Ray Montgomery found himself in an unexpected position for his first business role. Ron Washington stepped into an interim role with the Angels back in June, and Montgomery took over for the remainder of the season.
Returning to New York on Monday night, the former Fordham standout from Bronxville expressed gratitude for the new opportunity.
“Every time I’m back home, it feels special,” Montgomery shared. He played 47 games as an outfielder and pinch hitter during his three-season stint with the Astros from 1996 to 1998.
Although Montgomery had visited Citi Field as a coach before, memories of his time in Queens resurfaced strongly.
Growing up as a fan in Westchester, he fondly recalled spending time at Shea Stadium.
“The window for the Mets was during my junior year of high school, around 1985 to 89, up until my sophomore year of college,” he explained.
However, there was a downside to the team’s success. As the Mets started winning more, it became increasingly difficult to secure good seats.
“For about ten years, we could get seats anywhere,” Montgomery noted. “But that changed pretty quickly.”
His journey into the MLB kicked off with his debut in 1996, after being drafted in the 13th round by the Astros in 1990. Montgomery reflected on his path, saying, “It was tough. I had to really work for it. I wasn’t as naturally gifted as others, but I wouldn’t trade my experience.”
Before becoming the Angels’ director of player representation in 2020, he had also scouted for the Brewers and Diamondbacks.
He transitioned to bench coach a year later and took the helm from Washington in June.
“This has been my goal since leaving the front office,” Montgomery remarked. “But it’s not ideally how you want to get there. Right now, we’re all just focused on doing our jobs.”
