Paul Molitor
⭐ Hall of Fame 2004
Born: 8/22/1956 in St. Paul, MN, USA
MLB Debut: 1978-04-07 | Final Game: 1998-09-27
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Paul Leo Molitor
Biography
Paul Molitor, born in 1956, was a distinguished Major League Baseball player whose career spanned from 1978 to 1998. Renowned for his combination of speed, hitting prowess, and versatility, Molitor played a pivotal role in the evolution of the game during an era characterized by offensive explosion and the increasing importance of athleticism on the diamond. Over his two-decade career, he appeared in 2,683 games, amassing an impressive 3,319 hits and achieving a batting average of .306. His offensive contributions included 234 home runs and 1,307 RBIs, complemented by 504 stolen bases, showcasing his ability to impact the game in multiple ways.
Molitor's accolades included being named the TSN Rookie Player of the Year and earning the World Series MVP award, underlining his clutch performances on the biggest stages. He was selected as an All-Star seven times throughout his career, reflecting his standing among the elite players of his time. His contributions to the game culminated in his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, solidifying his legacy as one of the premier position players in baseball history. Molitor's blend of power, speed, and consistent hitting made him a key figure in the game, influencing future generations of players.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2683 | 10835 | 1782 | 3319 | 605 | 114 | 234 | 1307 | 504 | 1094 | 1244 | 0.306 | 0.369 | 0.448 | 0.817 | 28856.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | ATL | AL | 125 | 521 | 73 | 142 | 26 | 4 | 6 | 45 | 30 | 19 | 54 | 0.273 | -567.2 |
| 1979 | ATL | AL | 140 | 584 | 88 | 188 | 27 | 16 | 9 | 62 | 33 | 48 | 48 | 0.322 | 1762.1 |
| 1980 | ATL | AL | 111 | 450 | 81 | 137 | 29 | 2 | 9 | 37 | 34 | 48 | 48 | 0.304 | 1209.4 |
| 1981 | ATL | AL | 64 | 251 | 45 | 67 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 10 | 25 | 29 | 0.267 | 5.7 |
| 1982 | ATL | AL | 160 | 666 | 136 | 201 | 26 | 8 | 19 | 71 | 41 | 69 | 93 | 0.302 | 2029.5 |
| 1983 | ATL | AL | 152 | 608 | 95 | 164 | 28 | 6 | 15 | 47 | 41 | 59 | 74 | 0.270 | 469.2 |
| 1984 | ATL | AL | 13 | 46 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0.217 | 0.0 |
| 1985 | ATL | AL | 140 | 576 | 93 | 171 | 28 | 3 | 10 | 48 | 21 | 54 | 80 | 0.297 | 866.3 |
| 1986 | ATL | AL | 105 | 437 | 62 | 123 | 24 | 6 | 9 | 55 | 20 | 40 | 81 | 0.281 | 456.6 |
| 1987 | ATL | AL | 118 | 465 | 114 | 164 | 41 | 5 | 16 | 75 | 45 | 69 | 67 | 0.353 | 3394.8 |
| 1988 | ATL | AL | 154 | 609 | 115 | 190 | 34 | 6 | 13 | 60 | 41 | 71 | 54 | 0.312 | 2585.0 |
| 1989 | ATL | AL | 155 | 615 | 84 | 194 | 35 | 4 | 11 | 56 | 27 | 64 | 67 | 0.315 | 2238.3 |
| 1990 | ATL | AL | 103 | 418 | 64 | 119 | 27 | 6 | 12 | 45 | 18 | 37 | 51 | 0.285 | 974.5 |
| 1991 | ATL | AL | 158 | 665 | 133 | 216 | 32 | 13 | 17 | 75 | 19 | 77 | 62 | 0.325 | 3578.3 |
| 1992 | ATL | AL | 158 | 609 | 89 | 195 | 36 | 7 | 12 | 89 | 31 | 73 | 66 | 0.320 | 2717.7 |
| 1993 | TOR | AL | 160 | 636 | 121 | 211 | 37 | 5 | 22 | 111 | 22 | 77 | 71 | 0.332 | 3307.6 |
| 1994 | TOR | AL | 115 | 454 | 86 | 155 | 30 | 4 | 14 | 75 | 20 | 55 | 48 | 0.341 | 2070.2 |
| 1995 | TOR | AL | 130 | 525 | 63 | 142 | 31 | 2 | 15 | 60 | 12 | 61 | 57 | 0.270 | 302.2 |
| 1996 | MIN | AL | 161 | 660 | 99 | 225 | 41 | 8 | 9 | 113 | 18 | 56 | 72 | 0.341 | 1706.9 |
| 1997 | MIN | AL | 135 | 538 | 63 | 164 | 32 | 4 | 10 | 89 | 11 | 45 | 73 | 0.305 | 329.1 |
| 1998 | MIN | AL | 126 | 502 | 75 | 141 | 29 | 5 | 4 | 69 | 9 | 45 | 41 | 0.281 | -579.2 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 117 | 28 | 43 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 12 | 15 | 0.368 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | WS | TOR | 6 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.500 |
| 1993 | ALCS | TOR | 6 | 23 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0.391 |
| 1982 | WS | ML4 | 7 | 31 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0.355 |
| 1982 | ALCS | ML4 | 5 | 19 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0.316 |
| 1981 | AEDIV | ML4 | 5 | 20 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0.250 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 197 | 196 | 1716 | 127 | 18 | 169 |
| 2B | 400 | 392 | 926 | 1274 | 48 | 279 |
| 3B | 791 | 788 | 642 | 1639 | 121 | 185 |
| OF | 50 | 51 | 123 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| SS | 57 | 54 | 99 | 196 | 18 | 30 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | ML4 | 2B | 91 | 87 | 197 | 283 | 12 | 57 |
