THOSE DARN SOX

Reporters, insiders, pundits and fans are perplexed by the White Sox pivotal off-season move.

MLBTR reports on the announcement and immediate ash fall.

The White Sox announced today that Hall of Famer Tony La Russa is returning to the organization as their new manager for the 2021 season. La Russa has agreed to a multi-year deal according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com.

La Russa managed the White Sox from 1979 and ran through the 1986 season. It appears that La Russa was owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s pick from the beginning. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeff Passan stated that the move to hire La Russa was purely a “Reinsdorf decision” while noting that others in the organizations “have concerns” about La Russa’s ability (or lack thereof) to connect with the club’s young core.

It’s been nine full seasons since La Russa last managed at the MLB level, with the Cardinals, and the game has changed considerably since that time. Data from clubs’ analytics departments has increasingly made its way into in-game decision-making, often generating polarizing reaction from fans, and the sport as a whole has moved to embrace aggressive defensive shifts and pitching strategies that defy the conventional wisdom which permeated big league dugouts during La Russa’s last run.

Since that time, La Russa has remained involved in the game in a variety of roles, most notably serving as the Diamondbacks’ “chief baseball officer” from 2014-17 — a stint that is remembered more for his role in overseeing one of the more lopsided trades in recent memory than for the team’s performance in that time.

After moving on from skipper Rick Renteria, it was reported that the White Sox wanted an experienced manager with a winning pedigree, which prompted many onlookers to speculate about Hinch and former Red Sox manager Alex Cora. La Russa does fit the bill on a fundamental level, having spent 33 years a Major League manager during which time he’s posted a .536 winning percentage, taken home six pennants and won three World Series titles.

Still, to say this hiring bucks the industry trend at this point would be making a colossal understatement, and the decision to bring La Russa aboard has already generated a rather perplexed reaction from those within the game and pundits alike.

LaRussa can be considered an old school hard liner, but he was in the forefront of creating the modern bullpen assignments in managing a pitching staff (more credit could go to pitching coach Dave Duncan). There is a question whether LaRussa's presence will upend the current roster chemistry that exceeded expectations in 2021.

There is no doubt that Jose Abreu can keep the numerous young Latin players in line. It is the vocal, clubhouse guys like Tim Anderson and Dallas Kuechel who could be a concern. They know they are ready, willing and able to win. Will LaRussa be a help or a hinderance?

It was also puzzling that the White Sox did not interview any other candidate. League rules require at least a minority interview, and it is claimed that LaRussa qualifies because his mother was born in Spain. But it did not matter because who is going to ruffle the feathers of Reinsdorf, who is still considered a leader of the MLB owners.

The other key decision points to come will have LaRussa's input: coaching staff and free agent roster decisions. The White Sox need to shore up starting rotation depth and middle relief. Right field is still an open for someone to take it. Will the Sox retain second catcher James McCann or go with their two minor league catchers? Is Michael Kopech ready physically and mentally to assume the #3 starter role in 2021? Or do the White Sox spend money on a big free agent arm like Trevor Bauer (another off-the-cuff speaker who can rub some people the wrong way).

 For years, local media has reported that Reinsdorf desperately wanted to win another World Series. It probably stung when the Cubs won in 2016, putting the White Sox back into little brother position. But the building excitement is on the South Side as the Cubs have hit a hard financial wall and barren farm system.

THE GENIE IS OUT OF THE BOTTLE

It was only a matter of time when the Truth would leak out about the Cubs disappointing post-championship seasons. Javy Baez recently ran out into the media highway to drop a few bombs on himself and his teammates.

The Associated Press reported that Baez said  the Cubs were lacking last year when it came to their pregame routines and work ethic. “We had a lot of optional things, not mandatory, and everyone kind of sat back on that — including me. I wasn’t really going out there and preparing for the game. I was getting ready during the game, which is not good,” Baez said. “But this year, I think before the games, everybody should be out there as a team, stretch as a team, be together as a team so we can play together.”

Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said last week he could think of only two times in 18 years of running major league clubs that he felt “basic organizational standards for work, preparation and behavior” were not being met. (One can easily say that was a shot at Joe Maddon's management style, being a "player's manager.")

