Pitchers and catchers don’t officially report for spring training until Friday, but the good news for the Seattle Mariners is that their highly-touted catching prospect Jesus Montero appears serious about re-establishing his role with the organization. His 2014 season got off to a rocky start when he showed up for camp 40 pounds overweight. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he became the butt of jokes around Major League Baseball when he was suspended for the remainder of the season after an altercation — involving an ice cream sandwich — during a rehab assignment with the Everett Aquasox, the M’s Single-A affiliate.
Butch Baccala, an M’s scout, was particularly miffed by Montero’s lack of hustle on the field, and ordered an ice cream sandwich, which he had sent to the dugout. Montero didn’t take kindly to the move, grabbing a bat and heading towards the stands before being restrained by team personnel.
Photos taken Thursday in Peoria show that Montero has lost those 40 pounds, and is a shell of his former self. The physical transformation is done. Now, it’s just a matter of the mental aspect.
These pictures are exactly one year apart: (via @RyanDivish) pic.twitter.com/O5xfCN72A7
— Scott Weber (@LookoutLanding) February 19, 2015
[Twitter, top photo via Greg Johns]
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