It’s no surprise that one of the best catchers in Major League Baseball history also happens to be in an extremely fortunate position. Bengie Molina stands to receive a World Series ring regardless of the outcome in the Best of 7 series between the Giants and Rangers.
Molina played 61 games for the Giants before being traded mid-season to the Rangers where he played 57 games. San Francisco signed Bengie to a one-year deal in the off-season and traded him during the year because of the emergence of rookie catcher Buster Posey. The Giants kept Posey in the minors at the beginning of the season to avoid having his MLB service time begin, and he played first when he was initially called up. San Francisco decided their best lineup would include Posey at catcher and Aubrey Huff at first, so they traded Molina to move Buster behind the dish. The trade worked out well for both teams.
Texas, which seemed to be littered with catching options, saw Jarrod Saltalamacchia develop a Mackey Sasser-like throwing problem, and Max Ramirez and Taylor Teagarden fail to produce offensively. Molina’s addition gave them a strong, reliable veteran presence even if Bengie struggled at the plate. Molina has made up for his offensive shortcomings during the regular season with two home runs and seven RBIs in the post-season. Additionally, Bengie’s defensive contribution cannot be underestimated.
The comments of Tim Lincecum tell the story, “He’s meant a lot to me, and he’s meant a lot to this team. He’s part of the reason why we’re here and obviously part of the reason why they’re here, too.” Perfectly stated. If anyone were to receive a ring for his contributions to two teams, Bengie Molina is so deserving.
