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I really doubt the 75 year old LaRussa “needs” to keep working. He’s a lawyer with nearly half a century of experience in various MLB roles. There’s going to be food on the table for the rest of his life. I just think he wants to stay involved in MLB and has the name and prolonged history to make it happen. He must bring something to the table at this point. But yeah, being Tony LaRussa definitely helps a lot...

Yes Rickey did decline as he got older But it was expected since he was one of the greatest offensive players in MLB history. Everyone declines as they age. Betts will too. But that doesn’t mean he is going to be a non-contributing player. Just like Rickey wasn’t...

I’m glad I’m not the only one who didn’t know what MLB’s Biggest Egomaniac brought to the table...

Well, yeah. First step in the hiring process is needing a new job...

Well, he keeps getting hired...

Gennett sort of exploded into relevance and faded away just as quickly. Sogard is a journeyman utility infielder. I’m not sure how much of an upgrade either is over Chavis at the plate...

I was never a fan of his ever. But the man does keep working...

No he didn’t die. He got hired by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in basically the same capacity he worked in Boston https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/angels-hire-tony-la-russa-senior-advisor.html

None of that really says anything. Even when those pictures of McGwire from his rookie year of 1989 and then his 1999 picture were juxtaposed with each other really wasnt proof. A lot can happen in a full 10 years. There are reasons to be suspicious, maybe. But that's the best there is, and the random circumstantial accusations of steroid abuse get legs quickly and have had very negative effects on the legacies of some innocent players...

Releasing him does nothing....

I don't pretend to understand any aspect of playing in MLB...

Over half the pitchers in baseball saw severely elevated home run rates...

It was the only aspect of his career you mentioned. So why do you suspect PEDs so strongly?

And it's easy for us as fans to enforce that code from the safety of our seats and living rooms knowing full well no pitchers will be retaliating at us. Like I said, I don't have all the details. But if Pedroia (or Farrell or anyone) called for no retaliation, Barnes was out of line. He went rogue, and did so at the risk of his teammates and not himself...

It was actually a good thing Barnes was ejected before actually hitting Machado. Someone else would have been drilled. Possible fights. That's just part of baseball as a fan I don't enjoy...

So the only reason you suspect he used PEDs was his longevity? By that logic, isn't Tom Brady also juicing? Also Cy Young?

Do we allow literary references?

MLBTR has an article about how the Padres [plan to package a few prospects for an upgrade to the MLB roster. And they really do have to do it, since they risk losing some during the Rule 5 draft. This is a trade scenario that screams "Betts to San Diego!!!" loud enough to be hard at both poles simultaneously....

While Machado's slide was a complete cheap shot, he did try to help Pedroia up afterwards. I don't know what if anything he said to Pedroia personally, but Pedroia himself seemed satisfied and even spoke well of Machado aterwards. This is where it's all incomplete for me. Maybe he spoke well of Machado because of an apology and because he didn't think it was intentional. Or maybe because it was the professional thing to do. No idea here, just open to all possibilities. The whole "It's not me" issue is overblown. While fans seem to like and justify retaliatory HBPs (including me on occasion; I'm only human), they really are more of a childish imposition and have no place in the game. And, standing up for teammates or not, they are illegal. But the real problem is these delayed ones from another game, because then one thing we do know is there will be another retaliation, in this case at a Red Sox player. It never ends there unless the umpire steps in. (And sometimes not even then.) I can see a possibility that Pedroia didn't want the whole thing to escalate any further, something that really should happen. For all I know, Pedroia even called for it to not happen in a team meeting. I know fans think that headhunting Machado by Barnes was "standing up for his teammate." But it wasn't. It was putting his hitters in the line of fire...

Well, Rickey did steal 535 bases after age 30. That total alone would be ranked 31st on the All Time list. But more important, after age 30, Henderson still had a career OBP of .403 and an OPS of .811...

Not to mention, one with a story we don't all really know here. Really, Barnes retaliatory attempt at an HBP was a bigger deal...

Eh. No big deal there. Worst case scenario is the Sox leave Sam Travis exposed.

No. LSD joke. You know. His no-hitter...

What do you mean “no counting on” the 60 day DL? It’s just the long term injured list for MLB that allows teams to remove players from the 40 man roster. There are no qualifications or minimum requirements for being placed on it, and the 60 days refers to the minimum stay, not the maximum one. Prince Fielder has been on the 60 day DL for years. Ever since he unofficially retired, really...

Done with Pedroia? Look at him. He makes Rudy look like Andre the Giant. He showed up in 2006 with a body that looked like Cartman and a batting average normally associated with a pitcher. He’s NEVER looked like a guy who belonged in MLB, and his size, strength and speed just underscored that fact. And yet, a ROY, an MVP, multiple Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers later along with 3 World Series rings, and maybe he proved a few wrong. Did you know only two players in MLB history won a Rookie of the a Year Award, an MVP trophy, a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger in their first two seasons in MLB? And, yes, Pedroia is one of them. (Ichiro is the other.) I wouldn’t count out Pedroia...