===I just think it’s strange===
It’s probably out of the ordinary, but it wasn’t Williams’ role to step in like that. He.Has.To.Go.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:52 am
If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that professional athletes are the best role models for impressionable young men and that, if you have athletic ability, going to school is a waste of your time.
Adam LaRoche, father of the year.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:53 am
Reports indicate that the kid being allowed in the locker room with free reign was in LaRoche’s contract. If you didn’t like it when you gave you signed him, you can’t just take it back, not matter how creepy it is that 14-year-old has his own locker in a clubhouse. If LaRoche hit .300 last year this wouldn’t be a story. He hit .209. Which is another reason to #FireKW
Comment by Curious Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:56 am
Anything that makes Chris Sale unhappy is a concern to me. I don’t necessarily agree that Drake should be spending all that time in the locker room but if it’s not a distraction to the other players then let it go.
Comment by UIS Anon Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:58 am
Bet it’s straightened out by the end of the day. Can have the locker room fester very long.
Great year to switch to the Cubbies! Favorites for a World Series championship. I’ve been a fan for decades and it’s been great. Check that. Almost great…
Comment by Mouthy Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:59 am
Geez, that’s really stepping out by Sale.
But, then again, he’s the most underpaid pitcher in baseball right now, so his tukkus is probably red. Sweet signing by Williams.
I don’t know what was said by whom, but I know last year’s Sox team was lazy, undisciplined, fundamentally unsound and way underachieving.
They don’t need any cute-and-cuddly family time in the clubhouse. They need to cowboy up and get serious about their jobs.
Kenny is still the only GM in nearly 200 years of Chicago baseball to put together a World Series winner.
Take a look at that 2005 lineup. Maybe Konerko and Buerhle get a whiff of the Hall of Fame (Thomas was out for the season in May).
The rest were a bunch of one-year wonders, castoffs, psychos and role players. It was an amazing GM job.
Has LaRoche filed his retirement papers yet? Where does a DH who hit .207 with 12 homers last year get a guaranteed $12 million outside of baseball?
Maybe he could be an exterminator, because he killed a lot of rallies last year.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:59 am
That’s “can’t”
Comment by Mouthy Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:59 am
Williams should have owned his request rather than lie about requesting it. Other than that, he had every right to make the request. Name me an organization of that size where employees get to bring their kids to work every day. Furthermore, did everyone else on the organizations staff get to do it? The 14 year old should be in school. To me, this sounds like LaRoche is a control freak and won’t let his judge out of his sight.
Comment by Thoughts Matter Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:01 pm
child, not judge. Couldn’t see that line on my cell phone once typed.
Comment by thoughts matter Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:03 pm
Okay, so I guess I’m the 3rd biggest fan of our Pale Hose.
Kenny Williams, if not the boss, is at least the operational administrator of the team and its facilities. Yes, it’s a little unusual to have a 14-year old kid in the locker room as often as this one was. How often would this be acceptable in a workplace? How out-of-bounds would an office administrator or your boss if they asked, “Hey, um, can we limit the time the kid’s in the office?”
The players make too much money and are too pampered already for this to be an issue. This isn’t Williams’ leadership issue, it’s Ventura’s. A little bit of, “Grow the hell up - welcome to the real world and, let’s focus on what we’re getting paid to do” would go a long way right about now.
Comment by Springfieldish Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:04 pm
I agree with Oswego Willy–Reinsdorf tolerated Kraus WAY too long, and Williams is also several years past his sell-by date.
2005 was great, as wordslinger says, but it was a 1-time deal, as he also says. In terms of a top-tier contender over a period of years, which should be the standard–not so much.
Comment by Harry Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:05 pm
Probably could have been handle better (like before Spring training started,) but I’m on Kenny’s side here. LaRoche was one of the worst players in baseball last year and a big reason for the white sox’ flop. When you sign a 25 million dollar contract and hit .207, you shouldn’t get offended when your boss suggests you take a different approach.
