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Molina raising catcher durability standard
- Updated: September 29, 2016
ST. LOUIS — After establishing a career best with his 138th start behind the plate on Tuesday, Yadier Molina will surpass his previous high in innings caught Wednesday as he continues marching toward becoming the third catcher in franchise history to log at least 1,200 innings behind the plate in a season.
Molina’s durability has been notable this season given his age (he turned 34 in July) and the fact that he underwent thumb surgery twice last offseason. He entered Wednesday leading the Majors in starts at catcher and innings caught (1,175 1/3).
Those figures would seem to enhance Molina’s candidacy for the Gold Glove Award, though he may have to overcome other numbers to net that defensive honor for a ninth straight season.
Molina has allowed a career-high 61 stolen bases and boasts a career-low caught-stealing rate of 21 percent in 2016. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, a four-time Gold Glove winner himself, hopes the managers and coaches who cast Gold Glove ballots do not take those numbers without context.
“His numbers are down,” Matheny said. “They’re not the lowest in the game, by any means, but he’s made good throws, so that does bear some weight on it. But I don’t think that’s the whole story.”
The broader issue has been the struggles for several of the team’s pitchers in …
