JUPITER, Fla. • Sporting a Lionel Messi soccer jersey, Yadier Molina strolled into a Cardinals spring training clubhouse for the 15th consecutive February on Tuesday, a day ahead of the first official workouts for pitchers and catchers. “Time flies, huh?’ the 35-year-old catcher mused.
No Cardinal other than Stanley Frank Musial and Robert (no middle name) Gibson has played longer with the Cardinals without having performed for another team. Starting a three-year contract this season, Molina figures to make it 17 seasons in a Cardinals uniform. At 14 seasons, he is third now behind Musial (22) and Gibson (17), with the top five being rounded out by Pepper Martin (13) and, surprisingly, Tom Pagnozzi (12).