CHICAGO _ Cubs shortstop Addison Russell said Friday he understood why fans booed him upon his return from a 40-game suspension for violating MLB's domestic violence policy.
"Basically everyone is entitled to doing whatever they want to do, thinking whatever they want to think, saying whatever they want to say," he said. "The reaction to me I feel like I have to respect that. My actions are what they are, and I have to be responsible for them."
Russell told the Chicago Sun-Times Thursday that if Cubs fans "want to boo someone that's trying to help bring the team a World Series again, then that's on them." He insisted the comment wasn't meant to be critical of fans who chose to boo him.
"No, I have nothing but respect for the fans," he said. "It's a goal to get the respect of Cubs fans back, so having said that it's just out of respect for them. I have nothing but respect for them.
"I just wish that it could be on different terms, you know? I'm just continuing to get better and know (the reaction is) not always going to be good."
Manager Joe Maddon said he's there to help Russell and provide support.
"I understand what he said and I know he kind of walked it back today," Maddon said. "What I do every day is I talk to him in the dugout, try to get the temperature, see where he's at. I hug him and I encourage him to go out and tried to do the right thing, try to make right choices."
Russell said the media attention "shouldn't be on me, it should be on what's positive going on in this clubhouse, and that's winning ballgames." He spoke to the media before his return on Wednesday but was unavailable afterwards to talk about the booing.
Does Russell get why some are booing him?
"I totally understand," he said. "It's a serious issue, and what can I do? Get better day by day. That's all I can do, and be the example of a person who is trying to make things right."
Russell said he doesn't "listen or read a lot into what's going on off the field about these issues," but added he also has received positive responses from fans. He knows the spotlight is not going away any time soon, and said he's been able to "block out" the negativity when he's on the field.
"It's out of my control," he said. "I can handle it one of two ways _ being positive or it could be negative. I'd like to switch it to a positive."
Russell said he continues to talk to his therapist "multiple times" every week.
"There's going to be a lot more adversity moving forward for sure," he said. "Just tackle it one day at a time."
