Addison Russell

[Banedon]

Russell hit .250/.317/.340 last year and is in line to make ~6 million in arbitration. Even if a grievance would be filed (I've never heard of such a thing for a non-tender), it would not be tough to argue that it was merit based. Hell, he made 17 errors in 2/3's of a season, so they could play dumb and say that he sucks on defense too. And even if they lost the grievance, like the Yankees did with Arod, they have to pay $6m for a quality backup SS. That would suck for us fans, but that's not a bad outcome for some heartless FO type.

 

I don't think he actually plays for the team next year, but this is still the team deciding that whatever B- prospect he ends up netting us is worth the message this sends. It's super messed up.

He's one of the best defensive SS's in baseball and he's still only 24. It's pretty clear he's been affected by the off the field stuff (by his own doing) but when he's good, he has value. Letting Russell go for what is still an accusation (as far as we know) hurts this baseball team going forward whether people like it or not.

 

and FYI, I trust the front office in doing the right thing here. There's stuff that has gone on behind the scenes that people are completely oblivious to.

 

1) He was suspended. Something happened. It's more than an accusation.

 

2) I don't care if it hurts the baseball team. This isn't about his talent, or the right baseball move. Non-tendering him was the right thing to do to send a message that the Cubs won't accept DV.

 

3) I don't know why you would trust the front office with anything regarding DV or player character. They have a history of showing they don't care about that horsefeathers. And I'm sure the next time the Cubs make a personnel move you don't agree with, you can fall back on "there's stuff going on behind the scenes that I'm completely oblivious to" and just trust the front office...right? As fans we work with the facts that we have available to us. And what we have available here sucks.

[Sammy Sofa]

OF COURSE this guy has this take.

[jersey cubs fan]

as far as we know

[r_mack]

The truth is, a lot of you live in your own little echo chamber. It was proven by the Daniel Murphy stuff. The majority of people out there that watch sports, watch it to get away from the general BS out of the outside world. The vast majority of Cubs fans out there were generally happy with getting Murphy when they did but you wouldn’t believe it from here on the Twitter bubble.

 

If you’re going to put together a roster of 25 perfect human beings, it’s either going to be impossible or you’re not gonna win at all.

[jersey cubs fan]

The truth is, a lot of you live in your own little echo chamber. It was proven by the Daniel Murphy stuff. The majority of people out there that watch sports, watch it to get away from the general BS out of the outside world. The vast majority of Cubs fans out there were generally happy with getting Murphy when they did but you wouldn’t believe it from here on the Twitter bubble.

 

If you’re going to put together a roster of 25 perfect human beings, it’s either going to be impossible or you’re not gonna win at all.

There's a wide chasm between not being an abuser and being a perfect human being

[cl smooth]

The truth is, a lot of you live in your own little echo chamber. It was proven by the Daniel Murphy stuff. The majority of people out there that watch sports, watch it to get away from the general BS out of the outside world.

 

If you’re going to put together a roster of 25 perfect human beings, it’s either going to be impossible or you’re not gonna win at all.

 

But if you have the option to non-tender a domestic abuser, you should. The Cubs didn’t do that and it sends a shitty message to their fans that they’re fine having someone who abuses women represent their organization as long as he can field a baseball and (possibly) obtain player(s) of value in return as a result of a trade.

[Bote McBoteface]

The truth is, a lot of you live in your own little echo chamber. It was proven by the Daniel Murphy stuff. The majority of people out there that watch sports, watch it to get away from the general BS out of the outside world. The vast majority of Cubs fans out there were generally happy with getting Murphy when they did but you wouldn’t believe it from here on the Twitter bubble.

 

If you’re going to put together a roster of 25 perfect human beings, it’s either going to be impossible or you’re not gonna win at all.

 

“Don’t repeatedly beat your wife” is not requesting a “perfect human being”, although I am OK with what the cubs are doing here.

