Cubs president says Addison Russell's ex-wife approved 'conditional' second chance
Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein offered new details into the team’s decision to retain suspended shortstop Addison Russell.
According to NBC Sports Chicago, Epstein revealed before Friday’s Cubs Convention event that he has personally consulted with Russell’s ex-wife, Melisa Reidy, whose detailed account of Russell’s physically and verbally abusive behavior ultimately led to his suspension. In doing so, Epstein says Reidy granted the club her approval to bring Russell for a “conditional second chance.”
“I was engaged with Melisa Russell (Reidy), the victim, who deserves our support every bit as much if not more than Addison given the circumstances.”
She deserves more support, Theo. A lot more.
Epstein continued:
“And she was supportive of our decision as long as it was truly a conditional second chance. She felt like it was Addison’s best chance to get his life in order – to get support from us, with the incentive of earning his way back to the Cubs.”
Russell will begin the season by serving the final 28 games of his 40-game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy. He’s not eligible to return until May 3.
The Cubs have never wavered in their support of Russell throughout the entire process, giving him a one-year, $3.4 million deal when they could have cut ties by not tendering a contract.
On Thursday, general manager Jed Hoyer said bringing back Russell was the “right thing to do” after consultation with experts on domestic violence. In other words, they’re covering every base possible to justify their decision.
Epstein didn’t sound like he was expecting the same support from fans.
“If he’s booed, I think people have the right to boo,” Epstein said. “And if he lives up to the standards we set out for him and earns his way back into a Cubs uniform, that’s all he deserves is an opportunity to earn people’s trust back, the organization’s trust, the players’ trust, the fans’ trust.
“He doesn’t deserve to be welcomed back unconditionally or with open arms. But I think the conditional second chance affords him enough of an opportunity to earn people’s trust back and change his life and change his story. There have been more than a dozen players that have returned from domestic violence suspensions, and many of them represent success stories as far as their lives going forward.”
The Cubs have already announced that Russell will be a full participant in spring training, where he’ll have a chance to win back his starting shortstop job. However, Epstein did leave a small opening for a potential change of plans.
“We’re probably in the top of the second inning of this story. Russell has a ton of work ahead of him, and it may not work. And if it doesn’t, we will move on instantaneously. But if it does …”
Russell has hit a disappointing .245/.311/.376 over 850 plate appearances the last two seasons.
Another season like that might not make it worthwhile to the Cubs to keep him around. But to finish Epstein’s thought, if Russell does play well, it sounds like they’ll be more than happy to continue deflecting every bit of criticism they receive.
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