As the second half begins, the Chicago White Sox are sitting in third place, 3.5 games out of the AL Central lead. After going into the season with an 86% chance of making the playoffs, they’re the American League’s most underachieving team — while employing its most controversial manager.
“When you have realistic expectations, you want fans to get excited about them,” La Russa told ESPN before the break. “If there are disappointments, then there is no free lunch.
“There is no free lunch for the manager.”
That was clear throughout the first half, when chants of “fire Tony” had become the ballad in the stands at Guaranteed Rate Field. The noise has quieted down a bit — at least for the moment — after a much-needed winning road trip just before the All-Star break. Combined with a weak AL Central, it has kept Chicago’s playoff odds at 41% despite their 46-47 start.
The White Sox can point to any number of statistics that have stopped them from moving past the .500 mark:
-
They rank 18th in starter’s ERA
-
They have 4 defensive runs saved, 21st in MLB, and rank 29th in fielding percentage
-
They rank 26th in OPS against right-handed pitching
-
At the plate, they chase 31.7%, 29th in baseball
-
They’ve made the third-most outs on the bases
-
Their home record is a dismal 19-25
But around the city, no one’s blaming the first-half numbers. Turn on sports radio, head to the golf course or grab a beer near the ballpark, there’s one thing — and only one — the entire city is talking about: How does La Russa still have a job?
First off, many observers would say his “no free lunch” idea isn’t exactly true for La Russa. Other teams in a similar position have fired their manager in-season — as recently as this month. The Philadelphia Phillies got rid of Joe Girardi and got back into the playoff race. The Los Angeles Angels did the same with Joe Maddon but to no positive effect. The Toronto Blue Jays dismissed Charlie Montoya, despite a winning record in the league’s most competitive…
Source : espn
