Russell doesn't have a dollar-figure for his contract yet, right? Arb deals aren't wrapped up yet, are they?
Contracts for arb-guys are non-guaranteed, correct, unless there is special provision? So the Cubs still presumably have the contractual right to cut Russell prior to mid-March, and be obligated to only 30-days-worth of his contract. So, in a sense they kind of have an ~$0.5K opt-out available, right?
http://m.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/non-guaranteed-contract"Players on arbitration contracts who are cut on or before the 16th day of Spring Training are owed 30 days' termination pay (based on the prorated version of his agreed-upon arbitration salary). A player cut between the 16th day and the end of Spring Training is owed 45 days' termination pay (based on the prorated version of his agreed-upon arbitration salary). The arbitration salary becomes guaranteed if the player is on the 25-man roster when the season begins."
When Theo announced they were bringing him back, there were contingencies in his wording. They were going to help him become a better man, counseling, personal development, etc.. It may be that paying child support is unconnected to anger-management counseling. But I would assume that child support would be an externally measurable increment of developing responsibility.
I'd have to think that if Russell refuses to do even so trivial and easy a thing, that it's going to be kind of tough for Theo to conclude that Russell has a heart in the right place, and that he's making appropriate progress in his personal development.
Russell must have a terrible agent if the agent can't even get direct-deposit set up for Russell's child-support payment. Almost too bizarre to be true.