(670 The Score) What should we make of White Sox manager Tony La Russa expressing anger toward catcher Seby Zavala in Chicago’s 2-1 loss at Toronto on Monday evening?
It wasn’t a big deal, Score afternoon host Danny Parkins explained, even if it was awkward. La Russa was upset after Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was served a meatball on a 3-0 pitch that he hit for a an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1 in the sixth inning. La Russa expressed his frustration at Zavala, even though it was ace Lance Lynn who missed his spot with the pitch.
“I personally did not got bent out of shape over that video that was going viral across the internet of him quote-unquote dressing down Zavala,” Parkins said.
“Yeah, do it behind closed doors, you’re grown men. I agree in principle, but I’m not really going to be offended on Zavala’s behalf. Seemed fine, didn’t seem overly disrespectful. It was animated. He was pissed, but I don’t know that we should be living in a world where a coach can’t coach a professional athlete with any degree of disappointment or consternation and be offended on someone else’s behalf.”
Parkins added that La Russa’s postgame no-comment about the situation – a refrain he repeated Tuesday – did lead to awkwardness, though it was perhaps viewed as progress for La Russa because he didn’t publicly call out his player as he did rookie slugger Yermin Mercedes back in May.
“That was public in that he cameras could see that the manager was talking to his catcher, but it was private in that we have no idea what the hell he said,” Parkins said. “So I’m not going to be offended on this guy’s behalf based on that.”
Click here to listen to the full segment, where Parkins also calls La Russa's no-commenting "smug."