St. Louis Cardinals Sign Yadier Molina to Four-Year Extension

Catcher's deal also includes club option for 2012

01/21/2008, ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals today announced the signing of catcher Yadier Molina to a four-year contract extension with a club option for a fifth season. With today's deal, the Cardinals and Molina avoid salary arbitration and keep one of the games' best young catchers in a Cardinals uniform through at least 2011.

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Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000, Yadier Molina has already established himself among the top all-around catchers in his first three seasons as an every-day catcher. Molina leads all Major League catchers in both catcher's stolen base pct. (47%) and pick-offs (18) since 2005, and he ranks among the National League's top clutch-hitting catchers; posting a .279 (4th in NL) batting mark with runners in scoring position and a .289 mark (2nd) with two outs and runners in scoring position.

"Yadier possesses game-changing ability both in the field and at the plate," said Cardinals' Vice President/General Manager John Mozeliak, who made the announcement at the team's 12th Annual Winter Warm-up event. "From his dramatic homer in the 2006 NLCS to his handling of pitchers, Yadier has shown that he is a special talent when it comes to the all-important challenges of the catcher position. We are thrilled to have him signed for the next four years."

Yadier posted a career high .275 batting average this past season, including a 15-game hitting streak, the longest by a Cardinals catcher since 1993. He ranked 5th among N.L. catchers in batting (.281) following the All-Star break. His career totals include a .248 batting average, 22 HR's and 153 RBI in 405 games. Molina missed most of June with a non-displaced fracture of his left wrist and he underwent a medial menisectomy of his right knee in late September. Molina is expected to be ready to take part in full activities when spring training begins next month.

Source: MLB