Comment by Bill C. Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:10 pm
47th Ward - that sentiment has destroyed the lives of countless student-athletes who didn’t graduate (or go to class), and baseball players who went the straight-to-rookie-leagues. Drake LaRoche has some generational wealth to fall back on so he’ll be ok pretty much everyone else should be in school.
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:12 pm
If this is what it took to get an expensive wholly non-performing player off the payroll it’s fine with me and it was Adam’s own decision to retire–not Kenny’s. I think Sale is shooting off his mouth and is vastly overstepping his bounds due to his friendship with the extended LaRoche family including former MLB pitcher Dave LaRoche. Further, I doubt that any of us on this thread actually know who may be “lying” and/or what arrangements/agreements (formal or informal) the team may have actually had with respect to Drake.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:14 pm
Rich,
come over to the blue side. We have a new facade improvements. 7000 replaced grandstand seats. We also have beer and a Mardi Gras atmosphere.
Rumor has it last year real baseball was played on the blue side.
Comment by Irishpirate Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:14 pm
You know what? It’s good to know Sox players can get fired up about something.
It sure hasn’t been baseball.
Good on Kenny for lighting the fire. Maybe the noise woke up Robin, too.
Now let’s see if the players can bring that clubhouse-lawyer fire out between the lines, and do crazy things like hit, run, field and throw like professional ballplayers.
And if a stiff like LaRoche does walk away from a guaranteed $12 million over this, I’m guessing Jerry will say “nice move, Kenny. Go spend it on someone who can play.”
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:15 pm
===come over to the blue side===
I left that team 16 years ago.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:15 pm
The kid is home schooled part time. Big distraction. Below .500 again this year
Comment by Wow Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:16 pm
== - Colin O’Scopey - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:50 am: Doesn’t the kid go to school? I just think it’s strange.”
Apparently, he does not go to school when it overlaps with spring training and the regular season. Key quote from Adam LaRoche: “We’re not big on school. I told my wife, ‘He’s going to learn a lot more useful information in the clubhouse than he will in the classroom, as far as life lessons.’”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/for-adam-laroche-nationals-spring-training-is-take-your-son-to-work-day-every-day/2013/02/25/5c313814-7f95-11e2-a350-49866afab584_story.html
Comment by Anonymous Sox Fan Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:17 pm
Kenny isn’t flawless, but he fights. You want a nice, boring, constantly rebuilding team, head 90 minutes north. And given Sale’s theatrics last season where he got a rise out of Robin Ventura even, I’m not giving him the benefit of the doubt here. All these years and the only person to have a serious public beef with Kenny was Guillen and how fast did he wear out his welcome in Miami? Regardless, the players have had their say, now be pros and get back to work.
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:17 pm
Kenny is still the only GM in nearly 200 years of Chicago baseball to put together a World Series winner.
He destroyed them in 2006….adam is no lose what were his numbers last year lmao
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:17 pm
I believe Sale, Eaton and all the other Sox players and tweeters would be better off focusing all their energies towards playing the game of baseball which they are being paid millions of dollars to do. Maybe the Sox could climb above .500 for a season and be competitive for a playoff run. There’s no reason on earth why a 14 year-old should have his own locker and be in the clubhouse 100% of the time.
Comment by forwhatitsworth Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:17 pm
Maybe set some limits on the time the kid is in the clubhouse? I mean, I understand he gets his homework ahead of time and for several weeks at a stretch — but even that’s a bit weird.
I don’t know many other jobs where a kid is allowed to shadow the worker full-time. Fly a plane, the pilot wants his kid there? Build a skyscraper — what, the kid is gonna be there, geared up and walking the beams with the old man?
Great way to father-son bond, but come on — there’s some common sense solutions here. Williams is probably not the one to introduce these, though. How about the kid goes to school full-time and then comes out here to visit? I mean, that’s the old-school approach. I’m a latch-key Gen X’r. I went to school, came home to an empty house.
