Yadier Molina arrives, discusses Golden year
JUPITER, Fla. — Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina has received his first Gold Glove award, has held it, has even thanked a Rawlings representative in person for it, but he won’t get to take it home for another couple months.
Molina was presented with the award during the annual Baseball Writers Dinner in St. Louis this past January. But he arrived at spring training on Thursday, a few days before pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report, and said he hasn’t gotten to take the trophy he oh-so coveted home quite yet. Molina got to campus, slapped on some new pads and got right to work. He caught a handful of pitchers, including newcomer lefty Ian Ostlund, Brad Thompson and prospect Jess Todd.
“Most of the guys I know, but I think it’s important to get here and start getting to see the new guys, what they like to do,” Molina said. “I’ve been playing for a month with (Jose Oquendo) in Puerto Rico, but I’ve really been looking forward to this day. This is the start of it. This is the beginning. I’m excited to come here and start getting the season going.”
Molina came to last year’s spring training slimmer and on a new diet, an attempt to keep his weight down and protect his knees from any damage. This year, he kept slim but worked on getting stronger.
He said he was in good shape last year, but “I could tell I needed to be better.”
“It wasn’t the year that I wanted because we finished in fourth place and could have done better as a team,” Molina said. “But personally, personally I did pretty good. Last year was good year for me, hitting (better than .300) and winning the Gold Glove. It wasn’t my best year. I wasn’t bad defensively, but I really felt I could be better.”
At the dinner when he received the award, an emotional Molina spoke about losing his mentor, Cardinals’ coach Dave Ricketts, this past season and then losing his father this winter. Molina did not know the Gold Glove was going to be present at the dinner, and he said he was moved by the surprised — but also by the chance to thank “the two men who put me where I am.” The Cardinals plan to have a ceremony before one of the regular-season games during which Molina will officially receive the Gold Glove near home plate.
And then he’ll get to leave with it.
There’s a spot at his home waiting for it.
“I’ve worked four years for my first one,” he said. “What’s a few more months?”
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
LONG LONG OVER DUE FOR MOLINA!! Here’s to a future of more GOLDEN YEARS !
I love Pujols, but Yadi has been my favorite Cardinal for some time now. Hopefully, he will get the award with more frequency now that they finally wised up and gave him his first.
You deserve it, Yadi.
Anybody know which game will have the presentation ceremony? I might actually buy tickets for that one (if the company tickets aren’t available!)
Yadier was gracious to remember Dave Ricketts, who was a close personal friend of my family’s for years. At Dave’s funeral last year, the biggest display of flowers was sent by one Yadier Molina. Dave’s beloved Barbara had everyone sign a red chest protector and Willie McGee flew in from the Bay area (Hercules, Calif.) to pay his respects. Dave had seven World Series rings from his days with the Cardinals, Athletics and Pirates but his was a Redbird through and through. It’s only fitting his last “progeny” won a Gold Glove last year and should for many years to come. Rest in Peace, Dave and Go Yady!
Talk about an unselfish player, earning the money in his contract. I hope he has a healthy season, he’s a treat to watch!
Yadi is a class act through and through, and my favorite Cardinal to watch. I have a shot of his HR in the ‘06 NLCS as my desktop background and I smile every time I recall that great moment. Here’s to a dozen more golden gloves on #4’s mantle!
Yadi is one of the best. I replay the 06 smash against the Muts all the time in the winter. Still gives me goosebumps.
Watching Yadi behind the plate has been an absolute pleasure. From the throws to the blocks to handling all pitchers, rookies to vets. Oh yeah, and he can even hit a little bit now. It just doesn’t get any better…
Yadi the cannon! May he be a Cardinal for life!
What are the contractual ramifications of Yadi laying in the Puerto Rican league during the winter? What if he tears an ACL, shreds a shoulder, etc.? Does he need team permission? It’s one thing if you sent Chris Perez to the Arizona league or a winter league in Latin America to work on his changeup, or Wallace to work at third base or the outfield. But for an established player, what benefit is there to the team for Molina to risk injury playing in PR?
I’m assuming Molina needs team permission, but I guess I’m not even sure. I think NBA contracts usually forbid playing basketball except with the team, which is why guys like Jordan used to get the famous love-of-the-game clause inserted in their contracts, allowing them to stop and play a pickup game on a playground if the impulse struck. Do MLB contracts usually include similar provisions to bad recreational play (unless specifically stricken)?