Being shut out by the Reds wasn’t the worst thing that happened to the Chicago White Sox Wednesday afternoon in Cincinnati.
Now knowing the rule book was.
Managers make mistakes from time to time, but one thing they’re not allowed to do is make a bad decision because of a lack of knowledge of the rules, which is what happened to Tony La Russa during the 10th inning of the 1-0 loss to the Reds.
La Russa let closer Liam Hendriks be the runner on second base at the start of the inning, believing whoever was in the last spot in the batting order the previous inning was the designated base-runner. That was correct. But what La Russa didn’t know was another part of the rule states that if that player was a pitcher, the manager can place the player preceding him in the batting order — in this case, José Abreu — on second.
You may not have known the entire rule either. I sure didn’t, and had never seen it used in any of the extra-inning games I covered or watched in 2020 or the start of ’21.
But The Athletic’s James Fegan was aware of it, and asked La Russa after the game why he didn’t use Abreu as the runner instead of Hendriks. After explaining the rule as he knew it, La Russa was informed of the part that allows a player besides the pitcher to run.
“Well, I didn’t know that,” La Russa replied. “We all thought Liam was going to be the runner and that’s how I wanted it because if you want to double switch, you keep him in the game … I wasn’t aware that Abreu could have run. I thought it had to be the guy who made the last out with that spot in the order.”
He conceded he would’ve used Abreu instead of a pitcher had he known. Whether Abreu would’ve scored the go-ahead run is debatable, especially since the Sox also ran themselves into an out in the top of the inning when La Russa had Leury García attempt to steal second while trying to be “aggressive.”
It was one of those days when the Sox couldn’t mount any offense, which is why they lost.
Still, not knowing the rule obviously is going to sting for a while.
“I’ll re-read that situation,” La Russa said to Fegan. “I’m guessing you know the rules better. Now I know.”
La Russa is going to have to wear it, and deservedly so. Don’t worry, he’ll get over it.
And the truth is he also was failed by his coaching staff, assuming no other coach in the dugout knew the rule. Someone in the front office could’ve sent a message to the dugout as well, assuming anyone there knew it.
Instead, the gaffe will be cited as another reason why you shouldn’t hire a manager who has been out of the dugout for a decade.
Hendriks was not available to comment after the game. Starter Dallas Keuchel said, “I really had no idea” about the rule.
“And I feel like I’ve seen some wacky and weird stuff happen in this game,” he said. “That’s one you chalk up to how lengthy the rule book is, especially how some of these rule changes have happened in the last couple years. So if it’s anybody fault, it’s kind of everybody’s fault.
“The manager always takes the brunt of (criticism for) everything, so obviously it is what it is. But if umpires consistently miss calls and kind of struggle with the rule book, and so do we, I think we’re all at fault here.”
La Russa has been under the microscope from the day he was hired in October, and will continue to be scrutinized throughout his stay on the South Side. He already has made some controversial moves, including keeping Matt Foster and Lucas Giolito in games too long, giving Yermín Mercedes his major league debut at first in Carlos Rodón’s first start after his no-hitter and not starting Mercedes at DH on Sunday because he reported late, inserting struggling Jake Lamb.
“I think sometimes people are unfair with him,” Abreu said Tuesday. “People like to criticize. It’s not an easy job. If being a manager of a major league team would be an easy job everybody could do it. But it’s not, and I think he deserves a little more faith and respect.”
La Russa is fortunate to have players such as Keuchel and Abreu who are willing to have his back. Back in 1996, Sox infielder Tony Phillips took a reporter’s tape recorder after being asked a question and began listing all the faults of manager Terry Bevington.
Every manager has been questioned for his decision-making, including Rick Renteria, the guy La Russa replaced.
La Russa knows from experience it’s part of the game, and reiterated Tuesday he won’t change a thing.
“I’m guessing that there have been questions about it because, I learned a long time ago, you stick your head in the clubhouse and in the dugout where it belongs,” he said. “I’ve said before, if the decision works, they’re good. If they don’t work, they’re bad. I know.
“I felt bad for the fans Sunday because I know what a favorite Yermín is. And a couple of situations, Lamb had a tough day. But just because you alerted me there may be some issues (with his managing), I’m not going to change. There’s enough to concentrate on just watching the game and, I’ve been around a long time.
“Just be accountable to yourself. Take your best shot. You can’t live and die with whether the decision worked or not. It’s the quality of the decision. I like this club a lot. I love this club, the way they inspire me. I don’t have any excuses if somebody thinks there are issues.”
General manager Rick Hahn lauded La Russa’s “leadership” Tuesday during his conference call on Luis Robert’s hip injury, and pointed out La Russa has kept the clubhouse “cohesive” in spite of key injuries. He called the loss of Robert “another challenge for us all and an opportunity for us to circle the wagons and hopefully get stronger as a result.”
Drama seems to follow the Sox wherever they go, and now they’ll have to circle the wagons for their manager as they head to Kansas City for a weekend showdown with the surprising Royals.
If you didn’t think 2021 would be like this, now you know.