[Sammy Sofa]

"Meatball sports fans are OK with dickheads, therefore the problem is with the people who are not OK with dickheads," isn't a very solid ground for an argument about people getting out of their own "echo chambers."

[CyHawk_Cub]

Guess dude's simply moved on from being a F.O. critic & is now setting his sights on fans. He's evolving. How cute. One of the biggest Chicago sports Twitter crybabies lecturing fellow fans was the logical next step.

[TarzanJoeWallis]

As a psychologist who does therapy all day long (individual, group and couples), I would like to think that I've helped people make significant changes in their life. I would like to think that if Addy takes this process seriously that he too can understand his need for power/control in relationships and learn to let go of that. If I didn't, what the horsefeathers am I doing with my life.

 

As a fan, I want nothing to do with him on my team.

 

I'm struggling to make sense of and integrate these dichotomous views.

 

This is where I am. I have been on the board of a nationally recognized domestic violence shelter for 18 years. I have been the board chair for the past four. The staff does amazing work. Their efforts are always difficult, stressful, and sometimes gut wrenching. We have a room named in memory of a little boy who was killed by his father after leaving the shelter. The room has a finger painting in it that he did when he was 1 1/2 years old. Every time I look at it I feel like puking.

 

It is not just the physical abuse either. It is about control. Sometimes that is threats. Sometimes that is not allowing them to see others. Almost always it includes making sure the victim doesn't have some basic life skills. It is amazing how many of the women in our shelter don't know how to write a check or balance a checking account because the abuser wouldn't let them learn. This is the type of barrier that often keeps women in the situation they are in. They feel helpless and are afraid they can't survive basic life needs (and are told they cannot repeatedly by the abuser).

 

But we have victories. We have families that are getting out of the terrible situation they are in and making a better life for themselves. We have women who are being trained to get their own jobs and to take control of their lives (and are being taught how to handle money, interview, write resumes and fill out job applications). I know many women who have left abusive situations and are thriving.

 

But, I always feel like it is just a partial victory. Abusers don't tend to stop on their own. So while I celebrate the success of the woman and/or family that has gotten out of the abusive situation, I can't help but think that the abuser is now on to another relationship and the process is repeating. The total victory would be getting the abused AND the abuser help so he (sometimes she, though not often) stops the cycle of abuse.

 

I don't want Addison Russell on the team. But I don't want him discarded either (as a person, I don't care about his impact on the roster or if we can get "assets" for him). By totally discarding the abuser (and believe me, I understand why anyone would want to do so), we are inevitably creating more victims. We are inevitably creating more generations of abusers. So, IF he is really trying, and IF the Cubs are really working to make him a better person, I applaud that. Even if he gets successfully rehabilitated I don't know that I'll ever be able to warm up to him again, but I will be happy that another woman or child is not being abused.

Edited December 3, 2018 by TarzanJoeWallis

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

The idea of this place being an echo chamber merely because most of us fans dislike serial domestic abusers and bigotry, when most everyone spends all their time here trying to make hay out of inaccuracies in others' hot takes (be the topic baseball, music, or toilet preferences), is a new breed of steamy hot take. =D>

[WrigleyField 22]

As a psychologist who does therapy all day long (individual, group and couples), I would like to think that I've helped people make significant changes in their life. I would like to think that if Addy takes this process seriously that he too can understand his need for power/control in relationships and learn to let go of that. If I didn't, what the horsefeathers am I doing with my life.

 

As a fan, I want nothing to do with him on my team.

 

I'm struggling to make sense of and integrate these dichotomous views.

 

This is where I am. I have been on the board of a nationally recognized domestic violence shelter for 18 years. I have been the board chair for the past four. The staff does amazing work. Their efforts are always difficult, stressful, and sometimes gut wrenching. We have a room named in memory of a little boy who was killed by his father after leaving the shelter. The room has a finger painting in it that he did when he was 1 1/2 years old. Every time I look at it I feel like puking.

