Jan. 06--Starlin Castro reflected on what he'll miss about the Cubs and Chicago, called Alfonso Soriano one of his greatest influences and thanked fans for their support during his formative years as a professional baseball player in a letter to fans posted to The Players' Tribune.
".. A lot of my favorite memories involve being a dad: from tossing a ball around in Lake Shore Park with Starlin Jr., to going fishing on Lake Michigan, to having a family dinner at Tropical Taste (get the ox tail with rice and beans)," Castro wrote.
The Cubs traded the former All-Star shortstop to the New York Yankees for pitcher Adam Warren and Brendan Ryan after an up-and-down five-year run that included a benching and a late resurgence that followed a move to second base. Castro touched on the demotion in his online letter.
"Getting replaced at shortstop was a struggle for me at first. ... I tried to treat it like a new beginning. And it paid off: After losing the shortstop job in August, I hit .426 in September at second base. Out of all of my accomplishments as a Cub, that is the one I hope people talk about when they look back on my career: That in a situation where some players would have checked out, I kept my head up and work even harder. I didn't just say, 'I want to help the team win.' I actually helped the team win."
Castro also credited Soriano with taking him under his wing.
"We had a connection from the start because we are both Dominican -- but even beyond our roots, Alfonso is the guy who taught me how to act like a professional," Castro wrote. "I remember during my rookie year, Alfonso taking the time to go with me, walk around to some stores, and help me pick out some new, more professional clothes. 'This,' Alfonso said with a smile. 'Is how you dress like a big-leaguer.' It meant a lot to me. Three years later, Alfonso became the godfather to my son."
Read more of Castro's letter at The Players' Tribune.
