Jeff Montgomery - Hall of Famer?

Jeff Montgomery manages to sound resigned about the fact that he got two votes in the Hall of Fame voting this year. From the Kansas City Star today comes this gem of acceptance:

But that's not because he isn't proud of his baseball accomplishments. And he should be.

"When I think of the Hall of Fame," Montgomery said, "I can't help but think of the word ‘fame.' I think it's a place for ‘famous' players. I never really consider myself a famous player."

I have one additional thought when I think of the Hall of Fame - I think of great players, and I never really consider him a great player. The man managed to finish #9 on the Career Blown Saves list, and thinks that the reason he's not in the Cooperstown is that people don't recognize him on the Plaza?!

I'll confess that I'm not a totally fair judge of Monty's career. When I was attending Royals games regularly, it seemed the Royals would call him in after playing winning baseball for 8 innings, and then Monty would walk a few, deliver up a meatball and we would all go home. Maybe if he had retired after 1993, I would believe he should be in Cooperstown. But, as it is, he ruined far too many nights for me to think of him as being in the same class as the people who really belong there.