Chicago White Sox DH Adam LaRoche suddenly announced he was retiring this week. As the story began to unfold, it was discovered that LaRoche’s move came after White Sox officials asked that he limit the amount of time his 14-year-old son spent in the team’s clubhouse.
Check the details and decide if you agree with the team’s position.
Sources: LaRoche chose to retire after #WhiteSox prez Ken Williams told him that he no longer could bring 14-year-old son into clubhouse.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 16, 2016
LaRoche’s son, Drake, 14, has traveled with him for several years. Adam, in a Chicago Tribune story last year, called him team’s “26th man.”
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 16, 2016
Baseball players spend the most time on the road out of the three professional leagues. Without having all the details, I will say that having a child in the workplace that consistently is a recipe for trouble on many levels. What if everyone wanted to bring their children? What if he was injured, then that could become a liability issue. Plus, if he was going on road trips with the team also, what about school?
Kenny Williams, the White Sox president, offered a statement in which he made it clear that he wasn’t barring LaRoche’s son from the clubhouse, but simply asking him to “dial it back”.
“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 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 ball park 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 this 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 everyday?”
