[220], In 2022, Molina announced that he would be managing the Navegantes del Magallanes in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, having been recruited by former major leaguer Pablo Sandoval. The all-time hits leader in Liga de Bisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (or Doble-A Besbol) history, the elder Molina delivered a .320 career batting average and gained election to the Puerto Rican baseball hall of fame in 2002. [170] He passed Bench for two milestones early in the season: for 13th place in major league history in innings caught with 14,494+13 on April 14 while playing the Cincinnati Reds,[171] and 16th in games caught versus with 1,743 on May 2 versus the Chicago White Sox. The 10+12 games-won deficit marked the largest lead surrendered with 28 left to play in MLB history,[75] consummating what St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter Bernie Miklasz termed an "improbable comeback,"[76] and one of the greatest sports history. [197] However, his participation was shadowed by the poor performance of the team,[198] resulting in a sweeping 4-0 series with the Indios de Mayagez.
It was also the first time they had seen each other in about three and one-half years. 
WebGet the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about catcher Yadier Molina on ESPN. 17 amazing Waino-Yadi facts to celebrate their record September 14th, 2022 Andrew Simon @ AndrewSimonMLB For nearly two decades now, Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina have worked together in harmony, one on the mound and one behind the plate. I didn't handle it the right way." After missing 26 games, the Cardinals activated him from the disabled list on June 28. [49] Molina was batting .278 with five home runs and 25 RBIs through July 5, 2009. On February 8, 2021, the Cardinals announced that they had signed Molina to a one-year deal for a reported $9 million. St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina throws to first base after fielding a bunt by Florida Marlins' Mike Mordecai in the seventh inning Thursday, Aug. 12, 2004, in Miami. Further, those figures aligned with peak seasons of other catchers such as Johnny Bench, Elston Howard, Carlton Fisk, and Rick Wilkins. With Shinnosuke Abe batting for Japan in the top of the eighth inning, and Hirokazu Ibata on second and Seiichi Uchikawa on first, J. C. Romero was pitching for Puerto Rico. But it worked. [1] Other distinctions include selection to ten MLB All-Star Games, four Platinum Glove Awards, and one Silver Slugger Award. [1] According to Baseball-Reference.com, as of 2013, that percentage ranked as the 26th highest all-time season-single caught stealing percentage. [187] On October 9, Molina set the record for the most appearances by a National League player in post-season MLB play, at ninety-four games. [6][35][36] His mask was turned in for display at the Baseball Hall of Fame. Molina checks in at 169. After the game, Molina remarked to reporters, "when you spend 12 years coming to Cincinnati and you beat them so many times, theyre going to boo you." [136] On November 4, Molina was announced as winning his seventh consecutive Gold Glove, tying Boone as having won the third-most Gold Gloves among catchers. [43] After a home plate collision with Eric Bruntlett on June 15 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the ninth inning, Molina sustained head and neck injuries and was removed from the field on a stretcher. ", Mike Matheny, when he was still the Cardinals' starting catcher, to his wife, on Molina in 2001[14], The Cardinals invited Molina to major league spring training camp following his draft. [145], Hitting his first triple in more than four years and 2,000 at bats, with the bases loaded, Molina provided the decisive run in a 32 outcome against the Chicago White Sox on July 22. On August 16, he hit two home runs against the Brewers for his first career multi-homer game. [39] He finished the season with a new career-best .275 batting average, six home runs, and 40 RBIs in 111 games. Molina homered and stroked the go-ahead double in an August 22 defeat of Florida. [139] On May 10 against the Pirates, he was on the dubious end of a piece of MLB history: lining out into the first "454"[d] triple play in MLB history.
