Professional Career
Montgomery played collegiate baseball at Marshall University and was later drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 9th round of the 1983 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his debut with the Reds on August 1, 1987 at age 25. He pitched a total of 14 games, including one start. He was considered a marginal prospect, and the Reds traded Montgomery to the Royals on February 15, 1988 for Van Snider, an outfielder who would go on to only play 19 games in the majors.
On April 29, 1990, Montgomery struck out three batters on nine pitches in the eighth inning of a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers. Montgomery became the ninth American League pitcher and the 23rd pitcher in major league history to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning.
Kansas City installed Montgomery in the bullpen, and he appeared in 45 games, posting a record of 7-2 with a 3.45 earned run average. In 1989 he had a breakout season, winning 7 games and losing 3, saving 13, and posting a 1.37 ERA while acting primarily as a set-up man for Steve Farr. The following season, he became the Royals' closer, a role he held for most of his career.
In 1993, Montgomery saved 45 games, tying Dan Quisenberry for the Royals' team record and tying him for the league lead with Duane Ward of the Toronto Blue Jays. That year he won the American League Rolaids Relief Man Award. Montgomery was also an All-Star in 1992, 1993, and 1996.
Montgomery lost effectiveness during the 1999 season, which he finished with 12 saves and a 6.84 ERA. He retired following the season, and was inducted into the Royals' Hall of Fame in 2003, his first year of eligibility.
Read more about this topic: Jeff Montgomery (baseball)
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