Respected MLB Reporter Pleads For La Russa To Stay Away From White Sox

It's written as an open letter from Ken Rosenthal in The Athletic, penned to ailing 78-year-old Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa. 

The team was struggling under La Russa's controversial, and many times puzzling, leadership. They were 63-65 under the beleaguered manager, but since his medical leave for heart problems, the ChiSox—expected to be hands-down winners of the AL Central this season—have gone 10-4 under interim manager Miguel Cairo, and seem to be rejuvenated. 

Rosenthal writes:

Even if doctors cleared you to work again, this no longer is simply a medical question. Not if you are thinking of the best interests of the team.   

Tony, it’s more obvious every day: Cairo is doing a better job. Yes, the team finally is getting healthier, the offense finally is hitting with power, the players finally are responding to the urgency of their situation, three games out in the weak AL Central with 20 to play. Maybe all that would have happened if you were still the manager. But Cairo is bringing energy. Communicating with players. Holding them accountable. All things maybe you thought you were doing. But evidently, weren’t doing well enough.

La Russa has been back watching games from a private suite at Guaranteed Rate Field. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn says the team will "follow the advice of medical experts" as to if and when La Russa will manage again.

But Rosenthal pleads with the aging manager, "returning would mean resuming a stressful job at the most stressful time of the season with a heart problem as you turn 78 on Oct. 4."  

This isn't the first time this season that an MLB Insider has questioned La Russa's worthiness to run the team

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