Written by Paul Skrbina at Chicago Tribune.com
Chris Sale wasn’t at U.S. Cellular Field to speak for himself Sunday.
The White Sox suspended the All-Star left-hander for five days and fined him an undisclosed amount after he destroyed some 1976 throwback jerseys the team was supposed to wear for his start Saturday.
That left some teammates and bosses to speak for him.
General manager Rick Hahn said Sale disagreed with the punishment Saturday evening when the two had what Hahn called “a candid conversation.” Hahn also said Sale, who is eligible to return for Thursday’s game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, didn’t express regret about his actions after voicing his displeasure with the uniforms.
“We both expressed remorse that it got to this point,” Hahn said. “At that point last night, Chris stood by his actions.
“Part of what makes Chris great, part of what makes him elite, is his passion and commitment. We’ve seen that sometimes spill out from between the white lines. (Saturday) was one of those instances and it unfortunately led to events that required discipline.”
The Sox have not said whether or not Sale will start Thursday, which was his next scheduled outing.
Hahn said the punishment was decided by himself, executive vice president Ken Williams and Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Hahn said Sale understood why the team was taking action. According to a source, several people in the clubhouse tried to talk Sale out of defacing the uniforms, to no avail.
Sale has eluded discipline for past indiscretions, including in the spring when he said Williams “created a problem” that led to Adam LaRoche’s retirement after Williams said LaRoche’s son, Drake, would not be allowed full-time clubhouse access. Sale said the team was “bald-face lied to by someone we are supposed to be able to trust.”
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