Catching coach Jose Molina will not return to the Angels’ staff in 2022, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter). Molina’s departure could be one of several changes made to the staff, Heyman adds.
The 46-year-old Molina joined the Angels organization as a minor league catching coordinator in 2015 and was added to the big league staff a couple years back. Jose, like brothers Yadier and Bengie, was a fine big league catcher himself, spending parts of 15 years in the Majors — including seven with the Halos. He won a ring with the 2002 Angels and took home a second World Series ring as a member of the 2009 Yankees. In 947 big league games, Molina hit .233/.282/.327 while drawing consistent praise for his defensive prowess and handling of his pitching staffs.
Molina joined the Angels as their minor league catching coordinator just a few weeks after the hiring of general manager Billy Eppler, who was dismissed and replaced by current GM Perry Minasian last winter. It’s not clear yet whether Molina was under contract for the 2022 season, but it’s fairly common for teams to make some changes at this level once a new GM has had a year to acclimate and get a feel for their new organization. Given Molina’s lengthy playing career and six seasons of experience with the Halos in both the big leagues and the minors, it stands to reason that he could find a new opportunity with another organization if he plans to continue coaching.
He should go manage his little brother for the Cardinals. They love everything Molina there. In all honesty, the Cardinals should just make Yadi the first player/manager since Pete Rose. He is retiring from playing after this year anyway. My guess is he will eventually be the Cardinals manager at some point regardless. Might as well do it now so the Cardinals fans can have the excitement of having a player/manager. Catchers make good managers because they have to learn how to call games even as a player. I can’t think of a better candidate to ba a player manager than Yadier Molina for the Cardinals during his final year as a player. If he can’t get the player/manager job we will probably never see one again. Anyone else think it would be fun to see Yadi as a player/manager next season? Then he could just switch to only managing in 2023.
It’s a nice idea but I think there’s too much required of a manager these days for it to really be feasible unless Molina became a part time player.
With the front office intervening so much (see last night’s game with Knebel starting over Urias as a prime example), I think it’s easier than ever to manage a baseball team. Meet with the stat geeks prior to the game, get all of the splits/positional charts/analytics and distribute to the team. Then you just follow the written script. There are very few teams who rely on manager instincts these days….everything is scripted, so Yadi could easily follow orders for a season and still play. They would need a very strong bench coach because when Yadi is playing, someone needs to understand and bark out the marching orders from the dugout.
It’s a shame to see how many teams have gone to analytic-based managing. There’s no question that the stats they provide are helpful, but it takes the entire ‘human equation’ out of the game. That’s why managers like Terry Francona are becoming less and less prevalent in MLB. Francona uses analytics but frequently goes against them, managing from gut-feel or from what he’s seen from a player in recent games and warm ups. I’m guessing the Cardinals fired their manager for this exact reason. He went against the analytic-based game plan too often, with the final straw being his decision to bring Reyes into the 9th inning of the wild card game when the analytics told him not to do so. His recent performance was awful so there must have been some sort of conversation between Reyes and his manager before the game that instilled confidence in using him. Unfortunately, that backfired and cost him his job.
Yeah. Schildt was definitely far too loyal to Reyes. I watched a game this season where the Cardinals were leading with 2 outs in the top of the 9th and Schildt took the reliever out because he loaded the bases. He brings on Reyes. Reyes literally walked 5 batters in a row with the bases already loaded before Schildt took him out. Some of them on 4 pitches. I can’t imagine what was going through Schildt’s mind. Reyes just walked in 4 consecutive runs and the bases are still loaded. What does Schildt do? He leaves him in there so he can walk in a 5th straight run? It made no sense. You could tell Reyes clearly didn’t have it after he allowed his 2nd bases loaded walk. How do you leave him in there to do it 3 more times. The Cardinals pitchers led MLB this season in bases loaded walks. They allowed the 2nd most in MLB history. I think only the Marlins have ever allowed more and that was only once years ago when they were a truly terrible team. Bases loaded walks are indicative of pitching problems but they are also indicative of poor management. Those pitchers should have never been given the chance to walk in that many runs. 5 bases loaded walks in one inning? That’s insane. I think it was technically just 4 but he also hit Adam Duvall with a pitch in the middle of all that so it was the same result as a walk and very indicative of a lack of control.
