Bleacher Bums Forum

So what if Russell has to be perfect with his pitches

Not everyone has to throw 95 mph to be effective in the league. 

I'm thinking more along the lines of minor league free agents or middle of the road free agents who can help a team out.  If I'm a minor league free agent and I see the Cubs are going to cut a guy like Russell who's done a good job just so they can get a shinier castoff from another team who has been inferior to him in every other way this season other than that he throws a couple of mph harder, is that a team I really want to join if I have some other opportunities available?

Throwing 95 gives you a margin of error.  Miss with a 95 mph it might get fouled off.  Miss with a 88 mph fastball and it is likely going a long way. Russell has been very anti-HR this year, chances are that won't last.

Minor league free agents will also likely go to where the most money is, they just cost a lot less money. If they think they have a chance to get to majors because of a weakness in the org they will also sign. I don't think cutting Russell will affect them either.

The team chemistry is something I didn't really consider so maybe you have a point.  I think a lot of the guys want to win so if they think it will improve the team, I don't think it will matter. A lot of people want Castro gone or benched for Baez, myself included. That might affect the team more than Russell.

I'd also put somebody like Hendricks in a different category than Russell. His change up mad command are difference makers. So while he may get lit up in some games, he isn't some body I'd want to replace yet.  See it isn't always about the fastball.