Starlin gives Cubs jolt with 6-RBI debut

Barely 20 years old, Starlin Castro made his MLB debut to give the Cubs a much-needed jolt.

Consider the Cubbies fully zapped with defibrillators.

Castro, on his first major league swing, mashed a 3-run home run, then added a 3-run triple on his way to a 6-RBI debut.

Quick, go pick him up. Oh wait. He's not on Yahoo's waiver wire yet.

Yahoo (in the voice of Seinfeld's "Newman).

He will be soon, and if you're struggling at short, he's worth a flier. But be cautious. Moderate power and speed contributions are about all you can expect from Castro, who is a 5-tool guy, who is being rushed to the parent club because of a combination of offensive struggles and lack of energy/excitement.

Putting Big Z in the bullpen gave the team a charge but lasted only about a half hour. The Castro movement will hopefully last a lot longer. Take a look at the pedigree:

In 3 levels of minors, Castro hit .302 with a .349 on-base-percentage. Then in the fall league he hit a cool .376 over 101 at-bats. That's against some of the best young pitching prospects.

Castro did swipe 22 bags in 358 at-bats at Class A Daytona and hit six extra-base hits in 35 spring training at-bats this spring before posting 8 doubles, 5 triples and a HR (and 20 RBI) in 109 AA at-bats at West Tenn.

And, did I mention he was hitting a cool .376 before Friday's call?

He's been compared to a lighter-hitting ARod. And who gave Alex Rodriguez his call, as a 19-year-old with Seattle.

Sweet Lou Piniella.

Maybe he's onto something.