Molina Looks Like Perfect Catch

Somewhere in the long line of gray uniforms that snaked across the field late Saturday afternoon, Angel catcher Bengie Molina felt an arm fall across his shoulders.

He turned to his left. It was Joe Maddon, just as he figured.

Maddon leaned over and said, “Behind every great pitching performance is a better catching performance.”

Molina smiled, and Maddon, himself a former catcher, thumped Molina on the chest protector.

It is their private joke, a laugh they share when his sweat is nine innings old and his legs are heavy and his mind is aching for a break, when Molina and his pitcher--his pitchers--have made it to the end.

The Angels had survived Gary Sheffield, survived the Dodgers, 6-2, at Dodger Stadium. The second half has begun how the first ended, with the Angels much more dynamic than anyone figured them to be.

Part of that is Bengie Molina, the ponderous rookie catcher who runs like a catering truck and plays like a Porsche.

He led fellow rookie Seth Etherton through six somewhat chaotic innings, and in between singled twice, had a sacrifice fly and drove in three runs. He is batting .309 with 11 home runs and 46 runs batted in. And he has a handful of new believers every day.

“The guy really grows on you,” said a scout who watched from behind home plate. “I’m sold on him.”

Molina stood in the bustling Angel clubhouse afterward and spoke quietly, almost shyly, about another taut game, and another win, and another clutch hit.

In the sixth inning, with the Angels leading, 3-2, Molina fought Dodger reliever Antonio Osuna for five pitches, then slapped a single into right-center field. While Osuna smacked his glove and shouted in frustration, Darin Erstad and Tim Salmon scored for a 5-2 lead.

“When it comes to hitting, I really have no idea what to say,” Molina said. “I just try to see the ball and hit it as hard as I can.”

It is Molina’s straight-ahead, uncomplicated style that has made him such a delight for the coaching staff. Manager Mike Scioscia insists that Molina call his own game, and Molina only occasionally glances to the dugout for suggestions. Scioscia calls the pitchouts and pickoff attempts.

So, it is Molina--along with fellow catcher Matt Walbeck--who learns his lessons by taking young pitchers through theirs, by making decisions and living with the consequences. For example, Sheffield hit four home runs in the series, the first three on three different pitches--splitter, fastball, slider. He hit another fastball for a home run on Saturday.

But, in the fifth inning, with a runner at third base with one out and the Angels leading, 3-2, Molina asked for a curveball, got a good one from Etherton, and Sheffield popped to second base.

“I am not trying to mold Bengie Molina into anybody, into any particular catcher,” Scioscia said. “We’re trying to instill in Bengie Molina the things we know are important for a championship catcher to have.

“I’m not trying to make Bengie Molina into me, or make him into Steve Yeager or Roy Campanella. Bengie Molina is going to do things the way he can do things. He’s very talented. You don’t make the mold and put the player into it. You make the player and see what mold he becomes. The only question we had about him was durability, and he’s passed that with flying colors.”

Molina will be 26 on Thursday. He has impressed everyone with his cool, methodical approach to hitting, and his intelligence as a catcher.

“The thing about him, he’s confident,” pitching coach Bud Black said. “I’ve noticed just in the last month that he’s had more dialogue with me. He’s asked me about decisions he’s made, pitches he’s called. Because he’s secure, he’s OK in case I do disagree. I like the confidence he has, the way he’s putting down fingers. He knows he’s doing a good job.”

Molina smiled at the attention.

“Sometimes,” he said, “I look into the dugout. Just to see if he has any advice.”

Once in a while, Black will hold his hand near his belt, as if to say, “Inside.” Or far out in front of him, to suggest a pitch on the outer half.

The rest, they leave to Molina.

“I have to say I want to be myself,” he said. “I want to be a success in the big leagues, being myself.”