I don't think there's a Texas Rangers fan anywhere that doesn't like Bengie Molina, one of the in-season acquisitions in 2010 that helped push the Rangers over the top while becoming a fan favorite and hitting for the most unlikely cycle in baseball history. Last season, Molina was hired as the Rangers' first base coach and catching instructor, but now he looks like he'll be looking for something else to do in 2015.
According to The Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant, and his sources, the Rangers are set to promote minor-league catching instructor Hector Ortiz to the big-league staff to take Molina's place. It isn't yet know what the plan is for Molina, but he could stay within the organization as a minor-league manager or possibly swap roles with Ortiz.
Ortiz has been working closely with Rangers' catching prospect Jorge Alfaro as well as Tomas Telis and is credited for the defensive emergence of Robinson Chirinos, who led the American League in caught stealing percentage and trailed only Molina's little brother, Yadier, in all of MLB.
It is also fully expected that Triple-A manager Steve Buechele will be promoted to Arlington to serve as new manager Jeff Banister's bench coach and that Mike Maddux will return as the team's pitching coach.
