Addison Russell

[UMFan83]

https://www.cubsinsider.com/2019/07/22/addison-russell-admits-mental-errors-not-being-familiar-with-signs/

 

“Also, not missing signs as well,” Russell said. “Stay on top of those. Remind myself, I need to become more familiar with the signs as well. So there’s no gap there. You know exactly what’s being put on so you can do your job more efficient.”

 

YIKES

 

Well, you can't really expect a guy to learn all those pesky signs in just five years, after all.

 

To be honest, I never got the impression that Addison Russell was smart. Even before the abuse allegations came out, something just seemed off about his interviews. He used a lot of cliches (some of used incorrectly like the bartender in Boondock Saints), often times if a question involved any sort of critical thinking his answer would basically have nothing to do with the question. At the time I gave him the benefit of doubt and assumed he was just not a great public speaker, but based on what we know about him now I think he's just a moron. It doesn't surprise me at all that he would not know or at least be able to identify signs.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

https://www.cubsinsider.com/2019/07/22/addison-russell-admits-mental-errors-not-being-familiar-with-signs/

 

“Also, not missing signs as well,” Russell said. “Stay on top of those. Remind myself, I need to become more familiar with the signs as well. So there’s no gap there. You know exactly what’s being put on so you can do your job more efficient.”

 

YIKES

 

Well, you can't really expect a guy to learn all those pesky signs in just five years, after all.

 

To be honest, I never got the impression that Addison Russell was smart. Even before the abuse allegations came out, something just seemed off about his interviews. He used a lot of cliches (some of used incorrectly like the bartender in Boondock Saints), often times if a question involved any sort of critical thinking his answer would basically have nothing to do with the question. At the time I gave him the benefit of doubt and assumed he was just not a great public speaker, but based on what we know about him now I think he's just a moron. It doesn't surprise me at all that he would not know or at least be able to identify signs.

I definitely got that vibe too. I think that is part of the reason that the rest of the team, management most especially, is bending over backwards to enable the guy. He was the lovable clubhouse idiot until he abused his wife. He is some kind of project that they can fix if only they can give him the right guidance.

[squally1313]

That's kinda besides the point, isn't it? Unless you're assuming/implying that Russell is some sort of incredibly unique outlier amongst baseball players, much less athletes in general who are expected to memorize schemes/playbooks/etc, this is something everyone who plays is expected to be comfortable with. I'm aware he probably wasn't allowed to have much interaction with the team during his suspension, and therefore missed the meetings at ST or whatever, but he's been with the team for 2.5 months now. He knows, or at least should know, he's on thin ice. He needs to get his horsefeathers together when it comes to stuff like this.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

That's kinda besides the point, isn't it?

Yeah, definitely.

 

 

Unless you're assuming/implying that Russell is some sort of incredibly unique outlier amongst baseball players, much less athletes in general who are expected to memorize schemes/playbooks/etc

I'm assuming exactly that.

[David]

yeah, i think, on top of being an horsefeathers, russell is really really dumb. like, among baseball players.

[HawkeTrackler]

He knows, or at least should know, he's on thin ice.

 

Maybe he's too dumb to even realize that

[CyHawk_Cub]

Or maybe he's not really on thin ice.

[17 Seconds]

nobody is held accountable in this organization

[The_Achiever]

Russell is definitely dumb but I don't remember him being this baseball dumb back in 15/16.

 

I thought he was going to be a superstar.

[Bote McBoteface]

Casually admitting that you dont know the signs should get you released even if you aren’t a piece of crap who sucks at baseball.

[Sammy Sofa]

LOTS of parallels between him and D. Rose.

[UMFan83]

LOTS of parallels between him and D. Rose.

 

Except Rose was a lot better at his sport. But yeah I agree on the rest of the comparison.

[JennieGarthAlgar]

Russell is definitely dumb but I don't remember him being this baseball dumb back in 15/16.

 

I thought he was going to be a superstar.

 

I think being stupid is part of what made Theo think he would be a superstar too. I think in Moneyball (book not movie) Beane talked about how stupid Lenny Dykstra was and how that was a quality he looked for in identifying future stars? "Hes so dumb all he cares about is baseball", that sort of thing.

[WrigleyField 22]

But, Barry Larkin...

[Derwood]

I have come to just really hate his face. Someone needs to slap that smirky grin off of his stupid face

[sneakypower]

that was tried but only the hairline got hit

[Derwood]

I don't think he's as dumb as D.Rose. Rose was genuinely an idiot. Like "can barely read" dumb.

 

Russell seems more like a lazy and entitled brat who doesn't think it's important to know things he should know, and thinks he can get away with things he shouldn't get away with.

[Bull]

I have come to just really hate his face. Someone needs to slap that smirky grin off of his stupid face

The obvious solution is for other teams to hit him every game using a tube sock full of quarters.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Thank goodness Addison Russell is so dumb he actually admitted to not knowing the signs, which somehow might have been the one thing to get him shipped out.

[CyHawk_Cub]

Or maybe he's not really on thin ice.

Upon further review, yes, yes he was. That it took extreme stupid play for it to happen speaks volumes as to the values of this organization (and sports fans too for that matter).

[Edith Cox]

Russell has a .812 OPS in the second half which is the highest on the infield outside of Bryzzo and when he starts he has a .798 OPS which is 7 points lower than Schwarber. We got worse by dumping him for a 3rd catcher who can't ht.

[jersey cubs fan]

Russell has a .812 OPS in the second half which is the highest on the infield outside of Bryzzo and when he starts he has a .798 OPS which is 7 points lower than Schwarber. We got worse by dumping him for a 3rd catcher who can't ht.

 

 

highest on the IF outside of 50% of the infield is pretty damn cool use of stats

[soccer10k]

Russell has a .812 OPS in the second half which is the highest on the infield outside of Bryzzo and when he starts he has a .798 OPS which is 7 points lower than Schwarber. We got worse by dumping him for a 3rd catcher who can't ht.

 

Well you certainly swayed my opinion with how he’s performed in *checks splits* 23 PAs.

[Edith Cox]

Russell has a .812 OPS in the second half which is the highest on the infield outside of Bryzzo and when he starts he has a .798 OPS which is 7 points lower than Schwarber. We got worse by dumping him for a 3rd catcher who can't ht.

 

 

highest on the IF outside of 50% of the infield is pretty damn cool use of stats

 

Javy, Bote, Descalso Garcia all have lower OPS than Russell in the second half.

[Derwood]

Russell has a .812 OPS in the second half which is the highest on the infield outside of Bryzzo and when he starts he has a .798 OPS which is 7 points lower than Schwarber. We got worse by dumping him for a 3rd catcher who can't ht.

 

 

highest on the IF outside of 50% of the infield is pretty damn cool use of stats

 

Javy, Bote, Descalso Garcia all have lower OPS than Russell in the second half.

 

So your point is that Russell is better than Javy, Bote and Garcia?