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2. He Allowed Addison Russell To Bloom
By 2015, the writing was on the wall for Starlin Castro. Theo Epstein had been trading away every single player to load the Cubs farm system and only a few players would have been deemed as “untouchable” during that season — and Castro wasn’t one of them. To make matters worse, Castro struggled late in the 2015 season and was actually benched at one point.
According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN,
“Castro actually got benched as the starting shortstop, then reappeared at second base. After hitting just .170 in July, his bat came alive and he hit .296 in August and .369 in September/October. His acceptance of his new role at second base is widely credited as a key factor in the Cubs’ second-half push to reach the postseason.”
Keep in mind here, Castro was not just an average player. He was a three-time All-Star who hit .281 during his time with the Cubs. However, his acceptance of his new role at second base allowed a young Addison Russell to assume the reigns at shortstop which he still holds firmly today.
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Once again, Castro didn’t bitch and complain about the benching or his new role.
“It permitted Addison to become the shortstop. He didn’t blanch. He didn’t make an excuse. He didn’t cry. He didn’t scream.”
The experience Russell gained with the help of Castro in 2015 undoubtedly led to Russell’s All-Star rise in 2016.
