Addison Russell not doing Chicago Cubs, himself any favors with his comments

Addison Russell sounded particularly tone deaf in his first week back with the Chicago Cubs, which should hardly surprise anyone at this point.

At a certain point, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, you have to start accepting the fact that it is, indeed, a duck. That’s the mentality I’m shocked people continue to fight when it comes to beleaguered Chicago Cubs infielder Addison Russell.

We all know the story. Domestic abuse allegations surfaced late in 2017 and faded into the background before resurfacing with a vengeance last summer, prompting Major League Baseball to suspend Russell for 40 games under league policy.

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All offseason, we heard the same company lines reiterated too many times to count, from everyone from President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein to manager Joe Maddon. “He’s working to improve himself, etc. etc.”

No more.

Within 48 hours of returning to the Cubs, Russell was asked about fans booing him at Wrigley Field. Instead of answering with any degree of poise, he gave a very Russell-esque response:

“I’m one of the dudes in this clubhouse. I’m one of the guys who goes out there and puts his [body] on the line. We do it because we love it. We want to win, and we want to bring another championship to Chicago. And if hometown fans want to boo someone that’s trying to help bring the team a World Series again, then that’s on them.”

I don’t care that you put your body on the line for a team I love. I really don’t. And if you think my support for the Cubs is ever going to overshadow what you’ve done to the people around you, you’re sorely mistaken. Second chances? Sure. But there has to be a line somewhere and, in my eyes, Addison Russell crossed it – and then some.

The Chicago Sun-Times’ Steve Greenberg uses the term ‘dismissive’ in his piece about Russell’s return to the Cubs – and that hits it on the head. Russell comes off like everything that transpired over the past year-plus is in the past and he needn’t accept criticism about it moving forward. Sure, he went on to say everyone is entitled to their opinion – but he comes off as someone who says that, but really couldn’t care less what you think.

The inconsistency in Russell’s approach and demeanor with members of the media isn’t necessarily new, but if I’m Theo Epstein (and I’m sure more than a few of you will remind me that I’m not) – I want to see this young man step up and be a leader in the fight against domestic abuse. He has a tremendous opportunity at his feet and he’s very quickly squandering it, regardless of the personal improvement he’s made so far.

“I hope Addison continues to grow,” Epstein said. “That’s what this is all about. I think he should expect to face adversity along the way and he doesn’t deserve to be met with an unconditionally warm welcome and with open arms. I think he will receive an appropriate response and that’s something he needs to take responsibility for — to process, to handle the right way and to grow from.

Growth is hardly what I’ve seen from Addison Russell in his first days back with the Chicago Cubs. I hope I’m wrong and we see him really take a new approach to the malcontent and disdain many fans feel toward him now, but I’m not holding my breath – not even close.