So it goes.
Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:18 pm
Rich, good wine and a hot tub will help him you chill out.
Comment by Mama Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:18 pm
Hmmm, maybe time for a poll?
Comment by Original Rambler Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:18 pm
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:15 pm:
===come over to the blue side===
I left that team 16 years ago.
Shall I call you Dunkin then?
WE have a new marquee!
Come to Rickettsville. Resistance is futile!
Comment by Irishpirate Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:18 pm
(PS - and yes, I know you were being ironic - I was trying to agree. Sportscasters, by the way, should ask coaches what their school’s NCAA graduation rate per their sport is when they do interviews.)
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:19 pm
===Come to Rickettsville===
A team owned by a disease.
No thanks.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:20 pm
At least Drake will learn the names of the best strip clubs in every major league city. You can’t really learn that kind of thing in school.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:20 pm
There was no good reason for that kid to be around the team that much. Williams was right, Laroche needed to dial it back, good riddance to him.
Comment by Saluki Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:22 pm
= You want a nice, boring, constantly rebuilding team, head 90 minutes north. =
Come on, the traffic isn’t *that* bad in the city. In 90 minutes, I can get from Sox Park to… Lake County.
Comment by Anonymous Sox Fan Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:23 pm
Cheer up, Rich. Could be worse. You could be a Red Sox fan like me.
Comment by MSIX Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:25 pm
= You want a nice, boring, constantly rebuilding team, head 90 minutes north. =
30 minutes by train on the renovated Red Line.
Rickettsville welcomes former Sox fans and their $.
Comment by Irishpirate Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:27 pm
The city isn’t the problem, it’s Six Flags! Once I clear that my only obstacle is resisting a side-trip to Woodman’s Market or the Mars Cheese Castle.
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:28 pm
NYT 3-15-16
– The Obama administration announced Tuesday that it would allow Cuban citizens to work in the United States and receive salaries from American companies, a decision that could have a profound effect on the way major league teams sign Cuban baseball players.
Under the new guidelines, which go into effect Wednesday, it will now be legal for franchises to sign contracts directly with Cuban ballplayers. Previously, Cuban players had to defect before they could sign with a major league team.–
I hope Kenny is on the plane to Havana with his pal Obama on Monday.
LaRoche’s $12 million would go a long way on the island. Those kids are hungry.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:29 pm
The Cubs should sign Adam Dunn and trade him to the Sox for Chris Sale. Then the Sox can get rid of the cancer in their clubhouse.
Comment by Mr. Cub Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:32 pm
= I left that team 16 years ago. =
Yeah, but by your own rule of only supporting winners you’re on the wrong side.
Btw - Uncle Jerry is responding…
https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/710895701106892800
https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/710895756845002752
https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/710895837518241792
https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/710895960142979073
Comment by Barton Lorimor Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:33 pm
The last time a Sox General Manager caused this much angst was when Larry Himes required the players to wear socks and banned beer from the clubhouse
Comment by Just the Facts Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:34 pm
Adam Dunn (no slouch as a baseball player) knew when his career was over and he quietly and gracefully walked away without drama. Others might learn from this.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:36 pm
And some people on this blog think state workers are prima donnas? Professional athletes are possibly the biggest prima donnas on the planet. Guess what LaRoche? Bosses get to make rules. Welcome to the real world. You’re being compensated VERY handsomely to play for the Sox.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:38 pm
LaRoche hit .200 last year. He was to be paid $13 million this season. Who cares if he’s gone.
Comment by jim Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:39 pm
When did a professional sports team become day care? Kenny is right to curb it now, wrong not to stop it months ago.
He’s not the best in the business, but this little kerfufle has nothing to do with whether he stays or goes.
They’ll be more competitive this year, but not top of their division
Comment by walker Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:39 pm
If someone gave me $12 million and told me I could “only” bring my kid to work 50% of the time, I’d be in heaven. And I’d still only bring the kid once a week.
