Dillon Gee will be the 5th starter. Raphael Montero, despite being lights out in his audition, will start the season in the bullpen (most likely). I assume he’ll be a long reliever, but hey, if Mejia and Familia can’t get it together, and Parnell remains injured, we might see Montero closing soon.
I like this. I like it a lot. You just don’t give the keys to the castle to a young bull. You have to make them claw for it. They have to pay their dues. Let’s see him dominate in relief. Our bullpen has been hurt badly by the losses of Edgin and Black (he’s day-to-day forever). Gee was the incumbent, and has looked sharp in Spring as well. Someone is bound to get hurt. Montero is the first guy there to make a spot start, or even fill in for a long time if someone gets severely hurt (day-to-day) or Gee or someone else gets traded or they want to limit Harvey’s innings, etc.
This is objectively the right move. Let’s make the kid work. It’s a team game, and Montero’s value is highest in the bullpen. He’s going to pitch. He’s going to get lots of opportunities to prove himself. Let’s see if he does.