What Was It Like Playing For Tony La Russa?
It's been about a week now since Tony La Russa was hired, and after talking to Ozzie Guillen and now Ron Kittle, I am feeling WAY better about this hire. Now I'll reiterate this - since the hire was official, I was never remotely worried about Tony La Russa's ability to manage the Chicago White Sox day to day. He's in the Hall of Fame because of that ability and has been around the game since he last hung up the clipboard and stopwatch in 2011. There's no way he just LOST his feel for managing. In that light, the White Sox have one of the best to ever do it running the show in the dugout now, and we should be happy for that. I still loathe the process behind his hiring and feel that it should have been left up to Rick Hahn and Kenny Williams almost exclusively, but Reinsdorf owns the team and that's his prerogative. I hate it, but there's nothing anyone can do about it. Not even KW and RH.
People are still worried, and for good reason, about Tony La Russa's ability to adapt to the new age analytical game. They're also worried he'll have trouble connecting to the new age millennial baseball player. I had the same concerns; but after talking to Ron Kittle, a person who's played for TLR and grew up in the game with TLR, a lot of those concerns were alleviated.
If you're a White Sox fan, listen to this episode. A lot of your concerns will be alleviated as well. That's a promise from me to you. Tony La Russa is a dude who flat out understands people; he's a "psychologist" as Kittle describes him, and for all of the people that wanted Ozzie back, TLR has his full endorsement too:
In the end, the White Sox have a Hall of Fame manager in their dugout managing a roster that's absolutely fucking LOADED and will be even more loaded come winter's end. That's a nice little combo there, so don't guide your anger at TLR's ability to make a pitching change; direct it at the process of how it came to be. That's where your anger and angst should lead you.
~ALSO~
We had Taylor Lewan and Will Compton of the Titans swing by the show to break down their game against the Bears this week:
I don't think we've had an opposing player on the show since we had Whit Merrifield on about 3 years ago. These two dudes are animals as everyone who reads/listens to Barstool knows, and they brought the meathead laughs as always
Loaded show. I feel good about La Russa. You should too. You should also feel good about the Bears this week. I do too. It's that part of the week for me. Come 2pm Sunday I'm sure that'll change, but hope springs eternal.
AGNB
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