Miguel Montero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Miguel Montero |
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Montero with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: July 9, 1983 Caracas, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| September 6, 2006, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 5, 2018, for the Washington Nationals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .256 | ||
| Home runs | 126 | ||
| Runs batted in | 550 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
Miguel Angel Montero Fernandez (born July 9, 1983) is a former professional baseball player from Venezuela and the United States. He was a catcher, which is a special position in baseball. Miguel played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, and Washington Nationals. He was chosen to be an MLB All-Star twice and helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016.
Contents
Playing Professional Baseball
Time with the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks signed Miguel Montero in 2001. He was not chosen in the regular draft, but the team still offered him a contract with a $13,000 bonus.
Throughout his time with the Diamondbacks, Miguel was coached by Bill Plummer. Bill was a veteran manager and a former catcher himself.
Miguel made his first big league appearance on September 6, 2006. This game was against the Florida Marlins. He did not get any hits in his first game. The Marlins' pitcher, Aníbal Sánchez, threw a no-hitter against the Diamondbacks. Miguel played in six games that year and had a .250 batting average.
In 2007 and 2008, Miguel shared the catching position with Chris Snyder. He hit .224 with 10 home runs in 2007. In 2008, his batting average was .255 with five home runs.
Miguel started the 2009 season a bit slowly. But when Chris Snyder got injured, Miguel played much more. He finished that season with his best batting average yet, .294.
On June 25, 2010, Miguel was the catcher for Edwin Jackson when Edwin threw a no-hitter. Miguel ended the 2010 season with a .266 batting average and nine home runs.
In 2011, Miguel had a great season. He hit .272 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs. Because of his strong performance, he was chosen for his first All-Star Game. He also showed off his strong arm, throwing out 40% of runners trying to steal bases.
Miguel was named to his second All-Star team in July 2014. He took the place of an injured player, Yadier Molina, for the National League team.
Playing for the Chicago Cubs
After the 2014 season, the Diamondbacks traded Miguel to the Chicago Cubs. In return, the Diamondbacks received two minor league players. Before a hand injury in July, Miguel played in 73 games for the Cubs. He hit 10 home runs and had 32 RBIs, with a batting average of .230. On August 30, 2015, Miguel caught Jake Arrieta's no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
During Game 1 of the 2016 NLCS, Miguel hit a huge home run. It was a "pinch-hit grand slam" in the 8th inning. This hit broke a tie and helped the Cubs win 8–4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This was only the third pinch-hit grand slam in postseason history.
Miguel entered Game 7 of the 2016 World Series in the 9th inning. He was a defensive replacement for another catcher, David Ross. In the 10th inning, Miguel hit a single that brought in Anthony Rizzo. This made the Cubs' lead 8–6. The Cleveland Indians only scored one more run, so Miguel's hit was the one that won the game for the Cubs. This helped the Cubs win the World Series!
In a game on June 27, 2017, the Washington Nationals stole seven bases against Miguel. After the game, he said it was the pitcher's fault. He felt the pitcher, Jake Arrieta, was too slow. The next day, the Cubs decided to remove Miguel from their team. Miguel later apologized to Arrieta.
Time with the Toronto Blue Jays
On July 3, 2017, Miguel was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. He was placed on the injured list in August because of a groin strain. After a short time playing in a minor league game, Miguel returned to the Blue Jays on August 16.
Playing for the Washington Nationals
On February 1, 2018, Miguel signed a contract with the Washington Nationals. He joined their main team on March 27, 2018. Miguel played in four games for Washington but did not get any hits. The Nationals then decided to remove him from their team on April 11, 2018. He was officially released on April 14, 2018.
On December 10, 2018, Miguel Montero announced that he was retiring from baseball.
International Baseball
Miguel was chosen to play for the Venezuela national baseball team. He represented his country in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
About Miguel's Life
Miguel is married to Vanessa. In 2017, they started the Miguel and Vanessa Montero Foundation. This foundation helps seriously ill children in Venezuela get medical care. On May 1, 2017, Miguel and Vanessa both became citizens of the United States.
Miguel grew up in Venezuela. He was the youngest of three children. He often says that his parents taught him to always stay positive and keep trying his best.
See also
In Spanish: Miguel Montero (beisbolista) para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