However, he was voted to start his second consecutive game, and second overall, and played four innings. [47], Overall, Molina enjoyed a breakout offensive season, finishing with new career highs with a .304 batting average his first over .300 and in hits (135), OBP (.349), SLG (.392), runs (37) and RBIs (56). Instead of throwing and risking an error, Molina held on to the ball. [184] He was placed on the injured list on May 31 with a thumb tendon strain. Other preparation includes handling ground balls at shortstop and third base, extending his agility for blocking pitches thrown in the dirt. The Cardinals' fourth-round selection in the 2000 MLB draft, he quickly showed one of the strongest and most accurate arms in the game after starting play in the major leagues. [68], With increased offensive productivity in 2011, Molina continued to help anchor the middle of Cardinals lineup in addition to the pitching staff and defense. Pujols provided levity when he then joined in the booing. He and winner Buster Posey became the first pair of catchers to finish in the top four in the award's 88-year history. Molina collected two doubles in a three-hit game on June 12, giving him 21 doubles for the season, a pre-All-Star break career high. Initially, he wanted a sinker from Wainwright but changed his mind because he suspected Wainwright would overthrow it and give Beltrn an easy pitch to hit. After a 2022 season in which he recorded a career-low .535 OPS, Molina will officially close the book He also hit .373 with runners in scoring position (RISP) in a season in which the Cardinals set the all-team team record for batting average with RISP at .330. Molina's father played second base as an amateur and worked as a tools technician 10 hours per day in a Westinghouse factory. Talk about freak stuff. Molina added a single for two of the Cardinals' five hits. However, he did win the prestigious and oldest award given to Latino players: the LatinoMVP award given by Latino Sports and the Latino Sports Writers & Broadcasters Association (LSWBA). [7] The Tigres played in a league composed mainly of players 10 or more years older than Molina, well before he was eligible for the MLB draft. [97], With increased profile coming in conjunction with his offensive breakout from the year before, Molina's popularity with fans around the game also increased. [163], On June 26, Molina became the ninth catcher all-time to record 11,000 career putouts at the position. Yadier Molina has been the Cardinals' opening-day catcher since the 2005 Major League Baseball season. [246] Molina also owned a home in Jupiter, Florida, the home of the Cardinals spring training facilities, but sold it in 2020. What tattoos does yadier molina have?
[20] The following offseason, Matheny signed a three-year, $10.5-million contract with the San Francisco Giants, clearing the way for Molina to become the Cardinals' starting catcher. He also was first in the Majors with a .455 batting average (1022) on 02 counts. Yadier is a Hebrew name meaning Mutilates his own neck. Molina is generally regarded as the best defensive catcher in baseball, although it is unclear Its impossible to think of one without the other. From July 2225, he homered in three consecutive games, the second time in his career he had done so. [257], After Hurricane Maria devastated the island of Puerto Rico in September 2017, Molina and Wanda started a GoFundMe page for the victims on September 21 with a goal of $1 million. He also had thrown out 10 of 32 baserunners (31.3%) well below his career average of 45% but an Associated Press reporter attributed the decline to an inexperienced pitching staff. [43], Before the 2009 season commenced, Molina participated with Puerto Rico in his second WBC. [87], From a historic perspective, Fangraphs' Dave Cameron noted that Molina's combination of offensive productivity and interception of base runners in 2012 was one of the rarest performances in history.
