| Bengie Molina | |
|---|---|
 Molina with the Texas Rangers in 2010 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: July 20, 1974 Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 21, 1998, for the Anaheim Angels | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 3, 2010, for the Texas Rangers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .274 |
| Home runs | 144 |
| Runs batted in | 711 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
As player
As coach | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Benjamin José Molina (born July 20, 1974), nicknamed "Big Money",[1] is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher. He played for the Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (1998–2005), Toronto Blue Jays (2006), San Francisco Giants (2007–2010), and Texas Rangers (2010). He is the older brother of major league catchers José Molina and Yadier Molina.
Molina played a handful of games for the Anaheim Angels in 1998 and 1999. He became the Angels' regular catcher in 2000 and remained so through the 2005 season. In 2001, José became his teammate. Molina received his World Series ring in 2002 after the Angels defeated the Giants in the 2002 World Series. He won a Gold Glove in 2002 and 2003, leading American League (AL) catchers in percentage of attempted base stealers thrown out.
A free agent after the 2005 season, Molina sought a long-term contract but settled for a one-year deal with the Blue Jays, criticizing the Angels for not re-signing him. In 2007, he joined the Giants, replacing Mike Matheny. He won the team's Willie Mac Award in 2007 and 2008, set a career-high with 95 runs batted in (RBI) in 2008, and hit a career-high 20 home runs in 2009. Replaced by Buster Posey during the 2010 season, Molina was traded to the Rangers, reaching the World Series where the Giants this time defeated his team. Though regarded as one of the slowest baserunners of his day, Molina drew praise from many of the pitchers he caught for his skills at defense and calling a game.
Following his playing career, Molina served as a coach with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013 and the Rangers in 2014. In 2016, he became the color commentator on the Spanish language radio broadcast for the Cardinals.
- ^ Brown, Daniel (March 18, 2010). "Giants: Bengie Molina chased down his dream". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved June 2, 2010.