If you ever need a reminder of how fickle life in baseball can be, remember the weekend White Sox manager Tony La Russa just experienced.
On Saturday, La Russa was questioned for his decision to have Danny Mendick sacrifice with runners on first and second against struggling Tigers reliever Derek Holland. The bunt attempt didn’t work in what turned out to be a 4-3 loss, and the episode was more fuel to criticize La Russa, who’s been scrutinized for not knowing pitchers don’t have to run to start extra innings and his handling of Yermin Mercedes’ home run on 3-0 count in a blowout of the Twins.
Before Sunday’s game, La Russa again defended the Mendick decision. He didn’t think a successful sacrifice equaled a wasted out because a good bunt would’ve resulted in getting runners to second and third with Tim Anderson and Nick Madrigal due up in a one-run game.
“Trust your gut, you don’t cover your butt,” La Russa said. “You cover your butt with some of these decisions and you get beat and you’ll never know if you are good enough.”
Now fast-forward to Sunday afternoon.
Thanks to the Sox’ 3-0 victory over the Tigers, La Russa passed John McGraw for second all-time in managerial wins with 2,764. The milestone was another achievement in a Hall of Fame career with three World Series rings.
La Russa downplayed his role in those victories while crediting his coaches and players. He chalked up the accomplishment to being fortunate to work in good organizations and having a family that backed him.
“It feels very similar there toward the end to getting into Cooperstown,” La Russa said. “It’s not just personal.”
Even as the Sox have raced out to a 36-23 start and a four-game lead over Cleveland in the American League Central despite losing two-thirds of their starting outfield, the questions about La Russa haven’t quieted. And it remains to be seen whether his moves, some of them running counter to modern baseball thought, will work out when the Sox are in their biggest games.
But at the same time, La Russa has a gravitas few managers in the sport can match. He’s also won more games than anyone else besides Connie Mack, though his all-time mark of 3,731 wins is likely well out of reach.
This weekend showed again that even as the Sox continue to pace the division, La Russa will remain a big story. Some days that will mean controversial decisions, and on others like Sunday it will mean La Russa tipping his cap to fans at Guaranteed Rate Field and talking about how his mentors influenced his career.
“It’s a players’ game and the staffs’, that’s what we have here now,” La Russa said. “I just commented to the guys, we have a team that wants it and we’ll see how good we can be the rest of the way. But we have a staff that’s dedicated to helping them entertain the fans with competition and hopefully enough wins.”
After an emotional Sunday, which fell on the 77th anniversary of the D-Day landing in Normandy, France, that compelled La Russa to have coach Daryl Boston put the 1962 World War II movie “The Longest Day” on in the locker room before the game, the Sox manager was glad to have a day off Monday.
Then it’s back to the grind.
“I keep looking at Toronto, and the week after that we’ve got Tampa Bay and Houston,” La Russa said. “So there’s no relaxation or taking anything for granted. It’s just getting ready to compete, see who’s good enough. Simple.”
BLUE JAYS AT SOX
Tuesday: Robbie Ray (3-2, 3.57) vs. Carlos Rodón (5-2, 1.98), 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM
Wednesday: Alek Manoah (1-0, 3.86) vs. Lance Lynn (7-1, 1.23), 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM
Thursday: Hyun Jin Ryu (5-3, 3.23) vs. Dallas Keuchel (4-1, 4.25), 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM
