A National League scout called Willson Contreras the most dangerous hitter in the Cubs lineup right now, marveling at the young catcher’s enthusiasm and the relentless way he plays the game: “He’s the f------ Energizer Bunny.”
But the Cubs also understand that the law of diminishing returns will kick in with Contreras, who has played in 19 of the first 20 games since Miguel Montero talked his way out of the clubhouse and got shipped to Canada in what was supposed to be an addition-by-subtraction trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.
That message to the clubhouse/chemistry experiment still left the Cubs without a real insurance policy behind the plate, essentially looking for the same kind of veteran catcher as Montero.