Well, it actually happened.
After TLR rumors spread like wildfire, they came to fruition today. The move is a puzzling one and hints that Rick Hahn isn’t the one calling the shots. In the season-ending press conference, Hahn spoke about how they would be looking primarily at candidates who are younger and who have recent playoff success. Reading between the lines, that would mean A.J. Hinch or Alex Cora.
So unless Rick Hahn flat out lied during his press conference, rhis is a Jerry Reinsdorf hire. He and TLR have a long-lasting relationship, and you know how Jerry values loyalty. I just don’t see how this hire is one that makes sense. Sure TLR has had success in the past, but his old-school attitude is one I don’t see meshing with this young, spunky, “Change The Game” culture. I’d imagine he is one who hates bat flips and excessive celebrations, or in a word “fun”.
The game today is obviously driven by analytics and advanced metrics. These are 2 things I just don’ see La Russa bringing to the clubhouse on any given day.
Then again, we did just see a boneheaded decision in the World Series when Rays manager Kevin Cash pulled a dominating Blake Snell too early. That was a move inspired by the analytics and advanced metrics mentioned above. You could argue that Tony LaRussa has a great feel for the game, but again, the “rah rah” culture of the clubhouse will surely be lessened in the next few years.
Then there’s the fact that TLR is just…too old? I hate using ageism as an argument against a hire, but there’s no other way to put it. He’s 74 years old today. That would be the oldest manager in baseball. The next closest is Dusty Baker at 71. Can the White Sox front office really rely on a guy that old to manage this team for the next 4+ years?
Most recently, TLR has been working in an advisor role for the Los Angeles Angels. He hasn’t managed in a while, but he does have a .536 managerial winning percentage. He also has familiarity with the organization, having managed the team for 9 seasons for the bulk of the 80’s. He’s won 4 Manager of the Year awards as well.
I think it’s time for a good old fashioned Pro/Con list.
Pros
- Winning history
- familiarity with organization
- Feel for the game
- Experience
- No shortage of accolades
Cons
- Older than many would like
- Out of touch with modern-day analytics/advanced metrics
- “Old-school” approach probably won’t fit with “new-school” team/culture.
More Concerning Issues At Hand
Another thing Sox fans must be wondering is who is really in charge? Rick Hahn can negotiate with free agents and managers all he wants, but it seems like Jerry has the final say anyways. Now, you can blame Hahn for not being able to convince Reinsdorf to make the moves that he wants, but I’ll say it again: This just reeks of a Reinsdorf move. If that’s the case, Hahn can’t be happy. For a team to succeed, it’s probably a good thing for the front office to be on the same page. And right now I have a hard time believing that they are.
Conclusion
So, what’s done is done. Love it or hate it, Tony La Russa is the new manager of the White Sox. I personally am not a huge fan of it, but the players play the game. Hopefully Hahn can bring in some premium free agents to round out the holes on the roster. With luck, the players will make La Russa’s job as easy as possible and no one will care that he’s leading the clubhouse for the next handful of years.
