Cubs SS Castro says winning matters more than demotion

However, that patience appears to be wearing thin as Castro officially made the move to second base and could be on his way out sooner rather than later. Russell’s not tearing the cover off the ball, but he’s been one of the best defensive second basemen in Major League Baseball this year, and profiles above average at shortstop.

A lot of scouts have said this season they believe Baez is a better shortstop than either Castro or Russell. “That’s a spectacular play right there”.

Castro was benched for three games during the team’s series with the Giants and rookie Addison Russell took over at shortstop, which spurred rumors about Castro’s eventual departure from the Cubs’ organization.

Thus I put to you the question: What can the team do with him, both in the seven weeks or so remaining in the 2015 season and also beyond?

“I just want to play”. The Cubs were right to bench him, as his presence in the lineup was not helping the team. “It doesn’t matter”. The movement shuffles Chris Coghlan from left field to second base in place of Russell, and Kyle Schwarber moves from catcher to left field for Coghlan as David Ross and Miguel Montero take care of business behind home plate. “If the game went the other way… then his bat is available to us”.

“He’s played second base in the past”, Maddon said. He already has 72 hits out of the No. 9 spot, the most by any player in a National League season in the last 101 years. “You can see his confidence”. “Very confident. People might attach “cocky” to that, but I think he handles it well”. Just look at his swings, they’re much freer, looser. Just a different animal right now. Right now Addy’s looking like the guy everyone thought he would be….

“We’ve got to get Javy here and have him playing and be successful to really even consider that”, Maddon said.

I ask one thing only: please be respectful. Maddon said the gesture was genuine.

This could be the beginning of the end of Castro’s time in the Windy City, though it’s more likely he would be traded this winter than immediately, considering the complications of August waiver deals and the fact that his value may be at its nadir. He later added, “We don’t think about me, we think about us. It’s about the team”. He had missed three games following a death in his family.

Extra innings: Infielder Tommy La Stella was activated off the 15-day disabled list and optioned to Iowa.

“Depth is a wonderful thing, and it’ll be necessary at some point”, Maddon said.

The defense in left and at second base will undoubtedly suffer with this lineup, but the Cubs are betting on Coghlan being adequate and Schwarber… well, they just want him to keep hitting. Schwarber was batting. 341 through 28 big league games.