| Period | Org | Lg | Age | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | K | BB | HBP | GDP | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | Field | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year to Date | STL | NL | 30 | 563 | 505 | 65 | 159 | 28 | 0 | 22 | 76 | 12 | 2 | 55 | 45 | 5 | 10 | .315 | .373 | .501 | .874 | .376 | 4.3 | 5.1 |
| Rest of Year | STL | NL | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .283 | .341 | .403 | .744 | .329 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Full Year | STL | NL | 30 | 563 | 505 | 65 | 159 | 28 | 0 | 22 | 76 | 12 | 2 | 55 | 45 | 5 | 10 | .315 | .373 | .501 | .874 | .376 | 4.3 | 5.1 |
| Year | Org | Lg | Age | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | K | BB | HBP | GDP | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | Field | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | STL | NL | 30 | 529 | 478 | 60 | 135 | 26 | 1 | 10 | 58 | 6 | 3 | 49 | 41 | 4 | 18 | .283 | .341 | .403 | .744 | .329 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| 2013 | STL | NL | 31 | 554 | 497 | 67 | 144 | 26 | 1 | 15 | 68 | 7 | 3 | 51 | 45 | 5 | 17 | .289 | .349 | .435 | .784 | .344 | 2.3 | 3.1 |
| 2014 | STL | NL | 32 | 558 | 501 | 66 | 143 | 26 | 1 | 15 | 68 | 6 | 3 | 52 | 46 | 5 | 17 | .286 | .347 | .428 | .775 | .340 | 2.3 | 2.9 |
| 2015 | STL | NL | 33 | 561 | 504 | 66 | 142 | 26 | 1 | 14 | 67 | 5 | 3 | 53 | 47 | 4 | 18 | .283 | .344 | .421 | .765 | .337 | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| 2016 | STL | NL | 34 | 552 | 495 | 63 | 138 | 25 | 1 | 13 | 64 | 5 | 3 | 53 | 46 | 4 | 18 | .278 | .341 | .410 | .751 | .331 | 2.3 | 2.4 |
| 2017 | STL | NL | 35 | 551 | 494 | 61 | 135 | 24 | 0 | 12 | 61 | 4 | 3 | 53 | 46 | 4 | 18 | .273 | .336 | .397 | .733 | .325 | 2.3 | 2.1 |
| Year | Org | Tm | Lg | Class | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | K | BB | HBP | GDP | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | Field | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | STL | STL | NL | MLB | 124 | 485 | 444 | 37 | 135 | 18 | 0 | 7 | 56 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 32 | 1 | 21 | .304 | .346 | .392 | .738 | .327 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| 2008 | CRO | CRO | Win | 14 | 46 | 42 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | .191 | .239 | .238 | .477 | .218 | 1.5 | -0.2 | |
| 2009 | STL | STL | NL | MLB | 140 | 544 | 481 | 45 | 141 | 23 | 1 | 6 | 54 | 9 | 3 | 39 | 50 | 6 | 27 | .293 | .362 | .383 | .745 | .335 | 4.4 | 3.0 |
| 2010 | STL | STL | NL | MLB | 136 | 520 | 465 | 34 | 122 | 19 | 0 | 6 | 62 | 8 | 3 | 51 | 42 | 7 | 19 | .262 | .329 | .342 | .671 | .304 | 7.6 | 1.8 |
| 2011 | STL | STL | NL | MLB | 140 | 518 | 475 | 55 | 145 | 32 | 1 | 14 | 65 | 4 | 4 | 44 | 33 | 1 | 21 | .305 | .346 | .465 | .811 | .350 | -2.3 | 2.7 |
| 2012 | STL | STL | NL | MLB | 138 | 563 | 505 | 65 | 159 | 28 | 0 | 22 | 76 | 12 | 2 | 55 | 45 | 5 | 10 | .315 | .371 | .501 | .872 | .376 | 4.3 | 5.1 |
| 2012 | CRO | Win | 14 | 58 | 52 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5 | .231 | .293 | .365 | .658 | .290 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Year | Org | Lg | Class | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | K | BB | HBP | GDP | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | Field | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | STL | NL | MLB | 488 | 56 | 143 | 20 | 0 | 8 | 56 | 0 | 3 | 34 | 34 | 1 | 24 | .294 | .336 | .382 | .718 | .319 | 3.4 | 1.8 |
| 2009 | STL | NL | MLB | 483 | 64 | 143 | 23 | 1 | 7 | 53 | 9 | 3 | 37 | 50 | 6 | 28 | .297 | .367 | .390 | .757 | .341 | 2.7 | 3.1 |
| 2010 | STL | NL | MLB | 465 | 55 | 122 | 19 | 0 | 7 | 46 | 8 | 3 | 48 | 42 | 7 | 20 | .262 | .329 | .346 | .675 | .305 | 7.6 | 1.8 |
| 2011 | STL | NL | MLB | 477 | 65 | 147 | 32 | 1 | 15 | 72 | 4 | 4 | 42 | 33 | 1 | 22 | .308 | .350 | .477 | .827 | .357 | -2.3 | 3.0 |
| 2012 | STL | NL | MLB | 559 | 85 | 173 | 29 | 0 | 26 | 94 | 13 | 3 | 57 | 49 | 5 | 16 | .309 | .365 | .502 | .867 | .374 | 4.5 | 5.4 |
He has caught 2,300-plus innings over the last two years combined, the highest total in baseball. Nonetheless, his numbers improved over time last year instead of flagging—-Molina hit .315/.368/.405 in the second half after a dismal .223/.301/.294 performance through the All-Star break. His career has been very similar so far to Mike Scioscia’s.
Swinging at more pitches outside the zone this season, and fewer pitches inside it. Molina is 27 and presumably at the height of his powers, but he started 138 games at catcher last year and is on track for a like number this season. Maybe it's taking a toll?
After finishing next-to-last in NL OPS in his age 23 season (2006), Molina has improved his offense for three years in a row. No surprise — you’d expect a 23-year old to get better. But what’s unexpected is the type of hitter Molina has become. Based on his first couple of years in the league, you’d never have projected him as a high-average, high-OBP catcher. You’d have projected him for a so-so average with moderate power — a .265/.315/.425 hitter.
Jose Oquendo’s coaching influence is apparent here, because Molina has developed into the same type of hitter. He’ll be only 27 this season, still young enough to develop another 50 points of slugging. (P.S.: Bet you didn’t know that Yadi stole nine bases in 12 attempts last year.)
Bet you didn’t know Molina led the Cardinals in RBI during the World Series (with nine). In the regular season, he set career highs in almost every consequential offensive category and became one of only 10 NL catchers to post a 4.0-WAR season within the last decade. He achieved this via a long-anticipated leap in extra-base power. Yadi’s ISO of .160 was double his 2010 figure and 54 points better than his previous career high (achieved all the way back in 2006). While not likely to post 4.0 WAR again, he’s still only 29 years old and a good bet to stay at the 2.5- to 3.0-WAR level for another two or three years.