Willson Contreras “wasn’t bothered at all” by trade speculation during the offseason, and if anything, the catcher was flattered by other teams’ interest. “The rumors didn’t bother me,” Contreras told The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and other reporters. “It’s the other way — those rumors make me proud because of where I come from, everything that I’ve done to be where I’m at….I went through it relaxed because if I got traded, I know that I’m ready to play anywhere and everywhere.”
Like fellow Cubs teammates Javier Baez and Kris Bryant have stated in recent days, Contreras would welcome any extension talks with the team, saying “obviously, I’m willing to listen to whatever they have.” Baez and Bryant are entering their final season before free agency while Contreras is under team control through 2022, so Chicago may not quite have as much urgency to explore a longer-term deal with the catcher just yet, though it would be surprising if the Cubs didn’t at least broach the subject with Contreras and his representatives this spring. Contreras said that he is “just not thinking about” contract talks for now, as “my main focus is on this year.”
More from the NL Central…
- Cardinals righty Miles Mikolas “will be pushed back just a little bit” from his first outing of the spring, manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Mikolas was scheduled to pitch during a simulated game on Monday, after throwing some live batting practice to teammates last week. “For now it’s caution,” Shildt said, and a team official told Goold that there is “very low” concern about Mikolas for the time being, yet any sort of setback has to considered notable considering that Mikolas missed the entire 2020 season. The right-hander ultimately decided to undergo surgery last August to fix a damaged right flexor tendon, after getting PRP injections both after the 2019 season and in February 2020, and then trying to work through the injury during both the shutdown and in Summer Camp. The Cards were already planning to bring Mikolas along rather slowly in order to build up his readiness for the start of the season, and it remains to be seen if this latest issue could delay his recovery plan.
- Injuries and a positive COVID-19 test prevented Luis Urias from getting any preseason time at shortstop last year, so the Brewers will give the youngster plenty of looks at the position during Spring Training. The larger question, as The Athletic’s Will Sammon examines, is whether or not this will result in Urias becoming the Brew Crew’s regular shortstop once the season actually begins. Milwaukee has built a lot of flexibility into the left side of its infield, as Urias, Orlando Arcia, and Daniel Robertson can all play either shortstop or third base, while Travis Shaw is also an option at the hot corner. Shaw can play first base as well, and Arcia also said that he is preparing to work out as a center fielder. Arcia made a single appearance in center field (the first of professional career) last season, playing four innings at the position on August 12 in a 12-2 loss to the Twins.
These spring training games being anywhere from 7 to 9 innings are strange.
Its refreshing to hear a great attitude from Contreras. Maybe this is the guy the Cubs should extend. And Bryant too.
Rizzo and Javy will get extended at the end of the day. Kb will prolly want more than what we offer but this huge the core is leaving crap overblown. 1 dude kb will be gone(still chance he extends too) willy will get his too but prolly next offseason spt
I’m really not sold on extending Baez, yeah I get his upside and he had a two year run as a top 5 short stop in the league but I’ve always been concerned about his longevity with his poor plate discipline. I think Baez being re-signed is going to weight heavily on how the short stop market plays out during the season.
Rizzo also to me is a question mark with his back. His back health was such a concern of Rizzo himself he cut weight between spring training and the start of the season but he still had the same issue…
I think ultimately, there is enough concern with Rizzo, Bryant, Baez and Conteras not to offer up superstar contracts. I just don’t want to give Bryant Rendon money, Contreras Realmuto money etc. All our guys have potential to be really good and have shown flashes but they are no consistent enough for me to bite that bullet (with the exception of Rizzo on the consistency front). I think Bryant has the most potential to rebound and be back to that high level, MVP caliber player next season but again, not ready to sign that check.
I would extend Contreras over any of them. I know catchers don’t age well but I think a 4 year contract would work but no more.
Baez it depends on how he does this year with the in game video being back.
Riz but only on a team friendly deal.
KB, trade him. He is very overrated at this point.
Your not sure on Baez??? Ya cuz gold glove shortstops r everywhere. Ya he’s a streaky hitter but his glove is second to none
Baez is a very good defender but Gold Glove defenders are in fact all over the place. Next year defensively it’s a toss up between Story, Baez, Lindor and Correa. Simmons is a fantastic short stop with the Glove. So is Swanson, as is DeYoung, Trea Turner, Ahmed all are amazing defensive short stops.
So yeah, I’m not sold on giving Baez a monster deal. If the money is the all the same or very similar, I’d probably go with Story or Correa over Javy.
If I had to choose one player to let walk, I’d say Javy. I like Javy, but he has too many cold streaks at the plate. And with Correa, Seager, Story and possibly Lindor on the market this offseason, I’d let him go. I’d extend Willy, Rizzo and KB, but I doubt any of them are going to get a deal done before the season starts.
I think the one guy, if I had to choose one, is Bryant. He has flexibility to play third, first and outfield and I believe his struggles were 100% between the ears last season. The trade rumors and the lack of spring training.
Baez, my concern is his plate discipline and aggressive/reckless play. I love Baez but I’m not paying a super star premium on him.
Rizzo is a rock and my biggest concern with him would be length of contract. At 31 this year, I’d only be willing to give him 4 more years and at the best a vesting 5th year.
Contreras, I like, I also like Amaya who’s made some pretty significant strides. I expect a breakout minor league year from him (and I think the Cubs feel the same way).
