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Imrem: Chicago Cubs' Russell spits out some wisdom

This seems like a good time for a sane Chicago baseball conversation that refreshingly involves at least one adult.

No, certainly not me.

Cubs shortstop Addison Russell.

In one sentence this guy made more sense than everybody in the White Sox organization made in a week about Adam and Drake LaRoche.

If the Sox were smart - a dubious proposition, of course - they would trade Chris Sale for Russell straight up, and maybe even throw in LaRoche's $13 million.

Seriously, amid all the noise coming out of Sox camp last week, it was difficult to hear Russell's voice of reason in Cubs camp.

Russell endorsed Chicago's ban of smokeless tobacco at sports venues, including Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular Field.

Other players, Cubs and Sox alike, grudgingly said they'll obey the law. Russell embraced it as a health helper.

For the record, Russell is something to behold for the Cubs. Put all their young phenoms in the baseball version of a police lineup and Russell is the guy you would point at and say, "That one, officer, that's the ballplayer."

Kris Bryant? Tall enough to be mistaken for a basketball player. Kyle Schwarber? Looks like a linebacker. Russell? That's a baseball player.

Still, something about Russell last season made you wonder about his sensibilities, just as it does about countless other major-leaguers.

Russell had a big wad of something under his cheek.

The hope was that he really liked Big League Chew bubble gum, or beef jerky or cotton balls or tree bark.

Please, anything but smokeless tobacco.

As it turned out, Russell was just another baseball player who chewed or dipped.

This isn't just an epidemic among major-leaguers. It starts at high school age, maybe even youth-league age … heck, what about T-ballers?

Anyway, there these talented major-leaguers are, intelligent enough to grasp baseball's nuances …

Yet not smart enough to reject smokeless tobacco.

There they are on the baseball field, with 10s of thousands of fans in the stands and hundreds of thousands more watching on TV …

Yet undisciplined enough to become addicted to smokeless tobacco.

There they are on the way to being fabulously wealthy, in control of their lives and their families financial futures …

Yet risking their long-term health by dipping or chewing.

Players other than Russell - some who use and some who don't - spoke out against the law passed in Chicago and a few other cities.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon, a recovering smokeless tobacco guy, expressed opposition to the ban because he believes it legislates against a personal freedom.

Addison Russell, as coachable as could be, still differed with his manager on the issue.

Maybe Russell heard about Tony Gwynn, the late Hall of Famer who correctly or not attributed his salivary cancer to chewing tobacco.

This whole thing is like cigarettes: Feel sorry for smokers who try to quit, but pity those who refuse to try.

Russell says he's eager to try and appreciates that Chicago passed a law that should help him.

If this reduces smokeless tobacco use in baseball - from the big leagues on down - a big hurrah for that.

A big hurrah also to Addison Russell for recognizing the benefits of the new law.

Thank goodness somebody in Chicago baseball finally said something sensible.

mimrem@dailyherald.com

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