The Chicago White Sox have managed to push the Chicago Cubs off the proverbial front page over the last few days thanks to the ongoing Adam LaRoche saga, and Cubs manager Joe Maddon weighed in on the situation Thursday afternoon.
While it’s unclear which member of the White Sox brass passed down the mandate that LaRoche’s son needed to spend less time in the clubhouse in 2016, Maddon is clear that the players will have the final say on any such policy with the Cubs.
“That’s a part of our overarching philosophy here, to treat you like a man, give you all the freedoms that you need,” he said during a press availability in Mesa. “And in return, I believe we get greater respect and discipline.”
Maddon, known for his crazy antics to keep the team loose, has a reputation both as a player’s manager and as a skipper that hates to hold meetings during the season.
In that vein, Maddon will meet with veterans on the team this weekend, and they’ll lay out what the expectations and clubhouse rules will be for the team this season.
“My concept is once we leave that room, we’re all on the same page when it comes to policy,” he said. “You know I don’t like the word ‘rules.’ I like to create policy and how we’re going to conduct ourselves, how we’re going to act.
“And then I believe it’s among the more experienced guys on your team to make sure that it’s adhered to. It’s not about me to do that. It’s not about the coaching staff to do that. It’s among the players.”
Chicago Baseball
Several White Sox players, including Chris Sale, were put off by the team’s handling of the decision regarding LaRoche’s son, with team president Kenny Williams handing down the decision according to a conversation he had with NBC’s Peggy Kusinski.
