#Cubs roster moves: Russell up, Olt to 60-day DL
The Cubs made it official, selecting the contract of infielder Addison Russell from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday and optioning infielder Arismendy Alcantara to the Minor League team.
Russell was batting .318 in 11 games at Triple-A Iowa with four doubles and one home run. He played five games at second and six games at shortstop.
To make room on the Cubs’ 40-man roster, third baseman Mike Olt was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Olt has a hairline fracture in his right wrist.
Russell, who was starting at second base and batting ninth Tuesday, is now the youngest active player in the National League at 21 years 88 days. The Nationals’ Bryce Harper was the youngest active player (22 years 187 days) in the NL. The youngest active players in the Majors are Blue Jays pitchers Roberto Osuna and Miguel Castro. Both are 20 years old.
In the first game of a doubleheader on Monday, Russell broke up Scott Baker’s perfect game with a single in the seventh for Iowa, and then went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the second game.
Alcantara, 23, who made the Opening Day roster this year for the first time in his young career, was 2-for-26 in 11 games with the Cubs.
— Carrie Muskat
Muskat Ramblings 
Could this spell the end of Ot’s Cubs’ career…..? I hope he comes back to contribute off the bench but starting anywhere now seems unlikely.
It was only a matter of time before Olt was pushed aside for Bryant and Russell. Moving him to the 60-day DL gives the Cubs until at least June to figure out where Olt fits in if at all. But unless there’s an injury or Bryant or Russell prove to be overwhelmed in the Majors, Olt will either be on the bench when he returns, kicked back down to AAA, and/or used as trade bait around the deadline.
Aloha Carrie, question with Olt being put onto the 60 day DL, what are his options presuming he heals with no issues? I know this is a loaded question because a lot can happen in two months but if the team were to hold onto him does he do a stint in AAA then come up? My other thought is with him going on 60dl I would not be surprised if he were traded. Hope for the best and that Addison has a good game tonight. Mahalo
K.g., how the heck are you? My way of thinking: we all know some prospects don’t pan out. I don’t know the odds on how many do or don’t, but:
Olt has had terrible luck, I like many, had big hopes and have not completely given up. Nor have I given up on Alcantara or Baez. Looking at it that way, the Cubs have been very lucky the last couple years. Grimm, Rondon, Rameriz and Hendricks. Soler seems to be making adjustments. Now the team has Bryant and Russell, fans have to sit back, watch and see how they do? Even include Szczur to those two.
So if Alcantara, Baez or Olt don’t find their way, so far Management has looked very well defeating the odds on prospects.
There is no doubt that Olt, Baez and Alcantara have the talent. Also, no doubt in my mind they have the coaching. Now it is about ( my opinion ) getting their head together. Rely on the talent, quit thinking to much. If they cannot get their head together, might be time for a shrink or hypnotist.
All three have the talent.
Aloha Jasper, I let my human side come in as I was feeling bad for Olt, you are right they all have the talent will they make the most of the opportunities given them. I hope they do. On another subject, our bullpen has been taking a beating as of late but EJax is holding his own. You take care now. Mahalo!
There’s a baseball cliche that I’ve used before and will use again (and which Maddon has used): These things have a way of taking care of themselves
Aloha k.g., you must have enjoyed tonight`s come from behind victory, as I`m sure many of the faithful must have. I`d like to volunteer some impressions of tonight`s contest, and obtain your feedback, if so inclined. This game was another example of why this season projects as the kind we have not been familiar with. Come from behind wins have not been how we have been defined in a long spell; in fact, it`s so long a spell, I can`t recall when it was last true. Lester needs to get with T. Wood when it comes to the subject of holding runners on first, and indeed picking those runners off. Lester needs to permit Wood to be his mentor in that regard. Kris Bryant is behaving as if he`s been in the league five years or more and a veteran. He`s clearly having fun and demonstrating he belongs. I watched the game on the Pirates` network (Root Sports), and those commentators (Steve Blass being one) called attention to tonight`s home plate umpire (Cowboy Joe West) and said he`s a `character,` and one of the very few left in the game. West`s first year in the Majors was 1976. They mentioned Bruce Froemming as being in Joe`s league, but I believe Bruce retired long ago. Most umpires today are vanilla and otherwise unremarkable, including Holbrook, whom we had issues with last weekend. {Did I mention it would be intelligent of Jon Lester to permit Travis Wood to school him on holding runners?} Speaking of Travis, he`s a warrior. Did you see him almost come out of his cleats swinging at that third strike in his first ab? I know we and he would have liked to see him pitch deeper into the contest, but he`ll have abundant future opportunities. I must say I was disappointed when the manager chose to intentionally walk Marte in the 7th when first base was not even open; it was second base that was open. Maddon disrespected the Korean young man who promptly drove an offering deep into right center to clear the bases. Maddon proved too clever by half and received his just desserts. Luckily for him, the club came back to overcome that bonehead decision. As you know, I have praised the manager highly in the past, but I believe he should be criticized when circumstances dictate. The same is true of broadcasters. They should not be `homers`. Most are, sadly. The only one I can name who is not a `homer` is Vin Scully, a national treasure. Mahalo!
