Kim Jones said something that really grabbed my attention yesterday doing a fill-in show on WFAN with co-host Sid Rosenberg. A caller suggested bringing up Jesus Montero, in an effort to get the moribund Yankee offense going. (Note: There isn’t a transcript available to link to, so I’m just recounting what I heard) She responded with this:
Kim Jones: “Well, every time you hear his name brought up among the Yankee brass, they say he has an issue with his work ethic. And that’s the kind of tag that gets stuck to you forever”
Woah! I heard Girardi and Long say he was “a little soft” in Spring Training, which means he showed up to camp out of shape. That’s more common on other teams than it is on the Yanks, and since he’s young I’ll cut him some slack there. But I also remember he had a run-in with his AAA manager where he failed to run out a ground ball and that resulted in a short suspension. But the way she said it, it wasn’t just an isolated incident. So I shot out some e-mails and posted some comments to see what I could find out. Donnie Collins of the Times-Tribune SWB Yankee blog gave me this reply in last night’s game thread:
@Steve S.
I’ve hear they aren’t thrilled with some of what he does. But every time I ask about Montero’s offense, I’m told he’s working everyday with Butch Wynegar in the batting cage. And every time I ask about his defense, they say he works with Wynegar and Julio Mosquera and has made strides.
He’s 20. And 20 year olds who have extraordinary talent aren’t often the hardest workers. But I’ve heard both sides on him. I’ve heard rumors that he doesn’t work hard, and I’ve been told first hand that he’s trying his best. I take it all with a grain of salt.
For his part, Montero says he works very hard. He talks about it all the time. All. The. Time.
It would seem Jesus doth protest too much. After shooting around some e-mails, I’ll just say that I’ve heard the brass read him the riot act around June, and he’s been hitting ever since. Toss that in with their willingness to trade him last season for Roy Halladay and at the July 31st deadline this year for both Joakim Soria and Cliff Lee and it adds up to something worth keeping an eye on. When a team dangles a player that often, they often know something the rest of us don’t.
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23 Responses to Questions about Montero's work ethic?
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TIQ IQ
I’d like to add this, from the various replies I received via e-mail, most of those close to the situation have heard something similar to this in one form or another.
This goes a long way to explaining his lack of progress defensively. Most scouts think defensive liabilities at Catcher can be improved with hard work, and with his utter lack of progress (according to BA) you have to think he’s just not committed enough. As bad as Posada is defensively, he’s always worked his tail off to raise his level as much as he can.
Also, if this is true he and Girardi would be a rough marriage. Joe was a defense-minded Catcher who doesn’t tolerate lack of effort. He would not stand for a 21 year old doing things this way. (Great defensive ex-Catcher) Tony Pena would be even harder on him. You can understand why the team is willing to explore their options. Most teams would just move him to 1B, but with the Yanks that’s not an option for the next 6 years.
I think you are getting wayy, way ahead of yourself. You have Collins saying he has heard both about Montero, and this is the kind of thing where one bad incident can give you an unshakeable rep. I think it’s hasty to have him bad defensively due to this and warring with Joe.
Use common sense. A team will always say everythings great, they have a vested interest in doing so. Hearing stuff that contradicts that is much more unusual.
So all good things are spin, all bad things are true? Well, it’s easy to se how one or two incidents an blow up. Not saying one way or another, just that I don’t like to make assumptions in this sort of case.
there was another catcher who had a similar reputation when he first came up……they often played him in the OF just to use his bat…..the vets, particularly catching coach, got on his case and made him work at it…….admittedly times have changed, but I wouldn’t give up on him yet………the other catcher was Yogi…….
Like you said, I’ll cut him some slack because he’s 20. It’ll be up to Jeter, Posada and crew to make sure that he taps into his talent and doesn’t slack off. I’m not too worried about it.
Right, the clubhouse culture in the bronx is such that they take care of these things themselves. But it is worth noting that the last guy who had these same issues was Jose Tabata, and we all know what happened there.
Also, they never offered him for Soria. That myth was actually debunked here at TYU and then confirmed by Davidoff. Never happened, so lets not perpetutate it. They ofered him straight up for the best pitcher in baseball and then for Cliff Lee. Not exactly an indictment.