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"[128] At that point, he was batting .287 with a .341 OBP, .409 SLG, 16 doubles, seven homers, and 30 RBIs through 83 games. After allowing a passed ball through his legs with a runner on third base, Molina raced to the backstop to retrieve the ball. [1] He made an immediate impact with his arm, throwing out more than 50% percent of would-be base-stealers (nine of 17). [209][210], Four World Baseball Classic (WBC) tournaments have been held 2006, 2009, 2013, and 2017 and Molina has participated in all of them for the Puerto Rican team. [87], On May 27 against the Phillies, Molina blasted his third career grand slam against Roy Halladay. Albert Pujols, who made his Cardinals debut in 2001, and Yadier Molina, who was called up in 2004, are heading into retirement after leading St. Louis to the playoffs one last time. Molina led the team in 2017 with 134 hits and 78 RBIs, and all NL catchers in both categories, entering play on that date. On the very next pitch to Molina, he hit it 387 feet into the left field seats for a go-ahead grand slam. By Anthony Franco | August 24, 2021 at 5:11pm CDT The Cardinals announced theyve agreed to a one-year contract extension with Yadier Molina . [34], In the bottom of the ninth, rookie pitcher Adam Wainwright filling in as emergency closer found himself in a two-out, bases-loaded situation against center fielder Carlos Beltrn, who had already homered three times in the NLCS. "[200] On April 14, Molina caught his 2,000th game with the Cardinals, the most by a catcher on one team. From 200507, he led all MLB with a 47% caught-stealing rate and 18 pick-offs. The initial report on his skill set was "defensive catcher, great arm, weak bat"; his closest comparable hitter as catcher was one whom the Cardinals eventually placed at the top of their organizational ladder, his future manager, Mike Matheny. [62], Before the All-Star break, Molina batted just .223. Web955K Followers, 1,335 Following, 2,961 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from (@yadier_marciano_molina) [54] On August 15, Molina picked off San Diego's Kevin Kouzmanoff at first on the way to a 74 victory, the 33rd of his career. His 20 hits were the most by a catcher in the postseason since Ivn Rodrguez stroked 21 in 2003. It's sense, based on how a hitter's standing, how he responds to the pitch or two before, and he's very creative in how he makes his adjustment based on what he sees with the hitter and knowing what his pitcher can do. Molina instantly hunched over the ball, trapping it between the thigh and rib cage. [28], Before the 2006 season commenced, Molina participated in the inaugural World Baseball Classic (WBC) for Puerto Rico. [13], Even as his bat languished, Molina's defense was instrumental in propelling the Cardinals to the National League Central division crown in a season heavily marred by injuries for the team. WebAn all-around MVP, Yadier Molina loves home cooking, tattoos and music. [1] He led the team in batting average for the second straight season, thus becoming the first catcher in franchise history to do so. We do put them in Yadi's hands. [74] Meanwhile, the Philles defeated the Braves 43 in 13 innings, giving the Cardinals the wild card title and eliminating the Braves from the playoffs. [180] He had the highest fielding percentage among major league catchers, at .998. Drone video coverage on The Weather Channel described Bayamon as looking "like a war zone. [39], Along with three other players each separately displayed, Sports Illustrated featured Molina on the cover of their March 31 issue complementing the 2014 MLB season preview article. Yadier Benjamn Molina was born on July 13, 1982, in Bayamn, Puerto Rico, the youngest of three boys to Gladys Matta and Benjamn Molina, Sr. The second hitting streak spanned from August 16 to September 2, where he successfully hit 19 times in 50 at bats for a .380 average. [207], On September 14, Wainwright and Molina set another MLB record by starting alongside one another for the 325th time, surpassing Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan of the Detroit Tigers for the most starts by a battery in MLB history. [60] On April 17, he caught all 20 innings of a game against the Mets. He led all NL catchers in at-bats (465) and stolen bases (eight), and his 122 hits ranked second, just behind Brian McCann's 123. [25] Those were just two wins of 100 as St. Louis made their way to another division title following 105 wins the season before. wOBA is based on the philosophy Tango developed that not all outcomes are proportionally weighted. Molina prepared for the Classic by playing 14 games for the winter league team in Puerto Rico Rodrguez managed. [61] Molina turned in a productive April, driving in 15 runners, the most for a Cardinals catcher in the month of April since Ted Simmons drove in 20 in 1977. Long before playing professionally, Molina's pitch-handling and throwing skills caught the attention of scouts. He then chased Uchikawa, cornered him by positioning himself between first and second and tagged out Uchikawa an unassisted caught stealing. [21], In 2005, Molina struggled with injuries and saw a drop off in the offensive performance in his rookie season. [59], On Opening Day, April 5, 2010, Molina connected for a grand slam, becoming just the third Cardinals player to hit an Opening Day grand slam, following Mark McGwire and Scott Rolen. [94] However, like in years past, other awards were on their way. [14], Panning Molina's performance National League-wide, he ranked fourth in batting average,[1] tenth in on-base percentage, 14th in slugging percentage and tied for 18th with 46 multihit games. [31] Four days later, Molina faced his brother Bengie for the first time in a game against the San Francisco Giants. Many have reason to On August 9 against the Kansas City Royals, Molina came in with two outs and the bases loaded. [141], On July 7, he was selected to his seventh consecutive All-Star Game, played at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. For the eighth time in his career, he was an All-Star selection, as resulted in a vote by fellow players.
