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Cubs infielder explains why he'd rather retire than leave the team
Tommy La Stella took his ball and went home. Literally.
The Cubs optioned the utility infielder to Triple-A Iowa in late July to make room for Chris Coghlan on their 25-man roster. However, La Stella still hasn’t reported to the minors and was placed on the inactive list Tuesday.
La Stella, 27, has reiterated that he wants to play for the Chicago Cubs and only the Chicago Cubs. He even mentioned retirement as an alternative during a conversation with ESPN:
"I'm not going to go play for someone else. That's not something I have any interest in doing. I'm here for a reason. This is where I want to be...I'm just waiting to hear back from the team and keeping up with all the workouts and training and hitting. …
"I'm ok to step away. It's something I've been preparing for, for a while. It's an accumulation of things. With injuries and stuff like that. It's a bunch of stuff that's personal to me."
In his defense, La Stella is hitting .295 with a .388 on-base percentage in 51 games (122 plate appearances) this season. But that just means he'll likely get recalled eventually, and he isn’t helping his case with this holdout.
So what do the Cubs think about all of this? They’re both supportive (they put him in contact with their sports psychologist) and a slightly confused.
“He's just at that point where he doesn't know what to do," manager Joe Maddon told the Cubs’ website. "I think it's unexpected. Tommy hears his own beat. He's a very interesting young man. He's also a very good baseball player."
GM Jed Hoyer also sympathized. From MLB.com:
"He's processing a lot of different things right now," Hoyer said. "We're trying to give him the time to do that. Obviously, we want him back, and we want him playing. He makes us a better team and a better organization. We're thinking of him, and allowing him the time to process what he needs to process to get back on the field."
For now, the stalemate continues – as does the Cubs’ hot play. Chicago has won eight consecutive games and opened a 12-game lead in the NL Central. No wonder La Stella doesn’t want to leave.
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