What exactly are the White Sox doing anyway?

Tony La Russa

Is it just me, or do the White Sox find themselves in the national spotlight for embarrassing things more often than other teams?

Manager Tony La Russa was unaware of an extra-inning rule that would have allowed him to avoid using closer Liam Hendriks as a base runner during the 10th inning of Wednesday's 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. I don't really feel like rehashing the whole scenario, so click the first link in the sentence above to read Bruce Levine's report on what happened.

This ended with The Athletic's James Fegan reading the rule aloud during La Russa's postgame press conference. Apparently, nobody on the Sox coaching staff knew the rule either, or if they did, they failed to speak up -- which is probably worse.

The $54 million closer is running the bases unnecessarily in the top of the 10th inning, when he should be preparing to pitch the bottom of the 10th inning. Then, he loses the game when the first two batters get hits off him. Did that happen because he had spent the previous 15 minutes running the bases? Maybe.

And you've got Leury Garcia getting thrown out trying to steal second as the trail runner in the top of the 10th. And you've got Billy Hamilton, he of the career 67 OPS+, being allowed to hit for himself with the go-ahead run on third base, when there are better options available on the bench. Anyone surprised that Hamilton struck out? Me neither.

These late-inning strategical gaffes are becoming a once-a-week occurrence. It's great that the Sox are 16-13 and in a three-way tie for first, but it's hard not to feel as though they should be 18-11 or 19-10.

Just what exactly are the Sox doing anyway in these close games? Good grief.