The subsequent Chicago White Sox supervisor was speaking with followers Thursday on a lovely afternoon on the South Side.
There was a lot to debate, and he had no downside telling them the reality, as a result of he doesn’t know another method to function.
Of course, it’s most likely too early to take a position who will take over for Tony La Russa when the Sox supervisor decides he’s achieved, and we’ve already established he’s not going to be fired for the workforce’s unimpressive begin.
Suffice to say loads of candidates shall be throwing their hats into the combo, figuring out the Sox are constructed to win and want just a few fixes to recover from the hump. And the early favourite must be former catcher A.J. Pierzynski, an analyst for Fox Sports who additionally will get paid by the Sox as an envoy, the function he was in Thursday throughout the sequence finale in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Guaranteed Rate Field.
First issues first: Pierzynski doesn’t imagine the 77-year-old La Russa goes anyplace quickly.
“They have a team that’s supposed to win, right?” Pierzynski mentioned in an interview outdoors the Bards Room. “And I believe they nonetheless will. I don’t suppose he’s going until one thing drastic or loopy occurs. I don’t suppose he’s going anyplace anytime quickly. He nonetheless appears to take pleasure in it after I discuss to him. He nonetheless appears to benefit from the day-to-day grind.
“Tony likes coming to the park. Every time I see him he’s got a smile on his face and he’s excited.”
Connie Mack was the oldest supervisor in historical past at age 87, so perhaps La Russa desires to final 10 extra years and break the report.
But this looks like a make-or-break 12 months for the Sox supervisor. If they don’t make the postseason, it could be troublesome to rationalize one other probability in 2023.
And after La Russa referred to as for an intentional stroll to Trea Turner on a 1-2 pitch with two outs and a runner on second within the sixth inning Thursday, previous Max Muncy’s three-run dwelling run in an 11-9 loss to the Dodgers, it was troublesome to argue for him lasting 10 extra hours.
The backlash on Twitter was instantaneous, and La Russa’s defensive posturing afterward was theater of the absurd. He insisting it was not a “tough call” and questioned who was disagreeing with the transfer.
“I don’t get surprised too often,” he mentioned. “But that one, does anybody in this room really think Turner should have, even with the (1-2) count, we should have gone after Turner?”
Pierzynski, in the meantime, has made no bones about his curiosity in managing at some point. He has seen Aaron Boone, David Ross and others go straight from the TV sales space to the dugout, and lots of Sox followers have informed him they’d wish to see him run the present.
“I think other people have said it more than I’ve ever really thought about it,” he mentioned. “I nonetheless clearly have a number of mates right here, they usually ship me tweets and stuff (saying that), and other people ship me articles.
“Listen, I’m not actively out there pursuing it or (hoping) for anything to happen to Tony for me to do that. But if something happened, and all the cards lined up and the chips fell into place. … If (Chairman) Jerry Reinsdorf calls me and says ‘Can you come in for this interview?’ it’s going to be really hard for me to say no.”
If that occurs, hopefully Reinsdorf would come with normal supervisor Rick Hahn within the course of.
Pierzynski is sensible for a number of causes.
He’s near Reinsdorf. Pierzynski is aware of the sport. Sox followers love him, and he loves them again. The advertising and marketing division may higher promote the workforce to followers with a identified entity like Pierzynski.
And of the final 4 Sox hires, two — Ozzie Guillen and Robin Ventura — have been former gamers and one was La Russa, a former Sox supervisor. The solely outlier was Rick Renteria, who helped information the rebuild by means of the powerful instances till being booted for the La Russa reboot.
Pierzynski prompted some commotion on Twitter throughout a latest Cubs-Sox sport when he questioned why La Russa left starter Johnny Cueto within the sport. Though he’s paid by the Sox for being an envoy, it hasn’t prevented Pierzynski from talking when he’s assigned to Sox video games for Fox.
“No, because I tell the truth,” he mentioned. “I don’t criticize them. I inform the reality. And in the event that they’re enjoying dangerous … they know they’re enjoying dangerous. I work for them however not within the baseball division. I believe the followers are good sufficient to know (what’s happening). I’m not going to be all rainbows and unicorns a couple of workforce that’s underneath .500 after I do a Sox sport they usually play badly.
“I attempt to be as constructive as I can. But if I see one thing and I don’t agree with it, effectively. … La Russa may say, ‘Well, I don’t agree along with your life alternative.’ It’s your opinion. I didn’t blast him. I simply mentioned I believe you must’ve taken him out, and right here’s why. And he can argue ‘Here’s why I didn’t take him out.’
“I’m sure he probably looks back and says, ‘Maybe he was right?’ I don’t know. Right?”
Hmm. Not positive about that.
“I’ve talked with him, and I don’t think he cares,” Pierzynski mentioned. “He does the most effective job he can and that’s it. You can’t fear about what everybody else is saying. My job on TV is to inform the folks at dwelling what’s occurring, and you’re taking guesses.
“Sometimes you’re right. More times you’re wrong than you are right. From up here (in the booth) it’s much easier to look down and say, ‘Why aren’t they playing better?’ I’m not in the dugout. I get information, but we don’t get everything.”
Pierzynski identified objectivity is a part of his job description as an analyst, as was evident throughout the Cubs-Sox telecast with Sox radio broadcaster Len Kasper.
“Len and I were just honest, (saying) the Sox aren’t playing well, as everybody knows,” he mentioned. “You don’t single out a player. You tell what their numbers are, what you see. The players deep down know that. I always felt that as long as you don’t get personal (it’s fair).”
Pierzynski is glad along with his present job, so if he by no means will get that decision from Reinsdorf, he’ll be wonderful.
But Reinsdorf is aware of the place to search out him. He’ll be right here speaking to Sox followers, and extra vital, listening to Sox followers.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com