Addison Russell's Barry Larkin-esque 2040 HOF Primer Thread

[Quality Start Machine]

Instead of revisiting the musings of that spunkflute, let's just bask in the awesomeness of Russell.

[CT III]

SQTPD

He's even wronger after having 24 hours to contemplate the trade weaving in one of his patented, condescending "history" lessons.

The Cubs have made a few minor trades with the A's over the last couple of years (you probably didn't much notice the Anthony Recker for Blake Lalli deal, did you?) but this is the first major deal between the teams since Jim Hendry acquired Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin for Eric Patterson, Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton and Josh Donaldson on July 8, 2008.

That deal, in fact, might be instructive to understanding this one. At the time -- almost exactly six years ago -- the Cubs were "going for it" and had they won the World Series with Harden, that deal might still be looked at as "worth it." What's worth keeping in mind is that the two keys to the deal as seen at the time were Patterson and Gallagher, who were both thought of as hot prospects. Murton had been a starting outfielder for the Cubs in 2007, much as Straily was in the A's rotation last year. Donaldson was just a year past being drafted and was hitting .217/.276/.349 at Peoria in the Low-A Midwest League at the time of the trade, seen as perhaps a failed catching prospect.

Now he's one of the top hitters in the American League.

...................

The issue as I see it now is this: This year's Cubs team has been playing quite well for the last month or so, in part because of good pitching from Samardzija and Hammel. Removing them from the rotation makes it markedly worse. It's not as if the Cubs were going to contend this year -- they weren't -- but perhaps they could improve enough to break through the 90-loss barrier, which could be psychologically important for young players like Castro and Anthony Rizzo. I'm sure they'd like to feel the team is going in the right direction at the big-league level, not just in the system, and yes, I believe that does matter. If the big-league Cubs go on a long losing streak again, heading toward 100 losses again, how do you build from there to a winner?

Despite the trade, the Cubs did break through the 90 loss barrier, and that has made all the difference.

Check and mate, Al Yellon.

[SKO]

I really would not have imagined he'd have 13 homers as a rookie, frankly, and the fact that he could very well end with 15+ is pretty fucking spectacular. He's so much fun to watch.

[Slaky]

I really would not have imagined he'd have 13 homers as a rookie, frankly, and the fact that he could very well end with 15+ is pretty fucking spectacular. He's so much fun to watch.

it's all a bonus given his stellar defense.

Every time he does something amazing I see a tweet saying HES ONLY 21. And it's true. He's got so much growing to do and he's already THIS.


Thank you Jeff Smaramarkmjjizsaa you fuckface idiot.

[flannj]

I really would not have imagined he'd have 13 homers as a rookie, frankly, and the fact that he could very well end with 15+ is pretty fucking spectacular. He's so much fun to watch.

it's all a bonus given his stellar defense.

Every time he does something amazing I see a tweet saying HES ONLY 21. And it's true. He's got so much growing to do and he's already THIS.


Thank you Jeff Smaramarkmjjizsaa you fuckface idiot.

As much as watching Rizzo, Bryant and Schwarber is a blast, there is something about Russell that is just a sit back, enjoy and see what he does next experience.
I don't know if that makes any sense but I really am digging this kid.

[Slaky]

I really would not have imagined he'd have 13 homers as a rookie, frankly, and the fact that he could very well end with 15+ is pretty fucking spectacular. He's so much fun to watch.

it's all a bonus given his stellar defense.

Every time he does something amazing I see a tweet saying HES ONLY 21. And it's true. He's got so much growing to do and he's already THIS.


Thank you Jeff Smaramarkmjjizsaa you fuckface idiot.

As much as watching Rizzo, Bryant and Schwarber is a blast, there is something about Russell that is just a sit back, enjoy and see what he does next experience.
I don't know if that makes any sense but I really am digging this kid.

On how many teams would Addison Russell be the 4th or 5th best story?

I also think that the rise of Carlos Correa has overshadowed him a little bit, which is fine. Correa is legit.

[SKO]

I really would not have imagined he'd have 13 homers as a rookie, frankly, and the fact that he could very well end with 15+ is pretty fucking spectacular. He's so much fun to watch.

it's all a bonus given his stellar defense.

Every time he does something amazing I see a tweet saying HES ONLY 21. And it's true. He's got so much growing to do and he's already THIS.


Thank you Jeff Smaramarkmjjizsaa you fuckface idiot.

As much as watching Rizzo, Bryant and Schwarber is a blast, there is something about Russell that is just a sit back, enjoy and see what he does next experience.
I don't know if that makes any sense but I really am digging this kid.

Rizzo is just a quiet professional type that (outside of a few of his impressive defensive plays this year) isn't all of that exciting because he just does his job so consistently and so well you come to expect it.

