Romero Looks to Cool Off Montero
Montero's success leads the Mariners to four straight wins
Romero Looks to Cool Off Montero
It's only Jesus Montero's second Major League season, and his first full one, but the Seattle designated hitter and catcher has certainly raked during the season's second half.
Montero's 0-for-4 performance in Sunday's series finale against Kansas City snapped a modest four-game hitting streak, but he is batting .352 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 14 games since the All-Star break. This production comes one year after he combined to hit .298 with 15 home runs, 11 doubles and 26 RBIs in 57 games between Triple-A and the Yankees.
"I'm just trying to be patient, to look for good pitches," Montero said after Saturday's win. "I know I'm in a hurry sometimes, and that's why I don't get base hits. So I'm trying to be patient and hit good pitches, and try to help the team to win."
Montero's success has helped lead the Mariners to four straight wins and victories in 10 of their last 14 games. Montero likely will do his part to help Seattle continue those winning ways in Monday's series opener against the Blue Jays and left-hander Ricky Romero. Montero is hitting .370 against left-handers this season. He ranked first in the American League in that category entering play on Sunday.
If that isn't cause for concern for Romero and Toronto, the lefty's recent work certainly is. Romero is coming off arguably the worst outing of his career, when he surrendered eight runs on four hits and six walks in a career-low 1 1/3 innings against the A's.
Romero, who has lost six straight starts, called his performance "pathetic" and "horrible," while Blue Jays manager John Farrell said the left-hander needs to bounce back.
"We have to work to get him right, there is no question about it," Farrell said after Romero's last start. "We have talked a lot about what his frame of mind is, and yet we have to work to rebuild that to get him on track."
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_07_30_tormlb_seamlb_1&mode=preview&vkey=preview_web_home&c_id=sea
