First things first: no one could ever replace Yadier Molina. We all know that.
It is impossible. In fact, if there’s a word that means even more impossible than the word impossible…this is it.
Yadier Molina is a legend.
He is a first-choice Hall of Famer. One of the best it’s ever done. Yadi is a mentor and an inspiration to people like me. He is the person we look up to. The role model. I admire everything about him — what he’s done for his team, for this game, for the community of St. Louis. He’s the guy who sets the bar that everyone else is trying to achieve. yes, yadi? He’s not someone you can ever replace. And I definitely don’t intend to.
But I want to say that one of the biggest reasons I’m so excited to join the St. Louis Cardinals is that it will be a great honor to try to continue the tradition of excellence that Yadi built during his time has 19 years career in the big leagues. I’ve learned so much from this guy over the years by watching him play. The way he carries himself, his passion, all that stuff is unmissable. Everything about his dedication, how hard he worked, what a player and teammate he was, who wanted to get better every day… it’s all unique. And all of that inspired me to keep improving so I can be the best possible player and leader for the Cardinals.
This will really be one of the great honors of my whole life.
So I couldn’t be more excited to be coming to St. Louis. It sure is a dream come true. At the same time, though, I’d be lying if I tried to say that this wouldn’t be a big change for me… like it wasn’t a big deal.
All I’ve known about baseball since my youth is the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs baseball academy in Venezuela was a five minute drive from my home in Puerto Cabello. I was only 16 when I signed with Chicago. Then, within a year, I’m on a plane to the US, barely old enough to drive a car. I couldn’t speak English. I only knew baseball. And the cubs.
This was my world.
And I couldn’t be more grateful that it turned out that way for me too. I have been very fortunate to have been a part of the Cubs family for the past 13 years. It was an incredible ride! I mean, winning a World Series right off the bat? In my rookie season? It doesn’t get much better. And it’s an experience I’ll never forget as long as I live.
But nothing lasts forever, right?
I know I’ve given my all for the Cubs over the years. I did everything to make the team better. I’ve played through injuries. Left everything out in the field. I am proud of what I have contributed.
So I don’t regret turning the page. I’ve worked extremely hard for many years to get to this place, to be in this position. It’s something I’ve dreamed of – building a career that would allow me to get to where I am now. And I move on knowing that I did everything I could for my team.
But now the Cardinals are my team.
Going to the Cards will definitely be something completely different for me.
The rivalry between these two teams has been a big part of my life for the last six years and now I will play for the other side. I’m excited to see how that feels. And I know for sure that I made the best decision here. Everything just feels absolutely right.
The Cardinals took the time to really find out who Willson Contreras is. And that was huge for me and my family. They came down to meet me in Orlando and I immediately felt a connection. I’ve spent a lot of time with John Mozeliak, the team’s president of baseball operations, and Oliver Marmol, the manager, and all these guys…we couldn’t be on the same page anymore.
It’s all about winning.
They asked me what winning means to me and then we had a long chat about how I work – what I do to help my team, to help my pitchers improve day by day. I talked about how much I appreciate winning everything and how I am a man of action. I told them that I want to build lasting relationships and bonds with my new teammates and that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help us win.
I will leave my heart on the pitch for this team. For this city. For St Louis. I said so directly.
This is a team built to win. They’re built to win now, and they’re built to win in the future, too.
-Willson Contreras
I also asked a few different questions, of course, and every answer I got was music to my ears. Because it was perfectly clear that winning is everything in St. Louis. And not just winning… but winning as a team when everyone works together.
At the end of the day it just felt really good when they told me they believe in me – as a player and as a person. you appreciated me They told me they wouldn’t visit me unless they believed I could be the guy who follows a hall of famer, all-time great.
And when they said that? Do you hear the? Maann, let me tell you. It gave me goosebumps. Of course, that made me proud. But it also really fired me, excited me, and inspired me to be a part of the Cardinals organization. To be the leader in this clubhouse. The belief they had in me and the way they made that clear… that’s perhaps what influenced my decision the most.
Now that I’ve made this decision, I can’t wait to meet everyone in the organization and learn as much as I can about how things work in St. Louis. I have so much respect for the Cardinals organization. Just because I’ve played the Cards all these years and knew firsthand about their fan base, the energy of their stadium, and the city’s passion for baseball… I could always tell there was something really special there. It stuck with me.
As I went through this process, I introduced myself to different teams. (You can’t help but do that. You know what I mean?) And when I closed my eyes and saw myself behind the St. Louis Cardinals’ plate, I don’t know…I just loved how that felt . It felt right. And I can say it will be incredible to play for this team.
This is a team built to win. They’re built to win now, and they’re built to win in the future, too. It’s a team that’s constantly improving. And that list is full of great players – Arenado, Goldschmidt, Edman, Gorman, all those pitchers… I could go on and on. It’s just super exciting for me. I can’t wait to spend time with all of them, get to know them and work towards a World Cup.
I know what it takes to get there. I’m driven to come back – I want it more than anything. So this might not be a win-win situation anymore. It’s the perfect match. I can’t wait to get started.
Now let’s go out and win some titles together, St. Louis.