FORT MYERS, Fla. -- In the wake of the news that Adam LaRoche decided to retire this week after the White Sox told him to dial back the amount of time his son was in the clubhouse, Twins general manager Terry Ryan clarified Minnesota's policy on children in the clubhouse.
The Twins allow children there after games, and they also hold family day on Sunday where kids are permitted in the clubhouse and on the field before and after the game.
"We allow children after the games, and Sundays are usually our family days," Ryan said. "We always stress that we're the family-oriented Minnesota Twins. We try. But there comes a time when you've got to get down to work. There comes a time when you have to put some limitations on things."
Last year, reliever Blaine Boyer's two young sons were fixtures in the clubhouse after games, and sometimes even participated in the club's dance parties after wins. Twins manager Paul Molitor's 9-year-old son, Ben, occasionally spends time around the clubhouse during Spring Training and during the season, but he doesn't get any preferential treatment.
"I try not to give myself more leniency in that than others," Molitor said. "I'm blessed with my 9-year-old son who loves baseball, and the guys love having him around, but I have to follow the rules like I ask my players to."
The White Sox clearly had a different policy than the Twins, as LaRoche's 14-year-old son, Drake, had a locker during Spring Training and during the season. But after executive vice president Kenny Williams told LaRoche his son couldn't be there 100 percent of the time, LaRoche decided to retire, although the paperwork still hasn't been sent in to Major League Baseball.
Ryan didn't want to comment on the White Sox's situation, as it involves another club, but he did say he's never had any issues regarding a player's child spending too much time in a clubhouse.
"I never have and I've been here 20 years," Ryan said. "I've had to reign on people around the clubhouse, but it's usually because it's against the rules of Major League Baseball. A lot of that comes from above."