One could argue that Tony La Russa is living in the past. The 76-year-old White Sox manager gave that impression once again this week when he publicly admonished his own player, Yermín Mercedes, for the crime of hitting a home run on a 3-0 count against a position player pitching in Chicago's blowout win. La Russa deemed the act disrespectful to the game, and he even said he was fine with the Twins, Mercedes’ victim, throwing at his star rookie the next day. When La Russa was last a manager, in 2011, such unwritten rules were more strictly adhered to. But the game has changed dramatically in the decade that separated his most recent managerial stints, with younger players now prioritizing fun and flair over antiquated customs that never quite made sense.