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| Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is having an outstanding season at the plate and his all-star teammate Albert Pujols is doing what he can to make sure the media takes notice. - Photo courtesy of Getty Images |
But even though Pujols is struggling, he still strikes fear in the eyes of opposing pitchers. Pujols feels another Cardinal hitter should too. And that hitter is Yadier Molina.
"It's the same thing I've been seeing since he's been in the big leagues in 2004 -- having good quality at-bats," Pujols said. "He's a guy that can hit .300 every year. He's having good quality at-bats, and that's it. Same hitter. Nothing has changed. If there's anything that has changed, it's probably that he became more disciplined at the plate. But besides that, he's been the same hitter."
Albert's comments are completely justified. Molina has worked hard to become a quality hitter at the big league level, often times spending hours in the batting cage alongside Pujols. Pujols is right to praise Molina for his persistence.
But when a guy like Pujols gives you praise directly to the media, it has to feel good, especially for a player known mainly for his defensive abilities.
Molina's stats also support the statements of the first base slugger. Molina is hitting .311 with three dingers and 24 RBI's. That is just four less RBI's than Pujols himself. Pujols credits Molina's success to staying within himself and spraying the ball around the field, which has led to increased run production for the Cardinals.
"He knows that he's not a power hitter," Pujols said of Molina. "He's a guy that wants to use the whole field and put the ball in play. That's his game. But I'm pretty sure that if he goes up there and swings to try to hit the ball out of the ballpark, he could do that, too, any time."
In a lineup that features Pujols himself, Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday, and Colby Rasmus, it is easy for Molina's success to get lost in the shuffle.
Pujols may not be getting to much applause for his below expectations performance this season, but he should get plenty of applause for praising his teammate Yadier Molina.
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