Aloha jhosk- Good to hear from you. I am blessed to have family in Central, IL sending me messages! Yes, I think a good manager will admit when he made a bad call that was a bad call. He took a chance and was burned, I am sure he learned his lesson. I said to some friends tonight and big Giants fans, that this team is giving me glimpses of the 2010 team where they found ways to win, fought back late when they were down. Yes, I think Bryant is showing himself to be the astute and mature person many have said he is. Also in regard to Lester: no disrespect to him with what I am about to say, I felt and voiced at the end of last season that the Cubs when it came to pitching were not far off, in fact I would have been happy if they only brought back Hammel. My reasoning was that I did not want them to get caught up in a bidding frenzy for anyone, plus at the end of this season there will be a lot of FA pitchers coming on the market. Having said that, I hope for the best in regard to Lester give him the benefit as he is having to make adjustments to a new league. That being said, I feel if the next couple of starts do not work out they need to at least look at platooning Castillo behind the plate for more of Lester’s starts. Hope Hammel has a good start tomorrow and that the team can continue coming together as a unit. Mahalo!
Fellow Cubs’ fans…Is it not nice to finally have a team in which we can truly believe can come back to win a game in the late innings? We were so used to the “head for the showers” mind set years past when down by a run or two in the late innings…NOW we have reason to believe our offense will never give up, never lay down and can overcome an error, a bad pitching performance or even a bad decision by one of the games best managers. Truly a TEAM effort is on the field day in and day out. Taking nothing for granted including a playoff berth but….it surely is reasonable to think our Cubs may indeed be a playoff team THIS year.
Did y`all know masticating is going to be prohibited at sports playing fields in San Francisco? I read in my local newspaper today that supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to ban chewing tobacco from such venues, including AT&T Park. The proposal specifically targets baseball, which has a long history “of players masticating and spitting” tobacco juice on the field, the piece states. The ordinance, which needs another formal vote by the board next week, would take effect Jan.1. {Perhaps k.g. or CubsWin, whom we haven`t heard from in a month of Sundays, could enlighten us further. Does anyone know if masticating is banned at Wrigley Field? {It should be banned in Boston, for sure, but that could be just me.}
Aloha jhosk! Well, I have to give up that “Redman,” then! Just joking! I do not want to say all the nicknames given to the SF Board, Carrie would not like that and rightfully so. I am not a fan of chewing tobacco but I can also tell you that it is a miracle that the Giants were able to build the new stadium given the city and all the regulations they put on a business. That being said, I can take someone masticating next to me as long as they have their “cup” with them at the park but what I cannot take and is becoming more prevalent at the ballgames, especially the night games are all the folks smoking dope and nothing is done about it. I already have to work on my weight and a contact high is not good when the refreshments are right next door! Take care. Mahalo!
That`s funny, k.g., and you did not disappoint with my request that you enlighten us. {Btw. I recall you commenting you receive the audio with the MLBTV package. I have the tv package, but these games at Pittsburgh are subject to blackout as it applies to myself. And `Root Sports` is not televising tonight`s contest, as was the case last night. So I`ll be relying on the audio tonight, just as you will. `Root Sports will carry tomorrow`s 12:30 PM Eastern game.`I`m more than 350 miles from the `Steel City,` and it does not make sense to me why I`m subject to blackout, just as it makes no sense why that young woman was struck in the dome by a baseball off Starlin`s bat Monday evening, given there is a screen separating the playing field from where she was seated.