Miguel Montero is one of the better-kept secrets in baseball, as the Arizona Diamondbacks' catcher has been an above-average hitter for each of the last three seasons. What eventually made Montero a wealthy man, though, was that he could hit like that while also playing behind the plate.
From Jon Morosi:
Source: #DBacks and Miguel Montero agree on five-year, $60 million extension. Press conference expected Saturday.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) May 25, 2012
The Diamondbacks and Montero were reportedly close to a deal this past offseason, but the Yadier Molina deal (five years, $75 million) presumably threw a kink into those discussions. As our own Jeff Sullivan wrote this winter:
Towers: So if you’ll just sign right here…
Montero: Sure.
Montero: Wait, I’m getting a call.
Towers: You can call back later.
Montero: It’s from Yadier Molina.
Towers: You can call back later.
Montero: What if it’s important?
Towers: I’m sure it’s not.
Montero: I’ll just answer it.
Towers: No, don’t
Montero: /answers phone
Towers: aw mother-
The extension comes at a somewhat curious time, as Montero is out with a lingering groin injury, but apparently the Diamondbacks don't see it as one of those career-threatening groin things. If this were 1995, I would have made a Bill Clinton joke. But it's not, so all I'm stuck with are Steve Garvey references.