JUPITER, Fla. – For any St. Louis Cardinals fan watching the nationally televised exhibition game last weekend, the play had to conjure bad memories.
For Yadier Molina, it was just another out at the plate, one more small step on the road to getting ready for the season opener.
Molina’s first-inning tag of the New York Mets’ David Wright sliding at home bore a close similarity to the play that ended his regular season last year, when the seven-time All-Star sustained a torn ligament in his left thumb tagging out the Chicago Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo.
Molina, who did not have an at-bat during the Cardinals’ first 15 Grapefruit League games as he recovered from two offseason surgeries to repair the damage, said he did not experience déjà vu when Wright came barreling in.
“I’ve had a couple of plays at home and I haven’t thought that I might get hurt,’’ he said. “I’m just playing my game.’’
And that’s enough to put a smile on the face of the Cardinals, for he’s their most indispensable player. Even as Molina’s offensive output has diminished in the last two seasons – partly as a result of a right-thumb injury that was slow to fully heal – he remains an invaluable contributor with his work behind the plate.
St. Louis had the best ERA in the majors last season at 2.94, becoming the first team to keep that stat under 3.00 since 1989 and propelling the club to a third consecutive NL Central crown. With Molina at the squat that figure was down to 2.80, the best in baseball by at least half a run among qualifying catchers.
While Molina was able to play through the sore left thumb in three of the Cardinals’ four postseason games, they got bounced out 3-1 by the division-rival Chicago Cubs in the Division Series, where he had one hit in eight at-bats.
Considering how rough an offseason the Cardinals endured – losing right fielder Jason Heyward and veteran starter John Lackey to the Cubs in free agency, and failing to lure David Price – the last thing they could have afforded was to lose Molina for an extended stretch early this season.
So far, it looks like he’s on schedule for Opening Day, even when his timing at the plate is admittedly off.
“It’s been a process of getting him healthy and taking at-bats. He’s right on pace,’’ manager Mike Matheny said. “He looks healthy, he looks good. He’s been taking some good swings.’’
Molina, 33, also looks considerably slimmer than he used to, the result of a change in diet and workout routine he started following the 2014 season, leading him to shed 15-20 pounds.
Despite the left-thumb injury, he went on to play 136 games – about his norm – but hit just four homers and saw his on-base-plus slugging percentage dwindle for the third year in a row, to .660.
The diminished production evoked some questions about whether Molina had lost too much strength, but he believes he’s fitter and, after gaining weight during the season, Molina repeated the regimen this past offseason.
“The catching position is very demanding and as you get older you have to watch your weight,’’ said Molina, listed as 5-11 and 205 pounds. “We did some good things to address that and hope to be healthy this season.’’
Molina is so devoted to baseball that, despite playing an average of 132 games a season at the game’s most demanding position between 2006-2013, he would return home to Puerto Rico and play winter ball.
He finally relented and sat out the last two winters, but envisions himself playing one final season in front of the home folks and plans to again participate in the World Baseball Classic, which returns next year.
“This is my job and the only thing I know how to do,’’ said Molina, about to enter his 13th season. “I enjoy playing baseball and, if that ever changes, it’s time to retire.’’
