Bob Molinaro
Encyclopedia
Robert Joseph Molinaro is a former professional baseball outfielder
in the minor and major leagues in a career that lasted 18 years. His baseball career began in 1968, and lasted till 1985. During that time Molinaro played for 13 different teams, in seven different leagues.
Molinaro's career in professional baseball began on June 7, 1968, when he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers
in the 2nd round of the 1968 amateur draft
. Molinaro later signed with the Tigers on June the 17th of 1968.
Molinaro was then assigned to the rookie class Gulf Coast League
Tigers for the 1968 season. Molinaro was promoted to class A the following season and played in the Carolina League
for the Rocky Mount Leafs in 1969. After the 1969 season Molinaro was once again promoted up the ranks of the Detroit Tigers system to class double-A were he would spend the next two seasons 1970 through 71 playing for the Montgomery Rebels of the Southern League
.
In 1972 Molinaro finally moved up to triple-A and played the season with the International League
's Toledo Mud Hens
. The 1973 season saw Molinaro return to the Mud Hens and also saw him spend time back in double-A with a return to the Rebels. Over the course of the next four years, from 1974-1977, Molinaro played for the Tigers' new triple-A club, the Evansville Triplets
of the American Association
. While seeing most of his playing time with Evansville, Molinaro also saw playing time in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox
.
Bob Molinaro made his major league debut for the Detroit Tigers on September the 18th of 1975. Bob Molinaro went to play five more games for the Tigers that season. A return the Majors came a year later in 1977 with the Detroit Tigers for one game. Later, on September 22 of that year, Bob Molinaro was selected off waivers by the Chicago White Sox from the Detroit Tigers. After getting picked up by Chicago, Bob Molinaro would see action in four games for the White Sox in 1977.
Bob Molinaro returned to the majors for a full season with the White Sox in 1978, before heading back to the minor leagues for the 1979 season, which saw him play for the American Association's Iowa Oaks. Molinaro did have another brief stay in the major leagues in 1979 when he played eight games for the Baltimore Orioles. Once again, he was back in a White Sox uniform, and playing full-time for them in 1980 and in 81.
After two years with the Chicago White Sox, Bob Molinaro was sent by the Chicago White Sox to the Chicago Cubs on March 29th, 1982 to complete an earlier deal made on August 15th, 1981. The Chicago White Sox sent a player to be named later to the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later, who turned out to be Lynn McGlothen
. The Chicago White Sox sent Molinaro to the Chicago Cubs to complete the trade.
After spending the 1982 season with the Chicago Cubs and seeing 65 games of action, Molinaro was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies
on August 31 and finished the season with the Phillies, seeing playing time in 19 games.
The 1983 season was the last time Molinaro saw playing time in the major leagues. After returning to the Philadelphia Phillies and playing in 19 games, Molinaro was released by the Philadelphia Phillies on June 6 and found himself back in the minor league's this time playing for the triple-A American Association's Indianapolis Indians.
A return to the Major League's came that September when on the 1st Molinaro was signed as a Free Agent by the Detroit Tigers. Molinaro saw only eight more games of action in the Major Leagues with his return to the Tigers. Molinaro's career came to a close after sitting out the 1984 season he returned to play one last season with the triple-A International League's Rochester Red Wings
in 1985.
After his playing career had ended, Molinaro remained active in baseball as a manager with the Hagerstown Suns
of the class A South Atlantic League
for two years, 1986 and 1987, then on to single seasons as a manager with the Canton-Akron Indians
of the Eastern League in 1989, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
of the triple-A Pacific Coast League
in 1990, and finally the Port Charlotte Rangers of the class A Florida State League
in 1991.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in the minor and major leagues in a career that lasted 18 years. His baseball career began in 1968, and lasted till 1985. During that time Molinaro played for 13 different teams, in seven different leagues.
