Bleacher Bums Forum

If Contreras ends up signing with Cardinals—a club with a long history of catching adept with working with pitchers—will kind of blow up theory that catching offense on way out in relation to handling pitchers.

Of course, if you’re lucky enough to have a catcher who can hit, clubs generally like that too. Top four clubs for catching offense-using wRC+ are current playoff teams: Braves, Phils, Jays, Dodgers. (Cubs are #5).

And, majority of catching offense bottom feeders (pirates, Reds, Angels, DBacks, Rockies), are also-rans.

Also, keep in mind that while Astros passed on Contreras at trade deadline, they did upgrade catching offense by acquiring Vazquez from Boston.

So, this subject is a developing question that needs a lot more evidence before any conclusions can be reached.

And, Contreras/Cubs story has yet to be told. Think maybe where we’re at now is that it will take a tepid market to see a realistic chance for him to be back multi-year.

Of course, Cubs must like him some if willing to pay him around $19 for 2023!