Jerry Reinsdorf, the White Sox’s owner, has always publicly lamented letting go of manager Tony La Russa in the ’80s. He often cites it as one of his biggest regrets. In 2021, Reinsdorf will get the chance to see what might have been. After the release of Ricky Renteria, the White Sox announced La Russa as the White Sox new manager. This decision has brought an incredible mix of emotions from fans and sports media as they tried to make sense of the hire. They hired the retired Hall of Fame manager to take over the up and coming White Sox in what seemed like a no-contest bid. I am not sure how to feel about it, and we may never know what went into this decision, but we can explore some of La Russa’s pros and cons.
Pro: La Russa has won three World Series titles (1989, 2006, 2011) with two different teams. He is a proven winner and understands exactly what it takes to go through a season, and more importantly, finish the job in the playoffs.
Con: He hasn’t managed since 2011. Major League Baseball has changed quite a bit since La Russa last managed, and nobody knows what that learning curve is going to look like. The game is more analytically driven than ever before, and it would seem that La Russa has maintained an old school managing mindset.
Pro: La Russa has the third most wins overall in the MLB. This guy knows how to win baseball games, and the White Sox have more talent than any of the teams he has managed. He has helped his teams finish number one in their division 12 times throughout his coaching career. In other words, precisely what the White Sox need to achieve World Series aspirations.
Con: La Russa is 76, the oldest manager in the MLB. It’s always interesting to see how well a new manager can earn his players’ trust, but to see the oldest manager taking on an extremely young team will be interesting. Most of the current White Sox roster don’t have any experience outside of a Renteria system; only time will tell if La Russa has it in him to bring the energy and discipline that Renteria could not.
Pro: Familiarity with the White Sox organization. La Russa had his first managing job as a member of the White Sox from 1979-86. He has experience with the Chicago fanbase and media, so that shouldn’t be a hard adjustment. The organization holds him in very high regard, affording him the owner’s trust and approval to manage with a higher autonomy level.
Con: The World has changed. In 2016, La Russa voiced his displeasure with Colin Kapernick and said he would not sanction somebody taking a knee. He even went as far as to characterize Kapernick’s protest as insincere and a ploy to gain attention after losing his starting position. The MLB has adopted the Black Lives Matter movement, which Kapernick was bringing attention to in 2016. In his first press conference, La Russa says he now applauds these efforts to bring light to injustices. Hopefully, his locker room and closed-door conversations convey that same support of the outspoken White Sox players.
All in all, there were other names thrown in the mix that would have made worse hires, but there were others who fit Rick Hahn’s description of an ideal manager. No doubt La Russa has a great baseball mind, and I would like to think that he wouldn’t have allowed himself to come out of retirement unless he had high confidence that he could get a final World Series ring within the next three years.