Bengie Molina said he is retired "for now" earlier this week, but his brother Jose told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that Bengie still wants to play. He made it clear that his older brother would only sign a contract that showed him "sufficient respect," likely ruling out a minor league pact.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi asked Jose, his former player, if Bengie planned on playing this season during a Spring Training game this week, but Rosenthal says that was likely out of his own curiosity. GM Brian Cashman has said flatly the team is not looking for help at catcher despite Francisco Cervelli's fractured foot. Prospects Jesus Montero and Austin Romine are currently competing for the backup job behind Russell Martin in Cervelli's stead.
The Padres expressed interest in Bengie earlier this month, and the Astros figure to be looking for some catching help as well.
Bengie can help a lot of teams, he can hit. He just cant run well!! Although HE DID hit for the cyle last year!! LMFBO!!!
Respect is one thing, but getting the contract he wants at this point in his career? Not going to happen. I feel sorry for any team that ends up with him that has to go through the pain that we Giants fans did running, well, almost walking, down the base path.
Don’t forget the constant whining after Posey was drafted. Bengie needs to see reality
Yeah, Bengie has been a pretty big cry baby, I remember on a ground out to short, I can’t remember who, but whoever threw the ball didn’t show a sense of urgency and so Bengie made a big deal out of it, saying that the guy was making fun of his slow speed.
I’m pretty curious what in his mind is a contract that “sufficiently respects” him. As far as I know, old, borderline obese catchers whose offense and defense have declined noticeably and have a penchant for moping don’t get paid that much.
I don’t think he’s just “borderline” obese anymore. Maybe back with the Angels
I don’t understand how the Yankees can start the year with Jesus as the back up. If they feel he’s ready, why is the immortal Russel Martin standing in his way? Imagine the Angels bringing up Trout to be the fourth outfielder, or the Nats with Harper. He’s clearly ready to hit MLB pitching, but the pressure on any top Yankee prospect is crazy, and they’ll be asking him to pinch hit or have 2 starts a week? I don’t see how that’s a good way to give a guy his first real taste of the MLB. I’d much rather they get him more experience catching every day in AAA than rotting on the bench to start the year I don’t buy Romine’s hype at all, he’s the perfect guy to start as a backup catcher. I believe in the Yankees prospects, I just think they do a horrible job of putting their guys in the best position to succeed.
Totally agree with letting Montero get regular at bats in the minors rather than bring him up to play backup. If anything, bring him up later in the year if you think he’s ready then. For now, with Cervelli out, I wouldn’t object to signing Benji as the backup.
To be honest with you though, and I know it won’t happen, the best course of action is to let Posada handle the backup job until Cervelli comes back.
Agreed, I don’t see why Posada can’t catch one day a week until Cervelli comes back. I wouldn’t want to do it for an entire year, but on a short term basis it wouldn’t be horrible. I just don’t see the point of messing with Montero during the year. If Martin stays healthy and plays well all year, how many at bats can Montero really get? I don’t think it would kill his development, but it certainly isn’t the best route.
Him playing “backup” isn’t really him playing backup. It’ll be more like a 50/50 split with Martin, and the times when he isn’t catching he’ll be DHing. So he’ll be a “full-timer” in the lineup, but a backup positionally.
Can you provide a link of this? I’ve only seen that Posada will be the full time DH, but I could be wrong. If Montero is on the MLB roster he needs to play 120+ games.
riveraveblues.com/2011/03/jesus-montero-backup-cat…
I know its not a source to exactly what I said, but it seems like the logical route.
There’s a pros and cons list from a month ago on river ave blues. Sorry, not allowed to post links here.
Actually its probably the best way. Give him at bats while he learn behind the plate and work with pitchers in their side sessions and get to know the staff and coaches. If he does well he’ll be the full-time catcher by the end of the season because Martin has really fallin off offensively and a catcher that hits starts games man.
What we’re seeing with Molina is another example of the evolution of the growth of wealth in the Baseball industry. Players, particularly ones that have played in the Majors for a number of years, have gotten a sense of entitlement and have lost touch with reality. Million dollar salaries being given out as a norm has more often than not set players up for life and has given them the security of demanding more money and holding out if need be until their demands are met.
Molina is just the latest example, Jermaine Dye stayed out last year rather than play for less than what he thought he was worth, a classic mistake on his part, as we all saw. His loss of reality has cost him his career as well as money. Edgar Renteria felt the Giants ‘insulted’ him earlier this winter with their offer and was ‘willing to retire’ rather than play for less than market value. This attitude is not limited to just marginal players, even the still productive and elite players carry the idea of entilement as well.
Derek Jeter got into an ugly squabble over money, despite being offered a salary that was a huge overpayment, only because he knew could get more. As his agent stated, ‘Derek Jeter is a special player…’ Granted he’s a HOF player, but talk about a sense of entitlement! Kevin Millwood is another one who has lost touch with reality, refusing a minor league contract and demanding $4MM from a MLB team, even after no one has shown interest. He very well may join Dye on the outside looking in.
We hear all the talk about CEO’s making thousands of times the salaries of the common worker, well we have to include the modern ball players in that group as well.
JDD (Jermaine Dye Disease) is too common in washed up baseball players. Tragic.
maybe a contract for bengie that said something like this we will show you sufficient respect if you lose sufficient weight
Another player losing grip on reality. It is sad that you now see this attitude across all sports. I would love to be disrespected by being offered the league minimum. I would gladly ride the pine as the last guy on the roster. You wouldn’t here a peep out of me because it sure beats the heck out of being the cube-jockey I am.
I don’t see the Astros needing Molina. Humberto Quintero, J.R. Towles and Carlos Corporan have all had excellent spring trainings with the Astros this year. Quintero is excellent defensively, Towles was a top prospect until he fell of the radar with injuries over the last couple of years and now in spring it appears he has rebounded, and Corporan was a solid AAA catcher last year and has enough to be a backup in the big leagues.
With Molina, established players have thier pride. Catching is a difficult position to fill. They don’t want a lot of passed balls. There aren’t very many Posey’s out there.