Report: Sale 'lit up' Williams for LaRoche situation

Chris Sale has Adam LaRoche's back.

On Wednesday, after Chicago White Sox president Ken Williams acknowledged asking LaRoche to dial back how much time his son, Drake, spends in the clubhouse, Sale reportedly "lit up" Williams in a contentious meeting between players and management, according to multiple reports. There were plenty of expletives used in the meeting, too, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, and the players were so miffed they considered boycotting Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

LaRoche, who was set to earn $13 million this season, decided to retire Tuesday due a reported personal issue, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported the following afternoon that the first baseman called it quits because Williams "told him that he could no longer bring (his) 14-year-old son into (the) clubhouse."

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According to Passan, Sale's anger was mostly fueled by the fact that Williams - who spent 12 years as general manager before taking over as president - is not around enough to understand the clubhouse dynamics, and Williams made this decision unilaterally after manager Robin Ventura and general manager Rick Hahn said they were fine with Drake's presence in the clubhouse. Rosenthal added that Sale told Williams, unequivocally, to stay out of the clubhouse.

Sale, an All-Star in each of the last four seasons, is one of several players that have jumped to LaRoche's defense. Adam Eaton, who played only one season with LaRoche, said Wednesday that "we wanted Drake in the clubhouse," while players from outside the White Sox organization - namely Bryce Harper and Marcus Stroman - have expressed their support for the 36-year-old and his boy, too.

Williams, a father of five, stressed that he merely asked LaRoche not to bring Drake into the clubhouse everyday, though, so as not to set a precedent for other players.

"If I allow it here, and the next guy brings his son along to the level it was allowed in this case, how do I say, 'No,' to the next person?" Williams told Bob Nightengale of USA Today. "And the next person? How do you manage that?"