Comments on: Montero the Man Child http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/ Daily baseball statistical analysis and commentary Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:32:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ryan http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-2164170 Ryan Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:15:11 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-2164170 Montero is slow, but not Adam Dunn/Posada Slow. He's a solid athlete with good power. That said however, he's not a catcher and won't stick there in the MLB unless the team he plays for has some sort of losing fetish. He's sluggish behind the plate, he has extremely slow footwork and the extra time it takes him to get out of the crouch and make a glove transfer dampens the effectiveness of his plus arm strength. As far as receiving, his hands are fairly soft, but not enough for a catcher. He doesn't frame pitches, he's hesistant to call breaking pitches and his inability to block the plate sapps pitcher's confidence. He got by last year in AAA largely because he received a rotation of strikethrowers and veterans with the likes of Kontos, Warren, Phelps, Mitchell etc...He certainly didn't do Brackman any favors either... Montero is slow, but not Adam Dunn/Posada Slow. He’s a solid athlete with good power. That said however, he’s not a catcher and won’t stick there in the MLB unless the team he plays for has some sort of losing fetish. He’s sluggish behind the plate, he has extremely slow footwork and the extra time it takes him to get out of the crouch and make a glove transfer dampens the effectiveness of his plus arm strength.

As far as receiving, his hands are fairly soft, but not enough for a catcher. He doesn’t frame pitches, he’s hesistant to call breaking pitches and his inability to block the plate sapps pitcher’s confidence. He got by last year in AAA largely because he received a rotation of strikethrowers and veterans with the likes of Kontos, Warren, Phelps, Mitchell etc…He certainly didn’t do Brackman any favors either…

]]> By: Thunder http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-83954 Thunder Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:19:36 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-83954 I've seen him play in both Tampa (by chance) and Trenton, several times now on purpose. I am not a scout but have sat with a few of them (side note, its amazing how generally nice, approachable, and talkative scouts can be). I've had scouts talk to me about several players in the Eastern league over the past couple of seasons and a lot of what they've said has turned out to be accurate to me. That aside, one of the scouts was telling me that Montero is never going to catch in the pros. I argued and begged that the defense cant be that bad and the bat would more than compensate ala Piazza. He tried explaining to me that Montero lacks "speed" for the position. He said to think of the Montero brothers or other bigger/hefty guys that have played well defensively. Sure they are slow as hell (meaning they can't play the OF) but they have the speed to get to the ball (agility). The scout was actually impressed with Jesus who, at one of the games I was at against the Phillies team (wow Michael Taylor) threw to second in 2.2. He said his arm is about right and that the % caught is a pretty random stat in the minors because of pitchers holding on, poor deliveries and even fielders making tags/short hops. The scouts focus on release, speed to the bag and accuracy. Montero is passable here. But back to the "speed" portion. There was a sliderl low and outside to a righty that was a past ball. Jesus's feet didnt even shift let alone take a step out to get in front of the pitch. It didnt bounce but he barely got his glove on it let alone his body. He is stiff as a board back there and even though there are bigger (Mauer) and fatter (pick your Molina) they have the necessary "speed" to play the position which, as I understand it, can never be taught. I’ve seen him play in both Tampa (by chance) and Trenton, several times now on purpose. I am not a scout but have sat with a few of them (side note, its amazing how generally nice, approachable, and talkative scouts can be). I’ve had scouts talk to me about several players in the Eastern league over the past couple of seasons and a lot of what they’ve said has turned out to be accurate to me. That aside, one of the scouts was telling me that Montero is never going to catch in the pros. I argued and begged that the defense cant be that bad and the bat would more than compensate ala Piazza. He tried explaining to me that Montero lacks “speed” for the position. He said to think of the Montero brothers or other bigger/hefty guys that have played well defensively. Sure they are slow as hell (meaning they can’t play the OF) but they have the speed to get to the ball (agility). The scout was actually impressed with Jesus who, at one of the games I was at against the Phillies team (wow Michael Taylor) threw to second in 2.2. He said his arm is about right and that the % caught is a pretty random stat in the minors because of pitchers holding on, poor deliveries and even fielders making tags/short hops. The scouts focus on release, speed to the bag and accuracy. Montero is passable here. But back to the “speed” portion. There was a sliderl low and outside to a righty that was a past ball. Jesus’s feet didnt even shift let alone take a step out to get in front of the pitch. It didnt bounce but he barely got his glove on it let alone his body. He is stiff as a board back there and even though there are bigger (Mauer) and fatter (pick your Molina) they have the necessary “speed” to play the position which, as I understand it, can never be taught.

]]> By: Tom B http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-83585 Tom B Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:43:30 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-83585 yep, posada is the definition of nimble yep, posada is the definition of nimble

]]> By: Kevin S. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-83531 Kevin S. Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:53:12 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-83531 Well, yes. That's why I said trade him to someone who thinks he's a catcher. That's about as valuable as you can get. The return wouldn't be a dozen balls and a bucket of Delaware River mud. Montero's the chip that gets you, say, Hanley, or Braun, or Jose Reyes. Well, yes. That’s why I said trade him to someone who thinks he’s a catcher. That’s about as valuable as you can get. The return wouldn’t be a dozen balls and a bucket of Delaware River mud. Montero’s the chip that gets you, say, Hanley, or Braun, or Jose Reyes.

]]> By: RollingWave http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-83511 RollingWave Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:25:17 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-83511 He is actually throwing out 30+% in AA so far. so we might want to rethink about that. He is actually throwing out 30+% in AA so far. so we might want to rethink about that.

]]> By: JT http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-83483 JT Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:05:39 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-83483 So have they been putting him at all in the OF? Even if he is only throwing 17% of base stealers out, his arm is probably at least average. Can you see him lumbering around out there successfully? (Can't be too much worse than Damon lately) So have they been putting him at all in the OF? Even if he is only throwing 17% of base stealers out, his arm is probably at least average. Can you see him lumbering around out there successfully? (Can’t be too much worse than Damon lately)

]]> By: LukeS http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-83464 LukeS Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:08:02 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-83464 The fact is, with a hitter like that, his defense only has to be JUST barely adequate. The fact is, with a hitter like that, his defense only has to be JUST barely adequate.

]]> By: Andy S http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-83455 Andy S Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:22:54 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-83455 The thing is I don't know that I care how bad he is behind the dish. If his offense is that good, I have a feeling that it will more than make up for his defensive liability. At 1B, he's just another 1B. At DH, he's just another DH. At Catcher, you're looking at the upside for a historically top offensive catcher. The thing is I don’t know that I care how bad he is behind the dish. If his offense is that good, I have a feeling that it will more than make up for his defensive liability. At 1B, he’s just another 1B. At DH, he’s just another DH. At Catcher, you’re looking at the upside for a historically top offensive catcher.

]]> By: RollingWave http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-83450 RollingWave Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:55:31 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-83450 so whens the last time you saw him? so whens the last time you saw him?

]]> By: RollingWave http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jesus-montero-saves/#comment-83449 RollingWave Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:54:37 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6242#comment-83449 Cuba does this pretty well too, but the obvious problem is that the pros in the MLB system like.... defected. Cuba does this pretty well too, but the obvious problem is that the pros in the MLB system like…. defected.

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