Totally unwilling to cede the Stupidity Spotlight completely to Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks, Jerry Reinsdorf and the White Sox officially announced the signing of octogenarian and professional old crank Tony LaRussa to be the new manager. LaRussa, who last managed during Obama’s first term in office, becomes the 41st in franchise history.
I have no Hot Take here. You’ve all probably read on twitter the myriad of issues and baggage that comes with hiring TLR, most of which can be summed up by the fact that the average age of the players on the roster he’s taking over is 55 years less than what he’s currently rocking. The game of baseball passed him by 10 years ago, and the White Sox were bidding against themselves for his services.
I had hoped this team’s penchant for shooting itself in the dick had moved on. That we’d firmly put the “Spawn Of Adam LaRoche Ruins Season By Pooping In Locker Room” days behind us. Yet here we are in 2020, signing a manager who’s biggest contribution to the sport of baseball in the last decade was him actually leaving the sport of baseball and retiring.
The Sox now take one of the youngest and most fun clubhouses in MLB and insert the baseball equivalent of David Spade’s character in PCU as it’s leader. I honestly am out of superlatives for how stupid this hire is, so I’ll let some of baseball’s finest chime in:
The hiring of Tony La Russa has ruffled feathers in the White Sox organization. A number of employees have concerns about his ability to connect with younger players and how he will adapt to the field after being away 9 years.
This was a Jerry Reinsdorf decision. Simple as that.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 29, 2020
The White Sox are young, fun as hell, and predominantly Latinx. So who do they get to manage the team? Naturally, a 76 year-old white guy who hasn't coached in a decade, supports the Tea Party and Glenn Beck, and was arrested for being drunk and asleep at the wheel of his SUV.
— Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) October 29, 2020
what the hell https://t.co/6NJU0Od0ud
— keithlaw (@keithlaw) October 29, 2020
This is what Tony La Russa told @AdamKilgoreWP about Fernando Tatis Jr's 3-0 grand slam against the Texas Rangers in August
He's about to be Tim Anderson's manager https://t.co/UUkUjPixzW pic.twitter.com/VPnFzavaif
— joon lee (@joonlee) October 29, 2020
— Adam (@_adamhess) October 29, 2020
Fucking hell.
