In what can be interpreted only as a preemptive strike, the organization sent an email to media with complimentary quotes about La Russa from his former players and friends.
“He’s the smartest manager I ever played for,” former St. Louis Cardinals infielder David Eckstein said.
The reaction on Twitter, however, was a bit more harsh, including the tweet from ESPN’s Jeff Passan that some Sox employees were not pleased about the team hiring a 76-year-old to replace the popular Rick Renteria.
“The hiring of Tony La Russa has ruffled feathers in the White Sox organization,” Passan wrote.