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Tony La Russa Tries To Explain Latest Head-Scratching Decision

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Chicago White Sox manager Tony LarRussa (22) watches from the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Sunday, June 5, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

It almost feels like White Sox manager Tony La Russa is just toying with us at this point.

The veteran skipper has been making some baffling decisions all season long, including when he decided to intentionally walk a Dodgers batter with two strikes in the count earlier in the season.

Despite the heavy criticism he got for intentionally walking a hitter with two strikes, Tony La Russa did it again.

With runners on first and second last night, La Russa waited until there was two strikes against Guardians outfielder Oscar Gonzalez before instructing reliever Jake Diekman to intentionally walk the batter.

After the game, Tony La Russa slammed anyone who would criticize him for intentionally walking a batter with two strikes in the count.

“Not going to face (Oscar) Gonzalez, he’s hitting .300,” said La Russa.

The manager would go on to say the storyline that stems from his intentional walk decisions have been “the most ridiculous thing in this season.”

Unlike last time, the two-strike intentional walk actually worked out for Tony La Russa on Friday night.

After putting Gonzalez on, La Russa called on reliever Jimmy Lambert to get out of the jam. And he promptly got Guardians’ Owen Miller to fly out to end the inning.

However, the Sox lost the crucial game against their division rivals, 5-2.

Before their last series against the Astros, Tony La Russa held a closed-door meeting with his players to talk about their disappointing season has far.

“The message of the entire thing was positivity,” closer Liam Hendriks said. “Make sure we have a united front and positivity because these 8-10 guys that are in here right now are going to seep into every single person.”

As it stands, the White Sox sit 3.5 games back of the Guardians for first place in the AL Central. So the remaining two games of this series will undoubtedly carry some extra meaning.

If Tony La Russa can’t turn his ball club around quick, he’ll likely be forced back into retirement when the season concludes.

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