Williams: White Sox want kids around, just not every day

Chicago White Sox executive vice president Kenny Williams says that his rule change surrounding children in the team's clubhouse - which appears to have prompted Adam LaRoche to walk away from baseball - was done strictly in the interest of fairness.

Williams wants players' families around the team, but is drawing the line at having them around every day.

"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?

"So I decided to cut it back, not eliminate it. We will continue to have a kid-friendly environment and kids around the complex. And I will still take kids out of the stands sometimes before a game while everyone is on the field, take them to clubhouse, and give them the thrill of a young person’s life to be in a major-league clubhouse."

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LaRoche's son, Drake, became a presence in the White Sox clubhouse last season, and was sometimes referred to as the team's "26th man."

According to Williams, Monday's clubhouse meeting was held to discuss the revised policy. Williams said he ensured the team and LaRoche, who announced his decision to retire during the meeting, that there was "no change (in the policy)."

"Look, I don’t want this to turn into something that makes Drake feel badly," Williams continued. "He is such a good kid and so loved around here. But the kid is there every day. In the clubhouse. And on the field. During drills. Everywhere. I just told him that he needed to dial it back, that’s all."