Molina made an unconventional choice by calling for a changeup to start the sequence against Beltrn. His pitch calling, sometimes you're thinking he's doing something so out of the norm, yet it was the right thing to do at the time. [195], At the end of the 2020 season, Molina entered into free agency for the first time in his career.[196]. A two-time World Series champion, he played for Cardinals teams that made 12 playoff appearances and won four National League pennants. He also led MLB with a 49 caught-stealing percentage.
[13][40] In the third inning of the May 29 game against Colorado, he took a foul tip off his wrist from Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe's bat. Aside from swinging with increased line-drive contact and hitting fastballs with more authority, very little has actually changed in the catcher's approach. [191], For the season, he batted a slash line of .262/.303/.359, with four home runs and 16 RBIs. [122], With a one ball, two strike pitch from relief pitcher Randy Choate incoming to Cubs outfielder Nate Schierholtz in a May 4 game, the batter foul tipped the pitch. [248] After signing his $75 million contract in 2012, Molina purchased a home on a four-acre property in Jupiter, Florida, for $7.15 million. It was called for a strike. [2] On October 11, 2008, Molina's father died from a heart attack. [15], Molina began his professional career with the Johnson City Cardinals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2001, playing 44 total games and batting .259. [216], Puerto Rico advanced the finals again in 2017, falling to the United States 80 in earning their second consecutive silver medal, and only loss of the tournament. [232] One trait that has always persisted is that Molina is an aggressive and free-swinging but high-contact hitter. Kang briefly pirouetted the ball in his hand, albeit confused, but threw back to Walker to tag Jason Heyward for the third out. In an April 16 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he reached base in all five of his plate appearances in a 127 victory. He led all MLB catchers in innings (1138.0), games started (130) and assists (79),[63] and led the NL for the third time in caught-stealing percentage at 49%. The firm stated that he ignored their agreement to make public and private appearances to sign autographs and did not return the money. Umpire Jerry Meals attempted to get between Gonzlez and Molina, but Molina briefly shoved Meals. [158] His tenth-inning double against Milwaukee on August 30, his 30th of the season and 300th of his career, helped lead the Cardinals to a 21 victory. Molina compiled a .305 batting average, 32 doubles, 14 home runs and 65 RBIs during the 2011 regular season. [44] He held on to the ball to help the Cardinals win. Molina's father played second base as an amateur and worked as a tools technician 10 hours per day in a Westinghouse factory. Nick Hall . "[221], Also in 2022, Molina was announced as manager of the Puerto Rico national team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. [51][52] He caught eight innings and drove home a run. Yadier Benjamn Molina was born on July 13, 1982, in Bayamn, Puerto Rico, the youngest of three boys to Gladys Matta and Benjamn Molina, Sr. Yadi came out of the womb with tattoos. [53] He also won his second Gold Glove award after the season. Instead of Molina being in a position to catch it cleanly with his glove, the ball hit the thigh. [118] Molina collected more awards following the season, including his first Silver Slugger Award,[119] sixth Gold Glove, and a third-place finish in MVP voting. He observed that Molina's skills closely resembled that of both his older brothersboth accomplished major league catchers[9][10]and decided that his defense was "polished" enough to be considered more advanced than most high schoolers in the United States. In the case of the triple play, the second baseman records an out, throws to the third baseman, who records a second out, and finally back to the second baseman, who records the third and final out of the inning, all in one play. Since the brawl between the Cardinals and Reds in 2010, the two mended their schism, and Molina has a photograph of their families together. [176] Molina homered twice in a loss to Philadelphia on June 20 for his fifth career