Bryant and Schwarber are exciting but less so than Addison because in some ways they're already finished products. Yeah, they've had slumps, and who knows where either will end up defensively in the long run, but their approach at the plate has been obviously good from day one and you just know that even if they struggle eventually they'll figure it out and be great.

Addison is such a wildcard (and this goes for Javy, too, if not more so for him given how impossibly high and improbable his ceiling is) because he's young and he's so raw. He's already almost completely overhauled his swing mid-season, and he's flashed gold glove caliber defense at two different positions. He just may end up being the most valuable of them all when he gets where he is going.

[Brownie]

I really would not have imagined he'd have 13 homers as a rookie, frankly, and the fact that he could very well end with 15+ is pretty fucking spectacular. He's so much fun to watch.

it's all a bonus given his stellar defense.

Every time he does something amazing I see a tweet saying HES ONLY 21. And it's true. He's got so much growing to do and he's already THIS.


Thank you Jeff Smaramarkmjjizsaa you fuckface idiot.

As much as watching Rizzo, Bryant and Schwarber is a blast, there is something about Russell that is just a sit back, enjoy and see what he does next experience.
I don't know if that makes any sense but I really am digging this kid.

Just stop and look at what you did here. Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Russell are amazing players, fun to watch with seemingly no ceiling. Figure the potential of Baez and Soler that haven't quite been tapped, add the dominance of Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, and don't even talk about Rondon or Montero or Fowler, and you have eight stars on this team. When have you had eight stars like the Cubs do right now?

2015: Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Russell, Arrieta, Lester, Baez, Soler
2008: Lee, Ramirez, Zambrano, Soto, Harden, Soriano, Lilly, Dempster?
2003: Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Sosa, Alou, Ramirez
2004: Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Maddux, Sosa, Alou, Ramirez, Garciaparra?
1998: Sosa, Wood, Beck, Grace, Rodriguez?
1989: Maddux, Dawson, Sandberg, Sutcliffe, Grace, Walton, Smith, Dunston (That's eight, minus Palmeiro traded in the previous offseason)
1984: Sandberg, Sutcliffe, Durham, Davis, Smith
1978: Buckner, Kingman, Reuschel, Sutter
1967-1972: Banks, Santo, Williams, Jenkins, Holtzman, Beckert, Kessinger, Hundley, Hickman (That's nine, and doesn't count some overhyped youth)
1929: Hartnett, Hornsby, Hack Wilson, Cuyler, Stephenson, Root, Malone, Grimm, Guy Bush (That's nine as well, but Hartnett missed a lot of time due to injury)


This is the time period we've been waiting for, gentlemen.

[Tony]

I really would not have imagined he'd have 13 homers as a rookie, frankly, and the fact that he could very well end with 15+ is pretty fucking spectacular. He's so much fun to watch.

it's all a bonus given his stellar defense.

Every time he does something amazing I see a tweet saying HES ONLY 21. And it's true. He's got so much growing to do and he's already THIS.


Thank you Jeff Smaramarkmjjizsaa you fuckface idiot.

As much as watching Rizzo, Bryant and Schwarber is a blast, there is something about Russell that is just a sit back, enjoy and see what he does next experience.
I don't know if that makes any sense but I really am digging this kid.

Just stop and look at what you did here. Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Russell are amazing players, fun to watch with seemingly no ceiling. Figure the potential of Baez and Soler that haven't quite been tapped, add the dominance of Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, and don't even talk about Rondon or Montero or Fowler, and you have eight stars on this team. When have you had eight stars like the Cubs do right now?

2015: Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Russell, Arrieta, Lester, Baez, Soler
2008: Lee, Ramirez, Zambrano, Soto, Harden, Soriano, Lilly, Dempster?
2003: Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Sosa, Alou, Ramirez
2004: Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Maddux, Sosa, Alou, Ramirez, Garciaparra?
1998: Sosa, Wood, Beck, Grace, Rodriguez?
1989: Maddux, Dawson, Sandberg, Sutcliffe, Grace, Walton, Smith, Dunston (That's eight, minus Palmeiro traded in the previous offseason)
1984: Sandberg, Sutcliffe, Durham, Davis, Smith
1978: Buckner, Kingman, Reuschel, Sutter
1967-1972: Banks, Santo, Williams, Jenkins, Holtzman, Beckert, Kessinger, Hundley, Hickman (That's nine, and doesn't count some overhyped youth)
1929: Hartnett, Hornsby, Hack Wilson, Cuyler, Stephenson, Root, Malone, Grimm, Guy Bush (That's nine as well, but Hartnett missed a lot of time due to injury)


This is the time period we've been waiting for, gentlemen.