Comment by Anonymous Sox Fan Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:41 pm
D Rose is apparently also upset about this. But it sounds like the Bulls have a very different system for kids inside the building (as opposed to in the locker room itself).
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ct-derrick-rose-adam-laroche-20160317-story.html
Comment by Anonymous Sox Fan Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:43 pm
Me, I like the Drake.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BrQw2TKXq6o
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:45 pm
=A team owned by a disease.=
Honestly, with deep sincerity and respect, you are now my hero.
@Irishpirate- give it a rest. This is not a thread about cubs v. sox. Don’t make me break out my list of cubs insults, I don’t want to hurt my back carrying them up from the basement.
@Mr. Cub- well played. Not a chance.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:46 pm
You gotta have a real fragile clubhouse for something like this to threaten a season.
Comment by ILPundit Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:47 pm
Here is how the Rangers handle kids and clubhouse and game day.
http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/texas-rangers/rangers/2016/03/17/kids-clubhouse-rangers-welcome-rules
Looks reasonable. I imagine other clubs if they do not already have published written rules will now be formalizing this sort of thing after the La Roche kerfuffle.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:48 pm
“@Mr. Cub- well played. Not a chance.”
How bout we throw in Dunston?
Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:50 pm
=== Who cares if he’s gone===
Our superstar pitcher.
Look, you mess with Sale’s mind and I ain’t forgiving you. Period.
We suck enough as it is without this nonsense.
Should the kid be in the locker room? Maybe not. I don’t care. Stop messing with Sale’s head.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:52 pm
–You gotta have a real fragile clubhouse for something like this to threaten a season.–
Fragile ain’t the word.
This team needs more Billy Martin in the clubhouse, less Fred Rogers.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:53 pm
I guarantee you that other players had a problem with the kid being there every day. Kenny is taking the bullet for them. Sale is an idiot, great pitcher but idiot.
Comment by Tom Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:59 pm
This whole thing is so stupid. Everyone is acting like an immature little brat. Everyone, that is, except the actual child. (at least in the media, for all I know, Drake LaRoche is the spawn of satan himself, but at least he’s not making a horse’s behind of himself on twitter).
Comment by jerry 101 Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:01 pm
=How bout we throw in Dunston?=
Give me Gary Scott as a sweetener and you have a deal.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:07 pm
Done! lol
Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:09 pm
Drake has a bright future as a high school baseball coach. Unless, of course, the school district requires it’s teachers to have bachelor degrees. Adam, way to go in helping your son reach his full potential.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:09 pm
This GM stuff isn’t so hard…
Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:10 pm
I must confess I am enjoying another forum where the participants are acting like selfish brats, besides Illinois politics!
Comment by Capitol View Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:11 pm
“Drake has a bright future as a high school baseball coach. Unless, of course, the school district requires it’s teachers to have bachelor degrees. Adam, way to go in helping your son reach his full potential.”
The LaRoche family has a strong baseball pedigree. Drake will reach the ‘bigs’.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:15 pm
==Drake has a bright future as a high school baseball coach. Unless, of course, the school district requires it’s teachers to have bachelor degrees. Adam, way to go in helping your son reach his full potential.==
The kid attends regular school in the off season and has tutors during ST and the regular season. And from what I’ve seen of kids coming out of high school lately, he isn’t missing much.
Comment by MSIX Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:17 pm
My concern is how the entire episode underminds Robin Ventura. This is his clubhouse, and given the way Williams, LaRoche, and Sale are behaving, it’s clear Robin doesn’t control it. A weak manager now appears to be a whole lot weaker.
Comment by Fred Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:43 pm
===A weak manager now appears to be a whole lot weaker. ===
Totally agree.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:43 pm
At least you can always get a great seat for any game. Wait a minute, that would be true any year.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:50 pm
I can’t believe all the drama around this thing. First Workd probs.