multihomer game. From July 25 to August 7, he maintained a season-best 11-game hitting streak in which he batted .413. [63] After an examination on his sore right knee on September 23, Molina was shut down for the rest of the season, missing 12 games. [123], "Do you want another St. Louis Cardinals catcher to star in an All Star game? [24] The next day, Molina's suicide squeeze bunt scored Mark Grudzielanek, tying the game and allowing the Cardinals to win 42. Molina ranked second all-time among catchers at the end of the 2014 season on Baseball-Reference.com's career defensive runs saved (DRS)[e] with 120, behind only Ivn Rodrguez (167), and ahead of Jim Sundberg (114), Bob Boone (107) and Gary Carter (106), the only catchers with over 100 on the list. Against the wishes of coaches, family members and friends, he scheduled Yadier for a workout with the Hatillo Tigres, an amateur league team. The voice-over narrator posed the question, "Do you want another St. Louis Cardinals catcher to star in an All Star game? [13] His strikeout rate of once every 13.9 PA was the second-lowest in the NL. His father was an amateur second baseman and the all-time hits leader in Puerto Rican baseball, and his two older brothers, Bengie and Jos, also developed into standout defensive catchers with lengthy MLB careers. Shortly after learning he would be the 2013 manager, Rodrguez contacted Molina for input on constructing the roster. [253], Molina's two older brothers, Bengie and Jos Molina, played a combined 28 seasons in the major leagues. [11][13], "I saw the kid that's going to steal my job. He batted .333 in the NLCS against Milwaukee, including five hits in eight AB in the final two games. [5], Molina's catching aptitude showed as early as age five and developed quickly. The last playoff game he had not started was Game 3 of the 2004 World Series. [252] He is close friends with Vladimir Tarasenko. Abe took a pitch from Romero inside for a ball as the runners went in motion. [1], Despite batting just .238 in his first three seasons and .240 after 1,000 at-bats, Molina increased his average to .284 average after 3,983 at-bats (1,132 hits) as of 2013 due in part to having only one season lower than .293 from 200913. [256], Spurred by absences from autograph shows for which he was paid to appear, Steiner Sports Marketing filed a lawsuit for $175,000 against Molina in the New York state supreme court in Manhattan on October 2, 2009. Over time, with assistance of teammates such as Pujols, Molina found his comfortable stance, sounder mechanics and adopted a line-drive style of swing that eliminated the dip and helped him hit fastballs with more authority.[224][232]. [212], On September 10, 2018, he was selected to be part of the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series as a member of the MLB All-Stars team. Each of the three brothers has won at least one World Series ring, making them the only trio of brothers with such a distinction (Bengie and Jos both won their first while with the Anaheim Angels in 2002). [249] His agent is Melvin Roman of MDR Sports Management, who has represented him since he signed his first professional contract with the Cardinals shortly after being drafted in 2000. That caught stealing gave Molina five in seven total chances in the 2011 postseason to that point; the Rangers had been tied with the Cardinals for most steals in that postseason. [5] The Tigres' first baseman, Lus Rosario, was the one who recommended him to the organization. [6] He practiced pickoff moves and coordinates signals with the first basemen to indicate when he is primed to move for a pickoff throw. [133], During Game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, Wainwright hit Adrin Gonzlez with a pitch, and both benches cleared. Molina erased a Mets runner by throwing out Luis Castillo attempting to steal second base. In a 2009 tournament game against the Netherlands on March 9, Molina's eighth-inning double keyed a rally in which Puerto Rico won 31. Cast a ballot for change. This was the fifth grand slam of his career, tying him with Tim McCarver for second-most career grand slams by a Cardinals catcher. [58] For the first time in his career, Molina earned Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) consideration. They are also the only trio of