Levine: Jon Jay Happy For Chance To Play For Champion Cubs

By Bruce Levine--

(CBS) Outfielder Jon Jay understands the Chicago Cubs and what makes the team tick.

In a media teleconference Thursday, two days after signing a one-year, $8-million deal, he communicated the reasons why he thought the Cubs were a perfect fit for him.

"The meeting I had with Jed (Hoyer) and Theo (Epstein) was amazing," Jay said, referring to his trip to Chicago before Thanksgiving and the long dinner he had with the two Cubs executives.

"We had a chance to talk a lot of baseball with those two guys. That was awesome, considering that they are both have so much knowledge. Theo was just named the Executive of the Year. He has done so much in this game."

Hoyer pointed out Wednesday that Jay has exceptional leadership abilities to go along with his baseball skills. A 31-year-old Miami native, Jay has connections with many of the Cubs' 25-man roster. He played with both Jason Heyward and John Lackey in St. Louis and trained with Albert Almora in Florida the past couple of seasons.

"We talked about my role going forward," Jay said. "My opportunities will come from being a left-handed hitter and being able to play (all three outfield spots). All I am looking for is an opportunity to play. I want to contribute to a winning team. Now, I have been given that, so everything will play itself out.

"The big thing for me is that Albert is there. He is a young stud who will be a great center fielder. I want to help him out any way I can. I was mentored by Carlos Beltran in St Louis. I am now looking forward to doing that with Albert. I want to help him be the best player he can be. I want to help Chicago get back to the postseason in October."

Don't get the idea that Jay has accepted a backup role. He believes he can play a bigger role. He understands how the Cubs use their players and how icons like backup catcher David Ross figure so profoundly as leaders on this club.

"As soon as Chicago called, it was almost a perfect match, "Jay said. "We were able to get this done quickly and are now proud to be a part of the Cubs organization."

Jay knows playing for manager Joe Maddon will mean a lot of chances to play almost every day, whether as a starter or off of the bench.

"You see how he gets the most out of all of his players," Jay said. "He uses his entire roster. It takes that approach in the postseason to win a World Series. He uses people like Tony La Russa did with the Cardinals when we won the Series in 2011. I had a been a part-time player and then a full-time player. I kind of did it all for Tony. He made sure the team always stayed fresh. He saw the importance of the entire 25-man roster. I see a lot of similarities between Tony and Joe. That is something I really like."

Makeup and versatility are what the Cubs brass love to give Maddon as part of his roster. With this type of unselfish player, Maddon can platoon Jay as a starter and also use him for pinch-hitting, base-running and as a late-inning defensive player. This move also fortifies the outfield for any potential trade during the offseason.

A left-handed hitter, Jay has splits that allow him to be used against left- and right-handed pitching. He hit .311 against lefties and .282 against righties in 2016, when he hit .291 overall with a .339 on-base percentage.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.