Blue Jays support Adam LaRoche and his son, do you agree?

Several members of the Blue Jays have spoken out in support of Adam LaRoche, whose son was a clubhouse regular with the Chicago White Sox

The situation between Adam LaRoche, Kenny Williams, and the Chicago White Sox is one of the more bizarre to come from this offseason.

Reportedly upset that Williams had asked for LaRoche’s son, Drake, to spend less time in the dressing room, he has decided to retire and leave his $13 million salary for 2016 on the table.

This mess has also caused an alleged rift in the White Sox clubhouse, with the report that White Sox players were united in a decision to boycott their game on Wednesday before manager Robin Ventura was forced to intervene.

The fallout has been messy, especially with White Sox ace Chris Sale who feels the club was lied to by management.

It’s a story that has prompted a local angle in each market and locker room, but for the Blue Jays’ part, they’re standing in LaRoche’s corner. Mostly.

“I encourage it, to let them come in and out, because it’s important,” John Gibbons told Gregor Chisholm. “There is so much time away [from family], that bonding time, but I can see, too, how it can become overwhelming if somebody is around all the time, because teammates might not like it.”

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Blue Jays reliever Brett Cecil agreed when speaking with Mark Zwolinski of the Toronto Star.

“I’m sure guys who bring their kids in here make sure their kids know the rules of the clubhouse. My son is six and he knows the rules, he knows you go where Daddy goes, you don’t touch anything, and if you want something, you ask Daddy, and that’s it.”

The conversation has stretched past the boundaries of baseball, as well, mostly focusing on LaRoche’s son. Especially when you reach back for a quote like this one from LaRoche in 2013 when he was playing with the Washington Nationals.

“We’re not big on school,” LaRoche said. “I told my wife, ‘He’s going to learn a lot more useful information in the clubhouse than he will in the classroom, as far as life lessons.’”

Well then… *Clears throat*

Regardless, it’s a fascinating argument because both sides have a real leg to stand on. LaRoche clearly has the support of his teammates in Chicago and his colleagues league-wide, but admittedly, the major league locker room is a workspace. Sometimes it might not be the most age-appropriate workspace, either, but that may not be my place (or our place) to judge.

On this topic, even more than usual, we’d love to hear your take on the story. Do you agree, in some way, with Williams, or are you seeing LaRoche as the hero in this story? Does the answer lay somewhere in between?