Shane Victorino Released by Cubs: Latest Comments and Reaction

Shane Victorino's brief stint with the Chicago Cubs has come to an end, at least for now, after one month.

Per Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com, Victorino was one of three players released by the Cubs on Tuesday, though he also noted the team is trying to re-sign the 35-year-old.  

Victorino signed a minor league deal with the Cubs on February 26, telling MLB.com's Carrie Muskat he was hoping to be part of bringing a championship to the long-suffering franchise:

I'm just ready for an opportunity and hope to be part of something special. I've been blessed in my career to be part of a couple special championships in special cities. I tell myself, being a fan of the game, when there's a 100-plus-year drought in championships, you always want to be the first. That's the goal.

Unfortunately for Victorino, being an outfielder for the Cubs is not an easy way to make the big leagues. Even by releasing the Flyin' Hawaiian, they still have Jorge Soler, Jason Heyward, Dexter Fowler and Kyle Schwarber fighting over three spots. 

The Cubs also have the ability to use Ben Zobrist and Javier Baez in the outfield mix this season. There were also financial implications behind the team's decision regarding Victorino, as Muskat noted he was due to make a $100,000 roster bonus. 

Victorino still has the option to re-sign with the Cubs, though his agent, John Boggs, told Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports upon learning Victorino wouldn't make the 25-man roster they were exploring various options: "We're in the beginning stages of trying to recreate a scenario to focus on getting Shane healthy."

Therein lies another dilemma for Victorino. He remained on the market for so long this winter because of his inability to stay healthy. The 12-year veteran has played a combined 101 games the last two seasons and hasn't hit the 140-game mark since 2012. 

Injuries and age have combined to hinder Victorino's performance at the plate, as his .601 OPS last season was a career-low (min. 50 games). 

Victorino's career is in its final stages. He deserves credit for fighting his way back, but it's going to be a long uphill climb to get more than a minor league deal right now because of injuries and declining performance.

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