Live Oak grad Adam Montarbo is playing for the Copper Kings
baseball team this year in the four-team newly formed independent
Arizona-Mexico League.
Live Oak grad Adam Montarbo is playing for the Copper Kings baseball team this year in the four-team newly formed independent Arizona-Mexico League.
As a 24th round draft pick of the San Diego Padres, Montarbo went right from college to pro ball. Montarbo began his season last year with the Padres Rookie team in the Pioneer League, the Idaho Falls. He was promoted to Single-A Eugene of the Northwest League.
Montarbo experienced his first big disappointment of his professional career when he was released by the Padres in March two weeks after attending camp in Arizona.
“I had never been cut from a team and had never been told I wasn’t good enough,” Montarbo said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting it. I did all the precautionary things to prevent it. It was real tough for me to handle. When it first happens, you don’t really know what it means.”
Montarbo was encouraged to keep his head up by a coach he had with the Padres, who was released several different times before having a good tenure in the bigs. His agent worked to keep him in baseball and give him the best shot of returning to the pros. The agent also arranged tryouts with some of the big clubs after the season ends with the Copper Kings.
“I don’t know where I would be without him now,” Montarbo said. “He found the best place for me to be. It is close to home. It has direct links to four different Major League Baseball clubs. There are so many scouts that come out and watch us. And we get national recognition.”
In a controversial opening night give away, free popsicles were given out to commemorate the great Ted Williams. After Williams died, his body was preserved at a cryogenics laboratory in Scottsdale.
The Copper Kings, which are in beginning their first year since 1955, play 18 of the 72 games at Bisbee and 18 in Douglas.
At first, Montarbo wasn’t too sure how he would remain sane playing ball in the middle of a desert.
“When I first rolled in, I’m like three months of this is going to be bad,” Montarbo said. “But it is interesting to see what they have done and are doing with some of the different promotions. The fans are awesome, and they have really embraced us.”
Former Major Leaguer Chuck Carr, who led the National League in stolen bases in 1993, brings his experience to the team as a player coach.
“He’s a great guy,” Montarbo said. “When he first arrived, everyone was a little intimidated. He really does do his best to talk to us and give us his input on what we are doing.”
Montarbo rents a house with a couple roommates and is making more money now than with San Diego. There is not much to do in the area around Brisbee and Douglas, Montarbo said. Most of his time between training is spent playing Playstation 2 video games.
“This town will take care of you though,” Montarbo said. “They are so happy to have baseball back and have something to do.”
Montarbo’s parents plan on going down to watch him play now that they have settled in to their new house in Morgan Hill.
“They seem to always get down to watch me wherever I play,” Montarbo said. “I have a lot of people who support me and want to me succeed. If it wasn’t for the people (my friend, parents and grandparents) that believe so much in me, I wouldn’t have the mentally that it is not even close to being over after I was released. If all these people believe in me, I got to be doing something right.”
Montarbo, as the team’s No. 2 starter, pitched five innings and didn’t give any earned runs in the Copper Kings first win of the season. He had three strikeouts and gave up three hits and three walks.
“I was real happy with my outing,” Montarbo said. “Confidence is a must. I am the best shape I have been for a long time in both aspects o the game (pitching and hitting).”
The 6-foot-4 Montarbo will be hitting for himself in games and also playing as the designated hitter in games he doesn’t start after only getting a couple of at-bats with the Padres last year.
“Hitting is real important to me,” Montarbo said. “I have always thought of myself as a hitter first and a pitcher second. I have never had the chance to be the hitter I want to be and get enough hacks to get back to where I was in junior college (with West Valley). My power is back, and I’m seeing the ball well. I just happy to be back in that zone.”
While playing third base at Chico State when he was not pitching, Montarbo batted .400 and had a .455 on base percentage. As the No. 1 pitcher, Montarbo went 12-3 with a 2.78 ERA, giving up 109 hits in 117 innings with 26 walks and 75 strikeouts. He was the starting pitcher in the final game of the 2002 NCAA Division II World Series.
Montarbo was used primarily as a reliever for the Padres. In 14 relief outings at Idaho Falls he had a 2.04 ERA and held opponents to a .229 batting average. In Eugene, he had one save 12 bullpen appearances. But Montarbo found that closing was not for him.
“When you’re playing with a Major League team, you do what they want you to do,” Montarbo said. “But I am not a guy who can throw an inning every other day. I like to progress and get comfortable in the first few innings. I’m throwing better now that I am a starter.”
Montarbo is making the best of his situation, while trying to remain positive.
“All I can do is do the best I can and hope someone notices,” Montarbo said. “I’m only 22 and have plenty of playing time inside of me, and the bonus is I can do more than one thing to help them out. It’s just a matter of taking what you are given and using it for your advantage.”
Details: www.copperkingsbaseball.com.
