Chicago Cubs President Jed Hoyer assuredly stated all the proper issues about catcher Willson Contreras after his settlement with the St. Louis Cardinals was revealed.
The Cubs will miss him.
Oh, he was such a terrific individual.
All the luck on the planet, Willson.
It was the whole lot you’d anticipate Cubs administration to say after dropping one of many staff’s finest gamers to its greatest rival.
But what we didn’t hear was why.
Why did the Cubs not need to maintain Contreras?
After all this time, we nonetheless don’t know the true purpose.
Just as a result of he was a free agent didn’t imply the Cubs couldn’t negotiate a deal, because the New York Yankees did with Aaron Judge by signing him to a nine-year, $360 million contract to remain in pinstripes for probably the remainder of his profession.
Contreras is not any Aaron Judge, in fact — and even an “Arson Judge” for that matter.
But he was the most effective catcher on the free-agent market, as evidenced by the five-year, $87.5 million deal he obtained from the Cardinals to exchange the retired Yadier Molina.
Yes, that’s some huge cash, however it’s definitely reasonably priced for a staff just like the Cubs, who most likely may have gotten him for much less if they’d made a half-hearted effort to retain Contreras.
Everyone agreed Contreras was a terrific participant and a particular individual.
Cubs followers adored him a lot, they gave him a three-month goodbye at Wrigley Field. He was all the time accommodating to the media, answering query after query about his future when he didn’t have any actual solutions. Manager David Ross professed his love for Contreras and is aware of within the backside of his coronary heart they’re not a greater staff with out the veteran catcher within the lineup.
Yet there was by no means any trace during the last couple of years that the Cubs have been in any respect desirous about re-signing him. A five-year deal isn’t so large that it will tie up the payroll by the top of the contract. He was all the time in fine condition, performed via nagging accidents as a rule and had the type of ardour few gamers on the Cubs ever present. His hatred for the rival Milwaukee Brewers was so apparent, it was no marvel their pitchers handled him like a human pin cushion.
If the Cubs had a younger catcher within the system able to take his place, possibly they’d’ve had good purpose to let him go along with solely a compensatory draft alternative in return. If they’d a backup who was adequate to take Contreras’ taking part in time with out a lot of a drop-off offensively, a few of us would understanding the reasoning.
But they don’t have an acceptable alternative and apparently will go along with Yan Gomes as their major catcher, with a backup to be signed later. If that’s an indication of a staff going for it, we’re all in bother.
So what are we lacking right here? Why couldn’t the Cubs maintain one among their hottest gamers in years, one who’s nonetheless in his prime at age 30?
Hoyer went into the winter conferences with cash to spend, and he appears to be residing as much as his promise of doing simply that.
Maybe Jameson Taillon is price $68 million over 4 years to be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter, and maybe Cody Bellinger is price taking a flier with a one-year, $17.5 million contract. And even when the Cubs wind up spending large on a shortstop, there was a approach they might’ve match Contreras into the finances.
If Hoyer gave Contreras the mixed cash he spent on Taillon and Bellinger, the Cubs could be in higher form and followers would’ve carried him off on their shoulders.
Now they’re about to seek out out if Contreras might be their worst nightmare come true, main the Cardinals to the playoffs and changing into a Cub killer like the person he’ll substitute. The sight of Contreras placing on a Cardinals jersey might be a tragic factor to see for Cubs followers, and watching him play at Wrigley Field the subsequent 5 years might be gut-wrenching for a lot of.
It is probably not Brock-for-Broglio, the notorious deal that despatched Hall of Famer Lou Brock to the Cardinals for sore-armed pitcher Ernie Broglio that’s sometimes called the worst commerce in baseball historical past. But there was no Twitter again within the Nineteen Sixties when Brock’s success was rubbed within the faces of Cubs followers. If Contreras continues to be an All-Star-caliber participant in St. Louis, it will likely be unattainable to disregard the taunts from Cardinals Nation.
So prepare for the “Welcome Back, Willson” video tribute throughout his return to Wrigley in May and extra compliments from Cubs brass about all the good issues Contreras did in Chicago.
But all of the phrases will ring hole,
It didn’t should prove like this, and Hoyer is aware of it.
And if he doesn’t notice it now, Contreras is bound to remind him each time he steps to the plate via 2027.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com