New skipper David Ross said at the end of the day, from a manager's standpoint, coaches try to get players prepared and put them in the best possible situation to succeed, but baseball has “always been about the players.”

“So for (Báez) to say that, and saying the group feels they can turn it up a notch, I mean, that’s a powerful message they are sending,” Ross said. “This is never about the manager. It never should be about the manager. When you're in that locker room, the players are the ones affecting the outcome.”
(Ross is defending Maddon because he is right: players have to take the responsibility themselves to prepare for games.)

If the lack of preparation was a problem, then the front office is also to blame. The baseball executives have spent millions on new analytical labs, new coaches and trainers to tell players how to hit and pitch. Theo hired and fired three batting coaches in three years. We suspect that after a while, the players just tuned out everyone.

Dusty Baker, also a players' manager, often said that he left his players alone in their game preparation. He often cited that the players are "professionals" and professionals know how to act. He was relying on his own experience as a player (in a vastly different time.)

Ozzie Guillen was a vocal leader. But he continually stressed the fundamentals and principles of the game. Before the first game of every series, he scheduled mandatory fielding drills for all his players.

Theo wanted performance over potential in 2019. He did not get it because his players did not get the message. The reason is simple. The lack of any farm system talent and budget constraints means that there is no new players pushing the existing core to play their best. There is no real competition for starting position roster spots. There is a lack of urgency and drive if you know that there is no one on the team ready, willing and able to take your job.

The Cubs organization is in a total mess. Ross brings back the championship cred, but it may not translate to a strict manager berating his friends and former teammates to tow the line.  How will he change a culture that has had the players merely going through the motions? It is not that Ross can sit players for not trying hard because he has to win now.

WALKING ON EGG SHELLS

Jake Arrieta does have a slow delivery to the plate when runners are on base.
Runners can get a good jump on him.

Miguel Montero is an average catcher with a below average throw out ratio
of runners trying to steal.

Of course, that is a bad combo. And the Nationals stole a team record 7 bases last night to prove it.

So after the game, Montero goes off and blames Arrieta for the 7 steals (even though one of his throws bounced 20 feet in front of second.)

Anthony Rizzo publicly blasts Montero's comments as being "unprofessional."

Normally, these spats are kept behind clubhouse doors. But it shows that the 2016 Happy Happy Cubs clubhouse is not that cheery anymore. One incident sparked a wild fire explosion which quickly led to the front office designating Montero for assignment. Players must have been walking on egg shells for the underwhelming performance for one rant to turn into a job termination bullet.

That means the Cubs have 10 days to trade him (like they did this week with LHP Rosscup) or Montero becomes a free agent (and the Cubs must pay the remaining balance on his large 2017 contract).

The Cubs have not put together consistent total games together all season. The Cubs are mired in a .500 record by playing like an average team. The Montero release is not a turning point in the season but evidence of the open, bleeding sore that is the 2017 season.

Some believe that Maddon lost his position as leader during Game 7 of the World Series. The players only meeting led by Jason Heyward was meant to show the world that the players could win the game in spite of their manager's questionable moves. Maybe Maddon's happy talk and laid back behavior has worn thin with the roster. The players certainly have not shown the drive to succeed like they did last year. The off-season was filled with celebration, admiration and endorsement deals. The Cubs basked in their great accomplishment to the detriment of this season's preparation.

Now with nagging injuries cropping up around the team, and objective performance stats waning on all fronts, the front office is also walking on egg shells. The expectation of ownership and fans was high - - - to repeat the World Series. Ricketts have poured millions into the Wrigley Field experience but if the Cubs tank this year, that investment is at risk.

Montero being released so quickly is a symptom of a greater Cub problem. He may just be the first man in the lifeboat in a sinking season.

MADDON BEING ?

Spring training usually opens with hope and optimism.

But Cubs camp opened with the strange ramblings of its manager, Joe Maddon.

Maddon spent a great deal of time inarticulately trying to explain his tee-shirt slogan for the 2017 campaign. It left the packed room of reporters puzzled by his statements.

