Willson Contreras, decked out in St. Louis Cardinals crimson, admitted to experiencing nerves Monday within the guests dugout at Wrigley Field.
Those emotions had nothing to do with the Cardinals’ determination to make him their full-time designated hitter for the foreseeable future in an effort to overtake the catcher’s behind-the-scenes work with the pitching workers.
Contreras wasn’t positive what sort of reception he would obtain from Chicago Cubs followers on a humid, cool evening at Wrigley Field in his first recreation again since signing a five-year, $87.5 million contract with the Cardinals within the offseason. Contreras, 30, hoped for the most effective, however the three-time All-Star acknowledged not all followers would possibly be capable to look previous his new allegiance regardless of serving to the Cubs win a World Series title in 2016.
“The welcome back is probably going to be 50-50: 50% is going to be happy and 50% is going to boo me, which is acceptable,” Contreras mentioned. “I’m not mad about the fan base in Chicago because I’m always going to be thankful for them. They always supported me from Day 1.”
As for whether or not he deliberate to embrace a villainous function within the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry now that he has switched sides, Contreras grinned.
“There’s a very good chance, for sure,” he replied.
Contreras didn’t wait lengthy for the primary on-field second in his heel flip. He tipped his helmet in acknowledgement to his former crew when he stepped to the plate for an prolonged second earlier than his first at-bat to guide off the second inning. Some boos blended in with the loud ovation for among the finest offensive catchers in Cubs historical past.
Two pitches into the at-bat, Contreras took a Marcus Stroman sinker again up the center for a single. He gestured to the gang on his option to first base, waving his arms above his head to egg on the gang for boos. Cubs followers obliged.
Contreras soaked it in and felt he acquired a lift from the gang’s vitality.
“I love it,” Contreras instructed reporters after the Cardinals’ 3-1 victory. “When you get booed, you’re doing something right. … That was fun and I’m going to keep doing it.”
The boos turned the soundtrack for the remainder of Contreras’ evening.
His leadoff single led to the sport’s first run. He superior to 3rd on a Brendan Donovan single and scored two batters in a while Dylan Carlson’s single.
Boos drowned out any Cubs followers’ help of Contreras when he was introduced for every of his at-bats the remainder of the evening. He supplied loads of alternatives to annoy followers.
In the sixth, Contreras smacked a go-ahead RBI double off the center-field wall. Boos rained down once more. Ever the showman, Contreras stood at second base and repeated his gesture to followers, smiling on the response.
“Yes, I play with an edge, sometimes too much, which is fine,” Contreras mentioned postgame. “I’m getting better about it and trying to control it. Sometimes I have to shut it off a little bit more so we can get back on track, but it’s something that is in my blood and won’t go away.”
He beat out a double-play ball in his remaining at-bat through the eighth, permitting the Cardinals to take a 3-1 lead that held up as the ultimate rating. Contreras completed 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
“Even though I’m wearing a different uniform … I’m really thankful for the fan base,” Contreras mentioned. “Having support from them means a lot to me. If there is something in the past that got in some people’s feelings, I really apologize. I would never say something against the Chicago Cubs or anything against the fan base.”
Contreras’ showmanship provides some much-needed juice to the rivalry.
“With the Cardinals, I’m going to try to do my best to win the ballgames, and that has to be part it, being a little bit of a villain — in a good way,” Contreras mentioned. “Respecting the other team, respecting the Chicago Cubs, wishing them nothing but the best and hopefully they keep going and they have a really good system. But part of my job is to do my best for my team now and help them to win.”
Before the sport, supervisor David Ross complimented Contreras’ ardour for profitable and the way he has been wired that approach since he first stepped foot on the sphere. After watching a fired-up Contreras interact the gang all 3 times he reached base Monday, Ross wasn’t desirous about reacting to the spectacle.
“Every team has a different celebration — that could be to his teammates,” Ross mentioned. “I don’t know who that’s for, so that’d be stupid to comment on.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com