White Sox told Adam LaRoche his son couldn’t be in clubhouse
Chicago White Sox designated hitter Adam LaRoche’s announcement that he would likely retire shocked many in the baseball community. LaRoche cited personal reasons initially, and later sent out a tweet including the hashtag “#FamilyFirst.”
Those words have taken on a bigger meaning Wednesday, as it appears LaRoche’s premature retirement involved the team telling him he couldn’t bring his son around the clubhouse as often in 2016, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.
Rosenthal also spoke to White Sox president Kenny Williams, who confirmed the news in a statement, and offered his opinion on the team’s stance.
“There has been no policy change with regards to allowance of kids in the clubhouse, on the field, the back fields during spring training. This young man that we’re talking about, Drake, everyone loves this young man. In no way do I want this to be about him.
“I asked Adam, said, ‘Listen, our focus, our interest, our desire this year is to make sure we give ourselves every opportunity to focus on a daily basis on getting better. All I’m asking you to do with regard to bringing your kid to the ballpark is dial it back.’
“I don’t think he should be here 100 percent of the time – and he has been here 100 percent, every day, in the clubhouse. I said that I don’t even think he should be here 50 percent of the time. Figure it out, somewhere in between.
“We all think his kid is a great young man. I just felt it should not be every day, that’s all. You tell me, where in this country can you bring your child to work every day?”
The line about LaRoche’s son being in the clubhouse “100 percent of the time” appears to be the main point of contention. Drake LaRoche has been a major part of his dad’s career for some time now.
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Even when LaRoche played for the Washington Nationals, Drake was allowed to be in the clubhouse throughout spring training. He would also “tag along for most of the season at Nationals Park.”
That didn’t change when LaRoche signed with the White Sox. The Chicago Tribune detailed the relationship between LaRoche and Drake last June. In that article, LaRoche referred to his son as the team’s “26th man.”
LaRoche also cites his own upbringing. His father was a major-league player, and he spent a fair chunk of his childhood in clubhouses. He wants Drake to have the same experience.
The situation has already inspired some strong opinions from those within the game. LaRoche’s former teammate, Bryce Harper, sent out a tweet in support of LaRoche shortly after the news broke.
Harper probably won’t be the last former or current player to weigh in this controversy. Whether his opinion is the majority among players remains to be seen.
There’s not really a great way to handle the situation. The White Sox look like monsters because one of their players retired after his club said his son was around too often. At the same time, it’s reasonable for some players to be frustrated that a teenager is constantly in the clubhouse after every single game.
LaRoche told the club he would take a few days before he finalized his decision, though he seems pretty set on retirement. It may have been possible for both sides to come to a compromise where everyone involved was happy, but that doesn’t appear likely.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
