Morning Mound Visit: Tony La Russa pleads guilty, gets off easy

James Fegan | The Athletic $: White Sox manager Tony La Russa pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving. La Russa will serve one day of jail time (which can be served from his home), pay a $1,383 fine, and serve 20 hours of community service. La Russa, who has been busted for driving under the influence twice, didn’t even get his license suspended.

Ben Clemens | FanGraphs: When a pitcher shows up in spring and starts throwing harder, it’s natural to think, “Oh good, he’s better now.” That usually tends to be the case. Pitchers who get a bump in velocity have more success with their fastball that year. But what happens the year after a velocity gain?

Renee Dechert | Purple Row: The Rockies are bad and ownership has made it clear they won’t spend now to make the team better. With Nolan Arenado’s opt-out looming and Trevor Story slated to hit free agency after 2021, it might make sense for the Rockies to tear down. If they keep the same front office, however, they’ll be back right where they started when they rebuild.