Memories of Rafael Montero

[G-Fafif]

Jacob deGrom's long-ago stablemate has signed a minor league deal with the Rangers, following the trail blazed by Jon Niese and Bartolo Colon back to Dan Warthen's conditionally loving embrace.

Raffy pitched a whale of a game in Cincinnati in 2017 and held his own facing off against Jose Fernandez in 2016. The bullpen never worked out for him and starting was a limited enterprise. Seemed nice enough. Best of luck.

[Benjamin Grimm]

[smg58]

Was afflicted by at least seven of the ten plagues. I don't really remember all that much, other than being perpetually bullish on him and one injury after another getting in his way. Hopefully something will go right for him, but I'm not mad that it won't be here.

[Edgy MD]

I always thought he looked like Dwight Gooden. In the face and in his motion, right down to the way his neck distorted when he hit his release point and suddenly made him look 60 years old.

But he sure didn't have Gooden's confidence. He threw nothing but strikes coming up through the minors, and then, upon his big league debut, lost the plate completely.

[MFS62]

I always hoped for better things for my adoptee.
Buena suerte, Rafael.
Later

[Lefty Specialist]

That's the thing that always bugged me. In the minors he had great control; when he got to the majors he got the yips. When he pitched ahead in the count he could be dominant, but we all too few flashes of that.

Glad we picked Jacob over him in the 2014 spot starter race.

[Centerfield]

Thought he would be really great the first time I saw him. Even after he struggled I thought one day he'd figure it out.

Each time I see him is a reminder of how bad I am as a scout.