Reinsdorf: No One 'Directly To Blame' For Adam LaRoche Situation
(CBS) White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement he has met with Sox players, staff and Adam LaRoche following LaRoche's abrupt retirement earlier this week over not being allowed to bring his 14-year-old son into the clubhouse every day.
Reinsdorf said his respect for LaRoche "has grown during this process" while executive vice president Kenny Williams, general manager Rick Hahn and manager Robin Ventura enjoy his full support. It was Williams who asked that LaRoche significantly reduce the time his son, Drake, spent around the team.
"As with many things in life, much of this was a result of miscommunication and misunderstanding rather than this being a case of anyone not telling the truth," Reinsdorf said. "I do not believe there is anyone to directly blame in this situation. While there is no doubt this might have been handled differently, the fact remains that this is an internal matter that we have discussed and now resolved."
Reinsdorf asked players and staff to no longer address the matter publicly. The story garnered national headlines in regards to the children-in-the-workplace debate, and it gained more attention Friday when ace Chris Sale said Williams lied to the team over the source of complaints about Drake.
You can read the full statement from Reinsdorf below:
"I have taken the past few days to personally meet with everyone involved, including Adam LaRoche, members of our front office, uniformed staff and some of our active players. I continue to have nothing but the greatest regard for Adam – in fact, my respect for him has grown during this process -- and I applaud his desire to spend more time with his family.
"I continue to have complete faith in the skills and abilities of the leadership group of our baseball operations department in Ken Williams, Rick Hahn and Robin Ventura. I also appreciate the passion and commitment to one another shown by our players, Robin, our coaching staff and our front office. As with many things in life, much of this was a result of miscommunication and misunderstanding rather than this being a case of anyone not telling the truth. I do not believe there is anyone to directly blame in this situation. While there is no doubt this might have been handled differently, the fact remains that this is an internal matter that we have discussed and now resolved.
"Per my request, White Sox employees will no longer discuss this matter publicly. I felt it was appropriate to release this statement to close the issue for everyone in the organization – from the front office to the players in the clubhouse – so we can focus on Opening Day and winning baseball games for our fans. I am fully confident this matter will soon be behind us and that we will grow even stronger and more united as a team and as an organization."
