A fearless Willson Contreras becoming a weapon for Cubs
LOS ANGELES – The word “fearless” comes up time and again when Willson Contreras’ name is mentioned, and it doesn’t take much effort to find examples of that trait in action.
A couple of hours before Wednesday’s Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, the Venezuelan-born catcher for the Chicago Cubs was answering questions in English from a TV news reporter and, at the end of the interview, playfully mugged for the camera while wearing her sunglasses, not a bit self-conscious.
Once the game started, Contreras noticed Los Angeles Dodgers baserunner Justin Turner drifting a bit too far off second base and threw him out, ending a first-inning threat. It was the kind of daring throw most veteran catchers wouldn’t attempt, let alone a rookie who started playing the position four years ago.
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The next inning, Contreras made an athletic play to nab Adrian Gonzalez as he tried to score from second on a single, lunging at him after catching the throw and keeping the game scoreless. The Cubs eventually ended a 21-inning scoreless streak with a four-run fourth — Contreras drove in the first run with a single — to claim a 10-2 victory that evened the series 2-2.
“He’s a weapon the way he throws the baseball,” Chicago manager Joe Maddon said afterward. “He’s not afraid. You could see. He’s fearless. The tag, (he) just jumped out there, got a piece of Gonzalez, and then the pick at second. He had himself a pretty good night.”
That would have been hard to envision less than two years ago, when the Cubs left Contreras exposed in the December 2014 Rule 5 draft, in which no team took a flyer on a six-year minor league veteran who didn’t seem like much of a prospect.
Little did they know Contreras was in the process of remaking himself. By changing the placement of his hands on the advice of his Class A hitting coach and spending a season playing winter ball in Venezuela, Contreras improved dramatically as a hitter, raising his on-base-plus-slugging percentage from .679 at Class A in 2014 to .891 at Class AA the next season.
He also altered his mind-set. Cubs infielder Javier Baez, his teammate in the minors, said the younger Contreras had a headstrong bent that held him back.
“He has grown up,” Baez said. “It used to be that when he didn’t do something right and somebody corrected him, he would say, ‘No, I’m going to do it my way.’ But he started taking advice, and now look how far he’s gotten.”
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Contreras, now 24, won the Southern League batting title with a .333 average in 2015 and came into this season as the second-ranked prospect in the Cubs’ prolific system.
He appears on the way to becoming another key piece of their youthful nucleus, joining the likes of third baseman Kris Bryant, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, shortstop Addison Russell, Baez and injured outfielder Kyle Schwarber. There might be more to come, with outfielder Albert Almora Jr. — a defensive whiz — a strong candidate to take over in center field next season.
Oneri Fleita, the former Cubs farm director who now works for the Detroit Tigers, takes pride in seeing the progress those players have made, especially Contreras. It was Fleita’s idea that he try catching after he played mostly third base his first three pro seasons.
“At the time we didn’t think he would hit the way he is now, so we suggested he move to catcher,” Fleita said. “His bat was solid, but he didn’t show the kind of power you need to play third base. Looking back, we were wrong.”
Fleita is happy to make that last statement, and he passes along the credit to Contreras for his willingness to work to hone his skills as a catcher and a hitter. After getting called up June 17, Contreras batted .282 with 12homers and a .845 OPS in 76games, starting 41 times behind the plate on a team that carries three catchers. He also started 21 games in left field.
“When I got here, they opened their arms to me and allowed me to feel comfortable, to not feel like a rookie,” effusive Contreras said in Spanish. “They let me play my game and didn’t put any pressure on me.”
Entrusted with handling an experienced rotation, Contreras learned from the veterans and catching coach Mike Borzello while relying on English-language skills he developed while living with an American family in the minor leagues.
As with his game, Contreras is willing to put himself out there and risk embarrassment.
“I’ve always said those who take chances are the ones who win,” Contreras said. “I’m not afraid to make a mistake. I’m not afraid to make a bad throw. If I’m going to make a mistake, I want it to be a physical one, not a mental one.”
His lack of fear and passion for the game were on display in Game 4 of the NL Division Series, when Contreras delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single that tied the score 5-5 as part of Chicago’s epic ninth-inning comeback victory against the San Francisco Giants.
He also ferociously pounded his chest in celebration, the kind of gesture opponents don’t appreciate, especially coming from a rookie. That was probably pointed out to him by Cubs veteran Miguel Montero, a fellow catcher and Venezuelan who has taken Contreras under his wing.
Montero noted that Contreras joined a contending club with high expectations and little tolerance for mistakes.
“That’s a lot of pressure for him and his development, but he’s done a very good job for us,” Montero said.
“He’s a very emotional kid who still needs to learn how to control those emotions. But he’s got a lot of talent.”
And no fear.
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