Dodgers vs. Cubs: Who has the Edge?
By Hector Ponce
Shortstop: Addison Russell vs. Corey Seager
The starting shortstop in last season’s All-Star game was Addison Russell. This was the first of many All-Star games that the 23-year-old can eventually see. Russell came in and stole the spot from Starlin Castro back in August 2015. Since then he has not looked back, becoming a force in the middle of the Cubs’ lineup.
His struggles in the playoffs showed just how key he was to the Cubs. As soon as he got his groove back, the entire Cubs offense became deadly with his protection and production. He is off to a slow start so far this season, but he always seems to bounce back as he is known to be a streaky hitter.
The reigning Rookie of the Year Corey Seager is the best position player on the Dodgers. Similar to Russell, Seager came in and stole the spot from a veteran in Jimmy Rollins. Last season he proved why he was the top prospect in baseball. He is truly a special player.
Quite big for a shortstop but he’s nimble which allows him to be a plus defender. Now offensively is where he helps the most. Seager was deadly last season, batting .308 with 26 home runs on his way to a Top 3 finish for the MVP award. Seager showed power to all fields and the ability to hit anything the pitcher threw at him, which is why he was so productive.
Verdict
Shortstop is one of the most important positions on the field. Both teams have that spot filled for many years to come with these young and talented players. With all due respect to Addison Russell, this positional battle is not very close. Russell is a nice player but is nowhere near Corey Seager who will be an MVP candidate for many more years to come.
Both players are All-Stars, but Seager is just one tier above that. There is a reason why Seager got so much attention last season; it is because he is a special talent in this league.
Dodgers, Chicago leads 2-1