There are a few things to keep in mind when understanding the Cubs trade of left-handed pitcher Mike Montgomery to the Kansas City Royals for catcher Martin Maldonado.
Yes, Montgomery was the hurler on the mound for the final out of the Cubs’ 2016 World Series title and was an important member of the staff during his time with the club . . . but his struggles this year—a 1-2 record and 5.67 ERA in 20 appearances and 27 innings—made him a viable option for a trade that would bring the Cubs something in return.
Some may indicate the return wasn’t great, but most baseball insiders would agree the deal will turn out to be a good one for both teams.
With Willson Contreras on the 10-day IL, Victor Caratini has an opportunity to showcase his value, but in the game against the Reds on Monday night in which the Cubs lost, 6-3, due to lack of timely hitting, costly errors by sure-handed infielders Javier Baez and David Bote, and poor work behind the plate by Caratini.
The backup backstop had several pitches in the dirt in which he showed poor skills in attempting to block by not dropping to his knees, turning over his glove, or swiftly keeping his body in front of pitches dropping in front of him.
It is difficult to criticize any major league catcher who has had his knuckles banged, his fingers smashed and his wrist and thumbs damaged by pitches and foul balls during his work behind the plate. But when preventable runs score due to poor catching skills in blocking pitches—especially in today’s game with most pitchers having out pitches that force hitters to chase balls that hit the dirt—then it is time to find available catchers who can help in that area.
Maldonado is a former Gold Glove winner with the Angels in 2017 and is praised for his ability to communicate with pitchers, keep bases runners close with a strong arm, and be a nimble receiver who blocks pitches in the dirt.
“It was something we wanted to quickly finalize once it became clear Willson was going to miss some time,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said after Chicago’s 6-3 loss to Cincinnati. “He’s an established catcher in this league who does a lot of great things behind the plate. He can really receive. He can really throw. He’s handled some of the best pitchers in the game.”
Some of the games the Cubs have let slip through their fingers this season have been from defensive lapses. The team is one of the best defensive teams in baseball, but this year they have played inconsistent on the defensive side of the game. With the absence of Contreras, for any length of time, it can become a huge defensive void if his shoes behind the plate are not filled admirably.
Caratini often shows his skills need work, but when a team is in a race for a division title during the final two months of the season, it is not a time to surrender to poor defensive play at that position.
Maldonado certainly can help defensively and will be a great asset behind the plate. He’s the guy I would want wearing the tools of ignorance when the game is on the line with a runner on third and a pitcher who puts a ball in the dirt.
“He’s really smart behind home plate,” reliever Wily Peralta told Kansas City Starreporter Lynn Worthy last spring. “He’s always watching video of the hitters. He’s a guy that pretty much after you know him, you’re going to trust him when he’s behind the plate because he’s really smart, he knows what he’s doing and he’s paying attention to all the details behind home plate.”
Contreras, who made his second All-Star appearance in 2019, has caught 74 of the Cubs first 94 games—hitting .286 with 19 homers, 55 RBIs with a .947 OPS. Despite his 10 errors, five passed balls, and being behind the plate for 27 wild pitches, he has proved to be a valuable commodity behind the plate with his powerful arm picking off base runners and gunning down attempted base stealers.
Caratini has improved offensively with his .286 BA, .846 OPS and 11 extra-base hits in 112 plate appearances this season. With the glove, he has two passed ball, eight wild pitches while behind the plate, and one error. The mechanics he showed in the game against the Reds, certainly puts his ability as a defensive asset in question.
Maldonado has often been criticized as a weak hitter, but this season with the Royals he hit .227 with 15 doubles, six homers—but it’s his defense that he his best known for. A Gold Glove recipient two seasons ago, he caught 73 games for KC this year with a .997 fielding percentage with a 7 in Defensive Runs Saved Above Average (Contreras is a negative 5 and Caratini’s reading is a negative 1). The 32-year old Maldonado has thrown out 33% of base runners attempting to steal this season—Contreras has a 31% score and Caratini an unimpressive 14%.
The Cubs won the 2016 World Series with three catchers on the roster—Contreras, David Ross, and Miguel Montero—and each of them played vital roles in the team’s championship.
In 2019, the Cubs could use the trio of Contreras, Maldonado, and Caratini to help lead the pitching staff and show how the value of quality play behind the plate is vital to an MLB club’s quest for a championship . . . or Caratini could fall into the trade chip category.
Regardless of what Epstein’s plans are before the July 31 trade deadline, the addition of Maldonado makes the Cubs a better team.
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