Gustavo Molina
Encyclopedia
Gustavo Molina is a Venezuela
n professional baseball
catcher
for the New York Yankees
of Major League Baseball
. Molina bats and throws right-handed. He is not related to the Molina brothers (Jose, Bengie
, and Yadier
).
Molina was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago White Sox
on January 3, . He spent seven years in the minor leagues with the White Sox organization before making his major league debut on April 2, , with the White Sox. He was on the White Sox' opening day roster due to backup catcher Toby Hall
being placed on the disabled list
. During Molina's short one-and-a-half month tenure with the White Sox, he went 1-18 with one RBI
. He got his first hit
against the New York Yankees
at U.S. Cellular Field
. Shortly after, once Hall returned, he was sent down to the minors.
On July 30, 2007, Molina was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles
, who immediately sent him to play with the Bowie Baysox
, the Orioles' Double-A team.
In December 2007, Molina signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets
and became a free agent
at the end of the season. On December 23, 2008, he signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals.
On January 29, 2010 the Boston Red Sox
signed Molina to a minor league contract.
On June 29, 2010, he was purchased to replace Víctor Martínez, who was placed on the DL. On July 18, he was designated for assignment.
Molina signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the New York Yankees
for the 2011 season. He made six plate appearances for the Yankees, recording one hit before being optioned back to Triple-A. For the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Molina recorded a .239 batting average, two home runs and 17 runs batted in. He was designated for assignment on August 19.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. Molina bats and throws right-handed. He is not related to the Molina brothers (Jose, Bengie
Bengie Molina
Benjamin José "Bengie" Molina , nicknamed "Big Money", is a former Major League Baseball catcher.He is the older brother of major league catchers José Molina and Yadier Molina....
, and Yadier
Yadier Molina
Yadier Benjamin Molina known affectionately by fans as "Yadi", is a Major League Baseball catcher who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals.Molina was the third catcher to play in two World Series before age 25, along with Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra. He is considered one of the best defensive...
).
Molina was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
on January 3, . He spent seven years in the minor leagues with the White Sox organization before making his major league debut on April 2, , with the White Sox. He was on the White Sox' opening day roster due to backup catcher Toby Hall
Toby Hall
Toby Jason Hall is a Major League Baseball catcher who is currently with the Camden Riversharks in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball....
being placed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. During Molina's short one-and-a-half month tenure with the White Sox, he went 1-18 with one RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. He got his first hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
at U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field is a baseball ballpark in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, it is the home of the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball's American League. The park opened for the 1991 season, after the White Sox had spent 81 years at old Comiskey Park...
. Shortly after, once Hall returned, he was sent down to the minors.
On July 30, 2007, Molina was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, who immediately sent him to play with the Bowie Baysox
Bowie Baysox
The Bowie Baysox are a minor league baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the class-AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League...
, the Orioles' Double-A team.
In December 2007, Molina signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
at the end of the season. On December 23, 2008, he signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals.
On January 29, 2010 the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
signed Molina to a minor league contract.
On June 29, 2010, he was purchased to replace Víctor Martínez, who was placed on the DL. On July 18, he was designated for assignment.
Molina signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
for the 2011 season. He made six plate appearances for the Yankees, recording one hit before being optioned back to Triple-A. For the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Molina recorded a .239 batting average, two home runs and 17 runs batted in. He was designated for assignment on August 19.