Paul Molitor's legacy

[Invader3K]

This is something that's been on my mind for a while, and I thought was worth discussing on an off day between playoff games.

It seems like Paul Molitor isn't talked about or regarded as much by the Brewers organization these days. Yesterday we saw Robin Yount throw out the first pitch, and it was made a pretty big deal by the team. Yount also appears in the booth frequently throughout the season, appears at team events, etc. Conversely, Paul Molitor is almost like persona non grata. Yount has a statue outside the park, but Molitor hasn't been honored in the same fashion. Heck, Bud Selig received a statue last season, and while I think he deserves one, you would think Molitor would be at the top of the list. Other than having his number retired (which was a no brainer), and having a couple banners with his picture in various places, you wouldn't know "The Ignitor" was such a huge part of this franchise's past.

I realize Molitor is a bit of a low key person. Maybe he wants to stay out of the spotlight and doesn't want the attention. I just thinks it's something of a shame that Molitor's legacy hasn't really been as celebrated as Yount's. I get that Yount was a career Brewer, and that Molitor left under rather bitter circumstances. That was nearly 20 years ago at this point, so I would hope that's all water under the bridge by now.

I guess I think it would be nice to see Molitor around Miller Park every now and then, and for him to get the same due that Yount has received since Mark Attanasio bought the team.

[nate82]

I believe that Yount just has more ties with Milwaukee than Molitor does which is why I would guess that Yount gets more love.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I have had similar thoughts about Molitor, and I always brushed it off that it was because he works for the Twins. And before the Twins he was with the Mariners.

 

On a different note, I don't understand why Bobby Thompson is on the Braves Wall of Fame(or what its called). Much less why he was chosen befor many other Braves.

[Invader3K]

I have had similar thoughts about Molitor, and I always brushed it off that it was because he works for the Twins.

I really doubt this has much to do with it. Teams honor players that work for other organization's all the time.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I have had similar thoughts about Molitor, and I always brushed it off that it was because he works for the Twins.

I really doubt this has much to do with it. Teams honor players that work for other organization's all the time.

It may not be the reason why, but I couldn't come up with anything else.

 

[djoctagone]

i thought this thread was about his three children with three different women.

[Invader3K]

i thought this thread was about his three children with three different women.

I guess it's for some reason obligatory when this man is brought up to mention this issue, and/or his admitted drug use in his much younger years.

[topper09er]

This is the price you pay for leaving as a free agent. Even if he went to join a winner and the Brewers didn't want to pay him, he left and that's why you see 10 times as many 19s in the stands as 4s today.

 

We are seeing the same thing today with Braun and Fielder. When was the last time anyone even bought a Fielder jersey/shirt? The next statue outside of Miller park will be of Ryan Braun.

[whizkid]

On a different note, I don't understand why Bobby Thompson is on the Braves Wall of Fame(or what its called). Much less why he was chosen befor many other Braves.

Because he got hurt so they could call up Hank Aaron?

 

 

[rluzinski]

It's possible that the Brewers have extended invitations to Molitor and he's simply declined?

[RockCoCougars]

I could care less about the personal stuff. The problem here is that the Brewers have reached out to Molitor several times over the years to return to the organization in some official capacity, and he's declined. He seems to have chosen a post baseball career that doesn't require an extreme amount of dedication, and that's his prerogative- nothing wrong with that. My money says that if he wanted to, he probably would have already been a MLB manager at some point.

[Invader3K]

It's possible that the Brewers have extended invitations to Molitor and he's simply declined?

It well could be. I remember hearing stories during Wendy Selig-Prieb's tenure about how she repeatedly tried to get Molitor to come back to the team in some sort of role (coach, front office, etc). Maybe he just wasn't interested then and still isn't now.

[igor67]

He gets plenty of love in the Tiwn Cities, so that may be enough for him.

[RockCoCougars]

Another thing to consider is that Robin Yount played his entire career with the Brewers. A decent analogy would be that Robin is Carl Yastrzemski to Molitor's Wade Boggs. Boggs will mostly be remembered as a Red Sox player, but he won his championship and hit his milestones elsewhere.

[brewmann04]

I am and always will be a Molitor fan and think it his personal feeling that he choses not to be here, He will always be a Brewer in my heart and be part of the brewer Family. Yes he left but their was a lot of issues into that on that Dec days he signed with the Jays. It was the worst day as being as a brewer fan.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

Molitor did say at the Waukesha sportscards signing that he would like to see a Twins/Brewers World Series, but that its highly unlikely. So, at least he doesn't detest the Brewers.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Molitor is my all time favorite Brewer, but I can see why he doesn't feel as attached to the Brewers as Robin Yount. Robin was a coach for a while so he feels comfortable coming back. It's been almost 20 years since Molitor played here. Who is left that he would know? Uecker and Schroeder?

[The Ignitor]

I think it might just be difficult to have much interaction with a man currently employed by another Major League franchise in the Twins. I've heard Molly interviewed on XM a couple of times, and he always talks fondly of the Brewers. But that man also is clearly a Twins employee who does his job in promoting all things Twins. He probably is careful not to conflict with his current paying interest as a Twins employee.

[1992casey]

I think there were probably some uneasy feelings between the Brewers and Molitor in the mid-1990s, but I also think those feelings were put aside more than a decade ago. There were plenty of warm fuzzies all around when Paul's number was retired by the Brewers.

 

Below is an interview of Yount and Molitor done by LaCrosse's Channel 8 in February of this year. After the five minute mark, note that Yount uses words like "we," "our," and "ourselves" in reference to this year's Brewers. Molly uses "they" and "their."

 

Regarding the Packers, Robin says, "Is there any other team?" Molitor uses "we" to refer to the Vikings and "your" to refer to the Packers.

 

[Schlitz001]

He was born and raised in St. Paul and went to college at the University of Minnesota. He hit his 3,000th hit with the Twins and later became the Twins hitting coach. I'm sure he has nothing but love for the Brewers and his time with the club, but he's clearly more personally tied to Minnesota.

 

I was actually thinking yesterday that it would be great if they had Molitor or some of the other '82 Brewers throw out the first pitch for upcoming home playoff game(s).

[JimH5]

Paul Molitor was a great Brewer, and he remains a fine guy.

 

I just think he loves his home state more than ours.

[carniesandrubes]

Even though he lives in AZ, Yount always still seems like a "Wisconsin guy". Molitor never really did. Yount chooses to come up here often for events (many not publicized) while Molitor does so considerably less and so he seems more detached from the franchise. That's his choice though, and you can't fault him for it. But it does explain the different image each has to the public.

[RockCoCougars]

Before Pauly went out and did his best Steve Garvey imitation, I heard on pretty good authority that his ex-wife (Linda?) was very steadfast in not wanting him to return to Milwaukee after his contract with Toronto was up.

[Ennder]

Same reason 20 years from now people will remember Braun as the greatest Brewer and not Fielder. Even though Molitor was better than Yount and Fielder is probably better than Braun.

[Schlitz001]

Same reason 20 years from now people will remember Braun as the greatest Brewer and not Fielder. Even though Molitor was better than Yount and Fielder is probably better than Braun.

Their dazzling good looks?