brothers to play as catchers in the major leagues. The product of a baseball family, Molina was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. His father was an amateur second baseman and the all-time hits leader in Puerto Rican baseball, and his two older brothers, Bengie and Jos, also developed into standout defensive catchers with lengthy MLB careers. [12] Undeterred by the universal reservations about his offensive ceiling, the St. Louis Cardinals instead took Molina in the fourth round of the 2000 MLB draft and signed him for $325,000. [250][251] Molina's charitable organization, named Foundation 4, has helped to raise donations for childhood cancer patients in Puerto Rico. Regarding the injury as having a significance impact on the Cardinals' season, St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter Bernie Miklasz commented, "Losing the best catcher in the world for the next 8 to 12 weeks with a torn thumb ligament is a horrendous, demoralizing setback for the Cardinals. ", "Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard | baseballsavant.com", "St. Louis Cardinals have six Gold Glove finalists", "Molina starting 16th opening day in a row for Cardinals", "2020 National League Awards, All-Stars, & More Leaders", "3 reasons Yadi might stay, 3 he might go", "Yadier Molina jugara Serie Caribe con Criollos", "Resultados Postemporada 2020-2021 LBPRC", "Beloved Yadi returns to Cards: 'I'm back! After drawing a 10 count against Peter Moylan, a brief delay occurred when a stray kitten had made its way onto the outfield. [22] Molina returned from a 33-game absence on August 19 induced by a hairline fracture of his left fifth metacarpal bone from being hit by a pitch on July 7. [81] For the second time in his career, he won MVP consideration; he finished tied for 21st for the NL MVP balloting. [215], In a 2013 semifinal game against Japan, Molina alertly took advantage of a baserunning mistake to record an unusual putout. [42] He started the season with an Opening Day home run and seven-game hitting streak. His pitching debut came one week after that of teammate Albert Pujols, who also gave up four hits and two home runs in the ninth inning. Not only has Willson Contreras taken over the Cardinals starting catching job once held by franchise icon Yadier Molina, but hes been assigned the locker that Molina then called for two curveballs. A fidgeter with his batting stance early in his career, Molina mimicked and vacillated between more accomplished hitters such as Andrs Galarraga and Albert Pujols. The product of a baseball family, Molina was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. With both Aledmys Daz and Mike Leake attempting to catch the ball, Molina posited himself and waited. The St. Louis Cardinals honored Cardinals greats Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina before their final regular season home game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis Sunday. In combination with an improved ability to pull the ball and hit it up the middle, he improved his batting average, batting .293 or higher in five of his last six seasons. Cardinals fans need to know that enough is enough. Molina, 33, suffered the injury to his left thumb on a play at the plate when tagging Anthony Rizzo as the Chicago Cubs first baseman slid last Sept. 20. [147] His 100th career home run was well-timed, becoming the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning at Busch Stadium on August 19 in a 43 win over San Francisco. He gave up all four of the Pirates' runs on four hits and two home runs. But at the same time, they tend to just follow him. He posted a .358 composite batting average, .424 on-base percentage (OBP), two home runs and eight RBIs in 16 games as the Cardinals reached the World Series. [14] At one point in that extended spring training, instructor Dave Ricketts observed Molina from a golf cart during a game as he was still learning how to catch; he had been transitioning from third base. Starting in the top of the ninth, he batted with a 11 score. [88] In August, he batted .403 with a .453 OBP, both tied for third in the NL. He's a human vacuum behind the plate. A score of 100 is a likely Hall of Famer. "[35], "During the course of games, he would do something and I'd go, 'I can't believe he did that.'