"Oh Catcher, My Captain:" The Bengie Molina Success Story

No Matter What, Beng-Mo Gets Ice

I am sure most of us know by now that no matter what the outcome is of this year’s World Series, Bengie Molina will receive a ring.

Some people may wonder as to why the Giants would give Bengie a ring if they beat him for the Series.  Well, to answer that one should look beyond just his 61 games played for them this year (a point for which alone he deserves it), and really review his full body of work with the Giants (literally, not figuratively, as a man of Bengie’s stature would take far too long for a once over). 

Bengie “Big Money” Molina had been with the Giants since ’07, a year after being an integral part to the Blue Jays ever-revolving door at the catcher position (don’t you just love how the Jays make out like bandits at the catcher position EVERY year).

When he came to San Francisco the Giants were a mess:

1.       They hit homeruns so sparcely, that the regularity of a constipated senior citizen would have been a more appealing frequency rate between events.

2.       Their pitching staff was so young that they had recess with Justin Bieber. 

3.       They had glaring holes in the field, which is why they tried to pry Alex Rios from Ricciardi’s Jays, offering up some elite starting pitching for him.  Eventually, they settled on signing Aaron Rowand.  (Phew I’m glad JP held onto Alex, he got much better value for him from the Sox).

4.       I reiterate: They were so bad that Aaron Rowand had a starting job.

5.       Two words: Barry. Zito.

In Bengie Molina, this team got a leader who could help fix the Giant’s problems.  He could maximize the potential of the team’s valuable pitching assets.  He could show the player’s how to be a walking punchline on the basepaths.  Most importantly, He could show these “Little Giants” how to win.

Bengie went beyond expectations.  In all three seasons he posted 80+ RBI, 16+HR, and basically, scored all of the runs for this team.

Beyond his own personal numbers, he mentored the franchise’s new poster boy, Tim Lincecum, to back-to-back CY Young Awards.  On top of that project, he made a front line starter out of Matt Cain, who if the Giant’s could score runs and bring him wins, would have been in the conversation for both of Lincecum’s CY Young’s. 

If Lincecum is Batman, and Cain is Robin, then Molina is The Batmobile: Large, in charge, a powerhouse engine, a completely illogical and unnecessary vehicle to get from point A to point B, and straight-up badass.

“Where is this team without Beng-Mo? Does the pitching staff grow into the dominant force it is without Molina calling the game? Are they comfortable with runners on base if Bengie’s gun isn’t there to throw them out? Does the offence ever get an extra-base hit? Do bench players get any work if Bengie isn’t there to be subbed for a pinch runner? “

All of these unknowns lead to the BIG question we now face, “Are the Giants up 2-1 on Bengie, if he wasn’t helping to build this team over the last three-and-a-half seasons?”

Homage to Catching:

If you think that Bengie isn’t the catalyst for the Giants success than think again.  Think back to when you played little league, and the poor sucker who was the catcher missed a game.

Remember the innings when you were put in to catch?

Remember complete and utter frustration boiling over with ever pitch?

Remember fearing for the life of your future children with every errant pitch?

Remember the sting in your thumb with every errant catch?

Remember the pressure to not screw up throwing it back to the mound?

Remember watching players steal second with complete ease?

Remember thinking, “Man, I hope they don’t hit me with the bat.  Am i too close to the plate? Ump, where are you standing?”

Remember when the catcher came back the next game?

I guarantee that when they did, you showed him the ultimate respect for the job he does every game, and gave him first pick of pop from the post-game cooler. 

“Enjoy the purple Gatorade my catcher friend, my fearless leader on the field.”

In San Francisco, Bengie always deserved the first purple Gatorade for a post-game win, and because of him, a lot more of those came to the Giants.