Chicago White Sox VP Williams opens up about LaRoche situation

On the surface, March 15 was not the best of days for Chicago White Sox vice president Kenny Williams.

Entering the Sox's spring clubhouse in Glendale, Arizona, to personally address any hard feelings created by popular designated hitter Adam LaRoche's abrupt retirement, Williams was verbally accosted by several players, fronted by ace starting pitcher Chris Sale.

News of the spat between management and the rank and file quickly spread, and LaRoche's decision to choose spending quality time with 14-year-old son Drake over making $13 million to play baseball this season instantly became international news.

Before Wednesday night's game against the Boston Red Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, Williams sat down with the Daily Herald and shed some interesting light on the imbroglio.

I asked Williams if he was worried that LaRoche's retirement would destroy clubhouse chemistry and switch the focus off playing winning baseball.

"Just the opposite," Williams said. "In the meeting we did have, I saw, and told everybody when I walked out of that room, I said, 'There's a lot of anger directed at me, and I get that.'

"Sometimes you've got to do what you feel you have to do in the positions that we sit in. I said, 'I'm going to be less focused on what was said than I am with how united they are, with that edge, with that fearlessness.'

"When you can stand up and express yourself in the fashion that they did - that many of them did - I walked out feeling good, not necessarily with how they may have felt about me at the time, but I felt that as a team they were sending the message right now that we're together and we're unified. I loved it. I loved it."

If Williams had to play the villain to get the White Sox to come together, so be it.

He used to do it all the time when he was the Sox's fiery general manager from 2001-12, and he was never afraid to mix it up with his players, manager and coaches. This time, he backed down a bit.

"I think what you see is maybe the 52-year-old version of me reacting a little differently than the 42-year-old would," Williams said with a laugh.

Did the confrontation with his own players bother him?

"I grew up an Oakland Raiders fan," Williams said with another laugh. "Remember Al Davis' famous line? Just win, baby."

The White Sox won their April 4 season opener - against the Athletics in Oakland, for what it's worth - and they haven't really stopped.

Much like current general manager Rick Hahn, Williams is wowed by what he has been seeing over the first five weeks of the season.

"They are 25 united guys that are coming to beat you every game," Williams said. "There are no breaks in this league, and there were no breaks in the early schedule. They've been an impressive bunch. They're doing the little things and the big things and they're doing it in impressive fashion."

Every since Hahn took over as GM before the 2013 season - with Williams sliding up to VP - there has been endless speculation - and controversy - about who is calling the shots when it comes to putting the roster together.

Again, Williams is still second in command behind chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, but all player moves are discussed as a group.

Following the 2015 season, the third straight losing year for the Sox, a familiar strategy was put back in place.

"We talked a lot about it, because the good teams that we had around here had some guys with an edge," Williams said. "I used to call it Chicago tough."

So the White Sox traded for Todd Frazier, a natural leader. They signed gritty players such as Brett Lawrie, Mat Latos, Jimmy Rollins, Dioner Navarro, Austin Jackson and Alex Avila.

Even with the LaRoche controversy in spring training, the revamped Sox stayed focused and are playing their best baseball in a decade.

"These guys not only have an edge, they've got personalities," Williams said. "So I guess you could characterize it as Chicago tough combined with Chicago personality. Those are people that aren't afraid of the grind and can laugh along the way."

Looking back on the LaRoche saga, Williams can laugh a bit. But he is seriously enjoying the White Sox's fast start.

"I know it's kind of an old adage, but I've been in this game too long to look too far ahead," Williams said. "I'm enjoying watching them play on a day-to-day basis too much to even worry about it right now."