When the Chicago White Sox parted ways with manager Rick Renteria after their AL Wild Card exit, many White Sox fans probably hoped that the team would go in a direction that would be in line with today’s game.
After all, this is a team that has one of baseball’s more promising (and exciting) young cores and the No. 6 farm system, according to MLB.com.
So, what did White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf go ahead and do? He instead decided to go with a 76-year-old who hasn’t managed a team in nine years and has been awfully problematic along the way. That’s right. They hired former Cardinals manager, Diamondbacks and Angels senior advisor Tony La Russa.
Tony La Russa, a member of baseball’s Hall of Fame, the third-winningest manager in baseball history, a three-time World Series champion and a four-time winner of the Manager of the Year Award, has been named the new manager of the Chicago White Sox. pic.twitter.com/RKP24rleHP
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) October 29, 2020
La Russa had plenty of managerial success with St. Louis. But in his time with the Diamondbacks front office, La Russa was notably resistant to analytic-based decisions. He’d say that analytics were important for preparation but would let the eye test do the work when the games start. Simply put, today’s game had moved on from La Russa.
La Russa has also echoed racist rhetoric when it comes to baseball and Colin Kaepernick’s protests of racial injustice. He was also convicted of drunk driving while with the Cardinals.
It was no surprise that fans weren’t happy with this hire.
How it feels being a Sox fan pic.twitter.com/GVwZMDc7FW
— Tom Maloney (@tdjm84) October 29, 2020
Tony La Russa demonized Colin Kaepernick and distrusted his sincerity with the causes he fights for.
He’s now coaching Tim Anderson, one of the best players in MLB and a black man who has been outspoken on social injustices.
This will go well. https://t.co/RI7gio0kD1
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) October 29, 2020
I feel like this is essentially the equivalent of the San Diego Padres hiring Bruce Bochy in 2030. https://t.co/000BqJg4op
— Kerry Crowley (@KO_Crowley) October 29, 2020
The White Sox are a young, brash, swagtastic team and now this Scooby Doo villain is their manager. Sell the team, Jerry. https://t.co/ahWVjmoSvF
— Dieter Kurtenbach (@dieter) October 29, 2020
This tells you everything you need to know about the @whitesox, the problem is and has always been Jerry. https://t.co/JnZ7l2aHG8
— Joshua Nathan Strong (@Boopa1219) October 29, 2020
If you were ever unsure whose game it is… https://t.co/F7ApgadDVP
— Full Dissident (@hbryant42) October 29, 2020
Stupidest decision ever. I would rather have Ricky. https://t.co/WNpHzGMoCd
— DaWindyCity Productions (@DawindycityP) October 29, 2020
Tony La Russa benching Tim Anderson after a bat flip pic.twitter.com/edFOOlpx7q
— NikoIsHere (@NikoIsHere2) October 29, 2020
tony la russa will be managing tim anderson. just thought i should point that out.
— bomani (@bomani_jones) October 29, 2020
remember when tony la russa tried to sue twitter over a fake tony la russa account
— Lana Berry (@Lana) October 29, 2020
I feel so bad for this White Sox team who have formed their own culture of baseball and now a guy like La Russa is gonna come in and ruin it.
— Ali White Claw (@aliwhitesox) October 29, 2020
