Chicago Cubs: Veteran catcher signals farewell

The door to bring Kelly back isn’t necessarily closed. However, it seems less likely. It could depend on what other offers he’s presented with, but he’ll look at what’s out there first. Obviously, the looming lockout impacts things too. Regardless, it’s hard to imagine putting out a message like that without eyeing a new chapter.

It also depends on what the Cubs want to do. Kelly was a very solid player in his two years as a Cub, though he’s not necessarily irreplaceable. Ideally, the Cubs, whether it’s Kelly or not, have a veteran backstop next season. Right now, the main options behind the dish are Miguel Amaya and prospect Owen Ayers. Amaya doesn’t feel like a primary long-term solution at this point, and Ayers has no MLB experience.

Hats off to Kelly for his time in Chicago. He seemed like a great teammate, especially for his pitchers, and he came up with some big hits. Unless there’s a surprise, the Cubs will likely have a hole to fill behind the plate.