| 1978 | ML4 | 3B | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | ML4 | SS | 31 | 31 | 54 | 118 | 10 | 17 |
| 1979 | ML4 | 2B | 122 | 121 | 289 | 413 | 15 | 81 |
| 1979 | ML4 | SS | 10 | 9 | 20 | 27 | 1 | 3 |
| 1980 | ML4 | 2B | 91 | 90 | 240 | 294 | 16 | 80 |
| 1980 | ML4 | 3B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | ML4 | SS | 12 | 11 | 19 | 41 | 4 | 10 |
| 1981 | ML4 | OF | 46 | 47 | 119 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 1982 | ML4 | 3B | 150 | 150 | 128 | 340 | 29 | 48 |
| 1982 | ML4 | SS | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | ML4 | 3B | 146 | 147 | 105 | 343 | 16 | 37 |
| 1984 | ML4 | 3B | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 2 | 3 |
| 1985 | ML4 | 3B | 135 | 133 | 126 | 263 | 19 | 30 |
| 1986 | ML4 | 3B | 91 | 91 | 82 | 170 | 15 | 25 |
| 1986 | ML4 | OF | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | ML4 | 2B | 19 | 18 | 35 | 49 | 0 | 16 |
| 1987 | ML4 | 3B | 41 | 40 | 25 | 64 | 5 | 8 |
| 1988 | ML4 | 2B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | ML4 | 3B | 105 | 104 | 86 | 187 | 17 | 15 |
| 1989 | ML4 | 2B | 16 | 15 | 28 | 44 | 1 | 9 |
| 1989 | ML4 | 3B | 112 | 112 | 78 | 243 | 17 | 18 |
| 1990 | ML4 | 1B | 37 | 36 | 325 | 25 | 5 | 28 |
| 1990 | ML4 | 2B | 60 | 60 | 136 | 190 | 4 | 36 |
| 1990 | ML4 | 3B | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1991 | ML4 | 1B | 46 | 46 | 389 | 32 | 6 | 52 |
| 1992 | ML4 | 1B | 48 | 48 | 461 | 26 | 2 | 44 |
| 1993 | TOR | 1B | 23 | 23 | 178 | 14 | 3 | 16 |
| 1994 | TOR | 1B | 5 | 5 | 47 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 1996 | MIN | 1B | 17 | 17 | 138 | 13 | 1 | 13 |
| 1997 | MIN | 1B | 12 | 12 | 99 | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| 1998 | MIN | 1B | 9 | 9 | 79 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 197 |
| Second Base | 400 |
| Third Base | 792 |
| Shortstop | 57 |
| Left Field | 4 |
| Center Field | 42 |
| Right Field | 4 |
| Designated Hitter | 1174 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Branch Rickey Award | |
| 1998 | MLB Players Choice Man of the Year | |
| 1997 | Lou Gehrig Memorial Award | |
| 1996 | Outstanding DH Award | |
| 1996 | Silver Slugger | DH |
| 1996 | TSN All-Star | DH |
| 1994 | Player of the Week | Week of 1994-07-23 |
| 1994 | TSN All-Star | DH |
| 1993 | Babe Ruth Award | DH |
| 1993 | Outstanding DH Award | |
| 1993 | Player of the Month | May |
| 1993 | Silver Slugger | DH |
| 1993 | TSN All-Star | DH |
| 1993 | World Series MVP | |
| 1992 | Player of the Week | Week of 1992-08-29 |
| 1989 | Player of the Month | September |
| 1988 | Silver Slugger | DH |
| 1987 | Hutch Award | |
| 1987 | Player of the Week | Week of 1987-08-22 |
| 1987 | Player of the Week | Week of 1987-08-15 |
| 1987 | Silver Slugger | DH |
| 1987 | TSN All-Star | DH |
| 1982 | Player of the Week | Week of 1982-09-17 |
| 1978 | TSN Rookie Player of the Year |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | MIN | AL | $4,250,000 |
| 1997 | MIN | AL | $3,500,000 |
| 1996 | MIN | AL | $2,025,000 |
| 1995 | TOR | AL | $4,500,000 |
| 1994 | TOR | AL | $4,025,000 |
| 1993 | TOR | AL | $3,650,000 |
| 1992 | ML4 | AL | $3,453,333 |
| 1991 | ML4 | AL | $3,243,333 |
| 1990 | ML4 | AL | $2,600,000 |
| 1989 | ML4 | AL | $2,100,000 |
| 1988 | ML4 | AL | $1,400,000 |
| 1987 | ML4 | AL | $1,260,000 |
| 1986 | ML4 | AL | $1,160,000 |
| 1985 | ML4 | AL | $950,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $38,116,666 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota | Minneapolis | MN | 1975, 1976, 1977 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 13th | 19.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1994 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 9.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1993 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 2nd | 209.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1992 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 10th | 63.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1991 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 51.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1988 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 50.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1987 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 125.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 29.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1979 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 20th | 8.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1978 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 2nd | 3.0 | 28 | 3 |