Maddon rambled on with his buzzwords for the new year: uncomfortable, authenticity and heart. In a long speech, he tried to communicate that he wanted his players to continue to feel "uncomfortable" in order for there to be growth. He wanted his players to retain their authenticity. Except, Maddon was not really discussing his desire that his players retain their reliability. He was off in his own tangent. He also stressed that he wanted the team to retain its Heart, which may or may not refer to the players resolve and love of the game.

Maddon, having won the World Series, could have been more reserved and stately in addressing the media. It raised immediate questions of whether Maddon's 2016 routine is going to work in 2017.

In 2016, Maddon kept his squad loose with antics, dress up days and pajama flights. He wanted his young squad to keep playing the game fun. It was a pressure valve release mechanism. The team bought into his management style.

But some writers question whether the "rain delay" players meeting in Game 7 changes the Maddon coaching chemistry. It was the players who were upset with Maddon's decision making in Games 6 and 7. The bottom line from numerous sources after the series confirmed that the players took it upon themselves to win the championship in spite of Maddon's moves. It was not a full blown mutiny, but it was the first crack in the genius armor.

Some pundits do not believe that grizzly veterans like John Lackey or Jon Lester are going to put up with the off-the-field clubhouse antics of magicians, side shows and zoo animal diversions. Some believe it is time to take the club to a professional level. The players are now veterans. They know what it takes to win a championship. They do not need to be coddled or treated like children.

And things may not be perfect in 2017. The Giants won a world series, then failed to get in the playoffs the next year, then won it all again the following year. Baseball is a game of attrition. The Cubs weathered Kyle Schwarber's lost season and Jason Heyward's batting slump. The Cubs lucked out with a healthy and productive five man rotation.

There were many questions that have not been answered by the Cubs. The off-season collection of cast-off starters to stock AAA Iowa enough to hold the rotation together for a full season when Lackey may be on his last fumes? Will Mike Montgomery become a quality starter or fade to an expendable arm like he did in Seattle? Can the Cubs pitching staff overcome the losses of Jason Hammel and Travis Wood's contributions? Will the young players like Schwarber and Javy Baez get enough playing time to soothe their egos?  Will Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant continue to improve or will they have a regression year as the league studies their tendencies?

If Maddon continues to be the lovable, hippie uncle to his players, one wonders how long will it take for the players to zone out and disconnect from the Maddon circus wagon. The showman needs to show the baseball world that last year's managerial run was not a fluke. Early statistical projections have the Cubs sitting at 91 wins, which is more than a 10 percent decline from 2016. It is clear that media honeymoon period with the media is over. Maddon is going to get more criticism in 2017 than in the past. His team is expected to repeat, a feat that has not been accomplished since the Big Red Machine of the 1970s. This spring Maddon may need to re-invent himself to meet this challenge.

LEADERS

ESPN reports that general manager Jed Hoyer said the team’s offseason needs -- other than pitching -- is finding veteran leadership.

“We need to add some guys to our roster that can help provide that,” Hoyer said. “We also have to lengthen out our position-player group.”

As much as Rizzo and Castro have taken over leadership roles, Hoyer still thinks they need help.

“They probably need some guys around them that can teach them the right things to do,” Hoyer said. “I’ve talked to them both individually about that and they want to do it, but I don’t think right now they have enough experience, or I don’t think they’ve been around enough guys that are real clubhouse leaders that have taught them the ropes. I think we need to provide that for those guys.”

So who can the Cubs bring in and where would they play? Hoyer said many starting jobs will be filled by young prospects, some of whom have already made their major league debuts this season.

“That takes up a fair number of positions," Hoyer said, "but we wouldn’t rule out adding a starting player or two that can help there as well."

What Hoyer is saying is that he cannot trust his coaching staff to "teach" young players how to become professional players. Even though Renteria was specifically hired to do just that, the front office believes that players listen to other players more than coaches.

To fix this problem, proven veterans from winning clubs are used to bring in a proper attitude. In the Cubs clubhouse, that is a tall order since a losing culture has settled in. What Hoyer is also saying is that he is not going out to get a "star" championship caliber player to guide the young core to greatness. Just a veteran presence that players will listen to and respect.

