Baseball Star Adam LaRoche To Retirement After White Sox Say His Son, 14, Can’t Be In Clubhouse Every Day

Baseball star and White Sox first baseman Adam LaRoche has surprised his fans and his team by announcing he will retire early over a situation involving his 14-year-old son, Drake.

LaRoche is giving up $13 million by cutting out of his White Sox contract a year early after the team asked that players’ children not be at the clubhouse every day. In the past, LaRoche’s son would attend school in the winter during off-season and then work with a tutor during the season so that he could go with his father every day to work. Now, the White Sox are asking the players limit the time their children spend in the clubhouse, which meant for Adam LaRoche he would need to throw in the towel. Adam says that his family comes first, and that if his son can no longer be with him at work like he has in the past, he will retire early, thanks to his lucrative baseball career, and spend his time with his son off the field.

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NBC Chicago reports that the White Sox have experienced an unexpected player loss as first baseman Adam LaRoche has filed for early retirement. Though LaRoche still has one more year left in his two-year, $25 million contract, the first baseman says he is going to give up the $13 million for the single season due to requests by the White Sox president for players to limit the amount of time that children spend in the clubhouse and at practices.

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LaRoche’s son, Drake, has been by his side almost his entire baseball career. When Adam was at practice, Drake was always by his side. However, that relationship was set to change this season as the Chicago White Sox asked players to reconsidering bringing their children to work with them every day. Instead, the White Sox president Kenny Williams said he asked Adam if he would limit Drake’s time at practices, noting that he was always welcome, just not every day. Though Williams is adamant that Drake is welcome, as are all players’ children, he says that their time in the clubhouse and on the field must be limited as it was getting “out of hand.”

“We didn’t realize the level at which is was taking place, whether it be on buses and planes and in the clubhouse and on the field in different places, that really kind of crystallized some things for us. Unfortunately this turned into a thing and it didn’t have to be a thing but now we need to address it.”

Though Adam LaRoche has filed for early retirement following the White Sox decision to not allow children at every practice, he has not expressed any ill will towards the team, and instead says it was a simple decision because his family comes first. LaRoche tweeted shortly after his retirement announcement that he is thankful for the game of baseball for giving him “way more” than he deserved.

Thank u Lord for the game of baseball and for giving me way more than I ever deserved!#FamilyFirst

— Adam LaRoche (@e3laroche) March 15, 2016

While the retirement has come as a surprise to the White Sox president, fans, and players, if you look at LaRoche’s history, it is not that surprising that he would quit the game over his son. Back in 2013, LaRoche spoke with the Washington Post about baseball and the ability it gives him to spend more time with his son.

“I don’t know many jobs where you can bring your kid and not have to put him in day care somewhere. It’s been awesome.”

He noted that as a family they were not “big on school,” but rather on life experiences, and that he was going to enjoy every moment he can with his son because he knows his priorities will shift to friends in the future.

“I just remember saying I’m going to take him every chance I can. Because some of my best memories came with my dad taking us to the park, whether it was spring training or during the season. It’s stuff I’ll never forget… I’m just trying to do everything I can do to enjoy it, because I know how fast it goes. I know how fast he’s going to be grown up and have different priorities other just hanging out with Dad all day.”

What do you think about Adam LaRoche’s decision to retire early after the every day clubhouse ban on children?

[Photo by Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo]