Miguel Montero had two of the biggest hits for the Chicago Cubs during their postseason run that culminated in a World Series title, though the veteran catcher was not thrilled about playing a part-time role in October.
Speaking on the Waddle and Silvy Show on ESPN 1000 in Chicago (via ESPN.com), Montero explained his emotions coming off the bench throughout the playoffs.
“It was different for me,” Montero said. “It was a different emotion because I didn’t get a chance to play. I was a little disappointed, to be honest, because I felt like I did a good job in the regular season but was left out a little bit. It made me feel a little like not important or maybe not as good to be in this lineup.”
Montero went on to say his frustration at the situation stemmed from a lack of communication from the team:
I’m a veteran guy. They talk about veteran leadership. I have 11 years in the game and two All-Star [appearances]. I expected to be treated a little better. I was expected to get communication. Just let me know. Put me in the loop. That was the toughest part for me because I never understood what my role was going to be.
If Montero was feeling bad about not playing every night, he didn’t let it affect his performance. The 33-year-old had 12 at-bats during the postseason with just two hits, but both of them were critical for the Cubs.
In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, after the Los Angeles Dodgers tied the game at three in the top of the eighth, Montero came off the bench with the bases loaded and hit a grand slam to put the Cubs up 7-3.
In Game 7 of the World Series, after entering the game in the bottom of the ninth, Montero had an RBI single in the top of the 10th inning that gave the Cubs their final run in an 8-7 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
The Cubs had the best problem a team in professional sports can have: Too much talent. They were rotating outfielders like Jason Heyward and Jorge Soler, who would both be sure-fire starters on virtually every other team, during the World Series.
Catching was a position in which the Cubs were breaking in Willson Contreras during the season and David Ross was Jon Lester’s personal catcher, so this left Montero with few chances to play full games after the month of May.
Montero is still under contract through next season, and with Ross retiring, he could see an uptick in playing time.
Contreras will get the first crack at being the team’s starter, with Montero needing to improve his .684 OPS and throw out better than 11 percent of base stealers if he wants an expanded role for the deepest team in Major League Baseball.
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