Adam LaRoche retired over dispute with White Sox over son?
Adam LaRoche’s abrupt retirement announcement on Tuesday surprised the baseball world, mostly because he was leaving $13 million on the table.
The alleged reasons behind LaRoche’s sudden decision to retire also added a layer of intrigue, as it was reported by numerous outlets his decision primarily was based upon an “undisclosed personal issue.”
The 36-year-old slugger seemed to cryptically allude to the aforementioned issue in a tweet Tuesday afternoon.
Thank u Lord for the game of baseball and for giving me way more than I ever deserved!#FamilyFirst
— Adam LaRoche (@e3laroche) March 15, 2016
And now FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the main reason behind LaRoche electing to hang it up in such a sudden manner stems from how his teenage son Drake recently has been banned from the clubhouse by White Sox Executive Vice President Kenny Williams.
Sources: LaRoche chose to retire after #WhiteSox prez Ken Williams told him that he no longer could bring 14-year-old son into clubhouse.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 16, 2016
Given that the children of ballplayers frequently are spotted hanging out in the clubhouse, it would seem that something seriously must have been amiss for such a stance to be taken by Williams, not to mention how it led to LaRoche deciding to retire.
But looking a little deeper it appears Drake’s presence may have been starting to become an issue.
As noted by Hardball Talk’s Craig Calcaterra, a report last year from the Chicago Tribune may have shed some light on how constant was Drake’s presence and perhaps might have possibly rubbed some in the organization the wrong way.
Players’ children are often seen around ballparks, but few major-league kids have an arrangement like Drake’s, which also includes occasional road trips, and LaRoche said not every organization would embrace it like the Sox have.
Since Rosenthal’s tweet, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale has since reported that Williams indicated players’ children have not been banned from the clubhouse.
Ken Williams informed LaRoche that he simply wanted his son to spend less time in #WhiteSox clubhouse, but was not banned,per @KenRosenthal
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 16, 2016
Ken Williams just reiterated that kids are still permitted in #WhiteSox clubhouse, but not every day, saying no job would allow that.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 16, 2016
While that may indeed be the case, it’s certainly plausible that whatever Williams did say to LaRoche, it may have played at least a minor role in the ballplayer’s decision to retire.