Before his first spring training as Chicago White Sox manager in 1980, Tony La Russa made it clear that returning right fielder Claudell Washington would have to move to left to make room for lanky outfielder Harold Baines, the new team phenom.
“Unless he absolutely plays himself out of a job in spring training, I am looking for Harold Baines being our regular right fielder in 1980,” La Russa told Tribune reporter Dave Nightingale.
La Russa knew Washington wouldn’t like hearing the cold, hard truth. The 25-year-old outfielder was an established player entering his walk year, a relatively new concept at the time after arbitrator Peter Seitz’s 1975 decision eliminating the reserve clause eventually granted six-year players free agency starting in 1976.