I don't know if starting outfield free agents like De Aza or Parra fit that bill. One suggests that a catcher like Russell Martin could be good candidate, but he would be an expensive alternative to Wellington Castillo. And one does not think adding a 5th outfielder in the Reed Johnson mold is going to get the same voice as a starting corner outfielder whose performance is at an All-Star level.

THE NEW MAN

Rob Manfred is the new baseball commissioner. He is Bud Selig's preferred successor, but it took a few votes from owners to get him through. 22 owners supported him, while there were 8 strong holdouts for the other candidate, Red Sox chairman Tom Werner.

Manfred has been a baseball executive with the league office. His primary duties have been negotiating labor peace with the union, and to implement and enforce the new drug policies.

Werner, as an owner, was touted by White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Reinsdorf has always believed that the baseball commissioner should look out for the interests of the owners. And the best way to do that is to have an owner or former owner in charge. Reinsdorf thought that an owner would have better insight on the pros and cons, and operational issues that all ball clubs would face in the future. In addition, Werner has the expertise in television and media operations, which is the key revenue areas for the sport.

It would seem that the majority of baseball owners deemed labor peace over expanding television revenues.

Many baseball writers stated that baseball is in decline (at least from an attendance situation). Baseball games last too long. Less kids are playing the sport. There are so many other activities people participate in that baseball is falling down in popularity. The primary job of the new commissioner is to stem the falling tide.

There are storm clouds on the horizon. Baseball has become more and more dependent on television revenue. As a result, baseball has saturated the airwaves to the point of become static noise to many viewers. There is no longer appointment television, like the Game of Week, because viewers can see games every night. Even the most ardent cupcake eater will stop consuming cake after a while.

The new Dodgers local television deal should be a wake up call that cable television ceiling is finite. Billion dollar revenue deals may be a thing of the past. More people are cutting their cable cords. Distributors like cable and satellite companies refuse to pay large carriage fees for new sports channels. Younger viewers are consuming more of their entertainment content in mobile platforms. If baseball is to capture that mobile youth market, someone with industry vision needs to be in charge.

That may have been one of the motivations for the Werner candidacy: keeping the golden goose golden.  The other may have been a harder line stance against player salary increases, since that is the biggest expensive of any club. Clayton Kershaw's $200 million deal sends shivers through other owners spines and pocket books. Reinsdorf always believed that a starting pitcher should never get more than a 4 year contract. He was right, statistically, that starters would break down after that time, creating dead money on the payroll. Some owners want to try to cork the free agency dollar tsunami by placing a hard liner as commissioner instead of a negotiator-peace maker.

The one unknown going forward is how Manfred sees himself as commissioner. In the other sports, commissioners have taken upon themselves to be the visionary sheriff to create an immediate legacy on their sport. As a result, dumb mistakes and overreaching can occur. A commissioner is supposed to protect the game and its traditions, and not to remake it in his own image.

SANDBERG

Ryne Sandberg did a Sunday radio interview on WSCR.

Sandberg said that he got into managing as his kids were grown and leaving his house. He wanted to see if managing was something that suited him. So he went to the low minors, rode the buses and emersed himself in the job. He said that without six years in the minors, he would not have had the chance to learn to communicate with players on a daily basis and hone his skills as a manager in any given situation. He also indicated that the minor league tenure helped him set his managerial tone. He said without the minor league experience, he would have never been able to become a major league skipper.

It was a trial and error approach. Initially, Sandberg, who was a quiet leader as a player, was a boisterous and angry Larry Bowa-type manager. He got into umpires' faces. He got tossed. He had to learn how to control his emotions.

Players from the Cubs minor league system respected Sandberg as a manager, player and a teacher. And that is one thing that most people outside the Cubs organization classify as Sandberg's greatest trait: the ability to develop young players.

Baseball historians in the future may point to one or two events that shaped the continuing decline of the Cub franchise: the P.K. Wrigley ownership era, the Tribune ownership era with Sam Zell, Dusty Baker and the Bartman game, and perhaps the Cubs not hiring Sandberg to be their major league manager.

