Molina to Get Ring Regardless of W.S. Victor

There are many perks to being a part of a team that reaches the World Series. The obvious ones are the chance at winning a Championship, being a part of history, and the ring. There’s the thrill of celebrating with your teammates in a dog pile on the field followed by a roomful of champagne (or ginger ale) being thrown about. Plus, be it right or wrong, for those on the cusp of forever being memorialized in baseball’s Hall of Fame having a World Series Championship on one’s resume often helps. The less than obvious perk is the monetary side of things, namely the playoff share given to players on each roster. Nowadays with player salaries being what they are, the playoff bonus isn’t nearly as important, or impactful, as it once was years ago. But I can’t see anyone turning down extra income.

These perks are not solely reserved for those physically on the World Series roster. In recent years, many of the World Series winning teams award rings to any player who spent time on the active roster during the regular season from the key player who was injured a few weeks into the season to the minor league journeyman relief pitcher who spent less than a week with the team in July. Rings are also typically extended to many who held vital roles within the organization such as the front office personnel, the entire coaching staff, and others chosen at the discretion of the team.

Monetary playoff shares, however, are often voted on by the players to determine whether those who helped the team reach the playoffs – the aforementioned injured player or brief minor league callup – should receive a share of the playoff bonus. These typically are either full shares or partial shares and not everyone gets theirs.

This year, there is a bit of an unusual occurrence when it comes down to these items as there are two players who are receiving a playoff bonus regardless of which team wins the World Series. Back on July 1st, after promoting  Buster Posey, the San Francisco Giants traded catcher  Bengie Molinato the Texas Rangers for relief pitcher  Chris Ray.  According to an ESPN.com report , both the Giants and Rangers have already voted on full playoff shares for both players – meaning they could conceivably cash in twice.

As for the ring, it seems as though the teams have already voted that he will receive one no matter who wins the World Series. This will actually be his second ring, having won one previously as part of the 2002 Los Angeles Angels team that beat the Giants. Amazingly all three Molina brothers have rings at this point in their careers. Jose won his with the 2009 New York Yankees and that same Angels team. Yadier won his with the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals.

As for Ray, that will be at the discretion of the winning team and will apparently be determined at a later date. Ray has not appeared on any of the Giants’ playoff rosters but he did help the team reach the playoffs. After making 28 appearances for the Giants after 35 with Texas it seems likely he’ll be included when things are all said and done.

The World Series begins on Wednesday and there is no certainty what team will win. For Molina and Ray, they likely will want their current clubs to take the prize from a pride standpoint but it’s the best of situations for both considering they’ll have some stake in whichever side can come out victorious.