 

It is not just the physical abuse either. It is about control. Sometimes that is threats. Sometimes that is not allowing them to see others. Almost always it includes making sure the victim doesn't have some basic life skills. It is amazing how many of the women in our shelter don't know how to write a check or balance a checking account because the abuser wouldn't let them learn. This is the type of barrier that often keeps women in the situation they are in. They feel helpless and are afraid they can't survive basic life needs (and are told they cannot repeatedly by the abuser).

 

But we have victories. We have families that are getting out of the terrible situation they are in and making a better life for themselves. We have women who are being trained to get their own jobs and to take control of their lives (and are being taught how to handle money, interview, write resumes and fill out job applications). I know many women who have left abusive situations and are thriving.

 

But, I always feel like it is just a partial victory. Abusers don't tend to stop on their own. So while I celebrate the success of the woman and/or family that has gotten out of the abusive situation, I can't help but think that the abuser is now on to another relationship and the process is repeating. The total victory would be getting the abused AND the abuser help so he (sometimes she, though not often) stops the cycle of abuse.

 

I don't want Addison Russell on the team. But I don't want him discarded either (as a person, I don't care about his impact on the roster or if we can get "assets" for him). By totally discarding the abuser (and believe me, I understand why anyone would want to do so), we are inevitably creating more victims. We are inevitably creating more generations of abusers. So, IF he is really trying, and IF the Cubs are really working to make him a better person, I applaud that. Even if he gets successfully rehabilitated I don't know that I'll ever be able to warm up to him again, but I will be happy that another woman or child is not being abused.

Thanks for the work you do!

 

I think I understand your point about not discarding abusers, but seems like in this case the Cubs could have moved on without it being a discarding type of thing.

 

I suppose we'll see how they handle him. It'd be pretty interesting if for instance they demoted him to Iowa or even AZ and told him to work on his issues without the stress on MLB and the travel and all that for a while. That might actually help him get a better footing if he really worked on rehabilitation. On the flip side, going right back to the MLB team seems like it would be a ripe environment to falling back on his behavior (not that the under the alternative he isn't very likely to do so as well).

[Banedon]

If you’re going to put together a roster of 25 perfect human beings, it’s either going to be impossible or you’re not gonna win at all.

 

Fine. The real world is more important than championships.

[TarzanJoeWallis]

As a psychologist who does therapy all day long (individual, group and couples), I would like to think that I've helped people make significant changes in their life. I would like to think that if Addy takes this process seriously that he too can understand his need for power/control in relationships and learn to let go of that. If I didn't, what the horsefeathers am I doing with my life.

 

As a fan, I want nothing to do with him on my team.

 

I'm struggling to make sense of and integrate these dichotomous views.

 

This is where I am. I have been on the board of a nationally recognized domestic violence shelter for 18 years. I have been the board chair for the past four. The staff does amazing work. Their efforts are always difficult, stressful, and sometimes gut wrenching. We have a room named in memory of a little boy who was killed by his father after leaving the shelter. The room has a finger painting in it that he did when he was 1 1/2 years old. Every time I look at it I feel like puking.

 

It is not just the physical abuse either. It is about control. Sometimes that is threats. Sometimes that is not allowing them to see others. Almost always it includes making sure the victim doesn't have some basic life skills. It is amazing how many of the women in our shelter don't know how to write a check or balance a checking account because the abuser wouldn't let them learn. This is the type of barrier that often keeps women in the situation they are in. They feel helpless and are afraid they can't survive basic life needs (and are told they cannot repeatedly by the abuser).

 

But we have victories. We have families that are getting out of the terrible situation they are in and making a better life for themselves. We have women who are being trained to get their own jobs and to take control of their lives (and are being taught how to handle money, interview, write resumes and fill out job applications). I know many women who have left abusive situations and are thriving.

 

But, I always feel like it is just a partial victory. Abusers don't tend to stop on their own. So while I celebrate the success of the woman and/or family that has gotten out of the abusive situation, I can't help but think that the abuser is now on to another relationship and the process is repeating. The total victory would be getting the abused AND the abuser help so he (sometimes she, though not often) stops the cycle of abuse.