Comment by Politix Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:51 pm
=I’ve seen of kids coming out of high school lately, he isn’t missing much.=
Depends on the parents most of the time. Based on some of the parents I come across, I don’t have a lot of faith.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:52 pm
USA Today has a story up w/ LaRoche’s full statement. A good read.
Quoting: “I will leave you with the same advice that I left my teammates. In life, we’re all faced with difficult decisions and will have a choice to make. Do we act based on the consequences, or do we act on what we know and believe in our hearts to be right? I choose the latter.”
Might be good for all raunner GOP GA lap dogs to read.
Williams should have been gone YEARS ago.
Comment by sal-says Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:58 pm
==Depends on the parents most of the time. Based on some of the parents I come across, I don’t have a lot of faith.==
Just based on what I’ve read, LaRoche seems to be a pretty exceptional father. I know nothing about him or his relationship with his kid, but the stories I’ve read seem to indicate Drake is in very competent hands.
Comment by MSIX Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:06 pm
Unlike the White Sox themselves, I should add.
Comment by MSIX Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:07 pm
Good riddance to Laroche. Hope to say the same to KW one of these days. The kid is a non issue. The .207 over the hill dad is the issue.
Comment by Joe Biden Was Here Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:08 pm
I think it’s a particularly unhealthy relationship with his son. I don’t mean unhealthy that they are close, I actually admire that. I think it’s unhealthy because LaRoche entered into some sort of agreement with the Sox that allowed his son to be in the locker room.
My Dad never took me to work and if he told his boss that my attending his job when I was 14 was a condition of his employment, I would have expected he’d have gotten fired, too.
Comment by Colin O'Scopey Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:21 pm
Keep Sale happy. so if Kenny lied, bye, bye, despite the great job in 2005. however, the kid in the locker room all the time thing is just weird. perhaps it was impossible to handle correctly, so they sent Kenny in to do it. maybe getting rid of two underperforming people with one move.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:29 pm
My thoughts as a lifelong Sox fan:
1) In my opinion a 14yr old kid belongs in school not only learning but also, and perhaps just as importantly, socially interacting with his peer group.
2) There are numerous reasons why kids don’t belong in the workplace and if even ONE teammate had a problem with it, the kid’s presence should be eliminated or minimized to accommodate the employee (teammate) rather than the kid. After all, the teammate is the one who has to perform to keep his job. He deserves every right to do so in an environment he feels comfortable with.
3) Regardless of how I feel in 1) and 2) above, from all accounts the Sox made, at the very minimum, a verbal agreement with LaRoche before signing him that his son would be welcomed in the clubhouse. I can’t be sure of what, if any, parameters were set (how often he’d be allowed, what was off limits, etc.) but I can almost guarantee it is not in his contract because if that were the case, LaRoche would’ve simply told Williams to read the contract and go pound some sand.
4) Now, the big problem for me is that if this was allowed ALL of last season and thus far through camp, why is it just now a big problem all of a sudden? If a teammate had a problem with it, he should’ve A) Talked to LaRoche about his concerns, B) Spoken with the Manager, then the GM, etc. There is a chain of command that was clearly broken.
4) The fact that Kenny Williams is involved is disturbing on many fronts. First of all, Robin Ventura should be the one handling clubhouse concerns involving his players. Secondly, Williams is ALWAYS it seems at odds with someone on the team or in the organization. From Frank Thomas to Ozzie Guillen to Rick Hahan to Adam LaRoche, he’s had problems with people and most of them had nothing to do with ON THE FIELD PERFORMANCE. Basically, he’s always got his nose in the you know what. Unfortunately, Reinsdorf has a disturbing sense of loyalty to people who rarely deserve it and he allows Williams to win every battle regardless of whether he’s right or wrong.
5) Lastly, now it’s become a distraction for the players and appears to have strained the relations between the front office and Chris Sale, one of the best young arms in the game.