Molinaro's career in professional baseball began on June 7, 1968, when he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in the 2nd round of the 1968 amateur draft
1968 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Los Angeles Dodgers laid the groundwork for their championship clubs of the 1970s with an outstanding draft...
. Molinaro later signed with the Tigers on June the 17th of 1968.
Molinaro was then assigned to the rookie class Gulf Coast League
Gulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
Tigers for the 1968 season. Molinaro was promoted to class A the following season and played in the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
for the Rocky Mount Leafs in 1969. After the 1969 season Molinaro was once again promoted up the ranks of the Detroit Tigers system to class double-A were he would spend the next two seasons 1970 through 71 playing for the Montgomery Rebels of the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
.
In 1972 Molinaro finally moved up to triple-A and played the season with the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
's Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
. The 1973 season saw Molinaro return to the Mud Hens and also saw him spend time back in double-A with a return to the Rebels. Over the course of the next four years, from 1974-1977, Molinaro played for the Tigers' new triple-A club, the Evansville Triplets
Evansville Triplets
The Evansville Triplets were a minor league baseball team of the American Association from to . In its last season, Evansville was the Triple-A farm team for the Detroit Tigers...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. While seeing most of his playing time with Evansville, Molinaro also saw playing time in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers and 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...
.
Bob Molinaro made his major league debut for the Detroit Tigers on September the 18th of 1975. Bob Molinaro went to play five more games for the Tigers that season. A return the Majors came a year later in 1977 with the Detroit Tigers for one game. Later, on September 22 of that year, Bob Molinaro was selected off waivers by the Chicago White Sox from the Detroit Tigers. After getting picked up by Chicago, Bob Molinaro would see action in four games for the White Sox in 1977.
Bob Molinaro returned to the majors for a full season with the White Sox in 1978, before heading back to the minor leagues for the 1979 season, which saw him play for the American Association's Iowa Oaks. Molinaro did have another brief stay in the major leagues in 1979 when he played eight games for the Baltimore Orioles. Once again, he was back in a White Sox uniform, and playing full-time for them in 1980 and in 81.
After two years with the Chicago White Sox, Bob Molinaro was sent by the Chicago White Sox to the Chicago Cubs on March 29th, 1982 to complete an earlier deal made on August 15th, 1981. The Chicago White Sox sent a player to be named later to the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later, who turned out to be Lynn McGlothen
Lynn McGlothen
Lynn Everett McGlothen was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1972 through 1981, McGlothen played for the Boston Red Sox , St. Louis Cardinals , San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees...
. The Chicago White Sox sent Molinaro to the Chicago Cubs to complete the trade.
After spending the 1982 season with the Chicago Cubs and seeing 65 games of action, Molinaro was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on August 31 and finished the season with the Phillies, seeing playing time in 19 games.
The 1983 season was the last time Molinaro saw playing time in the major leagues. After returning to the Philadelphia Phillies and playing in 19 games, Molinaro was released by the Philadelphia Phillies on June 6 and found himself back in the minor league's this time playing for the triple-A American Association's Indianapolis Indians.
A return to the Major League's came that September when on the 1st Molinaro was signed as a Free Agent by the Detroit Tigers. Molinaro saw only eight more games of action in the Major Leagues with his return to the Tigers. Molinaro's career came to a close after sitting out the 1984 season he returned to play one last season with the triple-A International League's Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
in 1985.
After his playing career had ended, Molinaro remained active in baseball as a manager with the Hagerstown Suns
Hagerstown Suns
The Hagerstown Suns are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. They play in Municipal Stadium, which was opened in 1930 and seats 4,600 fans....
of the class A South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
for two years, 1986 and 1987, then on to single seasons as a manager with the Canton-Akron Indians
Canton-Akron Indians
The Canton-Akron Indians are a defunct minor league baseball team. They played in the Eastern League at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium in Canton, Ohio from 1989 to 1996...
of the Eastern League in 1989, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
of the triple-A Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
in 1990, and finally the Port Charlotte Rangers of the class A Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
in 1991.