We saw this coming with the Tony La Russa hire that had just about everyone from fans to MLB players questioning why the Chicago White Sox hired a very old school (and problematic) manager for a young, fun team.
Before Tuesday night’s game between the Sox and the Minnesota Twins, we saw La Russa call out his own player, Yermin Mercedes, for breaking a silly unwritten rule by hitting a home run on a very slow 3-0 pitch from Twins position player Willians Astudillo, who was on the mound because his team was getting blown out.
Then, La Russa took it a step further. After Twins pitcher Tyler Duffey threw behind Mercedes on Tuesday night in retaliation, La Russa said, “I didn’t have a problem with how the Twins handled that,” mainly because Duffey didn’t throw at Mercedes’ head.
Twins Pitcher Tyler Duffey has been tossed from the game after he threw a pitch behind Yermin Mercedes.
(via @NBCSWhiteSox) pic.twitter.com/vuA7ogfjpy
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 19, 2021
Tony La Russa's comments on the Twins throwing behind Yermín Mercedes: pic.twitter.com/dLe7Oriohk
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) May 19, 2021
This is by far the dumbest move La Russa can make. What Duffey did was dangerous (no matter where that ball was thrown) and an outdated form of revenge that should be taken out of baseball entirely. And even if La Russa qualified why he didn’t have a problem with it, it’s a great way to lose a clubhouse of players by NOT supporting Mercedes.
Heck, that might have already happened. Mercedes’ teammate Tim Anderson commented on an NBC Chicago Instagram post, and Mercedes responded:
Tim Anderson shares his thoughts on Instagram about Tony La Russa being upset with Yermin Mercedes. pic.twitter.com/3L89ohckBa
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) May 18, 2021
See, that’s how you do it. And Sox pitcher Lance Lynn said this as well:
Lance Lynn on unwritten rules:
"If a position player is on the mound, there are no rules. Let's get the damn game over with. And if you have a problem with whatever happened, then put a pitcher out there."#WhiteSox
— Ryan McGuffey (@RyanMcGuffey) May 19, 2021
Right! This is such a dumb “controversy” that has now blown up to the point where La Russa looks like he doesn’t back his own players. Maybe he should remember that unwritten rule for managers instead of facing a group that might be furious with him.
