(670 The Score) With the free-agent market for catchers all but settled, expect the Cubs to assess potential deadline deals for a veteran at the position if their season delivers the contention they expect.
They understand fully the importance of defense -- both the control of the opposing running game and the significance of pitch-framing for a low-velocity starting staff -- and the unquantifiable value of experience to inform the pitching/catching relationships nurtured by coaches Tommy Hottovy and Mike Borzello.
The Cubs made an offer to 35-year-old Brian McCann, only to see him take less money to sign with Atlanta for one year and $2 million, David O'Brien of The Athletic reported. The Cubs also considered signing defensive whiz Martin Maldonado last week, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic wrote, only to see him choose playing time (and almost certainly more money) with the Royals after starter Salvador Perez was lost to an elbow injury.
So it's Victor Caratini for now behind Willson Contreras. The latter insists his newly softer glove hand will cure framing woes concurrent with a bounce-back as a slugger, while the former is getting comfortable at first base to remain as versatile a piece as possible. Caratini has been a slightly-better-than-average defensive catcher in brief big league time, but the switch-hitter's RC+ of just 69 in 107 games is alarming.
This management group also just believes in the grizzled catcher idea, especially after David Ross proved worthy of a roster spot on a championship team in 2016. It was a role filled by Miguel Montero, Alex Avila and Rene Rivera in years past and explains the dalliance with the surprisingly outspoken Chris Gimenez as a caddy to Yu Darvish. It's why Ross himself is still roaming the practice fields in Mesa.
This starting pitching staff will need all the help it can find to hit the far end of the expectation curve, as old as they are (32, on average) and/or as slowly as they throw fastballs (third-from-last in MLB). There's a reason the PECOTA algorithm spat out the dire forecast it did, and adding a strong receiver might help stave off that kind of ominous near future.
So circle the names on the clearly non-competitive teams potentially keen on flipping assets in July or before, and you will have a good idea of who might be spelling Contreras behind the plate for some meaningful baseball this season.
Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score's Bernstein & McKnight Show in middays. You can follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein.
