Chris Bosio On Adding Mike Montgomery: Have To Pounce When You Can Get A Hard-Throwing Lefty
(CBS) Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio is enthused by the team's acquisition of left-hander Mike Montgomery from the Mariners on Wednesday, believing it's difficult to find pitchers with his makeup.
"Picking up hard-throwing left-handed pitcher is such a small, small window of opportunity, and I think we did a good job getting this young man," Bosio said on the Mully and Hanley Show on 670 on Thursday morning.
"Being able to acquire a young, hard-throwing left-handed pitcher that you can control, it's pretty attractive."
Bosio's take echoed that of Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, who on Wednesday expressed a belief that it takes taller left-handers like the 6-foot-5 Montgomery longer to develop.
The 27-year-old Montgomery is under team control through 2021. To get him, the big piece the Cubs parted with was Triple-A first baseman Dan Vogelbach.
Bosio provided a scouting report on Montgomery, who has a 2.34 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 32 appearances this season, 30 of which have been in relief. Montgomery does have some starting experience.
"He's a hard-throwing lefty, got a little two-seamer, nice little curveball and a changeup," Bosio said. "He's had a good year. We call him a swing guy -- he can start or relieve. We think we've added another little piece to the organization that we think can help us.
Listen to Bosio's full interview below.
