Adam LaRoche is walking away from baseball after a 12 year career. The 36 year old was due to make $13 million this season with the Chicago White Sox, and has made over $70 million in his career. 

Here's the link of the story. 

Interesting. Some money saved for the Sox. Thankfully for us he didn't retire earlier in the winter or the Sox could have better re-allocated that money and filled his roster spot (like Park).

Gotta say I'm always impressed when a player feels they cannot help the team anymore and has the integrity to walk away from millions of dollars.

 

Props

Loved LaRoche throughout his career. One of the true ADD exemptions.

 

Maybe we now know where Morneau ends up...

Loved LaRoche throughout his career. One of the true ADD exemptions.

 

Maybe we now know where Morneau ends up...

Great call on Morneau. I'm going to be torn seeing him in a White Sox uniform if that's the case but he deserves to play somewhere this season.

 

Loved LaRoche throughout his career. One of the true ADD exemptions.

 

Maybe we now know where Morneau ends up...

Here is an ESPN article suggesting just such a signing.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/68880/if-adam-laroche-retires-white-sox-should-go-get-justin-morneau

 

I'm a Morneau fan and even if he were to play for the dreaded White Sox - and do well - I would greatly enjoy it.

Edited March 16, 201610 yr by ScrapTheNickname

Darn, the White Sox just got a lot better.

 

LaRoche does seem like a good guy though. Hopefully the personal issue isn't anything serious. I can't really imagine walking away from $13M just because of back problems.

 

Darn, the White Sox just got a lot better.

 

LaRoche does seem like a good guy though. Hopefully the personal issue isn't anything serious. I can't really imagine walking away from $13M just because of back problems.

Yeah....... color me skeptical, PED suspension coming down and he agrees to do this to save face? Some other scandal? Unrelated baseball injury? etc?

 

Just color me skeptical.....

 

 

Gotta say I'm always impressed when a player feels they cannot help the team anymore and has the integrity to walk away from millions of dollars.

 

Props

Or when a player is more or less forced/blackmailed/does it to get rid of a potential scandal/suspension.

 

Not saying that is the case here...but there is a reason why it has only happened once recently in Meche. (Nishi doesn't count)

Or when a player is more or less forced/blackmailed/does it to get rid of a potential scandal/suspension.

 

Not saying that is the case here...but there is a reason why it has only happened once recently in Meche. (Nishi doesn't count)

Ryan Dempster?

 

Heck, Chipper's agent fielded calls after his goodbye season attempting to convince him to play one more year.

 

Mark Buehrle hasn't officially retired yet, but he basically denied every call his way this offseason, and he's not an ace, but he'd certainly outperform half of the league's #4 guys and save bullpen innings.

 

Radke could have had surgery and tried to return and chose instead to retire.

 

Ryan Dempster?

Heck, Chipper's agent fielded calls after his goodbye season attempting to convince him to play one more year.

Mark Buehrle hasn't officially retired yet, but he basically denied every call his way this offseason, and he's not an ace, but he'd certainly outperform half of the league's #4 guys and save bullpen innings.

Radke could have had surgery and tried to return and chose instead to retire.

There is a HUGE difference, those guys aren't already signed to a high paying guaranteed deal the upcoming season. He literally left $13 million on the table. That's weird. That's like 20% of his entire net worth/career earnings. Again, that's weird, something is up/fishy.

 

It's not like broken down Radke or Chipper was going to get any sort of big payday (and it's not like it was already guaranteed to begin with to boot)

 

Or when a player is more or less forced/blackmailed/does it to get rid of a potential scandal/suspension.

 

Not saying that is the case here...but there is a reason why it has only happened once recently in Meche. (Nishi doesn't count)

Michael Cuddyer retired this year with another $10+ million guaranteed.  Like Oldgoat said above, you got admire the integrity to walk away from millions of dollars.

There is a HUGE difference, those guys aren't already signed to a high paying guaranteed deal the upcoming season. He literally left $13 million on the table. That's weird. That's like 20% of his entire net worth/career earnings. Again, that's weird, something is up/fishy.

 

It's not like broken down Radke or Chipper was going to get any sort of big payday (and it's not like it was already guaranteed to begin with to boot)

Dempster left $13.25M on the table when he sat out voluntarily before retiring: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/10/ryan-dempster-to-retire.html

Cuddyer walked away from about $10 mil this winter (after buyout).

 

Cuddyer walked away from about $10 mil this winter (after buyout).

But how many millions has he already banked?? How many million do you need to feed your family? There comes a time when you need to enjoy life. Good for him!!

I would bet there was a buyout.

I can understand the cynicism some (one person?) has shown, but I don't agree.  I am just now past that same age.  I had a seasonal job that took me away from family--pretty conflicted time for me.  I've finally let that job and lifestyle and self-identity behind, with "nothing" to show for it besides great memories and friends; certainly not millions of dollars in the bank.

 

We toss these dollar figures around so much they lose all meaning.  I could live out my life on Laroche's salary from last year alone.  And if I am looking in my child's eyes, how can I tell them $13 million dollars is more important than being home with them?  Especially if the situation is leading to marital problems that might lead to a divorce.

 

I have a lot of respect for Laroche, Cuddyer, as well as Sabbathia, for what he did.  Cuddyer said it beautifully in his Player's Tribune piece, something like "I've had a chance to follow my dreams, now it is time to support my children as they begin to chase theirs."

 

But how many millions has he already banked?? How many million do you need to feed your family? There comes a time when you need to enjoy life. Good for him!!

 

I've personally socked away enough to feed my family lunch. At McDonald's. Fish sandwiches all around.

 

I've personally socked away enough to feed my family lunch. At McDonald's. Fish sandwiches all around.

At that price, you could double your quantity of food by getting 2 McDoubles! 

Not sure if anyone saw this, but interesting.  I can honestly see this from both sides and certainly have to say good on LaRoche for sticking up for his son.  

 

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/adam-laroche-retiring-son-chicago-white-sox-ken-williams-drake-laroche-whats-going-on-031616 

I have colleagues with great kids, but I wouldn't want them underfoot 100% of the time. Not really sure what the correct response would be over this, but I can't imagine Williams asking for a little bit less if not for some reason that came up.

Speculation is that other players complained about the kid being around way too much.

 

Tough situation, but they have a point.

I would be less than thrilled if my coworkers brought their kids to work every day. Somebody would be asked to leave. 

Is it just during the spring or all-season that this happens?  That wasn't clear to me.

Is it just during the spring or all-season that this happens? That wasn't clear to me.

All season.

 

All season.

 

Yeah.....sorry Laroche, the team isn't in the wrong in that case.  

 

Not sure if anyone saw this, but interesting.  I can honestly see this from both sides and certainly have to say good on LaRoche for sticking up for his son.  

 

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/adam-laroche-retiring-son-chicago-white-sox-ken-williams-drake-laroche-whats-going-on-031616 

 

Nothing against Dave LaRoche or his son, but you can see how this would be a problem, can't you? The White Sox either have to have a double standard for who's allowed to hang around in the clubhouse (Okay to Dave's kid, No to 'Turtle' from Melky's posse) or else allow the same kind of access to anybody the other players want with them as well. 

 

Nothing against Dave LaRoche or his son

Dude don't even get me started on dave laroche.

 

Dude don't even get me started on dave laroche.

 

Sorry. I should have said David LaRoche or his son - or his son's son.

 

Edit - I forgot to ask if Ricky Nolasco's son hangs around the Twins clubhouse much.

Edited March 16, 201610 yr by Teflon