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Arizona Diamondbacks' Miguel Montero, left, scores behind San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey in the second inning of a baseball game on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, in San Francisco. Montero scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Arizona's Ryan Roberts. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
The Arizona Diamondbacks recently signed catcher Miguel Montero to a five-year, $60 million contract extension.

The deal not only ensures the team keeps the 28-year-old in the Valley for the duration of his prime, but gives them reliability at a position where it's tough to find some.

Which is why, according to ESPN MLB insider Keith Law, the D-backs did good with the deal.

"All he's got to do is stay healthy, but that's the caveat on every contract, but especially catchers because they get hurt a lot," he told Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf Friday. "But Montero has had basically one major injury so far in his big league career, and it's not the kind of thing you're going to expect to recur."

Law said it probably would have cost the D-backs more money to retain Montero had he reached free agency, as he was set to do this summer, which would have hurt them in other areas.

Besides, as far as backstops go, the team now has one of the better all-around players in the game.

"He's gotten better enough defensively that you're more than happy to leave him there for most of the contract," Law said. "Maybe by the end of the contract you're looking at him as a part-time catcher, part-time first baseman."

But that is for down the road, if it ever happens. Until then, the D-backs should be happy to have the 2011 All- Star and career .270 hitter behind the plate and in the lineup for this season and beyond.

"He can be an impact bat in the lineup and he'll be one of the better catchers in the National League," Law said. "Not a contract they're likely to regret, unless he has a catastrophic injury, and I feel like that's kind of priced into the deal."

Probably, but just in case, let's all knock on wood and hope Montero stays healthy.

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    the real fan wrote...
    very good
    Top 3 in all areas, good with pitching staff, hitting, D-fense. Might have to let some key players go thou, J.J, Hudson, Maybe even have to dump Cahill, but with the depth at pitching I am ok.
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