Former Blue Rock Mike Montgomery Looks to Help Cubs to World Title
Wilmington, DE - It has been a long time since either the Cleveland Indians or the Chicago Cubs last won a World Series. But as the old saying goes, 'something's got to give,' as the teams will square off in this year's Fall Classic, which begins on Tuesday. Unlike the last two World Series, which had a combined 22 former Blue Rocks on the diamond, only one Wilmington alum has made it to the game's ultimate stage in 2016, Chicago reliever Mike Montgomery.
Montgomery began the season with the Mariners, but was traded to the Cubs in exchange for Dan Vogelbach and Paul Blackburn on July 20. With Chicago, Montgomery went 1-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 17 games. He fanned 38 in 38.1 innings, splitting his time between the rotation (five starts) and the bullpen.
The 27-year-old California native spent time with the Rocks in 2009 and 2010. He went 4-1 with a 2.60 ERA in nine starts as a Blue Crewer in '09. He was a big part of Wilmington's second-half playoff push that saw the club reach Game Five of the Carolina League Northern Division Championship Series. The flame thrower so-impressed scouts that he was named a top-10 prospect in the Carolina League that season by Baseball America. He went 2-1 with a scant 1.09 ERA in just four starts with Wilmington a season later. Montgomery was so dominant he earned a promotion to Double-A within a month of Opening Day.
From there, injuries delayed the 2008 first-round pick's ascension to the majors. He was traded to the Rays along with Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi in exchange for Wade Davis and James Shields in 2012 and then again to the Mariners for Erasmo Ramirez in 2015. He made his Big League debut that season in Seattle, making 16 starts, while posting a 4-6 record and a 4.60 ERA.