The human factor is keeping Machado and Tatis from screaming at each other. Frankly, the personality management has always been more important that game management.
Totally agree. Reyes had no confidence in anything for the final 3 weeks and schildt kept throwing him out there in tough spots (or not tough spots but leaving in to get beat up).
Be lucky if he isn’t damaged from that.
Late bullpen mgmt was brutal all year.
Relief pitcher melts down, no outs in the inning, winning run on base and nobody ready to come out of the pen. Saw that movie way too many times this year
Which game was that? I looked though Reyes game logs the last two seasons and he never walked 5 guys in an inning. He walked 4 once, but the Cardinals were already behind when he came into the game.
Yikes, I was at that game too that’s where Reyes’ season went straight into the garbage
If the cardinals do that it will be a disaster. What works as a player doesn’t work as a manager. It is especially true in his case because he is a catcher and already has a lot on his plate. Once he retires then he deserves the chance if he wants it.
I would like him back with the Yankees in some capacity. The teams he was on were winning teams
Totally agree. I thought he might take over for matheny when he got the hook..
However, I don’t see them going with a former player with no managerial experience ever again. If he manages/coaches in upper minors for a few years then absolutely yes!
The Angels are finally figuring it out. I’ve been saying for years the reason the Angels never develop, sign, or acquire impactful pitching is their catching coordinator. Problem solved – finally.
Pending announcement… he’s being replaced with Bengie Molina.
bengie should be a
manager!
It was really the equipment manager, but don’t tell anyone.
I loved the two Molinas on the Angels.
Something else not discussed here, Jose could bunt and he played 1st base at times.
He loved to bunt because he was too lazy to try and leg out a double…
Former Cub Catcher and friend of Masson, Mike Barzello could be next for Angels.
Maddon
I wonder….if Oliver Marmol gets the job, you got to wonder who’ll be bench coach or 1B coach (if Clapp takes over the bench role)…or if Clapp gets the role, who’ll be 1B coach (if Marmol stays as bench coach)
Hire Jose Molina, Bengie Molina, Izzy Molina, and Gabe Molina and after next season when Yadi retires hire him and have the all Molina coaching staff. In fact change the team name to the St Louis Molina’s
The molinas dont get talked about enough in terms of siblings in sports. All three were absolute defensive wizards.
Defense isn’t “sexy” if it were Andruw Jones would be in the HoF and Edmonds would have a better case 🙁
If Andruw Jones would have retired after the 2007 season he might be in the Hall of Fame right now. The five seasons he played after probably hurt his case way more than it ever helped.
Similar case for “The Real House Husband of Orange County”
Andruw Jones not being in the Hall is absurd
I have no idea if Molina was a good or bad coach. I will say he was great with fans, especially kids. If a young kid walked out to the bullpen prior to a game there’s a good shot Molina would toss him a ball. In Tempe he signed lots of autographs.
Again, this is a results business, but being a class guy deserves some acknowledgment.
Jose kept the Angels from leading the league in passed balls.
I’m probably way off here but makes me think:
The Angels and Maddon especially recently always want former players around and involved with spring training, coming to games, etc. But I wonder if this is a signal keeping the “angels family” close but not a part of the every day baseball operations. Not saying it’s right or wrong to think that way, just a thought.
“The Angels and Maddon especially recently always want former players around and involved with spring training, coming to games, etc.”
It was the Angels 60th Anniversary.
“But I wonder if this is a signal keeping the “angels family” close but not a part of the every day baseball operations.”
Signal to who? And to what end?
Good luck Jose, see you in Cooperstown.
Without a doubt! He has a gig tending bar at the Ommegang Brewpub.
Ahhh yes, I remember the days when pitchers and Molinas reported to Spring Training.. good times, good times…
Another Maddon casualty.
If I remember correctly, Jose was the full-figured Molina brother.
He graded 80 size on the 20-80 scouting scale.