(AUDACY) White Sox manager Tony La Russa has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way — fans and those within the game — with how he has handled the outcry over rookie slugger Yermìn Mercedes homering on a 3-0 pitch off a position player in the ninth inning of a blowout win Monday night.
Among those upset with La Russa is former MLB pitcher CC Sabathia, who went on a profanity-laced rant about the 76-year-old La Russa on his “R2C2” podcast, saying he shouldn't be managing the White Sox and lighting into him for failing to have Mercedes’ back after the Twins intentionally threw at him Tuesday.
“(La Russa) is just so out of touch with the game,” Sabathia said. “Most people are … He should not be managing one of the best teams in the American League, period. The fact that Tim Anderson, basically the captain of the team, had to go on Instagram and step up for his teammate, like yeah, the game wasn’t over. If you’re going to put a f---ing position player in to pitch, guess what? If he’s gonna lob s--t over the plate, we gonna f---ing tee off.
“Put a 10-run rule up there, cuz. If you don’t want to see people get embarrassed or see position players pitch and people swing at 3-0 counts and s--t, then put in a 10-run rule so the game can f---ing be over and you don’t have these stupid-ass unwritten rules.
“Now, you got a rookie who’s basically been carrying your f---ing team the first six weeks of the season, this guy’s been carrying you and now you don’t have a problem with the f---ing weird-ass Minnesota Twins throwing at one of your biggest hitters? That’s just f---ing stupid. It’s stupid, period. This s—t is terrible. He shouldn’t be f---ing managing that team. And if you’re not going to step up and have your players’ back, then what’s the point of being the manager of the f---ing White Sox? This s--t is stupid as f--k. Sorry.”
End rant. You can take a look below -- it includes vulgar language.
While Sabathia’s rant was focused on La Russa, he said he was “re-pissed off” when Twins reliever Tyler Duffey threw at Mercedes.
“I was so mad …I even got re-pissed off (Tuesday) when Duffey’s weird-ass threw behind him,” he said. “I was just as mad as I was when I heard La Russa … And I love Rocco Baldelli, but you can’t go out and argue that. You guys look f---ing stupid. You were losing 15-4, cuz. Don’t f---ing put a position player in to pitch if you don’t want guys teeing off. Get the f—k out of here. This s—t was stupid.
“Even the Twins getting mad, cuz. Play better! You guys f---ing suck. You’re (13) games under f---ing .500. You’re supposed to be the best team in the AL Central. You suck. Sorry. Y’all was losing 15 to f---ing 4. Man, get over it.”
Sabathia isn't the only former big leaguer calling for La Russa to be fired either. Former Red Sox infielder Will Middlebrooks joined CBS Sports Radio and explained that La Russa is too out of touch to be managing the White Sox.
The unwritten rules are constantly debated in baseball, and there continues to be a generational gap between the new breed of younger players and those like La Russa.
It's hard to imagine the White Sox removing their manger while in first place in the AL Central in May, but the debate around La Russa’s failure to have his players’ back doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.
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