Cubs Suspend Ian Stewart Without Pay After Twitter Rant - East Idaho News
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Cubs Suspend Ian Stewart Without Pay After Twitter Rant

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12 17 12%20Stewart%20A?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1371045776167Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images(CHICAGO) — The Chicago Cubs have had enough with third baseman Ian Stewart’s attitude. The team has suspended Stewart without pay for violating the team’s loyalty clause after a recent Twitter rant.

Stewart spent six seasons in the Major Leagues going back to 2007, but has spent this season in Triple-A Iowa. Stewart has underperformed in the minors, hitting just .168 with 45 strikeouts in 113 at-bats.

Despite his lack of production, Stewart feels he should be with the Cubs.

“Probably never,” Stewart tweeted when asked when he’d get called up. “The Cubs are done with me,” Stewart continued. “There [sic] going to let me rott [sic] in AAA all season and then non tender me after. … I think (manager Dale Sveum) doesn’t like me and he’s running the show.”

That was just one example of Stewart’s rants against the team. Despite his frustration, the team is not giving into Stewart because of the production the team is already getting out of the third base position from the likes of Luis Valbuena and Cody Ransom.

“If that were to change and Ian would excel at the Triple-A level, we would consider calling him back up here,” Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. “In the meantime, we are very happy with our production at third and Ian is working on trying to figure out Triple-A pitching.”

Stewart appeared in 55 games for the Cubs last season and batted .201 with five home runs.

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