The White Sox have been a disappointment for much of the season. A roster that, on paper, is easily the most talented in the American League Central has drastically underachieved and at times looked disengaged.
After sleepwalking through three games in Kansas City, Johnny Cueto had seen enough. The 36 year old pitcher decided to air his grievances to the media following another uninspiring loss.
“We need to fight. We need to show the fire that we have,” Cueto said via a translator. He paused slightly, then delivered a small dagger, “if we have any.”
With just two words, his message was clear. Anyone who has watched the White Sox this season knew precisely what he was talking about. This isn’t the first time someone in the clubhouse has said something to the team about effort, but the message hit different coming from a 16-year veteran who has won a World Series ring and is universally respected.
Inside The Leadership Meeting
After Johnny Cueto made his thoughts public, Tony La Russa responded to the media that Cueto needed to keep comments like that “in the family.” So they did just that. La Russa held a “leadership meeting” with “eight or ten” guys that are veterans in the league and younger players look up to. Tony La Russa was the only coach in the room. The topic of the meeting was simple.
It’s crunch time. What do we need to do to right the ship?
During the meeting the players determined that confidence heading into the season had turned into cockiness. According to Vinne Duber, the message revolved around positivity and that the White Sox need to be united.
“I think Johnny said it perfectly,” Hendriks during an interview on ESPN 1000’s Waddle and Silvy. “We had a leadership meeting the next day or the day after, and it was one of those ones that coincided with the current streak we’re on now. Eight or ten guys in there just had a meeting and was like, ‘Okay, what do we need to work on.’ It wasn’t anything world-shattering. The group of us need to remain positive.”
Tony La Russa offered a similar sentiment when he met the media before Wednesday’s game. “There were a couple of tweaks to how we prepare that were helpful. But there wasn’t anything that we haven’t stressed and the team hasn’t represented.”
Leading By Example
Since the meeting, the White Sox looks like a different ballclub. They rattled off a five-game win streak, including two come-from-behind victories against the Astros.
“The guys who have been around a lot. You lead by example. You need to lead by example. You need to do the right so that everyone follows in that example,” Hendriks said.
There were plenty of examples of veterans taking this message to heart this past week. On Saturday, Jose Abreu, the oldest player on the team, tagged up from first base on a fly ball to center field to get the go-ahead run in scoring position. His hustle allowed him to score on a single from Andrew Vaughn.
On Monday, Johnny Cueto put the team on his back and tossed eight innings of one-run ball. After striking out Kyle Tucker to end the eighth inning, he turned towards center field and let loose a couple of fist pumps. This woke up the offense, which erupted for four runs.
Tony La Russa deserves some credit for calling this meeting. The meeting has made an impact on their play on the field. Hopefully, the White Sox have turned the corner and will not create a habit of holding these meetings regularly.
Tony La Russa deserves nothing but a rocking chair at a retirement home. I generally don’t disparage managers but he’s really lost it. Wonder if he’s related to Biden?