Corporate executives always preach that a company's strength is its "human capital." That means the workers who know the company products, services, methods and profitability centers are as valuable as the end product. You don't have to train a novice when you already have an expert on staff.

After 5 years in the Cubs minor league system (at all three levels), Sandberg had the expert knowledge of every prospect in the system. Most had played for him. Most knew what he expected from them. He taught them how to win as a team. These are all qualities that clubs want in their managers.

But the Cubs passed on hiring Sandberg. The reason was clear: Sandberg would have been a too popular figure in the Cubs organization. Sandberg would have public opinion on his side. He would not be "controllable" by the front office. They feared Sandberg could second guess the team's roster selections, free agent or trade moves. They did not want Sandberg to have a say in personnel moves because that would weaken their own authority.

Sandberg starts his first full season as Phillies manager. The team has decided to make one last championship run with a very old roster of veterans. But one can tell that Sandberg's hire is for a longer term, as in 2015 the Phils will start a massive rebuild with young players. Sandberg is the guy who can build a team around young players.

And this was the Cubs missed opportunity. Even with the Cubs tearing down their major league roster to "rebuild" the minor league system, a Cub manager named Sandberg could have gotten the most out of the old Hendry regime's minor league talent at the major league level. He would have stressed the fundamentals (which he does in Philadelphia: he said during the season he does an infield drill every three days; pitchers bunting drills; outfielder throw days, etc.)

During the opening home stand, the Cubs have reverted back to bad defense as Castro missed two easy grounders, and baserunning gaffes began to reappear with frequency. Renteria, who also had six years of minor league managing experience with two teams, may be a nice guy, a cheerleader, but he does not have the professional player status as a Sandberg. And at a certain level, major league players will only respond to coaches who have the credentials to back up what they are telling their team to do on the field.

In Cub lore, the missed opportunity is a recurring theme. By not hiring Sandberg, the Cubs missed a great opportunity.

LEADERSHIP

The Cubs have asked Anthony Rizzo take a leadership role when the young prospects hit camp and make it to the major league roster. Rizzo is inclined to help his team out. He understands that the front office has made him one of their "core" players for the future. But being told to be a leader, and actually being one, are two different things.

Leadership and clubhouse chemistry are hard concepts to quantify in major league sports. There have been some teams where players hated each other, like the Bill Martin Yankees, but still won. There were some teams where the players hated management or ownership, like the Finley Oakland A's or the Black Sox, but still won. A little team edge can be helpful at times.

On the other side, bad chemistry can be a disaster. A prime example is the 2004 Cubs, who imploded in September in a vile rants against even their own broadcasters.  Losing has a cascade effect on some players - - - who lose focus, then seek to blame others for their poor performance.

There are two types of sports leaders. First, is the rah-rah, talkative, inspirational leader. This is the kind of guy who does not have to be the best player on the team, but he is the one with the most passion to win. They speak their mind, call out their teammates, help younger players and calm clubhouse incidents before they get out of control. Organizations cannot teach that type of assertive personality. You have to be born with it. A.J. Pierzynski is a recent example of an on-field, take charge player who led by example and who was not afraid to speak his mind.

Second, is the leader by example. Other players will listen or follow a successful player because those players want to be as successful. The mindset is that if that player is so good, I need to learn what he is doing so I can be as good. This is especially true for young prospects who need some guidance from a successful veteran that has dealt with the stress, slumps, disappointments and successes early in one's career. Greg Maddux was a quiet leader who knew his stuff and shared his knowledge with young pitchers.

From all accounts, Rizzo is a nice guy. But he is not an outspoken agenda setter. And his performance on the field has been not up to expectations. Losing season after losing season will slowly permeate his leadership Q like smokey bacon wrapped around a grilling hot dog. Players want to win, but at a certain point in time, they can learn to accept losing because there are little to no adverse consequences to their individual careers.

The problem is that no matter who is left when the Almoras, Brandts, Edwards arrive at Wrigley, it is possible that the Cub veterans may have played their entire careers on losing, noncompetitive baseball teams.