LaRoche is wrong

It seemed strange when Adam LaRoche walked out of White Sox camp the other day, promising to retire.

Now Fox reporter Ken Rosenthal, one of the best in the business, is reporting that LaRoche left over a dispute with White Sox VP Ken Williams.

I know where I stand, as strange as this might sound:

I am on the side of Williams, the attention-seeking executive, and against the kid.

Well, not against the kid, or kids in general, or kids in a clubhouse at any time. The Twins make home Sunday games family day. Everyone knows the kids will be around, and because the Twins usually don't take organized batting practice before home Sunday games, the kids don't really get in the way of anything.

LaRoche had made his 14-year-old son a de facto part of the team. The kid had his own locker and was at the ballpark every day. That crosses the line.

Former Twin Blaine Boyer, now with the Brewers, told Rosenthal that the White Sox' policy was ``evil," that LaRoche is just being a good father. I disagree.

A big-league clubhouse is a workplace. No child should spend all of his time as his parent's workplace.

You probably won't hear any White Sox players publicly complaining about LaRoche's son, but having spent 26 years in big-league lockerrooms and clubhouse, I guarantee some other players weren't thrilled with their work space becoming a daycare facility.

Having your kid with you every day does nothing to help the team achieve its primary goal - winning games.

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