It is both amazing and tragic how far the baseball career of former Cub shortstop Addison Russell has fallen. There is absolutely no way that anyone would/could have predicted this career trajectory for Russell after the 2016 baseball season.
He was 22 years old with a great glove and coming off a season where he hit 21 home runs and knocked in 95. He was the star shortstop of a World Series team with a bright future. Yet I saw the following short note on Russell on the MLB Trades web site:
The Korea Baseball Organization’s Kiwoom Heroes will not pursue new contracts with infielder Addison Russell.... A former top prospect and the Cubs’ starting shortstop during their 2016 World Series season, Russell served a 2018 domestic violence suspension after former wife Melisa Reidy detailed serious allegations of abuse. Between the suspension and dwindling on-field productivity, he didn’t find a particularly robust market upon being non-tendered by Chicago last offseason. The Heroes brought Russell aboard in June, but he mustered an underwhelming .254/.317/.336 line with just two home runs across 271 plate appearances.
The guy is still young - will turn 27 years old this coming January. If he has cleaned up his act, I hope some MLB team gives him a second chance. At his age and with his ability with the glove, I think he would be a good gamble to take - but again it would entirely be dependent on him having cleaned up his act.
He was 22 years old with a great glove and coming off a season where he hit 21 home runs and knocked in 95. He was the star shortstop of a World Series team with a bright future. Yet I saw the following short note on Russell on the MLB Trades web site:
The Korea Baseball Organization’s Kiwoom Heroes will not pursue new contracts with infielder Addison Russell.... A former top prospect and the Cubs’ starting shortstop during their 2016 World Series season, Russell served a 2018 domestic violence suspension after former wife Melisa Reidy detailed serious allegations of abuse. Between the suspension and dwindling on-field productivity, he didn’t find a particularly robust market upon being non-tendered by Chicago last offseason. The Heroes brought Russell aboard in June, but he mustered an underwhelming .254/.317/.336 line with just two home runs across 271 plate appearances.
The guy is still young - will turn 27 years old this coming January. If he has cleaned up his act, I hope some MLB team gives him a second chance. At his age and with his ability with the glove, I think he would be a good gamble to take - but again it would entirely be dependent on him having cleaned up his act.
