Tony La Russa Wasn’t Happy Yermin Merceds Swung At A 3-0 Pitch Against A Position Player

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa is still treating baseball like we’re in the 1990s.

The 76-year-old skipper is not a fan of all the showmanship in today’s game, and he certainly still abides by baseballs ridiculous set of unwritten rules. On Monday, White Sox designated hitter Yermin Mercedes came up to the plate during a blowout late in the game. The Twins were using a position player against him to save some of their bullpen, but that didn’t stop Yermin from taking a hack.

Mercedes dismissed the take sign on a 3-0 pitch and sent the ball soaring over the center field wall. The Twins broadcasters were not too pleased with the approach.

Twins broadcast seething LOL pic.twitter.com/G7asPXDaRC

— ⚫️𝗪𝗦𝗫𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧⚪️ (@wsxmatt) May 18, 2021

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Not only were the Twins broadcasters upset, but La Russa also had an issue with Mercedes swinging on the 3-0 pitch. The old baseball lifer referred to the moment as a ‘learning experience’ for Mercedes, and said he apologized to the Twins.

Tony La Russa was 'upset' that Yermin Mercedes hit a home run on a 3-0 count last night in a blowout win.

"He made a mistake. There will be a consequence he has to endure here within our family."

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) May 18, 2021

La Russa termed it a learning experience for Mercedes, adding the Twins knew he was upset about the swing.

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) May 18, 2021

While Tony La Russa seems to think that Yermin Mercedes should feel regret for swinging there, it seems like quite the opposite. Yermin spoke to reporters around the same time as his manager, and he did not share the same sentiment whatsoever.

Yermin Mercedes isn't here for the unwritten rules of baseball.

"I'm going to play like that. I'm Yermin. I can't be another person because if I change it, everything is going to change. … We're just having fun. It's baseball." pic.twitter.com/WGf8ZyL2TN

— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) May 18, 2021

Tony La Russa comes out of this whole situation looking like an old man shaking his fists at the sky. Baseball in 2021 is simply not what it was when La Russa was winning championships with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The White Sox have a fun and exciting young ball club, and if other teams are going to send a position player up there to give them batting practice, you better believe they’ll be swing for the fences.

Even if La Russa did have a problem with Mercedes swinging, he should have kept the conversation in-house, and backed his young player while speaking to the media.

This is a bad look for Tony La Russa, and there’s no other way to put it.

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