Yahoo Sports Addison Russell 'excited' about second chance with Cubs after minor league debut
Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell is back playing real baseball again, having made his 2019 debut with the Iowa Cubs on Wednesday night.
While his ultimate goal is to return to the major leagues, improving his game isn’t his only goal while he is in the minor leagues. The 25-year-old is working on himself, too, and is seeing a counselor twice a week.
"I really have been putting up some great work on trying to become a better person," Russell said Thursday, via the Des Moines Register. "I'm not perfect. But I have a positive mindset and I believe that I can help the Cubs come out on top, win and really, I just want to be a better person, altogether.
"People don't get it right the first time, but I'm excited I get a second chance."
Russell is currently serving a 40-games suspension for violating the league’s domestic violence policy after both his ex-wife and former girlfriend came forward alleging abuse.
He has not played for the Cubs since Sept. 19, though will be eligible to return on May 3 at the earliest — following a minimum seven-game stint with the Iowa Cubs, Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa.
Russell made his Iowa Cubs debut on Wednesday night, and received a “big ovation” from the crowd at Principal Park in Des Moines as he walked up to the plate for his first at-bat. He went 1-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored in their 6-4 win against the Nashville Sounds.
While that welcome was likely a positive sign for Russell, he said he knows that type of reaction isn’t always going to be the case everywhere he goes.
“[I'm working on] just being a better person, just learning from my experiences in life and trying to transition day to day into the clubhouse and helping the team win," Russell said, via the Des Moines Register.
Working toward return to Chicago
Though Russell’s ultimate goal is to return to Chicago as soon as possible, the Cubs may not bring him back immediately. Cubs president Theo Epstein said on Thursday that the team may option him to Iowa after seven games.
“I told him the other day, seven days doesn’t necessarily get someone ready for the season,” Epstein said, via the Chicago Tribune.
One of the biggest pieces to that is how the rest of the Cubs organization, including his teammates, will accept Russell after the multitude of allegations that surfaced against him.
Epstein said he saw Russell was making a strong effort on that front in Arizona.
“I will say that everyone noticed he was working hard on his individual relationships with his teammates this spring and was a lot more open and engaged than he’s been in the past as part of his attempt to grow, not only most importantly as a person and a father and as a good member of society but also as a teammate,” Epstein said, via the Chicago Tribune.
“And he recognized there was a need for growth there and he put a concerted effort in. There were moments in group settings where he took responsibility as well with his teammates. I don’t want to go into details, but he recognizes the importance of it and has a desire to make things right with his teammates as well and gain their trust, even as he appreciates their support.”
Until he is ultimately allowed to return to Wrigley Field, Russell isn’t stressing about things outside of his control. He just wants to play.
"For me, I can only control the things that I can control and that's just coming out here, having fun and playing every single day,” Russell said, via the Des Moines Register.
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