We know the Chicago Cubs will be without their No. 1 catcher, cleanup hitter and hottest bat for some time, so how will they make it through while Willson Contreras is on the mend with an ailing hamstring? Here’s a survival guide: Trust the veteran addition: The Cubs were smart in acquiring nine-year veteran Alex Avila from Detroit instead of just adding a placeholder at catcher. Team president Theo Epstein has often said it’s the front office’s responsibility to upgrade any of the 25-man roster spots, not just the front-line ones, and moments like this show why that belief is so important to success in baseball. How much better must they feel having Avila in the fold instead of any of the other rumored catchers they were in on ahead of the deadline? Almost none brought Avila’s resume, which includes a .869 OPS with the Tigers this season and a home run for the Cubs. Bottom line: The drop-off from Contreras to Avila is not nearly as far as it could have been without the trade. read more http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cu...thout-willson-contreras-a-cubs-survival-guide
