Willie Montañez

Who is Willie Montañez?

Guillermo Montañez Naranjo is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Even though he was productive, Montañez often carried the label "hot dog" for the whimsical manner in which he approached the game. After hitting home runs, he would trot very slowly around the bases, shuffling his feet on occasion. When catching infield fly balls, he would "snatch" the ball out of the air with his gloved hand and quickly shift glove and ball to the opposite hip, as if putting a gun in a holster. After receiving an attempted pickoff throw from the pitcher, he would sometimes repeatedly tag the baserunner who had safely returned to base. Antics such as these would irritate some teammates and opponents alike, and play to mixed results with the fans.