Tony La Russa should not see the inside of the White Sox's clubhouse in 2021 after what was reported Monday night. And the White Sox need to be judged even more harshly for hiring La Russa as their new manager.
ESPN reported that La Russa was arrested on suspicion of DUI in the Phoenix area last Feb. 24 after he drove his vehicle into a curb and blew out a tire. He was arrested after a field sobriety test. An "argumentative" La Russa refused a breath test and declined to give urine or blood samples, ESPN reported, citing the police report. An officer obtained a warrant under Arizona law to draw blood from La Russa to determine his blood alcohol level.
La Russa's case was filed in court on Oct. 28, the day before the White Sox announced his hiring. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office told ESPN that the eight-month lag was partly due to the case being initially filed in the wrong jurisdiction.
But don't think that the White Sox were blindsided by the timing of the case or given pause by the arrest itself. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported that a team spokesman said the organization was aware of the arrest before it hired the 76-year-old La Russa. USA Today's Bob Nightengale, citing an unnamed "high-ranking White Sox official," later reported that La Russa will keep his job and not face club discipline. It's unclear whether MLB will look to punish La Russa after the case is closed.
Add that attitude to La Russa's legal history, and you get a decision that's a lot worse than just being a potentially bad baseball move.
The Arizona incident was La Russa's second DUI arrest. He was charged in Florida in 2007 after he fell asleep behind the wheel while stopped in traffic. La Russa, then managing the Cardinals, pleaded guilty and pledged that something like that would not happen again.
It did happen again 13 years later, and while backsliding or recidivism can't always be avoided, the 2020 arrest ought to have been disqualifying for team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, who reportedly made the call to bring back La Russa 35 years after former general manager Ken Harrelson fired him. Reinsdorf has long felt regret while watching La Russa build a Hall of Fame resume with the A's and Cardinals.
Reinsdorf could have quietly let the front office choose another candidate, its own candidate. That would have saved the franchise the PR mess it's about to enter.
Instead, Reinsdorf stubbornly held out for La Russa, who announced his retirement from managing in 2011 after leading the Cardinals to the World Series title that October. The nine-year period out of the dugout, his age and his reputation reportedly are red flags for some Sox players. They can rightly ask: Has the game passed him by even though he has stayed in it as an executive? Is he capable of lightening up, or will he still be a dour baseball lifer who lives by The Code and discourages individual expression?
Now those players can also question La Russa's judgment, even if he avoids legal penalties.
The White Sox could have undone an unpopular move after Monday's news. Instead, they've reportedly dug in and appear to be unconcerned about player buy-in. Loyalty is great, second (and third) chances are great, but doing what's best for the organization is more important. Sticking with La Russa isn't what's best.
