According to multiple sources, the Cubs are set to call up their top prospect Willson Contreras tomorrow. Yes, the catching prospect has easily become their top prospect and is probably among the top 10 in baseball at this point. Catchers who can hit and field are rare and that’s what Contreras is. The Cubs will designate Tim Federowicz for assignment to make room. I’m hoping that Contreras gets regular playing time, but I’m guessing it’s pretty sporadic at the start.
Contreras will be #Cubs 3rd catcher. The move is to help him adjust to big league environment, work with Ross, Montero
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) June 16, 2016
The Cubs could also use the offensive help that Contreras could provide. Miguel Montero and David Ross have been OK offensively, but Contreras should be quite a bit better.
Comments
The Brewers might ask for Clayton Richard and that’s a deal breaker.
dmick89Quote Reply
Willson with two ll’s? Is it pronounced Wee-sohn? Wee-yuh-sohn? Will-suhn? This is Angel Pagan all over again.
umbraQuote Reply
Not as good as Les Walrus.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Willson shine his countenance upon ye Cubs. So it is written, so let it be done.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I’m ready for the Contreras call-up. I even added the variant spelling of “Willson” to my spellcheck dictionary.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
My boy asked if this new catcher would see some playing time and I responded “where there’s a Will, son, there’s a way.”
mylesQuote Reply
Some of those bullpen guys are going to need personal catchers imo
berseliusQuote Reply
myles,
BANNED
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I hope that the Pirates-Mets go 20 innings and the Pirates don’t arrive in Chicago until a half-hour before game time.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Always trust people who like big butts. They cannot lie.
SKQuote Reply
Have the game go 200 innings, forcing the Pirates to forfeit tomorrow’s game, and Wrigley patrons are invited onto the field to sit around the pitcher’s mound where Joe Maddon reads aloud to them from “My Friend Flicka”
Wenningtons Gorilla CockQuote Reply
Eh, I think forfeits are kinda lame. I want the satisfaction of having beaten a live team, albeit a weary and jet-lagged one. Plus, I want Arrieta to get a perfect game against the bleary-eyed Pirates hitters.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Why wasn’t mets pirates a day game? Isn’t that the norm on getaway day (especially with day game the next day)?
SKQuote Reply
If Wilson contreras doesn’t use Wilson Phillips as his walkup music, I will consider this callup to be a major disappointment.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Anyone hear anything about putting contreras in LF? He can’t be much worse than soler was when he first got called up.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
No. He was drafted as a third baseman, so I’m sure he could play left decently if he got the reps, but unlike with Schwarber, they have dilly-dallied giving him the call to the bigs for a reason—they want him behind the plate. I am holding out hope that Schwarber will be able to be the backup catcher come 2018, but I fully expect Contreras to be the main guy donning the armor by then—even sooner if Montero’s decline continues.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
If Contreras plays as the Cubs hope, I’d like to think that he’d be the primary starter by the end of the season.
dmick89Quote Reply
Players making their MLB debut for the Cubs since 2014 that are still on the active roster (or would be if not injured): Hendricks, Baez, Szczur, Soler, Bryant, Russell, Schwarber, Almora, Contreras.
I like this team.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
I disagree. If he slashes .300/.400/.600, but can’t navigate the English language as well as Lin-Manuel Miranda, he will only be fit for backup duty.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I agree, but I don’t believe the language barrier thing. If it’s that bad, just leave him Iowa. I don’t see the Cubs wasting nearly 2 years of service time before making him the primary starter.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Apparently my humor can be a bit dry.
For real though, I won’t pencil him in because shit happens. But yeah, I expect he will be the main backstop by 2018 when Montero’s contract is up. Given Miguel’s issues and Willson’s project, I can see Contreras going steady with 3 pitchers in the rotation at the beginning of next year, but this year, a 40%/40%/20% split of the starts seems like it would be the best case for Willson, though I can imagine him getting more innings than Miggy by getting subbed in in the blowouts after pinch-hitting.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I think Montero gets traded this offseason. There was speculation it would happen this past offseason, but they still needed him to bridge the gap until Contreras was ready. Who knows what they ultimately do, but my money is on him starting 3 of the 5 by the end of this season.
dmick89Quote Reply
Ya. Unless Contreras falls flat on his face (sub-.650 OPS), he’ll be the full time catcher starting next season.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Off topic: The Oakland Athletic’s are 2nd to last in drawing walks this season. That just seems strange to me.
MillertimeQuote Reply
http://obstructedview.net/series-preview-pittsburgh-pirates-33-32-chicago-cubs-44-20/
New Shit
mylesQuote Reply