Adam LaRoche Retired After White Sox Requested He Bring Son into Clubhouse Less

Personally, I don't think the atmosphere of the clubhouse or whether it's G/PG/R/X has any bearing on this.  That is a personal decision for Adam and his family as to what he exposes his kid to.  I don't know what exactly goes on in a MLB clubhouse, I've never been in one.  I imagine there is some bad language, joking, naked men walking around after showers, maybe guys getting pissed off at each other etc...  But that is a decision Adam needs to make for himself and his son.  It certainly is not a matter for the MLB management to concern themselves with.  It's not their job to raise Adam's child and it should not be their concern.  I make no judgments on Adam for what he chooses to expose his son to.  I think it would be REALLY cool to be able to hang out with a bunch of Major Leaguers if I were a kid.

I just think it is inappropriate to have a kid hanging out every day all day...  Like it or not, adults act differently when kids are around.  If they don't act differently, maybe there is always that thought in the back of their head that they SHOULD act differently.  To have to be on your toes at all times with what you say and do, because there is a kid around, can become tiresome.  If you are going about your business and say something and then think "Oh crap!  Is Drake here?" every time you curse or make a crude joke kind of stifles the flow of things.

I work for a small business that my brother and I own.  One of our employees watches a friends kid from time to time.  There are things I don't talk about or do when the kid is around.  And I don't do anything inappropriate at the office.  I don't curse, don't make crude jokes, don't walk back to my locker from the shower naked or anything like that.  But still, it is different when there is a kid in the office...  

I would imagine it is tough for a group of adults to have to have this situation in the back of their mind EVERY day, ALL day at work.  It doesn't sound like the WS are against having the kid around at all.  I think it has become a courtesy gesture to the other players on the team.  If there was an agreement in place, I can't imagine that they said it was OK to have the son around 100% of the time.  If they did say that, they probably did not imagine either that Adam would do that or what the effect would be on the other members of the team.  IMO, the WS are not wrong.  And if Adam wants to make the decision to leave the team over it, that's his decision.  I could retire on what he makes in one year.  And he has been making it for a lot of years.  I'm sure he'll be fine...

Here is an interesting article when LaRoche was with the Nats.

Seems like the WSox pretty much knew what they were going to get, and knowing the agent, he is a straight up honest family guy as well who would not have misled the organization on LaRoche's behalf.  

I don't think that he was looking for an angle, seems to me the guy has made lots of money and lives his life with good values, and this was the decision he made. 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/...-225838260--mlb.html

I think he simply wanted out anyway.  He struggled last year and obviously wasn't going to be worth his contract this year.  He wanted to give his son a final chance to live the MLB dugout life.  

Seems like they really loved having him around when he was with the Nats.  And its not like this was the first year he was in the WS clubhouse, dont you really wonder what the REAL reason was why he thought he was hanging around too much?

Pretty much explains why LaRoche wanted his son to be with him.  

I get it. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com...me-in-sox-clubhouse/

I don't see the angle route either because if I'm not mistaken you can't use retirement to get out of a contract.  If you decide to come back then you go back to the team you were under contract for.  May not have the exact rule but there has to be something or we would be seeing a lot of retirements.

cabbagedad posted:

Coach, agree with everything you said 'til the last sentence.  When someone walks away from that much $ when it doesn't appear to be a life or death decision, it's going to be very controversial.   I AM curious to hear "the rest of the story".

After further in depth thought (you can tell my classes are taking a test today) you are right and this is a story.  This is the fourth post on this topic I've made in 2 days.  It's on it's second page and we are still debating it.  It is a story.

From the article above:

"Drake said goodbye to his D.C. family when his father signed with the White Sox after the 2014 season and spent a lot of time last year in the Chicago clubhouse, as usual, making new friends."

A lot of time is different than ALL the time...  That's all I'm saying...

I wish I could draw.  It would be Chris Sale trying to pitch with two toddlers clinging to his ankles, Ken Williams in a papoose sling on his back and Adam Laroche playing first base leaning on a cane.

Go Sox!

The strong sentiments expressed by several here - without any knowledge of the situation...is a head scratcher to me.

Very easy for me to think of situations in my own life where many on the outside wouldn't have understood - but the 'decision' was very clear and easy for me.  Same principle applies here I think.

Let me repeat - as far as I know I'm the only one on this thread with close-to-direct knowledge.  With the Nats, Adam was extremely well liked (one of the very best).  Lets dispense of the 'something is amiss with Adam' theory.  I seriously doubt its there.

coach2709 posted:

I don't see the angle route either because if I'm not mistaken you can't use retirement to get out of a contract.  If you decide to come back then you go back to the team you were under contract for.  May not have the exact rule but there has to be something or we would be seeing a lot of retirements.

I think you have a point. Once you retire, you retire, and your benefits kick in.  Son who is not playing has yet to announce his retirement, I think because of those reasons. He keeps getting reminders that he has money in his players union account.

It is only a story because its hard for us everyday folks to believe that someone would walk away from 13 million dollars, probably for most has nothing to do with wanting to be able to watch your kids grow up.

Some of these guys are just very simple people. Take Bumgartner for example, he gave his wife an angus bull as a wedding gift. 

BTW, both of these guys have the same agent. Kind of puts it in perspective what type of people they represent. Plain, simple, family folks who are millionaires because they play ball.

