Juan Montero (minors01)

Juan Montero González (middle initial is F. per BR register, V. per Who's Who in Cuban Baseball)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 165 lb.

• Born March 6, 1913 in Cuba (per BR Register and The Mexican League: Comprehensive Player Statistics; Pelotabinaria says Nov. 30, 1912; Who's Who in Cuban Baseball says only 1913)

BR register page

Biographical Information

Juan Montero won over 125 games as a pro.

Montero was with the Cuban national team that took home Gold in the 1930 Central American Games. He went the distance in a win over Bronze Medal winner Panama (6 H, 3 ER, 2 K, 4 BB) and helped his cause by going 1 for 3 with a run. The teenager turned pro and debuted for Almendares in the 1931-1932 Cuban Winter League, going 2-1 for the champs. In 1932-1933, he was 1-0 for Almendares. He did not appear again until 1936-1937, when he was 1-2 for Marianao and won his second pennant.

He was signed by the Washington Senators, the most active major league team to sign Cubans in that era. He was 5-4 with a 4.90 ERA for the 1937 Trenton Senators and 7-2 for the Salisbury Indians in his minor league debut. He was 0-2 for Marianao in 1937-1938. He was 1-3 for the 1938 Greenville Spinners and was briefly with the St. Augustine Saints. He did not pitch in the US or Cuba in 1939-1940.

In 1941, he had a 2-0, 3.60 record for the Pittsfield Electrics. He pitched four games with no decisions for Habana in 1941-1942. He struggled at 3-15, 4.33 for the '42 Springfield Rifles, tying George Diehl and Art Doll for 3rd in the Eastern League in losses; it was not bad company as both guys pitched in the majors during their career. Teammate Doll had an even worse record than Montero at 1-15 as Springfield finished 33-107.

Juan was 2-1 for Habana in 1942-1943. He hit .228 for Springfield in 1943 and improved to 12-13, 3.27. He was one win shy of the EL top ten while tying Lou Knerr and Bull Palica for 5th in losses. In 1943-1944, he was 3-4 between Habana and Cienfuegos. He split '44 between the Jersey City Giants (1-0) and Chattanooga Lookouts (0-1).

He had his busiest season yet in Cuba at 8-8, 3.16 for Cienfuegos in 1943-1944. He tied Cocaina García for 3rd in the Cuban Winter League in wins, behind MLB-bound Baby Ortiz and Tommy de la Cruz and tied for 2nd in losses, one behind Daniel Ríos. He went south in 1945, pitching for the Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican League and going 9-16 with 15 complete games. He tied Ramón Bragaña, Theolic Smith and Raul Cabrales for the LMB lead in losses. In 1945-1946, he bounced around Cuba, appearing for Cienfuegos (2 GP), Almendares (0-3 in 8 G) and Marianao (1-10). He led the CWL in losses, three more than Agapito Mayor.

The right-hander was 8-7 with a 3.75 ERA for the Algodoneros de Torreon in 1946, the team's #3 starter after Martin Dihigo and Wilfredo Salas. In the winter, he pitched three games for Habana and had no decision. He fell to 1-4, 5.84 in 1947, split between the Alijadores de Tampico and the Tuneros de San Luis.

Montero ended his Cuban career in 1947-1948 with the Alacranes of the Cuban Players League, going 1-4; his 22 games pitched tied Bragaña for 3rd on the staff, behind Mayor and Max Lanier. Returning to the US after a three-year absence, joining the Miami Beach Flamingos and going 17-14 with a 3.69 ERA. He was two wins shy of making the Florida International League top ten and tied Leonardo Goicoechea for 7th in the FIL with 44 appearances. He was 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA for the Patriotas de Venezuela that winter.

The veteran had a 14-13, 2.71 record for the 1949 Flamingos, missing the top 10 in wins by one and leading the FIL in games pitched, one ahead of Gaspar Del Monte. In 1950, he kept on rolling with 15 wins between Miami Beach (9-8, 2.54) and the Augusta Tigers (6-3, 3.13), 0 years after his Cuban national team stint. He was 11-13 with a 3.47 ERA in 52 games for August in '51, leading the South Atlantic League in games pitched, 10 ahead of #2 Knowles Piercey.

He wound down his career in 1952 with the Pampa Oilers and Lubbock Hubbers, going a combined 15-15 with a 4.79 ERA in 50 games (evenly split between starting and relieving), fanning 183 and walking 136 in 263 innings. He was 2nd in the West Texas-New Mexico League in appearances (one behind Edward Arthur), was 3rd in walks, tied Arthur for 3rd in innings pitched and went out on a high note by leading in strikeouts (3 ahead of George Payte).