Injury-Prone Molitor Key Man for Brewers

Paul Molitor has been more valuable to the Milwaukee Brewers this season than ever before.

Through July 22, the Brewers had a 34-14 record with him in the lineup and a 12-32 record in his absence.

“I’ve been a person to get things going,” Molitor says. “When you take apart a baseball lineup person by person, it’s a little like a machine. I’ve been able to provide a little spark to our offense when I’ve been healthy.”

Molitor, who spent just one season in the minors in Class A, earned the nickname “The Ignitor” in his rookie 1978 year with his aggressive style of play.

“That’s just been the way I’ve learned to play the game,” he said. “It was a combination of experience and coaching. I enjoy aggressive baseball.”

But his aggressive style of play has its negative side as well. Injuries have kept him out of the lineup almost 30% of the time. He had played in 1,058 of 1,493 regular season games since 1978, a 70.8 percentage, as of July 22.

Molitor does not know why he has been injury-prone.

“I really don’t have any explanation,” he said. “Some people think it’s because of the way I play. I know in my heart when I’m able to play I’m out there. It’s hurt me more than anybody.”

Milwaukee Manager Tom Trebelhorn, who preaches an aggressive game, believes the injuries are due to Molitor’s all-out style.

“He plays hard and knows only one way to play,” Trebelhorn said. “There were times when he could have played less aggressively, but he only knows one way to play.”

This season, Milwaukee was 20-3 when Molitor injured his right hamstring. In his absence the Brewers lost a club record 12 straight on their way to a 6-18 month of May, to drop out of the AL East race.

“He was hitting .390 at the time (of the injury) so you would think it had a large part to play in our slump,” Trebelhorn said. “When he plays every day we’re a different team.”

Team officials have said the Brewers have fared better on the field when Molitor is playing, but they have not kept a game-by-game summary during his 10 years.

“I think the won-loss record throughout the history of this club when he plays has been the statistic to look at,” Trebelhorn said. “He does things at the right time and the right fashion.”

Molitor said it is hard to explain why the team does better and said it his difficult for him to claim credit.

“I’m not sure what the numbers are, but I know the team has seemed to do better over the years with me in the lineup,” he said. “I fill a role with this team and I’ve been doing it for 10 years.”

Molitor has played each infield position, except first base, and the outfield. He received his break as a 22-year-old when Robin Yount, then the team’s shortstop, held out to begin the 1978 season. Molitor had played only 64 games for Class A Burlington on the professional level.

He said he has not had to change his style of play during the years as the Brewers went from a power hitting team to one at the bottom of the home run lists.

“It hasn’t affected my playing very much,” he said. “I’ve tried to remain an aggressive player. The one change has been stepping into more of a leadership role.”

Trebelhorn said the team will use Molitor as a designated hitter more this season and rest him more often to try keeping him away from injuries. Molitor sat out a July 22 game because his legs were tight.

“We try to be sensible in resting him and not give him a potential for a blowout,” Trebelhorn said. “We try to pick certain spots at certain times to rest him.”