Maybe Montero has to talk about how hard he works because people are constantly knocking his effort (which is baffling to me).
I’ve never heard a scout say that he could be a catcher if he only tried harder. If there’s a link of anyone saying that on record, then I’ll believe it. If it’s speculative, off-the-record stuff from anonymous sources, then I don’t have much use for it. Most scouts I’ve read say that his long-term future at catcher is doubtful because of his frame and size. I’ll go with that until there’s a reason to believe otherwise.
Ditto.
If you have no doubts about his work ethic, then why was he suspended for failing to run out a grounder? If it was an isolated incident, I would think the manager would call him aside and give him a warning. But to suspend him on what appears to be a first offense tells me more was going on there.
I didn’t say I have no doubts. I said the evidence is unconvincing to me. As you know, one or two incidents are enoug to create a certain reputation, whether deserved or not. Once a player is dubbed lazy,its dificult to shake.
Well said. The “lazy” narrative (especially with a Latin American player), becomes very difficult to shake.
Agreed…wasn’t too long ago that Cano was lazy!
“I’ve never heard a scout say that he could be a catcher if he only tried harder. If there’s a link of anyone saying that on record, then I’ll believe it. ”
You never heard me say that either.
With his uter lack of progress you have to think he’s not committed enough sounds exactly like that.
I’m not sure what this meant, then:
“This goes a long way to explaining his lack of progress defensively. Most scouts think defensive liabilities at Catcher can be improved with hard work, and with his utter lack of progress (according to BA) you have to think he’s just not committed enough. As bad as Posada is defensively, he’s always worked his tail off to raise his level as much as he can.”
I don’t know where you’re getting your info Steve. I have seen quotes from anonymous scouts saying that he can stick at catcher and I have seen others, like Frankie Piliere, say that his defense is improved. There is no doubt that he had a run-in with the manager for not running out a grounder. But he is only 20 years old, he’ll mature. Tabata has a different rep, more of a headcase…
That’s old info. The most recent report from BA destroyed him defensively.
But if you’re looking for hope that Montero is putting it together as a catcher behind the plate, keep looking. He leads the International League in passed balls (14) and is throwing out 23 percent of basestealers. But if goes beyond that, because his reputation precedes him. Teams are making 1.28 stolen-base attempts per game—second worst among IL catchers with 30 or more games caught.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2010/2610532.html
Given his frame and size, he’s going to have to work harder at it to have a chance to be a passable MLB Catcher for a winning team like the Yanks, who employ high priced, veteran pitchers on a regular basis. If he doesn’t work hard at it, he has no chance. His size is an obstacle that the Yanks have believed can be overcome, but if he’s not putting in the work, or not enough work, then it has no chance to happen. I brought up Posada because he has neither the instincts or the athleticism of a good MLB backstop. But by constantly working at it with Tony Pena, he’s been anywhere from acceptable to in some years good in some areas of the game. Montero will need to have a similar commitment to have a shot.
agreed that he will have to work harder. agreed that there was/is perception about his work ethic. But again, he’s young and has plenty of time. Pena said he has the tools but needs to work at it. Let’s not confuse work ethic with attitude problem.
Cano came into ST out of shape too a few years ago. He must have a bad work ethic.
Something I just found
Of the hulking 6-4, 225-pound Montero, on whom the knock is his work ethic and his ability to block pitches and position himself to throw, Peña said: “He still has to grow into the position. He’s so tall it’s going to take longer for him to feel comfortable. That’s no excuse. He has good hands, a strong arm and throws the ball well, but he’s a little ‘long’ sometimes, which is what we’re working on. I know his bat is there and he wants to make it as a catcher. He doesn’t want to move anywhere else. That’s why I’m here to help, but if you want to be good, you have to work hard at it.”
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2010/03/17/2010-03-17_yanks_aim_for_big_catch.html#ixzz0x0vSf0Pn
That’s from Spring training. Before he ever failed to run out a grounder in AAA. The stuff about his work ethic preceded the incident this season.