Does La Russa care about his own team?

[thomas35forever]

La Russa just said he had no problem with the Twins throwing behind Mercedes tonight. This only a few hours after he admitted he didn't think Mercedes should have swung at that 3-0 pitch last night.

Really makes you wonder if he values the dying mindsets of the sport over sticking up for his own players. If he's does, he shouldn't be a manager anymore. His way of thinking has gone out of fashion.

[kickingtelevision]

It must really suck as a player to know your manager doesn't have your back.

[whitesox5187]

His quotes before and after the game tonight are just infuriating. I wish he’d just stop talking.

[TDog]

La Russa just said he had no problem with the Twins throwing behind Mercedes tonight. This only a few hours after he admitted he didn't think Mercedes should have swung at that 3-0 pitch last night.

Really makes you wonder if he values the dying mindsets of the sport over sticking up for his own players. If he's does, he shouldn't be a manager anymore. His way of thinking has gone out of fashion.

I think he's trying to defuse the situation. Everyone knew it was going to happen. Watching the replay of the 3-0 home run, I wonder if Steve Stone knew it was going to happen. La Russa probably told Mercedes it was going to happen.How he reacts is going to determine if Giolito can pitch inside tomorrow. It's over -- not they better watch their backs.

What Mercedes did was exactly what Bob Gibson would have done if he were pitching a 10-0 shutout and he came up in the ninth and Glenn Beckert tossed a 3-0 pitch over the plate. That didn't happen because bringing in non-pitchers to pitch for entertainment value and embarrassing highlights goes against the dying values of the sport.

[thomas35forever]

I think he's trying to defuse the situation. Everyone knew it was going to happen. Watching the replay of the 3-0 home run, I wonder if Steve Stone knew it was going to happen. La Russa probably told Mercedes it was going to happen.How he reacts is going to determine if Giolito can pitch inside tomorrow. It's over -- not they better watch their backs.

Even if that's true, he shouldn't be making public comments like that. People aren't going to interpret it any other way than he doesn't have his own team's back.

[Boondock Saint]

I don't care if he cares or not, I just want him gone.

[kickingtelevision]

Kudos to Lance Lynn for sticking up for Mercedes.

[thomas35forever]

I don't care if he cares or not, I just want him gone.

Jerry won't let it happen.

[ChiTownTrojan]

Kudos to Lance Lynn for sticking up for Mercedes.

https://twitter.com/JRFegan/status/1394870785081290756?s=20

[ChiTownTrojan]

Even if that's true, he shouldn't be making public comments like that. People aren't going to interpret it any other way than he doesn't have his own team's back.

This is the opposite of diffusing the situation. This is going to hang over the tea for the next week at least.

[Noneck]

That didn't happen because bringing in non-pitchers to pitch for entertainment value and embarrassing highlights goes against the dying values of the sport.

That is the point. Bringing in a position player to pitch is totally disrespecting the game. Teams are carrying so many pitchers that pitch so few innings and they cant let a mop up pitcher finish out a blow out game? If not then do the ultimate Disrespect. Walk off the field and forfeit.

[Krs1]

Really?

I hate his reaction to things and completely disagree with his assessment of events. I think everyone should be forced to swing for HRs in that situation.

However, telling guys not to pour salt in the wound is manager's prerogative and I respect that. That has nothing to do with caring about his team.

[Mark'sBrokenFoot]

Nothing is more important to ancient old men than telling somebody younger they are doing something wrong. He might care about his team, just not as much as the sweet, sweet chance to put somebody in their place.

[TDog]

Even if that's true, he shouldn't be making public comments like that. People aren't going to interpret it any other way than he doesn't have his own team's back.

I don't think he cares what people think. It's about putting the situation behind the team and not escalating the conflict into a fight tomorrow that could get half the starting lineup suspended.

Had I been in his situation, it would have added that Astudillo had no business pitching. It's too bad he embarrassed himself. If the Sox were trying to show him up, they would have been bunting in the ninth with an 11-run lead. The problem is that his major concern is settling things down. If that brings the team together in a constructive way, siding with Mercedes, it's a good thing. I'm sure he told Mercedes he was going to get thrown at, that it's not right, but that's the way it is. At the same time, he wants other teams to know that if they mess with his team, he reserves the right to respond the way the Twins did.

I understand fans are upset, but the response was thought out and diplomatic.

It's a bad situation. But Astudillo shouldn't have been allowed on the mound in that game, just as Rizzo shouldn't have been allowed to pitch against the Braves. It's always fun until someone loses an eye, as they say. I want baseball to do something about this without suspended half my team.

[TDog]

Nothing is more important to ancient old men than telling somebody younger they are doing something wrong. He might care about his team, just not as much as the sweet, sweet chance to put somebody in their place.

You're missing the point. In this situation, Mercedes is the old-school baseball. Astudillo comes in from behind the plate to pitch to Mercedes? Old school is showing Astudillo he has no business trying to get me out, if I'm Mercedes and I'm not going to let him do that.. The score becomes irrelevant. If Mercedes pops up the 3-0 pitch, it's a fun clip and Quick Pitch and everybody's laughing. Not everybody. Mercedes isn't laughing because he's old school and wants to show the catcher he has no business trying to get him out with that garbage. Based upon the books I've read about the old Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson wouldn't have had any misgivings about swinging 3-0. And Eddie Stanky would have been on first because he would have made Astudillo field a bunt.

Where swinging becomes a problem is the new rules, unwritten perhaps but obvious from the way MLB is trying to sell the sport,. It's fun to watch non-pitchers get established hitters out, apparently. Old school is Freddie Freeman being upset, certainly not laughing if Anthony Rizzo strikes him out. In the MLB clip, everyone is laughing. The Twins threw at Mercedes because he made Astudillo look foolish by taking him deep instead of himself being pwned by swinging at bad pitches. You lead the league in hitting. If this guy gets you out, everybody is going to be laughing at you because MLB will show the clip early and often. Throwing at Mercedes might feel old-school, but it was all they could really do, and inevitable. The violation wasn't swinging at a 3-0 pitch. It was for showing old-school respect for baseball and not treating it like professional wrestling.

I think Mercedes was in the right.-- old school I also think La Russa's public response was diplomatic, even if fans were out for blood. He acknowledging the reality of the new rules, but I understand there may be fans out there that would love to go old school and see Gioloto throw at the Twins' leadoff hitter Wednesday. I saw an Angels game four years ago where John Lackey was ejected after his second pitch. When manhood or honor or whatever you want to call it get out of hand, things can get ugly.