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| St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was awarded his fourth career Rawlings Gold Glove Award for his stellar defensive play throughout the 2011 season. - Photo courtesy of Getty Images |
In Game 1 of the 2011 World Series, the first out was recorded much differently than normal.
It was not a strikeout, not a ground out, and not even a fly ball that was responsible for the Fall Classic's first recorded out. The first out was recorded when Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler was caught stealing by a rocket throw from St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina.
And for the fourth time in his Major League career, Yadier Molina has been recognized for his defensive prowess. On Tuesday night, Molina was announced as the National League Gold Glove winning catcher for the fourth time in his career.
Molina is known as possibly best defensive catcher in the game and those skills were clearly on display during the World Series. Just ask Kinsler, who was also picked off of first base by Molina during the season.
Molina had a bit of an off year nabbing base runners this season, catching just 29.2% of possible thieves. But the Cardinals catcher made just five errors on the season while guiding a carousel of relievers and a struggling starting rotation to a World Series Championship.
Not only did Molina have a stellar season behind the plate defensively once again, he also set personal highs at the plate offensively as well.
Molina led all Cardinals regulars with a .305 batting average and belted 14 home runs and knocked in 55 RBI's on the season.
So not only has Molina continued his solid defensive play, but he has improved tremendously at the plate as well, giving the Cardinals a dangerous threat at the bottom of their already potent batting order.
Congrats to Yadier Molina for winning his fourth Gold Glove award and cementing himself as the best defensive catcher in St. Louis Cardinals history.
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