AL DIVISION SERIES: ASTROS VS WHITE SOX

October 12, 2021

Tony La Russa

Guaranteed Rate Field

Chicago White Sox

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Houston-10, Chicago-1

Q. Tony, you guys obviously did not shy away from the high expectations you had for yourselves this season. As it comes to an end, how do you view how the 2021 campaign went for you guys?

TONY LA RUSSA: Well, I would never apologize for our clubhouse. I thought they needed it because they did try. We accomplished the first goal, but we are disappointed to get one win and not two more, so bittersweet.

Q. Tony, I know it just ended, but can you pin down what the difference was in this series for your team in losing to Houston?

TONY LA RUSSA: More than anything else two-out hits. You know, count the number of RBIs that we gave up with two outs and couldn't get that last out. Count them today, big difference maker.

Q. Tony, obviously, you guys didn't know what Carlos would be able to give you today, but to see how he came out in that first inning and kind of empty the tank, what did that mean to you to see him do that?

TONY LA RUSSA: I thought he did exactly what he did all year, he gave us everything he had. Got to see him two outs into that last one. Give up the base hit, but he was out there firing from the beginning. He was competing. It's exactly what he gave us all year to the extent that he had the stamina, so we all felt very good about his effort.

Q. Tony, is it your full intention to be back next season, and just how would you assess your outlook toward the ongoing pursuit of a title here?

TONY LA RUSSA: Well, I mean, I'm not going to talk about myself. You know, the process I've used -- well, once I had a little security, probably about the fifth or sixth year is do they want you back? You don't want to come back because you got a contract. I would just leave if they don't want you back.

They say yes, then you ask the players. You know? They should choose who they want to manage. If you get both of those, then you check yourself. I mean, we have more to do.

Q. Tony, a couple in-game questions. You said yesterday, and I think this morning, Michael Kopech wasn't going to be available. He came in, gave up some runs. What changed?

TONY LA RUSSA: Change was he came out and threw and felt good to go, and that's -- that altered the plan, but honesty, and he said he was good, and I watched him when he played catch, and so --

Q. Next question; I know we talked before the series about stolen bases and uncontested stolen based. Is that something that really bothered you today?

TONY LA RUSSA: I mean, it's something that we've only slightly improved at throughout the season, so definitely will be an area of a lot of focus and attention in Spring Training.

Q. Tony, at the end there hitting Abreu, you were pretty upset. Do you think that was intentional, and the warnings, could you talk about how that came about?

TONY LA RUSSA: Well, I questioned after they threw three pitches in there, they should have just ejected him. It will be a good test of the character and credibility of the winning team because it was intentional. Catcher kept looking in the dugout, so they did hit him intentionally. I'll be really curious. They should have the guts to admit that they did it, why they did it, I have no reason to understand.

I only care about sportsmanship so far, and I have the limit. They beat us. They played better. We're disappointed. That was intentional. I don't understand why. I don't understand how they got away with it.

Q. Are you hoping this experience makes your team even more hungry? I know that's probably you're already looking forward to it knowing you, but --

TONY LA RUSSA: You're talking about our team?

Q. Team, yeah.

TONY LA RUSSA: Well, they had a taste of it, and we've improved. The beauty of the season is that we talked about defending stolen bases. There's not a lot, but there are plays we can get better. The talent is there. Now, every year they get more experience, they got a better chance to do it, so -- but the staff and I were talking before the game. I mean, we were very thankful. I'm talking about the entire staff. Very thankful that we had the opportunity to work with these guys. I mean, it was as good as it could be. They're a very special group. We ended up disappointed. I'm hurting for them, but it's an amazing group.

Q. I hope you don't mind elaborating on something. You alluded to asking the players, is that something you do?

TONY LA RUSSA: Every year since I had some security, and I understood the importance. You have a contract and I always waited so the ownership and the front office said we want you back. If they didn't, I just walked away. But once you got theirs, but if you fool them and the players don't want you, then you walk away. So I always do -- once it gets those two, if those two are true, and I'll check and see, then you check and see whether you got the desire to continue to manage, so I do. That's -- I've been doing it for years.

A lot of people that know me know that that's what I go through. I think it's a fair thing. It's fair to the ownership, fair to the players. You don't get stuck with a guy that doesn't belong there.

Q. Tony, how do you compare your feeling after this Game 4 to Game 4 of 1983?

TONY LA RUSSA: Of 1983? Well, it was so close, 0-0 and had that chance in the seventh. I do compare the enthusiasm of the crowd. I mean, Comiskey was just humming that whole season.

This one, we had that one win, and early on we kept it close. It was just a crooked number away from getting back into it, and we kept missing, but the two outs. We just couldn't get that third out, and it happened a lot.

The stuff there in the eighth inning was just -- just leaves a bitter taste in your mouth and in my gut. That's just -- there's a character shortage there that they should answer for. It is stupid too.

Anything else? I'll be interested to see if they admit it. If they don't admit it, then they're really dishonest.