The 2005 World Series

Paul Molitor

He chose his words the same way he played baseball -- with sincerity, careful thought and fundamental precision. Everything about Paul Molitor, from his picture-perfect swing to the mistake-free daring with which he ran the bases, was part of a well-conceived master plan. Just wind him up and watch him execute.

Molitor's textbook approach and versatile talents served him well over two unusual decades with the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays and his hometown Minnesota Twins. He played shortstop, second base, third base, center field and designated hitter; he served as leadoff man and run producer; he played in six All-Star Games and two World Series, and he made his mark on the all-time offensive charts with more than 3,300 hits, 600 doubles and a .306 average.

Molitor attacked the pitch from a standup righthanded stance and drove the ball with power to all fields. His outstanding speed and aggressive baserunning skills cast him in the role of leadoff man for most of his 15 Milwaukee seasons -- a role he filled with Rickey Henderson-like results. The only negative was Molitor's inability to stay off the disabled list, an injury jinx that cost him a lot of early-career games.

But he was relatively healthy in the 1990s and he posted eye-popping numbers. The Blue Jays, on their way to a second straight championship, saw his run-producing potential after signing him as a free agent in 1993 and Molitor responded by batting .332 with 22 homers and 111 RBIs. He topped that with a .391 average in the American League Championship Series and then was the World Series MVP after hitting .500 against the Phillies. He posted three 200-hit, two 100-run and two 100-RBI seasons since 1991, despite two strike-interrupted campaigns. And the 1,811 hits he posted in the 10-year stretch from 1988 to 1997 led all major leaguers. Molitor, at age 42, retired following the 1998 season after the St. Paul native played his final three seasons with the Twins.