And it should get even better...
2016: Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Russell, Arrieta, Lester, Baez, Soler, Free Agent Pitcher

[Saul Goodman]

I really would not have imagined he'd have 13 homers as a rookie, frankly, and the fact that he could very well end with 15+ is pretty fucking spectacular. He's so much fun to watch.

it's all a bonus given his stellar defense.

Every time he does something amazing I see a tweet saying HES ONLY 21. And it's true. He's got so much growing to do and he's already THIS.


Thank you Jeff Smaramarkmjjizsaa you fuckface idiot.

As much as watching Rizzo, Bryant and Schwarber is a blast, there is something about Russell that is just a sit back, enjoy and see what he does next experience.
I don't know if that makes any sense but I really am digging this kid.

Just stop and look at what you did here. Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Russell are amazing players, fun to watch with seemingly no ceiling. Figure the potential of Baez and Soler that haven't quite been tapped, add the dominance of Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, and don't even talk about Rondon or Montero or Fowler, and you have eight stars on this team. When have you had eight stars like the Cubs do right now?

2015: Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Russell, Arrieta, Lester, Baez, Soler
2008: Lee, Ramirez, Zambrano, Soto, Harden, Soriano, Lilly, Dempster?
2003: Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Sosa, Alou, Ramirez
2004: Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Maddux, Sosa, Alou, Ramirez, Garciaparra?
1998: Sosa, Wood, Beck, Grace, Rodriguez?
1989: Maddux, Dawson, Sandberg, Sutcliffe, Grace, Walton, Smith, Dunston (That's eight, minus Palmeiro traded in the previous offseason)
1984: Sandberg, Sutcliffe, Durham, Davis, Smith
1978: Buckner, Kingman, Reuschel, Sutter
1967-1972: Banks, Santo, Williams, Jenkins, Holtzman, Beckert, Kessinger, Hundley, Hickman (That's nine, and doesn't count some overhyped youth)
1929: Hartnett, Hornsby, Hack Wilson, Cuyler, Stephenson, Root, Malone, Grimm, Guy Bush (That's nine as well, but Hartnett missed a lot of time due to injury)


This is the time period we've been waiting for, gentlemen.

And it should get even better...
2016: Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Russell, Arrieta, Lester, Baez, Soler, Free Agent Pitcher

My new hope for the 2015/16 Free Agent Class: Sign David Price and Mike Leake.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Fuck Rich Harden.

That is all.

[SKO]

Fuck Rich Harden.

That is all.

I'm going to regret this, but what's the problem with Rich Harden?

[Slaky]

Fuck Rich Harden.

That is all.

I'm going to regret this, but what's the problem with Rich Harden?

He cost Josh Donaldson.

[SKO]

Fuck Rich Harden.

That is all.

I'm going to regret this, but what's the problem with Rich Harden?

He cost Josh Donaldson.

With the way Hendry hemorrhaged prospects for shitty veterans, if Donaldson hadn't gone to Oakland for Harden he'd have been tossed for someone else. Or he'd have stayed at catcher and sucked because the A's are better at turning guys into good, patient hitters at the big league level than the Hendry Cubs were.

I'm mad Jimbo gave up Chris Archer for Garza because the Cubs were nowhere near being one pitcher away from contending in 2011 and Archer would have then been developed by Jepstink, but I really don't think you can blame him for throwing Donaldson (who wouldn't make a difference at the major league till 5 years after the trade anyway) onto a pile.

At some point Theo is going to trade Gleyber Torres or some shit for someone who will hopefully help the Cubs win a title and if said prospect ends up an MVP candidate seven years later I'm not going to be butthurt. Harden is hardly to blame for what happened to the 2008 Cubs in the playoffs, and it was a smart trade to get a dude who posted  1.77 ERA and a sub 1.00 WHIP in 12 starts as a Cub down the stretch (where the team went 9-3). It was a good win-now move.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Fuck Rich Harden.

That is all.

I'm going to regret this, but what's the problem with Rich Harden?

I don't even know, really.  I just somehow associate him with the bitter failure that was the end of the 2008 season.  While that eternally fuckfaced face-fucker Dempster set the wheel in motion and then that gutless fucking infield shit the tub behind Zambrano in the next game, there was something about Harden giving up 2 runs right off the bat in Game 3 when we were still clinging to the hope of an epic comeback--seeing as how that season's Cub's team was the winningest team of my lifetime we had yet to throw in the towel--that just disgusted me.

That and the fact he always seemed to be at 100 pitches in the 5th inning.

Mostly it's just RAGE by association though.  I don't claim to have a good reason for not being enamored by Harden.  That 2008 team broke me.  Sorry if I've disappointed.