Cubs' Castro on improving defense: 'I don't want to be no joke anymore'

Maybe Starlin Castro heard the footsteps. 

While the Chicago Cubs All-Star shortstop isn't likely to relinquish his job to top prospect Addison Russell, Castro made it known Monday - just hours before Russell was called up from the minors - that he believes he has the tools to be solid defensively at the position. 

"I have good talent to be a good shortstop," Castro told Patrick Mooney of CSN. "I don't want to be no joke anymore."

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

With the exception of a down year in 2013, Castro has been one of the Cubs' best offensive players in three of the past four seasons. Being a strong player at the plate isn't enough for the 25-year-old, however, and Castro is taking strides to improve his play in the defensive aspects of the game. 

"(Be) aggressive on every ball," Castro said. "Sometimes, the errors that I've made (in the past have come) because I don't have the confidence and stay back with the ball. Now, I'll be aggressive and challenge the ball."

Manager Joe Maddon and his coaching staff have incorporated defensive work into Castro's pregame activities, according to Mooney, and his teammates are already noticing a difference in his play. 

"I saw something out of him tonight that I hadn't seen in awhile," pitcher Jake Arrieta said Monday. "He seemed to have more of an aggressive nature about him tonight. He was fluid. Just tremendous at short."