Oct. 06--During his 3 1/2 months as the Cubs' starting second baseman, Addison Russell never forgot the mental gymnastics he performed at shortstop.
And that preparation came in handy when he returned to his original position.
After moving to shortstop to replace three-time All-Star Starlin Castro, Russell, 21, performed with the quiet confidence of a battle-tested veteran.
His dependability -- he committed only two errors in 52 games after taking over at short -- is one of many reasons the Cubs aren't concerned about their youth and inexperience when they face the Pirates in the National League wild-card game Wednesday night at PNC Park.
"That's what I take my early work for," Russell said. "That's why I've worked hard up to this point. Just cutting down those mistakes, the consistency of getting to those routine ground balls, and not just making the play."
The usually calm Russell was momentarily upset when he charged and bobbled a grounder Thursday in Cincinnati that ended his errorless streak at 43 games.
"You're going to get those weird hops now and then," Russell said. "There's really not much you can do about it but shake it off and get the next one. That's what I do. I read the ground ball, I count the hops and I try to envision what this player is trying to do with this ball in this situation.
"I run all those things in my head before the ball is even pitched. And then when I look at the catcher's signs, I'm still trying to see that (the batter) may hit it here or there. I'm trying to anticipate. It's part of my game I've worked hard for, and it has helped me have that long period of errorless baseball."
Russell, who made his major-league debut April 21 at PNC Park, is a student of the infields.
"(PNC's infield) may be different than the last time," Russell said. "You've got to take all those things into consideration, and I test the dirt to see how it plays. That's being game-cautious and being aware."
Although Russell doesn't possess the same arm strength as Javier Baez or Castro, he frequently puts himself in position to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible with proper footwork.
"I'm not going to be as flashy, but I'll get the job done," Russell said.
mgonzales@tribpub.com
