Bengie Molina is talking to “a couple of” teams, but hasn’t decided whether he’ll play in 2011, according to Newsday’s Ken Davidoff. The catcher told Davidoff that he has “no idea” whether he’ll sign with one of the interested teams.
“They're not offering what we want, for sure. I don’t know right now what’s going to happen," Molina said.
Molina is looking for significant playing time and a payday of $4MM or so, according to Davidoff. Last month, Jon Heyman of SI.com reported that Molina could return for a special opportunity. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a team like the Rockies or Royals (my speculation) express interest in Molina as a backup, but it will be a challenge for him to find regular playing time at this point in the offseason.
In 118 games for the Giants and Rangers last year, Molina hit .249/.297/.326. He hit at least 15 homers each season from 2005-09, before hitting just five long balls in 2010. The 36-year-old has played for the Angels, Giants, Rangers and Blue Jays in 13 Major League seasons.
I think his status as a Type A is probably killing his chances.
How about the Brewers? They made some major deals to bolster their rotation. Are they comfortable putting that investment in the hands of Lucroy and Wil Nieves? Molina should talk up his experience and handling two championship pitching staffs and cash one last paycheck before he rides off in the sunset.
I doubt they want that. He’s in horrible shape, grounds into all sorts of double plays, is starting to lose his power stroke and will check out and be a malcontent at the first hint of him not being “the guy” behind the plate. Unless they have absolutely no faith in any of their catchers, then I guess it would make some sense
Maybe he should spend his offtime on a program to lose weight and increase his running speed? He can brag how he hit for the cycle this past season, but that wasn’t pretty watching him suck fumes running out a triple.
Baseball Reference lists his weight @ 225lbs. I have a feeling that he only had one foot on the scale. That said, he’s still a more than adequate backup, but is not worth anywhere close to $4m.
4 mil? he’ll have to drop his asking price a lot lower.
He has age, weight, and bat has gone away. Pretty much 4 million for his defense, definitley not worth it.
His defense isn’t any good either. He really lost his touch in 2009
1 year/1M to the Royals sounds good. Good thing we already have that dangerous Kendall for another year.
“significant playing time” + $ 4 million + Type A free agent = WAY too high a price. And I would love for the Rockies to have Molina as a back up veteran catcher, but NO WAY with that price tag. Just the draft pick loss makes the price too high.
pretty sure rangers declined arbitration on molina, he won’t cost a pick.
Hey, Bengie, can you pitch?
– B. Cashman
Your gimmick is not funny anymore
you know if worst comes to worst, nick swisher did throw one inning last year. if i recall, he has a 0.00 ERA and 9K/9IP. this could totally work. better than that soriano guy i never wanted to sign in the first place.
— B. Cashman
Hey Bengie, have you met Jermaine Dye?
Too bad the Reds have already signed Hernandez… Walt loves to sign washed up players for way too much.