Caught up in some risky business
WASHINGTON — Willson Contreras didn’t want to see veteran catcher, friend and mentor Miguel Montero get cut for publicly criticizing teammate Jake Arrieta on Tuesday night.
“It’s tough because we were teammates, we played together and he helped me in a couple areas that were key last year,” Contreras said. “But things happen that you can’t control.”
The Cubs are now left with a raw catching corps that includes a hit- first backup in Victor Caratini — who made his major- league debut Wednesday — and Contreras, who’s in his first full season in the majors.
“It’s going to put more on our plate,” veteran pitcher John Lackey said. “There’s a learning curve coming into the league, I don’t care who you are.”
Manager Joe Maddon dismissed Lackey’s concerns about the suddenly extreme youth of his catchers.
“I’m fine with this, actually,” said Maddon, citing the prep work under catching/ strategy coach Mike Borzello and the veteran pitching staff.
“In a moment like this, you’re relying more on the veteran- ship and the knowhow of your starting pitchers more than the catchers,” Maddon said.
General manager Jed Hoyer said the Cubs will look for veteran catching depth in the next few weeks.
“Whether that means a veteran that we bring to the big leagues or a veteran that we put at Triple- A, I think we’re always looking to improve our depth at catcher,” he said.
But the club doesn’t consider it a necessarily pressing need. And Hoyer said he has confidence in Caratini. “I think he’s ready,” he said. It was clear not everyone in the clubhouse embraced the move.
“At the end of the day, management needs to make decisions, and they made the decision and you say your goodbyes and kind of move on,” veteran pitcher Jon Lester said.
“The unfortunate part of the game is you don’t know when your last game might be. A few people get to pick that day. There’s a lot that don’t. Hopefully he finds a team and continues playing.”
Contreras said he understands that and is willing to take on more responsibility.
“I think we’re going to be good,” he said. “We all start from the bottom. We start growing up day- by- day.
“Sometimes you grow up a little faster than others.”
NOTES: Shortstop Addison Russell fared well in his return to the lineup for the first time since leaving in the fourth inning Sunday in Miami because of soreness in his throwing shoulder.
Top prospect Eloy Jimenez earned a spot in the Futures All- Star Game for the second consecutive year, despite missing the first six weeks of the season because of a shoulder injury suffered in big- league spring training.
After a long process to secure loans of World Series artifacts from the Cubs, the Hall of Fame announced the opening Saturday of its display of the Cubs’ historic championship.
Among the items: the bat used by Series MVP Ben Zobrist to drive in the goahead run in the 10th inning of Game 7 and the mitt used by catcher David Ross.
Follow me on Twitter @ GDubCub.