Let the Kid Play

Pop quiz: Which Cubs player is currently batting .435 in spring training, and is second on the team in runs scored and total bases?

Keep spinning those wheels because it's not any of the familiar names you're used to. No, it's not someone the Cubs acquired in the offseason, and no it's not Mark DeRosa so let's just get over that right now.

The man is Starlin Castro and if you haven't heard of him yet it's time to climb out from under your rock. The 19 year old phenom split time at Daytona and Tennessee in 2009 and played in the Arizona Fall League in 2008 and that's it. It seems everyone from the media to the players themselves have an opinion on whether or not Castro should break camp with the big club or if he should start the season with Ryne Sandberg in AAA. I don't really know where I stand on the issue, but it's hard not to salivate at the potential of what this kid can do; wreck havoc at the top of the lineup all while playing a stellar shortstop.

"But we already have Ryan Theriot at shortstop," one might say...
Simply put, it's time for Theriot to evolve and slide over to his left a little bit. I see second base in his future.

"He's only 19. He's just too young to be in the majors," argues the naysayer..
I think Aramis Ramirez put it best to the Tribune last week when he said, "if you're ready, you're ready."

For example, look at the Texas Rangers and what they did with rookie Elvis Andrus last year. He was 20 years old and was the Rangers' opening day shortstop. Texas has so much faith in Andrus that they made Michael Young, a perennial .300 hitter, move to third base to make room for him. Andrus batted .267, swiped 33 bases, and finished 2nd in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. I don't really follow the Rangers but I'm sure plenty of people argued the Andrus was too young to play everyday, I'd say he did a pretty good job of proving them wrong.

I suppose the safe way for the Cubs to play this is to start Castro at AAA and bring him up once he's had a few more at-bats at a higher level. I honestly don't think the Cubs can afford to keep him down very long and I'd be surprised if he's not a mainstay by mid-May. Theriot will move to second and the end will soon be near for either Jeff Baker or Mike Fontenot. The future is here and his name is Starlin Castro. Sit back and watch because he's (hopefully) going to do all the things we're paying Alfonso Soriano to do in the first place.