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Chicago Cubs should consider dangling Addison Russell this offseason

Adam H. McGinnis|
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 17: Addison Russell #27 of the Chicago Cubs receives a throw as Logan Forsythe #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers advances to second base in the eighth inning during game three of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 17, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 17: Addison Russell #27 of the Chicago Cubs receives a throw as Logan Forsythe #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers advances to second base in the eighth inning during game three of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 17, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 25: Addison Russell #27 of the Chicago Cubs hits a two-run double against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on September 25, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 25: Addison Russell #27 of the Chicago Cubs hits a two-run double against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on September 25, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Hitting is just, well, hitting

The “clutch factor” isn’t as prominent as people would like to believe. Hitting with runners on base is not a different skill set from hitting without runners on base. It’s just hitting. A lot of a player’s RBI total has to do with what the lineup around him is doing. You aren’t going to drive in as many runs if the rest of your lineup can’t hit a lick. It’s pretty simple.

In 2016, the Cubs’ offense was historically great. Those guys mashed from top to bottom. Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, who typically hit second and third that year, both finished with an on-base percentage of .385. When you’ve got an MVP and a three-time All-Star perpetually raking ahead of you, it’s not difficult to see how someone who hit a paltry .238 could record so many RBI.

It’s the same reason why you can’t over-analyze Kris Bryant’s drop-off in RBI in 2017. The Cubs’ offense wasn’t as lethal it was in 2016. Bryant won the NL MVP last year, and then came back in 2017 and somehow put together an even better slash line of .295/.409/.537. But the decrease in RBI means he was significantly worse at the plate this year? Get out of here.

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