Since being almost traded for Cliff Lee, Jesus Montero has been on a tear. From July 10th to the 21st, Montero’s got 14 hits in 28 ABs (including 2-2 as I write this on the night of the 21st) to go along with four walks, four home runs, and three doubles.
After scuffling in April (.309 wOBA) and May (.269wOBA), Montero has turned it on in the summer (.353 June wOBA, .489 July wOBA). It seems that the super-young Jesus just needed a bit of adjustment time to the International League before he unleashed his vengeance upon it.
If the Yankees’ current platoon DH situation does not work over the next few weeks, I know there will be a lot of calls for Montero to be called up, especially if the hot streak he’s on continues. The Yankees should not even think of doing this.
Like most of the time I write something declarative, I’m relatively certain I’m preaching to the choir. While Montero’s bat is surely advanced, there’s no need to a) speed up his arbitration clock by calling him up when he doesn’t need to be called up b) take him out of catching every day, which is what he needs to be doing since that’s where he needs the most improvement c) throw a relatively unprepared hitter into the middle of a playoff race and finally d) calling up Montero would be a Mets move.
We all want to see Montero in the Bronx as soon as possible, but as soon as possible should be next spring at the absolute earliest. Even then, I’m not sure he should break camp with the team. A little extra time in AAA never hurt anyone and the longer he can develop his catching skills in a relatively stress free environment the better.
So, please, Jesus, keep hitting the ball. Yankee Front Office: do the smart thing and keep exercising patience with Mr. Montero. This guy’s likely got a big future and shouldn’t be handled like just any prospect.
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17 Responses to Beware the Lure of Montero
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TIQ IQ
I agree with you Matt on his catching skills that need work, how old was arod..jeter kaline , i didn’t look the ages up ,just an example..if i did i’m sure we can find many non pitchers that came up at his age.. we need another RH big bat VS lefties..I am against trading for anyone that fits the profile. adam dunn is a k king.. we would need to give a lot up..for me thats a no way..who sits in the outfield? thames and grandy can platoon..posada catches vs lefties montero Dh.. How would this look.. jeter..swisher tex.. arod… cano… posada …montero thames… gardner.. a good bench , with speed and pinch hit ability .. lets save the farm and stay pat
Personally I doubt very much that we’ll see Montero in the Bronx this year, mostly to keep from using up a space on the 40-man roster that could go to protecting other young players from the Rule 5 draft. However I do think it’s unfair to call it a “Mets” move. It seems to me that it could easily be seen as a “Marlins of 2003″ move like with Cabrera. If the Yankees still need a bat in September I don’t think it would be the end of the world to call him up.
I agree. By no means do I think it’s necessary to call him up now. Or within the next few weeks. However, if he’s still mashing in mid-September and Scranton is done with the playoffs (and therefore no more experience to gain in AAA), and the offense isn’t quite firing on all cylinders, I think they should seriously entertain it. It would be reminiscent of Cabrera in 2003. That worked out OK.
I love prospects and I understand 40 man considerations. But there are plenty of moves that can be made to open up spots. And I’m not saying that this is something that should be done liberally, but if Montero is still mashing like this in a few months, it’s going to be difficult to not put him in the MLB lineup. I don’t think the possibility of losing guys like Corona, WDLR, Russo, etc. should get in the way of adding a potential impact bat for the playoffs. And yes, I realize that there are a bunch of guys that need to be added to the 40 man this offseason, but Montero could be a special case. Plus, they would in all likelihood be sacrificing a fringe major leaguer.
A late September callup sounds about right to me, but it might be a good idea to bring him up for a week in August as well, just in case he does well and the Yankees want him on the playoff roster.
There are ways they can finagle that with putting guys on the DL. The Yanks have done it a bunch of times. If he comes up in mid-September, they’ll be able to get him on the playoff roster.
Exactly. I say the earliest that the Yankees should even consider bringing Jesus up is by this time next year. If the Yankees need a bat, Jesus can switch up with Posada to handle the catching duties. While Cervelli stays as the backup catcher.
There are ways they can finagle that with putting guys on the DL. The Yanks have done it a bunch of times. If he comes up in mid-September, they’ll be able to get him on the playoff roster.
I disagree. I would call him up August 31. Let him get tutoring from Pena while he gives us a big bat for the stretch run and the playoffs. The AAA season will be just about over anyhow and he can be a huge asset for the closing of the season.
DaveinMD
By Aug 31 the AAA is over, or close to it. Once that ends, and rosters have expanded, I don’t think that’s going to harm his development.
all depend on montero performance. he should stay in AAA until Sept. We are the YANKEES so arb years does not matter to us. scranton is in first place by 4 games, so most likely montero will play AAA playoffs. After that yankees should bring him to the bronx because he is the best DH value on the market. he might even help win games. plus he gets postseason experience before next year where he will mostly be our starting catcher or maybe RF
Yes, Montero’s life and career will be totally ruined if Yankees had him play 40 games for them as a DH and he helped them win a pennant.
That would be the difference.He couldn’t work with Pena and Girardi & Posada on his catching technique and would learn nothing.His career would be ruined and he couldn’t catch somewhere in winter ball either to make up the time.
Afterall if you’re a bad catcher catching everyday makes you a great catcher like Mike Piazza became.
If only Posada weren’t an infielder all those years, he’d have made it as a hitting catcher if he hadn’t wasted his time as an infielder and playing behind Girardi.
Bill James, way back in the eighties noted a strong correlation with catchers and pitchers who were worked hard before the age of 25 (take that, Verducci). I seem to remember that there was speculation that connective tisssue isn’t fully developed until that age. The point is, what use is a farm system if the players are developed w/ a one size fits all mentality ( AKA, cover your ass). Bring Montero to the big leagues now and see what happens. He may just be the next Kaline, A-Rod, etc. He’s got plenty of time to learn how to be a catcher, and by bringing him along more slowly he just might have a longer career…Just a thought.
well said
How long do you want a catchers career to be?
Once they’re expensive, they’re not bargains anymore anyway at a late age.
We’d be better off without Posada at age 38 and one more great pitcher.
Bench came in at 19 had 10-12 great seasons and was gone, PERFECT!
Bob Boone played catcher hard from age 12 and was still an All Satr defnesive catcher at age 38-40 if i remember correctly.
Everybody is different.
If they’re ready to play, they’re ready to play.
Steroids could have played a role with mature 19-20 years who were brought up early too because they were so strong.
Go and look at Boone’s career and you’ll see that he missed a lot of games due to injuries early on. The same goes for Pudge (the Original), and Posada didn’t start catching, if memory serves, until 26 or 27. Again, very, very few catchers that are worked hard before 25 have anything left passed 32… Again if the Yankee brass believes that he can handle MLB pitching he should DH now and gradually be worked in as a catcher.
Posada started catching 5 years earlier than that at least.
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