Gabe Molina | |||
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Pitcher | |||
Born: Denver, Colorado |
May 3, 1975 |||
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MLB debut | |||
May 1, 1999, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
May 26, 2003, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Win-Loss | 2-2 | ||
Earned run average | 6.58 | ||
Strikeouts | 28 | ||
Teams | |||
Cruz Gabriel Molina (born May 3, 1975 in Denver, Colorado) is a former right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played from 1999 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2003 for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. He was 6'1" tall and he weighed 220 pounds.
Prior to playing professional baseball, Molina Kennedy High School and then Arizona State University.
Drafted by the Orioles in the 21st round of the 1996 amateur draft and signed by scout John Green, Molina began his professional career that year with the Bluefield Orioles. In 23 relief appearances, he went 4-0 with a 3.60 ERA, striking out 33 batters in 30 innings of work. Winning the Appalachian League Championship closing out the final game. The following year, he pitched for the Delmarva Shorebirds, and he went 8-6 with a 2.18 ERA in 46 relief appearances. He struck out 119 batters in 91 innings as well. Again winning the South Atlantic Championship and closing out the final game. In 1998, pitching for the Bowie Baysox, Molina went 3-2 with 24 saves and a 3.36 ERA in 61 2⁄3 innings. He struck out 75 batters and was named Pitcher of the Year for the Baltimore organization.
Molina began the 1999 season with the Rochester Red Wings, going 2-2 with 18 saves and a 3.14 ERA in 45 relief appearances for them. On May 1, he made his big league debut, pitching against the Minnesota Twins. He allowed a hit and a walk in an inning of work, but he gave up no earned runs. He then allowed a three-run home run to Andy Morales in an exhibition game against the Cuban national baseball team four days later. Overall, he made 20 appearances in the Majors in 1999, going 1-2 with a 3.65 ERA. He walked 6 batters and struck out 14. According to Baseball America, he was ranked the 10th best prospect in the Orioles organization in 1999.