Cardinals icon Yadier Molina remains in a staredown of sorts with the only team he’s ever known, seeking a two-year deal while the Cards idle amid budgetary uncertainty. Molina noted earlier in the winter that he’s heard from as many as five other clubs, but his preference has clearly been to return to the Cardinals.
Now, in an interview with La Vida Baseball’s Polo Ascencio (hat tip: Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch), Molina suggests that if he doesn’t receive the right offer, he feels he could retire with his head held high after a terrific 17-year career. Molina made clear that he’s still working out, getting ready as if he’ll play in 2021.
It’s hard to imagine Molina walking away when he’s previously been so adamant about continuing his career, but the Cardinals haven’t been aggressive in their efforts to retain Molina or longtime teammates Adam Wainwright and Kolten Wong — both free agents themselves (Wong after having his 2021 club option declined).
The rest of the market for Molina’s services, meanwhile, may have changed a bit since receiving that early interest. The Mets signed James McCann, taking them out of the market for another catcher. Molina previously mentioned interest from the Padres, but they picked up Victor Caratini from the Cubs. The Yankees are still in a staring contest of their own with DJ LeMahieu and don’t appear willing to spend elsewhere until there’s resolution on that front. The Angels, another club mentioned by Molina himself, could still be a fit but are surely looking at the pitching market and perhaps at J.T. Realmuto, who also remains unsigned. The Phillies would make another on-paper fit, but they, too, are intently waiting to see where Realmuto’s market goes. Goold notes that the Nationals have also been in touch with Molina, but they’ve been focused on adding more thump to their lineup to this point.
At the very least, it seems likely that once Realmuto is off the board, Molina will receive strong one-year interest as the clear best alternative on the market. Whether that pushes the Cardinals or another club toward the two-year term he prefers can’t be known at this time, nor can the level of potential gamesmanship in his comments about retirement be known. However, with about $155MM in career earnings under his belt already, Molina won’t feel financially obligated to simply take the best offer out there if he doesn’t feel he’s being valued appropriately on the market.
There’s no denying that Molina’s bat has tailed off over the past two seasons. He remains extremely difficult to strike out (13 percent) but has posted a combined .268/.310/.388 batting line since Opening Day 2019 — a pronounced decrease from the .282/.330/.434 output he notched from 2016-18. Molina’s bat is still roughly in line with that of the league-average catcher (by measure of wRC+), however, and he’s still revered for his ability to call a game, frame and block pitches, and control baserunners.
Someone will sign him
I don’t think that’s in doubt. The question is will he sign with someone else.
This “stare down” is embarrassing and as a cards fan, I really hope the front office signs him to another deal. Knizner doesn’t wow me, and we’re not going to find a better C out there for the amount of money he’s asking for. In fact, we will prob have to pay as much if not more to replace him with someone else not named knizner, which is very uninspiring considering all he’s done for the team on and off the field.
Embarrassing? The front office should give him a blank check so he can pay himself for past production. You should take over the team.
The Angels make sense, and their catching coach is his brother, Jose Molina.
What are the Cardinals doing? seems like they are writing off 2021 already…
It’s not just the cards, it’s every team but the padres and Mets. Give it 2 weeks and moves are gonna start happening really fast.
Dodgers, Braves, and White Sox beg to differ on whether they’re punting on 2021.
The cardinals aren’t writing off 2021. Why pay an aging catcher when you have young studs that’s ready to play or in in the minors. I’m a cardinals fan through and through. I say that it might be time to walk away. Especially if he asking for more than 10 million per season.
Looking at knizners career stats to this point, I’m not ready to put him in the young stud category and hand him the starting job. I know he hasn’t gotten much opportunity to showcase his skills, but he was given ABs when yadi got hurt and didn’t exactly set the world on fire… you know what you’re getting with yadi and that’s a team leader that puts butts in the seats and sells jerseys.
Hopefully we get to put our butts in the seats this year!
They definitely are writing off 2021-2028
It’s been slow, but most free agents are still out there. Few teams are making moves, so they still have options if they ever decide to act.
C’mon Cardinals, step up to the plate. He may be getting older, but he’s still damn good. He’s a cornerstone.
i mean its not exactly that shocking of a possibility
Someone will sign him
Not a Cards fan, but just sign him already. Or, if he’s not dead-set on being on a contender, Baltimore on a two-year deal could make a lot of sense. Rutschman has a terrific amount of talent, but imagine that talent being molded for two years under Molina. I know some people will say that he’ll want one last shot at a ring, and maybe that’s true, but some people genuinely enjoy teaching and he’d have the chance to leave his mark on the guy who could well be the best catcher of the decade.
At this point in his career Molina is more of a talent blocker…..see Carson Kelly.
Have you see Kelly’s metrics tho
Kelly’s neither the hitter nor defender that Molina is. He’s limited his own opportunities by not playing as well. Even when he got an extended look in 2019, after years of learning under Molina, he managed just a 1.7 WAR.
He’s not blocking anyone in St. Louis. Herrera is only 20.
Knizer is who he’s blocking
If he was really blocking Knizner Cards could care less about resigning Molina. They’re just waiting until he’s in the bargain bin, which the Cards have become really good at and last years economics really buys Cards excuses for being more frugal than ever.But I didn’t see Knizner really pushing Molina.
For similar reasons you mentioned would love the Rangers to get him for two years to train Trevino and Huff. Huff I believe will rival Rutschman for the catcher of the decade. I would not even be opposed to adding Wainwright for 1/7 to help eat innings and tutor young pitchers like Dunning, Cody, Palumbo, and Winn in late 21 or mid 22. Yadi 2/18 with 3 yr personal svc salary at 10 per optional.
I’m not quite that high on Huff, but yes, he could help out there with both him and the young pitchers. Not as sure I like Wainwright if it’s a one-year deal. If you want a steady pitcher who’s not flashy, go after Quintana. Eats innings, roughly league average the last few years, and aside from the swing from Sox to Cubs, has been pretty consistent year-to-year.
Molina to Baltimore makes ZERO sense. If the O’s were dumping salary in the form of Hanser Alberto and Renato Nunez why would they sign Molina when his salary alone would most likely exceed the cost of Alberto and Nunez combined? The O’s are all about building from within even if it takes another season – -they’re playing the long game. Besides, they already re-upped Pedro Severino and wouldn’t easily find a trade partner for him is they picked up Molina.
Yeeaaaa I’m not sure Yadier Molina is much of a mentor to anyone. The guy seems like the type of player to tell you to fu#k off as soon as he sees his play time in danger. Doesn’t seem like he wants to conceid to anyone
That’s not true even a little bit. He spends every spring training committing quite a bit of time to teaching and mentoring the young catchers and he has reportedly been working directly with Ivan Herrera
If he really wants to remain a Cardinal then he should give them an offer for his diminished services that they would accept. As great of a player, catcher & teammate that he WAS there’s no denying that he’s not the player he used to be.
It’s just a waiting game. How cheap can the Cards get him is the game Mozeliak or whoever the GM is playing. Same with Wainwright and Wong. We’re a smaller market but at least Jocketty had the foresight to make better trades.
I hope that they find a way to get him signed. Still not sure if he is a HOFer though, or in the Jorge Posada/Jason Varitek category of Very Good/Iconic players but not quite HOF worthy… A good year or two might help resolve the debate in his favor.
I’d say Molina and Posada are on a different level than Varitek. Still, I’m not sure a 40-WAR career is enough to get in. As it stands, I’d say no, unless the Veterans’ Committee votes him in. The voters tend to look at years of dominance and he had only 2 seasons of over 3.2 WAR. Good, but not dominant.
Or we could actually look at the video and his real numbers instead of using made up nerd stats.
What are “real numbers,” according to you? At one point, OPS was a fancy new stat, then we got OPS+. Both are real numbers. None of these stats, new or old, are flawless and WAR is not the be-all, end-all of stats, but it generally does a fairly good job of painting the on-field value of a player.
I believe OPS was first used by, hold on, Branch Rickey.! OPS+ simply provides better context. Not a new stat.
…except for with catchers. There fixed it
In his era, who would you put above him (at the catcher position)?
Joe Mauer and Buster Posey but they benefited from playing a little 1B also.
I gave up on the Hall of Fame already. He’s more worthy than Harold Baines.
Not arguing that, but just because the HOF has a few people unworthy of the honor doesn’t mean we should let in everyone better than them. That would mean that each less than worthy player justifies the others and each time they lower the bar, they cheapen the honor. Baines shouldn’t be in the HOF, and I say that as a White Sox fan, but just because he’s in doesn’t mean Yadi needs to be in, too.
Varitek has a higher OPS than Molina and he was an unequivocal leader on the field much like Molina. BUT, I believe Molina gets in the HOF and Varitek doesn’t. Posada is not even in the same conversation. Much better offensively than both but not near the leadership of either of them. And he was a pretty good on the field guy as well but not in their category. They are both legendary.
HOF just doesn’t matter anymore. It’s either elite or broad. No one would argue Maddux. My issue is when someone CAN make a legit argument for a candidate. The fact that we’d question Molina gives the answer to me. But it’s not MY hall… it’s everyone’s.
There are many questionable candidates in the HOF. While I don’t believe Harold Baines is a HOFer by my standards, and the established standards of the HOF, but I will say there are certainly less talented players in the Hall. He is arguably one of the greatest DHs ever, a man with over 2800 hits and a career OPS+ north of 120. He’s not exactly someone I’d get so upset over being in the Hall that I’d throw my hands i the air and proclain, “that’s it, I’ve had it!” The MLB HOF remains way more exclusive and difficult to be elected to today than in the past. Isn’t something like 20% of MLB position players from the 1930s in the HOF? Pr-integration baseball!
Molina would get my vote. Catchers remain underrepresented. They’ll never compile WAR at the rate of other position players due to how physically difficult the position is. He makes the cut in my book.
Amen, the Harold Baines election really stuck a fork in the HOF…
Happened well before that, actually, with the election of Selig. Thus turning the HOF into an absolute joke.
Harold Baines played BOTH outfield for SEVERAL seasons before becoming a DH. If he wasn’t voted in to the HOF,there’s definitely no room for Edgar Martinez or any other player whose main position is Designated Hitter. When rules change,job descriptions change, technology changes we can’t keep looking at the same lens that we’ve used for decades.
Offensively Baines is much worthier of the HOF than Molina. He almost got to the magic 3000 hits number and almost to 500 doubles just to argue a little. Better question is why is Fred McGriff in???
He doesn’t have friends/ex team mates on the vet committee
Look at all the players that Frankie Frisch put into hall
They make baines look first ballot
And that relates to my point above to Red_Line_9. If he thinks the “purity” of the HOF ended with Baines, he wasn’t paying attention to dozens of prior candidates who made the Hall.
20% of ’30s position players in the HOF? Not even close.
he’s probably not a HoFer. their standards for catchers are very high. anyone who thinks he’s going in 1st ballot is going to be quite surprised when he doesnt. not a knock on him, he’s just not 1st ballot catcher good.
Molina will make the HOF based on his longevity and defensive reputation. Posada has an argument as one of the great hitting catchers who was part of a dynasty and multiple championships. No one living outside of Boston has ever thought of Varitek as a HOFer. His career WAR is in the low 20s.
which just shows how poor WAR is at judging how good a player is. if you think Varitek was significantly better then Molina then you are crazy.
Where did I make that argument? I was doing the opposite. Varitek is in the low 20s on Fangraph. Molina in the low 50s. In no way am I arguing for Varitek.
I live WAY outside of Boston and I think of Varitek as a hall of famer. I also know he won’t get in. And I’m absolutely fine with that. Statistics don’t measure everything. I remember attending one of the first MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conferences and one of the panelists talked specifically about Jason Varitek. He stated that much of Varitek’s value was very hard to measure but that most in the game knew he was the best catcher in baseball. Stress on catcher. Nothing to do with offense at all. So people knew, it just couldn’t be measured accurately at that time.
I found Varitek’s burner account. lol
Wayhayzee
You may live outside Boston but you are the biggest RS homer on this site. Contrary to what you say, Varitek means much less outside Boston than you think or suggest, regardless of your homer’s panel (only a homer would argue such a thing). Posada means much more because of his overall ballplaying and his key role as a Core 4 member of 3 titles winning teams, a legitimate dynasty. Even with all that said, while I am a NYY fan, I am not such a homer as to suggest he’s belongs in the HOF. And Varitek definitely does not.
He’s a HOF catcher, especially if you consider his 2 World Series rings and his 9 gold gloves to go along with some good numbers.
Yadi to the Cubs, you heard it here first
No chance.
Bryant and Baez to Cardinals; you heard it here first.
Ducky to the moon; you heard it hear first.
Upgrade the offense first worry about Molina second.
A pure bluff. He is not going to retire, he loves the attention too much. I hope he is called on his bluff and no one offers him more than $5 million one year deal.
Why are you so mad at Molina? It’s not my money. Heck, I hope he gets 2 years, 30m!
1/$5M is more likely than 2/$30. I like Molina, but he’s not worth that.
Yes…I know
It will be so Angels to sign the shell of a guy who used to be good.
He’s still very good. Can’t hit anymore, sure, but almost no catchers can these days. His value is all on defense. His game calling, blocking, and handling of pitchers is incredible. Watch what happens to the Cards staff when he’s not around anymore.
People look at his numbers and say he is an ok hitter…but the thing is he is a very clutch hitter…When runners are in scoring position you want Molina hitting
What I’d want Molina more for is to work with a young C or pitching staff. He’s also been very good on the defensive side and is a strong leader. I’m not a Cards fan, so I can’t speak to his clutch hitting, but he’s a great guy to mentor a young team.
I’ll take Molina to handle the Angels pitching staff in a heart beat.
Join your brothers who have played for halos.
I demand to be respected with a high-dollar, multi-year contract or I will retire! Uhh, it doesn’t work that way. What Yadier is telling the Cardinals is I don’t really have any good offers and I want to return to St. Louis, and I know you’re really counting on me to return, so I will now threaten retirement, potentially removing my services you’re counting on. That’s not going to work either. The Cardinals will pay him what they think he’s worth at this stage. If his ego can’t handle that, then announce your retirement. He won’t.
Same with LeMahieu. It’s not really a stare down from the Yankees side. They clearly have made the best offer and LeMahieu’s camp is asking the Yankees to bid against themselves. If they have a better offer they’d bring it back to the Yankees to match it or they’d sign it. That hasn’t happened because the Yankees offer remains the best offer. It’s simply not what LeMahieu wants. He won’t be threatening retirement though.
You have no idea if that’s true. For all you know, the Blue Jays have blown the Yankees offer out of the water but DJ (and who knows, maybe his wife too) want to be in NYC rather than Buffalo or Florida or wherever.
We offer our opinions here. No need for you to be upset with a differing opinion. I have simply presented a non-emotional analysis based on what we know.
1. I don’t think they’re upset with your “differing opinion”
2. You didn’t present it as an opinion, you presented it as a fact – hence their rebuttal.
3. Your analysis was not “non-emotional”
Presenting something as fact is far different than presenting something as an opinion.
1) They?
2) So you’re saying we all need qualifiers when we present our thoughts?
3) Regarding LeMahieu, how so?
Genuinely curious.
I’d say any of us when we post our thoughts have emotion behind them. It’s human. For example, your first paragraph on Molina certainly had some emotion. I’d say your second paragraph on LeMahieu seemed more straightforward, taking into account what has been reported.
Greed vs Greed and see who blinks.
How much money does one person need?
It’s also about setting a standard as Molinas contract will likely be used as a standard for twilight, franchise icons (see posey, Buster) who have aged from superstars into role players. The way Molina allows himself to be treated this offseason will likely influence others in the coming years.
Also, in an argument between millionaires and billionaires, it’s hard to say that there’s greed on both sides. Sure, that’s technically correct. But the difference in money preventing a reunion is next to nothing for the owners, while still potentially representing maybe 3% of Yadier Molina’s entire net worth. From Molina’s perspective, that is absolutely worth fighting for.
Why would you ever begrudge someone the opportunity to make as much money as possible? I don’t particularly care for the guy but he’s entitled to ask for what he wants. A team will pay it or they won’t. Who cares buddy?
This is pretty much how I see it too, @lordd99.
Angel will sign him dont have give up anything they won’t deal with the Cubs ask price to high
Extremely difficult to strike out…..You don’t even know what that means. For example Ted Kluzewski had more home runs than strike outs in a good year.
Dick Stuart and Steve Bilko we’re kept in the minors because they struck out too much. Strike outs were looked on as failure.
It’s all relative.
Well in an era where striking out in 25% of your plate appearances makes you pretty average, striking out less than 15% of the time is an outstanding number.
He’ll get offers, but probably not what he feels he’s worth. If the Cards don’t give him a decent offer, I think retirement is a very strong possibility. This guy isn’t going to move his entire family for a cheap 1 year deal, and he shouldn’t.
I don’t know about that, it depends on what your definition of “cheap” is. Fangraphs projection was like a 1Y/$12M deal. So even “cheap” for him is probably going to be near 8 figures.
If a team that misses out on Realmuto is offering something “cheap” like 1Y/$9M or 1Y/$10M, that’s a ton of money for him to leave on the table. If we were talking about a guy who didn’t want to move for like a league minimum type deal or something in that ballpark then I totally agree with you, but even the low end of Molina’s value is so much money to turn down.
How about a 1 year contract with the Yankees? Solves the Yankees catching issue, and it’ll keep Molina in the league at least for 1 more year.
If the Yanks miss out on DJ, I’d put them as the frontrunner for JT. As for Molina, I don’t think he wants to play for another team on a 1-year-deal. It could be me speculating, but the guy is towards the twilight of his career. A huge move for him and his family could be an issue.
He’s not retiring. After throwing that temper tantrum about not being awarded the Gold Glove so he can catch Johnny Bench, he still has some motivation, even if he doesn’t understand that sabermetrics and algorithms determine who wins the awards now.
Good. Tired of him and all the other guys who act like unwritten rules police while catching and then scream and dance around when they get a big hit. You can’t have it both ways.
I’m not sure he has much left to prove. His reputation is set….he’s thought of by many as HOF, although the stats aren’t really there. I don’t think taking small money just to keep playing makes that much sense. Some players come off big contracts and are content to be role players for a (lot) less money. He doesn’t strike me as wanting to be a backup.
He’s obviously not signing with anyone but STL. And his asking price at 2 year, 10M per is ridiculous at this point in his career. So we’ll see who blinks first
The fact that Contreras might be available via trade also dampens the market for Molina. There are other options.
“The Phillies would make another on-paper fit, but they too are intently waiting to see where Realmuto’s market goes.”
Fixed it for you.
A team with young pitching could use his leadership (Marlins), a team needing a leader could use him (Phillies) or a team looking for a timeshare with a good staff could use him (Nationals).
Half kidding, Jays should be in on him too.
If Marlins pick him up, I’d be ecstatic. I don’t think he’ll want to sign with a non contender though, in the event he leaves STL.
If the Marlins offer 2 years for $30-mil he probably says yes. Could take $35-mil for 2 to get him. Marlins want to contend in 2022, no?
Honestly, I don’t think he gets north of $10M AAV. The decline is showing and I doubt he discovers the fountain of youth. The leadership skills are definitely there, as is his ability to mold a young staff, but with injury risk and decline, I just don’t see his value as that high.
Molina should sign with the Angels. I think he’d really help their pitching staff.
He’d get to play with his alleged “40-year-old” buddy Al Pujols again as well.
He would make a nice, affordable combination in Houston, along with Maldonado, to help the young arms down there.
There’s a certain GM I’m thinking of who seems to be option paralyzed over a certain free agent second basemen. Apparently, he’s offered a contract with a 21 mil AAV.
I think a savvy GM could probably sign Wong to fill that spot, add Molina in a time share/mentor role, & add Wainwright to a starting staff desperately in need of depth for damn near the same outlay in AAV.
Have to wonder if the White Sox and reunion with La Russa would make sense. He would essentially replace McCann and back up Grandal with a real shot at a deep post season run
If the Sox were going to do that, I think they’d have just gone after McCann since he’s younger and a better hitter. Besides, they also have Collins and Mercedes in the minors. Though neither is expected to stick at C, they can both fill the role of backup for a few years until Grandal’s deal is done, which is longer than you’d want a contract for Molina to be. They had other holes to fill with that money.
I would love for the White Sox to get both Cardinals legends. Adam and Molina. Back end starter help younger pitchers and a backup who could catch Cease and get another championship.. Should not be a lot of money.
To hyrax—McCann got a 4 year deal, my hunch is he would sign for just 1 yr for the right price. To spite the Cards and at same time give him a shot at another World Series with La Russa the guy who managed him back when the Cards wine 2 titles
Something isn’t adding up. How do you want a two-year deal, but also would be willing to retire now? My guess would be a one-year guarantee with a mutual option or something.
It’s a Molina family trait apparently: “give me what i want or I’ll hold my breath til i turn blue”
After Bengie Molina became a free agent from the Angels after the 2005 season he wanted a multi-year contract which, for whatever reason, no one was willing to give him. It got to the point that he threatened to sit out the 2006 season (which as a free agent without a team made no sense) before he eventually took a one year contract with the Blue Jays right before spring training.
And isn’t Bengie serving as Yadier’s advisor?
I’m no Cards fan, but this guy is a first-ballot HOF guy who has been the face of your team for many years. Plus, he’s stayed with only your organization his entire career, which only has a couple years left. If you don’t sign him, you will look cheap and it will be a stain on your organization, which usually does things the “right” way
Yankees should sign him to work with/replace Sanchez. In the George days this would already be done. Win-Win – he gets on a team that will compete for series and they get defense and a mentor
I’m not a “what would George do” person, but he likely would be cleaning up at the moment. Steinbrenner Sr. probably would have signed Realmuto not Molina. He wouldn’t be a slave to the luxury tax to this degree. MoneyBall was all about exploiting market inefficiencies. George wasn’t MoneyBall, but he was about spending money. He’d likely recognize the market inefficiency now is being driven by owners sitting back on their heels, and he’d go big and clean up.
Lifelong Cardinals fan here. I love Yadi and everything he’s done for the organization, but he’s not worth a multi-year commitment with Knizner and Herrera waiting in the wings. I’d love him back on a 1 year deal, but we need youth starting behind the plate.
That said, he’s a HOFer and would be a GREAT manager or catching coach.
As a Cards and Molina fan all I can say is – I don’t care. Sports are a harsh world and it matters not at all what he HAS done. What matters is what he is likely to do going forward. Based on his age and recent history he is likely to be a replacement level catcher. And I’m fine if STL resigns him. But baseball is also like fantasy sports in that the teams need to maximize return on limited salary resources. if he expects a salary based on his PAST performance then let him walk. And if being paid now for a reasonable expectation of future performance is insulting then retire. STL needs to sign players that will deliver on their contract going forward or they will continue to be weak in the playoffs. So sure sign him or loet him walk but don’t cave and give him a multi year contract reflective of his past performance.
“fans” like you spend more time looking at stats than actual games, what a miserable attitude, go get a different hobby man
I like a winning team. If it’s all about the love why doesn’t Molina sign for $1 million?
He seems reasonable. You seem more miserable.
Exactly. Look at the majority of his comments here. Dude complains more than anyone I’ve ever seen yet wants to talk about someone having a miserable attitude. Pot, meet kettle…
Can they please sign this guy just to shut him up? Either that or make him the star of a soap opera.
The FA market was always going to be slower than ever, everyone knows this, why is he acting all impatient when we all know this fact?
Just chill Yadi, you will be playing for someone in March no matter what.
I though he wanted to catch Bench for GG’s?? LMFAO
What is this joke referencing? I keep seeing similar things and have no idea what the hell it means.
I guess that we should have figured that this might happen. Molina is a great player but he has sometimes seemed attracted to drama and certainly (and justifiably) has a high opinion of his worth. I don’t see either side blinking any time soon, so this may not end well.
I don’t think it’s all that important. Molina is already set for life and has a good shot at the HOF. The team is probably better off playing the kids and using the money Molina would command to add a better bat in the OF. No big thing either way.
It appears the Cards 1 year offer is not in line with what Yadi was thinking. At some point, his agent will need to sit down with Yadi and have the tough conversation about his true value in 2021.
Someone needs to remind him that the Cards aren’t very sentimental, ask Albert
No team is sentimental.
And the Cards were right in that case, ask Anaheim fans.
It’s money, like usual. He will retire before playing for a couple mil. If someone ponies up 5m plus, he’ll play. He’s made to much money to play thru another pandemic year for a couple mil.
And fair enough. he has earned the right to retire comfortably. but he hasn’t earned the right to demand a team pay him far in excess of market value which is what he is trying to do to STL. Good on them for holding out. I suspect they won’t though. My prediction is he gets a 1 year with option year based on games played. The number of games played will be very difficult for him so he saves face on the multi year thing but STL knows he is truly on a 1 year deal.
Jimmy, several smart, reasonable posts here by you. Thanks.
I like the 1 year + option year based on games played. Makes sense for both parties.
He doesn’t deserve 2 years. Take 1 or retire.
My guess here is, it’s not a 2nd year thing. I believe he’d sign today for 1 year, if they get in the ballpark of what he’s looking for. What that number is, dunno.
He’s just posturing and making noise
Yea if I were a MLB team I wouldn’t wanna sign Molina anywhere near 20 million either. Regardless of track record, it’s just asanine paying him that kind of money just because he is Yadier Molina. I doubt he is looking for a 2-3 million contract which is probably what these teams would be willing to pay him at the tail end of his career.
Tigers
molina’s baby voice saying if nobody signs me, i’ll just quit.
I still think Yadi has Angels written all over him. Bro is there, Pujols still is, and the Angels desperately need an anchor at C back there. They might be willling to overpay even.
Molina is never going to play his final season in an unfamiliar city and for fans that haven’t been along for his ride. Molina seems to have come to grips with his options. Sign at management’s one year k number or retire. This is his last dance. He is grumbling, but he is a professional and he will ultimately sign on at management’s terms. Hopefully he stays healthy during his final pandemic impacted season. Who knows if fans will even be in attendance for his final game action.
Is there any other three brother combinations in the minors right now? The Molinas were the latest. It seems like we have a lot of pairings and curiously the age gaps seem to be a few years instead of a couple.
I admire anyone who wishes to remain with the same team. Loyalty in sports is rare. Best to you wherever you end up, Yadi.
Yadier was great. But he has to remember what it was like just trying to get an opportunity to play. Some kid is waiting for that opportunity, and Yadi is blocking his path. Sure, he could play until he’s just terrible. But why? He doesn’t need the money. He is already a Hall of Famer. Just walk away.
if he manages his money like adrian peterson, he’ll need all he can get
Try this- Cubs trade Contreras for the best deal they can get-(and it better be a good one) and they sign Yadi for two years to train Miguel Amaya and sign a back up. They are going nowhere, Yadi would make sense, and it would shove a stick in the Card’s eye.
Yadier don’t let the door hit you in the ASS on the way out. Cardinals have overpayed you for 3 years. So ungrateful and greedy.
At 38, he should be willing to accept a reasonable 1 year deal. He should understand that the economics for all teams are very iffy this year.
Loyalty is a two way street. If Cards are willing to give him a decent one year deal, he should not be insisting on two.
99:99% of the planet doesn’t have any guaranteed multi-year employment agreement. And in baseball, it makes little sense for 38year old catchers.
He is not ready to retire or he would have done it already.
I think arbitration numbers being exchanged and international doors opening has more to do with a deal not happening yet. I still think they will bring him back for one more year as well as Waino. I could see Waino as a broadcaster if the FO doesn’t present something reasonable soon. He seems to have a real knack for it. As for Wong, I think he will sign this next week or so. I don’t think it will be STL but who knows?