La Russa: D-backs leadership is being tested right now
Jun 1, 2016, 1:11 PM | Updated: 2:16 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt, right, celebrates his two-run home run against the San Diego Padres with Michael Bourn (1) during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 28, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
While people highlight the Arizona Diamondbacks early-season struggles on the field and a sub-par 23-31 record, there is another aspect inside the clubhouse that is also lacking.
D-backs’ CBO Tony La Russa went on with Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Wednesday to explain some of the issues and address where the team is at.
“The leadership on our ballclub is developing and they are being tested right now,” La Russa said.
La Russa said he isn’t around the players a lot, but from what he’s heard from people close to him is that Paul Goldschmidt is taking over the reigns as a leader for the D-backs in a way that he hadn’t before.
“He’s gotten more and more comfortable asserting himself and not just setting the example by the way he works and plays, by vocalizing,” La Russa said.
Even with Goldschmidt stepping up to the plate and becoming more of a leader, it takes more than just one guy when it comes to baseball, according to La Russa.
“You need a core of leaders,” La Russa said. “I do think that that is an issue at this time that is critical and that’s one of the challenges of our ballclub, we are very young.”
In the top eight position players for at-bats, Wellington Castillo is the oldest at 29 years-old, while Jean Segura, Brandon Drury, Jake Lamb, Nick Ahmed, Yasmany Tomas and Chris Owings are 26 or younger.
Although the team is young, La Russa believes he has players who can take on leadership roles sooner rather than later.
It starts with buying into the program and putting the work in, La Russa said.
“If you are sincere and you care, you can step up,” La Russa said. “I don’t care if you are in your first day of the big leagues, first month, first year.”
With over 100 games remaining, the D-backs still have time for leadership to shine through to salvage the season, though if not, it needs to happen soon.
“We don’t want to wait two or three years to have good team leadership,” La Russa said. “The more that they will assert themselves, the better we’ll be.”
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