Happy 50th birthday to Royal Great Jeff Montgomery. Monty was born on this date in 1962 in Wellston, Ohio.
Montgomery pitched for the Royals from 1988-1999, racking up 304 saves. He was an All-Star three times (1992, 1993, 1996). His 45 saves in 1993 is a team record and he is number one all-time in saves with 304.
0 recs | 34 comments
wow. doesn't seem like he retired that long ago.
DickHowser4ever - January 7, 2012
i wonder how the bloggers at RR would hit against a 50 year old Montgomery??
i think he could still strike me out and make me look very silly in the process, but on the other hand i bet i could hit his fastball now-a-days.
DickHowser4ever - January 7, 2012
Oh god
here we goEspeciallyK - January 7, 2012
Considering I can barely get a foul tip in the batting cage, I'm sure he could kick my ass and make me look ridiculous.
I’m better at Wii baseball, though (but not by much).
Gross(est) - January 7, 2012
I bet his fastball now
Isn’t much off from his fastball then. He never threw very hard. He had a great slider and a pretty good sinker. That’s how he made it all those years, and that’s why the team was so reluctant to make him closer for so many years and instead wasted $9 million on Mark Davis.
RoyalsRetro - January 7, 2012
it is a good thing we have learned our lessonsbuddyball - January 8, 2012
He Had Four Good Pitches
And excellent command of them all. The fastball wasn’t impressive, but he had a great arsenal otherwise.
UCrawford - January 8, 2012
I thought Monty was fastball, curve, change, slider.
Shows You how good my memory is. Good pitcher for awhile. Mentally tough.
Rufus R. Jones - January 9, 2012 via mobile
Maybe it is
I remember him having a ball that could sink, maybe it was his slider, but he induced a lot of grounders it seemed.
RoyalsRetro - January 9, 2012
Yes he did.
And was a great fielder!
Rufus R. Jones - January 9, 2012
Not The Most
Important aspect of a closer’s game, but more valuable than most people think, especially for a GB pitcher.
philofthenorth - January 9, 2012
When I was eight years old,
he signed his autograph for me at the K, back when players would often sign autographs along the front row of the Plaza Level (and back when it didn’t cost an arm and a leg to sit down there.
KeepItCopacetic - January 7, 2012
My most famous Royal autograph that I personally got...
…was Jeff Conine at a AAA Toledo Mud Hens game. My dad told me he was a big prospect (I was like 10, well before the internet), so getting his autograph was my holy grail for that game. His arm was broken or something because I remember it being in a sling, and he was the last Royal to come out. He seemed genuinely surprised when I called out “Mr. Conine?”
One of my favorite Royals, just because of that, though he wasn’t around all that long.
Tracer Bullet 82 - January 7, 2012
I have zero Royals autographs,
but Will McDonald sent me mail once.
Old Man Duggan - January 7, 2012
I almost got Alex Gordon's a couple summers ago during his AAA demotion at an I-Cubs game...
We were right behind the Royals dugout and he was taking swings… I asked, he looked me in the eye, then looked away… 28 year olds are easier to ignore than 10 year olds.
Tracer Bullet 82 - January 7, 2012
I hollered that he should be in the bigs when he was in AAA
and elicited a chuckle.
Old Man Duggan - January 7, 2012
It doesn't sound like you "almost" got his autograph ... at all.
KyleM - January 8, 2012
Kind of like how Borat almost shacked up with Pamela Anderson?
KeepItCopacetic - January 8, 2012
I also got Mark Gubicza's as a kid.
He was just randomly walking through the stadium maybe a couple hours before a game. My dad pointed him out and directed me to ask.
KeepItCopacetic - January 7, 2012
I bought a Mark Gubicza autographed ball at a Royals' Charity deal...
…because they were selling autographed balls for ten bucks each… out of a box that looked like someone had just found in a corner of the K somewhere. I rummaged around in the box for a minute out of curiosity and noticed that one of them was Gubicza. So I bought it.
Most of the other balls in that box were Juan Gone. Really. Dozens and Dozens of them.
kcemigre - January 8, 2012
But he came back!
Just for you.
RoyalsRetro - January 7, 2012
He did...
I remember being genuinely surprised that no one else cared and there was no one else lined up hoping for his autograph. My dad had even given up waiting for him to come out. Earlier in the year (I think), I remember there being a huge mob for Mo Vaughn when the Paw Sox were in town and my dad got his autograph on his Upper Deck rookie. Why wouldn’t Jeff Conine have the same mob??
Naivety…
Then again, I don’t remember Mo Vaughn getting an All-Star game MVP (even if Conine’s wasn’t for the Royals).
Tracer Bullet 82 - January 7, 2012
I meant he came back to KC as a Royal just for you
But still, cool you got his autograph
RoyalsRetro - January 7, 2012
Ha...
The image is too ingrained in my mind, he was halfway to first base when I called out and he came back, so of course that’s what I assumed. His later Royals cameo doesn’t compare.
Tracer Bullet 82 - January 7, 2012
i got Kevin Sietzers autograph as a kid at a baseball card/memorabilia show.
it was right after his rookie season. when i handed him the baseball to sign he said hello, asked me my name, and was very nice. as a young kid i was aw-struck for weeks.
DickHowser4ever - January 8, 2012
His birthday must be rough with his son Mike in all those Jair Jurrjens rumorsKyleM - January 8, 2012
Monty!!!
I loved that guy. Seems like forever since he was here. Very atypical closer, but then the best closer in Royals history (Quiz) was also different from the perceived prototype.
UCrawford - January 8, 2012
Where is J. Montgomery Burns on the Royals All-Time Reliever list?
I would assume top 5, maybe as high as 3rd or 4th?
JKWard - January 8, 2012
First
304 saves.
UCrawford - January 8, 2012
Although
If relief pitchers were used the same way when Quiz was pitching (one inning instead of two or three), Monty might have ended up second. Both were excellent relievers, though.
UCrawford - January 8, 2012
Top three.
Up there with Quiz and Soria.
KeepItCopacetic - January 8, 2012
In my mind, Mr. Quisenberry will always be #1.
I’d be shocked if Soria ends up with fewer than 304 saves in his career.
JKWard - January 9, 2012
Just looked up appearances and IP for Quiz, Monty and Soria
Soria has averaged almost exactly one inning per appearance, Monty was closer to 1 1/3 and Quiz averaged almost 2. Given their repertoire of pitches, it makes me wonder how much more valuable Monty and Soria would be if they had used more like Quiz.
thelaundry - January 9, 2012
Happy Birthday to Montogomery and
Jeff Francouer and Jeff Francis as well!
Themis - January 9, 2012
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