If it was me, without dealing with dollar amounts, I go:
Bryant
Rizzo
Contreras
Baez
As far as bringing them back but I don’t think I worry too much about extensions at this point. You hang QO on all three and see how it effects their market. I think if you put a QO on Rizzo, you could very much see a 4 year deal at > 80 million. Baez gets a QO and has to deal with a market that a deep short stop class and a high likelihood of Story not having a QO. KB may be the only guy you have to pay market value for.
Lets also not forget about our short stop prospects… many shortstops are “fast movers” in the minors and we have an abundance of talent at the position with Hernandez, Howard, Preciado, Santana, Made and Morel (and still technically Hoerner).
I don’t think Frankie will go to the Cubs. I think Cohen will lock him as soon as this season ends
SSS, but Urias wasn’t impressive defensively at short last year (or at the plate, for that matter). But he’s young, so you never know. I still expect Arcia to see the bulk of the work at short with Urias getting plenty of play platooning with Shaw (with Robertson also seeing some work there) and spelling Arcia. None of this is very exciting…pitching and defense will have to win games for the Brewers.
Of course, they DID hit four homers in six innings today…
Urias is a good defender. His bat needs to develop in order for him to become anything more than a late-inning defensive replacement.
100%
Yea but they made sure they retained Ozuna. That lineup woulda been starved of a right handed bat behind Freeman. I bet if they didnt retain him, their lineup would have been Albies, Freeman, Acuna top 3.
Mikolas should have just had TJ. Seems like these storylines are all the same and just delays the inevitable.
Until he throws a few starts, I’m gonna count on, not him.
Free agency has been inevitable for Kris Bryant from the moment he didn’t make the 2015 Cubs opening day roster. Unless the Cubs are willing to grossly over pay this probably Bryant’s last season in Wrigley
I think the grievance thing with the Cubs put the Kibosh on re-upping with the Cubs.
No, not the Kibosh!
Gee, does this mean that Kris won’t go into the HOF with a Cubs cap on?
He’s definitely not making the HOF unless he 1. improves his numbers 2. avoids injury 3, he gets MVP or WS again 4. He is an all-star for basically the rest of his career. Just go to Baseball Reference and you’ll see why this is all true.
His agent is probably his worst enemy. He cost Jake 50 million. The crap about not giving a home town discount bit him in the rear. KB better have a great season otherwise Boras will still try to sell him off without getting any offers of substance and end up taking a March deal for lower dollars than the Cubs were willing to pay earlier.
In 2020 Boras negotiated 2 contracts worth over $300mm, 3 more over $200mm, and 8 more over $100mm. He is the top agent (for $$) in the sport, and that is why the top players use him. And a ton of others.
He’s also their worst enemy when he overrates a player’s value- See Arietta.
Boris is a cancer for any team trying to have a complete team I’m not for the billionaire own ers but you can’t have 4-3 men teams everyone else have minimum salary.
With the uncertainty about Mikolas, the Cardinals should face the music and git ‘er done with Odorizzi. All of their other fallback plans are wishful thinking at this point.
Cubs should avoid travails of SF Giants team that signed all their home grown free agents (except MadBum who did his extension pre-arb). It’s taken 4 mostly awful years to dig out and it’ll probably be 2022 or 2023 (more likely) to finally see a significant step forward in terms of competition for wildcard spot. It’s difficult because of connection after winning championship(s) but usually the strings must be cut.
If this group was all in the early to mid 30’s, sure it would be time to cut ties with at least some of them, but Baez is 28, Bryant and Contreras are 29, and Rizzo will be 32 in August. I think it makes sense to offer Baez, Bryant and Rizzo contracts that will take them through their age 36 seasons. Contreras maybe through his age 34 or 35 age season. These are the best players the Cubs have had at these positions (ok Derrek Lee was really good at 1B but was a Cub for only 7 seasons) in a couple of generations.
IDK, the problem is their starting pitching is so terrible. Fangraphs projected their starting pitching would rank #28 in all of baseball next year for projected WAR. That might not be accurate, but if you lock up all these position guys to long-term deals, it reduces your payroll flexibility. Is Bryant worth $25 million / per? Probably not. He hasn’t been the player he was in 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2019 he actually was healthy and the offense returned, only to have his defense drag down his overall value. Bryant is not a Seager, Betts, Yelich, Bellinger, Trout, Lindor, or Rendon-type player anymore.
I’d say, hope Bryant recovers some value, trade him at the deadline, lock up Baez, Rizzo, Contreras (he can play DH as well when the universal DH is established), and Happ (if he shows his 2020 was not a fluke).
The Cubs should have plenty of offense without Bryant if they build-up their supplementary talent around the core – Brennan Davis, Nico Hoerner, etc. – and their offensive players play to their potential. The big problem is pitching, as they do not match up well with the Dodgers, Padres, Mets, Nationals, Cardinals, even the Reds, etc. when it comes to starting pitching.
Part of the reason why they were good in 2016-2018 is their position player core was cheap and they were able to sign Lester, Lackey, Zobrist, Fowler, and have an expensive bullpen. And they really hit on trades for Hendricks and Arrieta. Now that core is going to be expensive, so the Cub’s FO has to be really smart with who they decide to extend. Again, their pitching talent in the organization has potential, but they are way behind the other powerhouse teams in the National League.
All of these Cub players are 28 or less. 5 year deals are not bad for this group. You just don’t want guys at age 36+ making $30 million. I’m not saying they would be able to do shorter deals, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing to resign good players
Boris look what Zimmerman did to VM The Tigers and Arretta did for Washington let’s be real with the year of no fans no team going to deal with players that got BORIS name behind them.
I know I’ve heard some complaints about Contreras (that I can’t verify) but I have to say, I love his attitude about the possibility of being traded.
cardinals had minor concern last year, look what happened