They’re Still Playing Catch-Up on This One

DETROIT â€”  It’s too early to say Bengie Molina had the last laugh, but the former Angel catcher is certainly having the first one. The Angels let the two-time Gold Glove winner and clutch hitter go last winter, declining to offer him arbitration by Dec. 7, but it’s the Angels who look worse for the wear.

Entering Thursday, Molina was batting .303 with three home runs and seven runs batted in for the Toronto Blue Jays, who signed him to a one-year, $5-million contract.

Before Mike Napoli, called up from triple A Wednesday night, homered in his first major league at-bat Thursday, Angel catchers Jose Molina and Jeff Mathis had combined to hit .137 with one homer, five RBIs and a .196 on-base percentage, ranking last in the major leagues in average and 29th in homers, RBIs and on-base percentage.

And Mathis, the player who was supposed to render Bengie Molina obsolete, was demoted to triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday.

“You don’t go around second-guessing yourself,� Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman said. “You’d go nuts.�

The Angels will be reminded of what they gave up when they begin a four-game series tonight in Toronto. It also will be a family reunion for the catching Molinas.

“To me, it won’t be weird, it will be fun,� Jose Molina said. “He’s on the other team, and I’m here. I will try to beat him.�

Bengie Molina pounded the Angels on his way out, saying they “threw me [out] like a piece of trash,� but the Angels were involved in serious trade talks with Boston about Manny Ramirez, and to take on the slugger’s $19-million salary, they didn’t think they could afford Molina, who would have made about $7.5 million in arbitration.

But the biggest reason Bengie wasn’t offered arbitration, Stoneman said, was because “it would have blocked the way for two guys who needed opportunity.�

Jose Molina is one of the league’s top defensive catchers, “and I really think Mathis will be a good, productive major league player,� Stoneman said. “I think he was a little nervous. As he gains confidence, he has all the skills to have a nice major league career.�

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There was fallout from Tuesday’s bench-clearing brawl against the A’s, but it didn’t involve pitcher John Lackey, who is expected to be suspended.

It was Chris Bootcheck, who strained his left hamstring sprinting from the bullpen to the field for the fight and was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday. Outfielder Tommy Murphy was recalled from triple-A Salt Lake.

“It’s disappointing,� Bootcheck said. “You’re expected to help the team win, and a freak thing like a brawl happens. Not much good can come out of it.�

Even worse, now Bootcheck is added to the long list of Angels who have suffered bizarre injuries.

“I would have made something up, like I got hurt trying to break off a slider,� Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s freaky.�

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Kelvim Escobar, whose scheduled start Thursday was pushed back because of a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand, threw a full-effort bullpen session and will start Saturday in Toronto, further delaying the anticipated arrival of triple-A right-hander Jered Weaver. ... Juan Rivera, out since April 17 because of a rib-cage strain, will need a few more workouts before beginning a minor league rehabilitation assignment early next week. ... Good omen or bad? Napoli was the third player in Angel history to homer in his first big league at-bat. For the other two Angels who accomplished the feat, Dave Machemer in 1978 against Minnesota and Don Rose in 1972 against Oakland, it was the only home run of their major league careers.