Cubs Sign Free Agent George Kontos...Who Has A Connection To Steve Bartman

After signing Brad Brach to a deal on Thursday, the Cubs have added another reliever, agreeing to a minor league contract with 33-year-old George Kontos. Bruce Levine first reported the Cubs were one of five teams talking with the right-hander and he broke the news of the signing Friday night.

Kontos pitched for three teams in 2018, but after only appearing in 21 games for the Pirates to begin the year he was cut loose and then threw a total of eight innings with the Indians and Yankees combined the rest of the season. During his time in the minors during the 2018 campaign, Kontos pitched in 22 games and recorded a 1.85 ERA. The righty has always put up good numbers, with a 3.10 career ERA in 357 innings since making his MLB debut in 2011. His best stretch came from 2015-17, when his ERA didn't go above 3.39 with the Giants and in a short stop at the end of 2017 with the Pirates. If Levine's report is true, then Kontos should now be throwing about 93mph. In 2018, he averaged 90mph in 26.2 innings according to Fangraphs. His highest velocity was back in 2015, with the Giants, averaging 92.2mph on his fastball.

So, it's a decent signing for depth. That's a boring line, but you just have to stockpile as many quality arms as possible and hope a few of them can contribute throughout the season. I brought this up on Thursday, but in case you missed, Kontos was actually the pitcher who allowed a home run to Travis Wood in the 2016 NLDS.

Kontos is also a local guy. He went to high school at Niles West and then attended Northwestern. And finally, the Steve Bartman connection.

Yes, that Steve Bartman, was Kontos' younger brother's baseball coach. 

He is Chicago from head to toe. He grew up there, his grandfather ran a hamburger stand near the park called McDuck's and, as an 18-year-old college freshman, he and his buddies were roaming the streets of Wrigleyville in 2003 when a fan famously interfered with a foul ball, possibly costing the Cubs a pennant. When Kontos learned the fan was Steve Bartman, he was stunned because Bartman was coaching a traveling baseball team that included Kontos' 13-year-old brother, Chris. "Bartman was wearing the headphones, his Cubs hat, and under his jacket he had a Niles Renegadesbaseball T-shirt," Kontos said Saturday. "My brother was on the team.

After the Cubs lost the pennant, TV crews swarmed the Renegades' practices trying to interview the kids. "It was a little bit insane," Kontos said. "My brother was actually on the news."

Alas, the Renegades had to find a coach to replace Bartman. As Kontos said, "After that, not too many people heard from him."

But hey, at least Kontos didn't blame that 2003 NLCS loss by the Cubs all on Bartman. Hopefully Kontos works out with the Cubs. New Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast.