(Jupiter, FL) Last year when the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa faced each other, Yadier Molina had some fun having a pack of cheese crackers left at home plate for his big brother, Jose–the catcher for the Rays. There will be more chances for fun over the next couple of weeks as Jose will serve as a guest catching instructor with the Cardinals in Spring Training.
“He’s been around for many teams, so he’s got many guys who taught him how to play this game,” pointed out Molina, who still learns from both of his siblings. “I know he’s my brother, but he knows about baseball. Benji knows about baseball. They played for many years and really, they know how to teach. They know how to talk to the young guys. They know how to go to the park everyday and teach and that’s why he’s here.”
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Benji, the oldest of the three brothers, served as the Cardinals assistant hitting coach in 2013.
Learning from each other has carried over from their youth to their big league careers for the Molinas, in particular during the post-season.
“We’ve tried to help each other since the beginning, since ’04,” said Yadi. “My first year was in ’04 and Benji also was playing in Anaheim. We went to the World Series against the Red Sox and I got no idea. The Red Sox, it’s the first time I’m going to face those guys and they had faced them before for three years so they were there for me and told me ‘hey, this guy likes to do that’. Same thing in ’06 against Detroit. Same thing in ’11, same thing in ’09 against the Phillies–the Yankees, Jose was with the Yankees. We try to help each other.”
Jose Molina, who is one year younger than Benji and seven years older than Yadi, has won a pair of World Series (’02, ’09) and played the last three seasons for Tampa.
Yadier is expecting to do some of his own teaching too as Pete Kozma and Greg Garcia will be getting some work behind the plate to be prepared as emergency catchers this season.
“Yeah, they should come over here in the morning and block some balls with me,” chuckled Molina about the lessons the newbies have in store for them. “They have to know they’re going to get hit by the ball. But they’re tough. Pete Kozma’s tough, Greg Garcia–they can do it. They’re tough.”
“For me to be a catcher, you have to be strong. Not only physical, but mentally because it is a tough position.”
photo credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