A MLB locker room isn't the place for a kid? Why? How many have been in one? Or been told what it's like to be in one? The only oddities I've heard is from a friend who played with Gorman Thomas. After going out drinking with him I understood. It didn't take long for my objective that night to be not getting arrested.

From what I've been told the locker room isn't some big frat party. The season is a grind. The players come to work, they play, they go home or to a hotel. Those who arrive early are there for medical treatment, extra work or they hang out playing cards. After the games they eat, shower and leave.

There are occasional antics. But nothing that would freak out a kid. Besides, locker rooms are often broken up by personalities. The veterans have first choice. The mellow players tend to choose to locker away from the potential nuts (friend's son played with Jose Rijo). He said if you weren't in the right mood avoid "Rijo Time!"

Exactly right RJM.  Very good description.

TPM posted:

coach2709 posted:

I don't see the angle route either because if I'm not mistaken you can't use retirement to get out of a contract.  If you decide to come back then you go back to the team you were under contract for.  May not have the exact rule but there has to be something or we would be seeing a lot of retirements.

I think you have a point. Once you retire, you retire, and your benefits kick in.  Son who is not playing has yet to announce his retirement, I think because of those reasons. He keeps getting reminders that he has money in his players union account.

It is only a story because its hard for us everyday folks to believe that someone would walk away from 13 million dollars, probably for most has nothing to do with wanting to be able to watch your kids grow up.

Some of these guys are just very simple people. Take Bumgartner for example, he gave his wife an angus bull as a wedding gift. 

BTW, both of these guys have the same agent. Kind of puts it in perspective what type of people they represent. Plain, simple, family folks who are millionaires because they play ball.

 

A successful ball player makes more in a season than most people do in a lifetime. It's as if they won the lottery every year. Unless the player spends outrageously it doesn't take long to be secure for life. Security provides options. LaRoche chose to walk.

The players make so much now. It makes it easier for a player to choose where he wants to play over accepting the highest offer. Every offer is high.

Please remember that Adam's father played 13 years in the MLB and later a pitching coach for MLB teams.

During our journey's to the land "down under" with Dave, Andy and Adam many stories were told of the Yankee years "priceless". On several occasions I was in the SF Giants and Pirates locker rooms and in the dugout with the Royals. Players and coaches are "going about their work". A few cardinal rules prevail.

"do not drink coffee and eat a donut without the Club House Manager approval".

My son is the SSK Promotions Mgr and he visits with his client Robinson Cano in the locker room and on the field. We always respect the player's privacy.

Bob

"founder" of the Area Code games and Goodwill Series International.

RJM posted:

A MLB locker room isn't the place for a kid? Why? How many have been in one? Or been told what it's like to be in one? The only oddities I've heard is from a friend who played with Gorman Thomas. After going out drinking with him I understood. It didn't take long for my objective that night to be not getting arrested.

From what I've been told the locker room isn't some big frat party. The season is a grind. The players come to work, they play, they go home or to a hotel. Those who arrive early are there for medical treatment, extra work or they hang out playing cards. After the games they eat, shower and leave.

There are occasional antics. But nothing that would freak out a kid. Besides, locker rooms are often broken up by personalities. The veterans have first choice. The mellow players tend to choose to locker away from the potential nuts (friend's son played with Jose Rijo). He said if you weren't in the right mood avoid "Rijo Time!"

It's obvious where people get their information from about MLB locker rooms.  I think Major League 1 or 2 would do it!  Because characters played by Charlie Sheen may as well be Wikipedia for factual information!

CaCO3Girl posted:

RJM posted:

A MLB locker room isn't the place for a kid? Why? How many have been in one? Or been told what it's like to be in one? The only oddities I've heard is from a friend who played with Gorman Thomas. After going out drinking with him I understood. It didn't take long for my objective that night to be not getting arrested.

From what I've been told the locker room isn't some big frat party. The season is a grind. The players come to work, they play, they go home or to a hotel. Those who arrive early are there for medical treatment, extra work or they hang out playing cards. After the games they eat, shower and leave.

There are occasional antics. But nothing that would freak out a kid. Besides, locker rooms are often broken up by personalities. The veterans have first choice. The mellow players tend to choose to locker away from the potential nuts (friend's son played with Jose Rijo). He said if you weren't in the right mood avoid "Rijo Time!"

It's obvious where people get their information from about MLB locker rooms.  I think Major League 1 or 2 would do it!  Because characters played by Charlie Sheen may as well be Wikipedia for factual information!

I think that RJM pretty much nailed it.  milb clubhouse may be a bit on the lighter side, but once you get to the the big club , its all business. 

As far as I know most ML clubhouses do not allow alcohol anymore, I know that the cardinals do not.

Too many alcohol related issues.  

If someone thinks that ML 1 or 2 is the norm, then they live in a movie world, which of course is lala land.  

http://www.si.com/mlb/2016/03/...signed-jersey-locker

It's one thing to want to retire to spend more time with your family.  People do it all the time with class and grace.

Just don't pretend to blame your employer.  Not classy.

Chris Sale: Williams lied to us

http://www.chicagotribune.com/...-20160318-story.html

RJM posted:

Chris Sale: Williams lied to us

http://www.chicagotribune.com/...-20160318-story.html

I'm glad Chris Sale has a cause.  Hope he pitches well this season.