 

I don't want Addison Russell on the team. But I don't want him discarded either (as a person, I don't care about his impact on the roster or if we can get "assets" for him). By totally discarding the abuser (and believe me, I understand why anyone would want to do so), we are inevitably creating more victims. We are inevitably creating more generations of abusers. So, IF he is really trying, and IF the Cubs are really working to make him a better person, I applaud that. Even if he gets successfully rehabilitated I don't know that I'll ever be able to warm up to him again, but I will be happy that another woman or child is not being abused.

Thanks for the work you do!

 

I think I understand your point about not discarding abusers, but seems like in this case the Cubs could have moved on without it being a discarding type of thing.

 

I suppose we'll see how they handle him. It'd be pretty interesting if for instance they demoted him to Iowa or even AZ and told him to work on his issues without the stress on MLB and the travel and all that for a while. That might actually help him get a better footing if he really worked on rehabilitation. On the flip side, going right back to the MLB team seems like it would be a ripe environment to falling back on his behavior (not that the under the alternative he isn't very likely to do so as well).

 

I understand your feelings. When I say "not discarded" I didn't mean I didn't want them to non-tender him. I did. But I want him to be worked with. Could the Cubs have had an impact on that if they non-tendered him? I honestly don't know. But it doesn't just fall on the Cubs to be the catalyst for change either. Russell's parents, friends, and agent will play a big role too. Hopefully he never plays another game for the Cubs and more importantly, stops abusing.

[UMFan83]

as far as we know

 

Wasn't his statement on Friday basically an admission of guilt?

[Sammy Sofa]

as far as we know

 

Wasn't his statement on Friday basically an admission of guilt?

 

As far as we know.

[imb]

i did a story earlier this year about a state official who'd beaten his wife and got away with it and it was covered up, and when I asked the attorney who'd handled the divorce FOR THE WIFE, his quote to me is "what really is domestic violence?" and then he kind of trailed off into "all these allegations, who knows?" kind of stuff.

[cl smooth]

horsefeathering domestic violence, how does it work?

[r_mack]

as far as we know

 

Wasn't his statement on Friday basically an admission of guilt?

 

As far as we know.

He denied the allegations from the beginning. My guess is, if he lied about it or went back on it, the Cubs wouldn’t be sticking behind him. Remember, there’s is information out there that you’re never going to see.

[Sammy Sofa]

 

Wasn't his statement on Friday basically an admission of guilt?

 

As far as we know.

He denied the allegations from the beginning. My guess is, if he lied about it or went back on it, the Cubs wouldn’t be sticking behind him. Remember, there’s is information out there that you’re never going to see.

 

Never side with management, you horsefeathering nerd.

[Sammy Sofa]

I love that your greaseball take is, "surely this billion dollar corporate entity would rally around the player they see more as an asset than a human being (and basically don't even consider his ex anything at all) would ONLY do so if they knew that he was innocent and pure of heart."

 

Get outta here with your "women always be falsely accusin'" garbage, because that's all it amounts to. I feel bad for cracking a bootlicking joke in the Harper thread because THIS is what bootlicking actually looks like.

Edited December 3, 2018 by Sammy Sofa

[Brian]

 

Wasn't his statement on Friday basically an admission of guilt?

 

As far as we know.

He denied the allegations from the beginning. My guess is, if he lied about it or went back on it, the Cubs wouldn’t be sticking behind him. Remember, there’s is information out there that you’re never going to see.

 

Did you read his statement? He's not going to a therapist multiple days a week because he did nothing wrong.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

[jersey cubs fan]

He denied the allegations from the beginning. .

 

oh, well then why didn't you say so

[Sammy Sofa]

NO, IT'S ALL AN ELABORATE RUSE, YOU SEE. Gotta placate those uppity women and the echo chamber internet.

 

This guy is sweating over how much he's yearning to screech "SJW!!!!!!"