I could keep typing until my fingers bleed but it should’ve been a minor issue settled behind closed doors but the always power-hungry KW had to lay down the law once again. I think Rich nailed it: Kenny Williams has got to go. Sadly, I think Bruce Rauner may actually turn Pro-Union before that happens.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:34 pm
The research paper above was mine:)
Comment by CrazyHorse Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:37 pm
=Just based on what I’ve read, LaRoche seems to be a pretty exceptional father. I know nothing about him or his relationship with his kid, but the stories I’ve read seem to indicate Drake is in very competent hands.=
Ever been in a locker room? Yeah, great place for a kid to be all of the time. Pure genious.
Schedule:
1st Hour- Jock itch 101
2nd Hour- How to rub up a baseball
3rd Hour- How to properly spit sunflower seeds
4th Hour- How to properly utilize smokeless
tobacco
Lunch-Free hotdogs! (America’s first health food)
5th Hour- PE- go shag some flies and fetch my flip flops
6th Hour- Independent study (how to adjust your cup)
7th Hour- Foreign language- How to swear in two languages.
8th Hour- Math (otherwise known as gin rummy)
Yep, great plan.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:39 pm
== Now, the big problem for me is that if this was allowed ALL of last season and thus far through camp, why is it just now a big problem all of a sudden? If a teammate had a problem with it, he should’ve A) Talked to LaRoche about his concerns, B) Spoken with the Manager, then the GM, etc. There is a chain of command that was clearly broken.==
tHEREARE A LOT OFNEW PLAYERS IN THE CLUBHOUSE THIS YEAR
Comment by Responsa Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:52 pm
So sorry, Amalia. That was obviously not supposed to be posted yet and certainly not in Caps lock. I don’t know why it did that!
Comment by Responsa Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:54 pm
What I was going to add was that since the composition of the team is different this season than last I can see how one or some of the new guys might have questioned the kids in clubhouse rules. I can also see how they might go to the mgr or GM rather than the player for clarification and we do not know that that did not in fact happen which may be how it ultimately ended up with Kenny.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:08 pm
Give all involved credit for affording us some comic relief from the acute indigestion caused by our current state and federal politics.
Comment by JackD Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:28 pm
==Ever been in a locker room? Yeah, great place for a kid to be all of the time. Pure genious.==
No, but I have been to high schools. Not a whole lot different. But I’m no “genious.”
I wasn’t defending the kid being in the locker room. I was defending his father’s decision about the kid’s schooling.
Comment by MSIX Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:32 pm
Personally, I’m glad LaRouche is gone. The man was BAD (in all caps) last year. Wish he focused more on becoming a better baseball player than playing with his son.
Also agree with the premise that KW is past his expiration fate. Robin can leave too as far as I am concerned.
Comment by Stones Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:56 pm
=But I’m no “genious.”=
Good one, I also missed a few commas. It is funny that I misspelled that particular word though!
Interesting high schools you hang around.
I was specifically commenting on the father’s decision. While he can do as he chooses by and large, it is a silly decision. Money can be lost and if that happens being trained as a locker room attendant is not much of a career builder for the kid.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:58 pm
It should never have been allowed to happen in the first place, and I find it to be extremely strange on LaRoche’s part, but…
it was part of the argreement LaRoche made when he signed
it is another case where Robin’s has shown he can’t manage a club house
it’s another case where Kenny was involved in a ego trip that ultimately hurts the club
it shows how little respect the team has for Kenny
it shows that the Sox players don’t focus on the big picture (i.e., they’ve been pretty bad for quite awhile now)
it shows Jerry has lost his grip on the organization
ughh, on SO MANY levels
Comment by Morty Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 4:01 pm
Maybe Nolan Ryan can be brought in to beat some sense into Ventura, and help restore clubhouse order?
Comment by ILPundit Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 4:23 pm
Make Drake a bat boy with (non public) incentives. For every RBI his father hits, Drake gets to attend a game. He’ll probably be in attendance 40 times. Problem solved.
Comment by Big T Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 4:39 pm