As coach Benjamin José Molina (born July 20, 1974), nicknamed "Big Money",[1] is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher.

He won a Gold Glove in 2002 and 2003, leading American League (AL) catchers in percentage of attempted base stealers thrown out.

A free agent after the 2005 season, Molina sought a long-term contract but settled for a one-year deal with the Blue Jays, criticizing the Angels for not re-signing him.

Replaced by Buster Posey during the 2010 season, Molina was traded to the Rangers, reaching the World Series where the Giants this time defeated his team.

Though regarded as one of the slowest baserunners of his day, Molina drew praise from many of the pitchers he caught for his skills at defense and calling a game.

As baseball in Puerto Rico is a significant part of the island's culture, Molina's father played second base as an amateur and worked as a tools technician 10 hours per day in a Westinghouse factory.

The all-time hits leader in Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (or Doble-A Beísbol) history, the elder Molina delivered a .320 career batting average and gained election to the Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Molina's two younger brothers, José and Yadier, also materialized into distinguished defensive catchers with lengthy careers in Major League Baseball (MLB), and each of the three won at least one World Series championship.

Bengie impressed Poitevint with his ability to hit line drives, but his slow baserunning threatened to be an obstacle to an MLB career.

Molina said several elements of the shortstop position translated well to catching, such as the needs to throw accurately, block the baseball, and move the hands quickly.

The team's backup catcher taught him so much about how to play the position, Molina later said "That winter with Sal Fasano was like graduate school.

Shocked at getting sent down, Molina might have quit baseball, had his father and veteran minor league teammate Jovino Carvajal not implored him to keep playing.

[3] Molina finished fourth in American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award voting, behind Kazuhiro Sasaki, Terrence Long, and Mark Quinn.

[24] The brothers would remain teammates at the catcher position through the 2005 season, the first siblings to catch for the same MLB team since Amos and Lave Cross caught for the Louisville Colonels in 1887.

Defensively, he made one error in 768 chances for a .999 fielding percentage and led AL catchers by throwing out 45% of attempted base stealers.

[3] Facing the Minnesota Twins in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series (ALCS), he had a two-RBI triple, his first in two years, against Mike Jackson as the Angels won 7–1.

[19] Bengie reached base safely all five times he batted in Game 3, becoming the only MLB catcher ever to do so in a World Series as the Angels won 10–4.

[29] In Game 4, his eighth inning passed ball allowed J. T. Snow to go to second base, where he scored the deciding run on a David Bell single as the Angels went on to lose 4–3.

Defensively, he had a .993 fielding percentage and threw out an AL-leading 44% of attempted base stealers, winning his second consecutive Gold Glove Award.

[45] Against the Seattle Mariners on the 14th of that month, he caught all 14 innings of a game, ending the contest with a walk-off RBI single against Emiliano Fruto.

[47] After the 2006 season, Molina became a free agent and signed a three-year, $16 million deal with the Giants, who needed a replacement at the position as Mike Matheny had to retire due to concussion problems.

[50] In a pregame ceremony on September 21, Molina was announced as the winner of the Willie Mac Award, which recognizes the Giant with the most spirit and leadership.

[51] In the first inning of the game against the Reds, Molina recorded career RBI number 500 in the bottom of the first on a single that scored Dave Roberts.

[19] On April 8, 2008, Molina hit two home runs, including a walk-off one against Cla Meredith in the 11th inning of a 3–2 win over the San Diego Padres.

Emmanuel Burriss immediately ran out to first base to pinch run for him, as Giants manager Bruce Bochy discussed the matter with the umpires.

[61] With two strikes on him and two outs in the eighth inning against the Diamondbacks on August 27, Molina hit a three-run home run against Chad Qualls, helping the Giants come from behind to win 4–3.

[62] His eighth-inning home run against Todd Coffey snapped a tie and provided the winning margin in a 3–2 victory over the Brewers on September 4.

He can catch and throw with anyone, he can block pitches, and he can get a big hit for you any day of the week...To have that stability behind the plate is nice," said Angels closer Troy Percival.

[82] "The things he's done for me – for calling a game, to give me confidence throwing different pitches in different counts – really, really, really benefited me," remembered Giants starter Matt Cain.

[91] While at Arizona Western, Molina began dating fellow freshman Josefa, a native of San Luis, Baja California, Mexico.